Martial Art Weapons

In general Martial Art styles do not use weapons, the most famous arts, like Karate actually emphasize defending yourself without external weapons (Karate is formed by two ideograms: Kara, empty and Te, hand), just with your bare hands and the natural weapons your body has provided you.

There are a number of Martial Art systems that do use weapons and this article will try to describe and provide information on what martial arts weapons are available and where you can purchase these martial art weapons.

Japanese Karate Martial Art styles that use weapons are normally completely encompassed in what is called Kobudo (Old Martial Way, which refers to Okinawan Kobudō). As a sidenote, many historians now state that Karate was an art that actually derives from the weapon training in Kobudo.

Kobudo system uses the following weapons:

Bō (six foot staff), Sai (three-pronged truncheon), Tonfa (police nightstick), Nunchaku, Kama (farming sickle), Tekko, Tinbe-rochin (shield and spear), Surujin (weighted chain), Eku (oar), Tambo (short staff), Kuwa (hoe), Nunti Bo (spear), Sansetsukon.

In other Japanese Budo we can find a long list of martial art weapons, which we will list under each art:

Kendo and Kenjutsu: Katana (Japanese warrior sword), tanto (Knife), bokuto or bokken (wooden sword), fukuro shinai (bamboo sword).

Naginatajutsu: Naginata

Sojutsu: Yari (spear)

Ninjutsu: Bo, shuriken, yari (spear), naginata, kusarigama (sickle with a weighted chain), kayaku (gun powder), katana.

Kyudo: Yumi (bow), ya (arrow)

In the case of other arts that use Martial Art Weapons we can list:

Wuchu (Chinese Martial Art): Dao (sabre), Qiang (spear), Jian (straight sword), Gun (also known as staff), Halberd, Axe, Battle axe, Hook sword, Fork, Bian (steel whip), Mace, Hammer, Talon, Ranseur (Trident-halberd), Long-handled spear (Lance), Short cudgel, Stick (Crutches or Tonfa), Liu xing (Meteor hammer).

A general list of Martial Art Weapons would include, ordered by general classification:

Knife

Balisong (Butterfly Knife), Deer Horn Knives from the Chinese martial art Baguazhang
Karambit, Katara (a push knife), Kris (traditional weapon in South-East Asia), Kukri,
Kirpan, Kujang, Kunai, Makhaira (or a short sword), Push dagger, Rondel, Vettukathi, Short staff or stick weapons,  Arnis sticks, Hanbo, Kurunthadi, Kubotan, Otta, Shillelagh, Yawara, Yubi-bo, Simbat

Long weapons (staff and spear weapons)

Arbir (Indonesian halberd), Bisento (Chinese origin halberd), Gun (staff), Ji (halberd), Jogo do Pau (Portuguese Staff and baton), Guan dao or Kwan dao (large Chinese halberd), Kurunthadi,
Ox tongue, Lathi, Pudao (long handled sword), Halberd, Monk’s Spade, Qiang (spear), Quarterstaff, Sarissa, Sibat (Filipino/Indonesian spear), Taiaha (Maori wooden duelling spear/staff),  Kanabō (Japanese iron staff)

Sword

Arming sword, Bolo, Butterfly sword, Chisakatana, Claymore, Dait, Dao, Dopplehänder, Falcata, Gladius, Golok, Großes Messer, Hook sword, Jian, Kampilan, Kodachi, Khopesh,
Kopis, Ninjatō, Nodachi, Pata, Pulwar, Rapier, Shamshir, Scimitar, Scramasax, Single-sword (Cut  Thrust, sometimes called the “German rapier”), Talwar, Tachi, Taijijian, Wakizashi, Waster (Wooden European sword simulator), Xiphos, Zweihander, Sudang lipas (broadsword)

Composite weapons

Kusarigama, Kyoketsu shoge, Manriki or Manriki-gusari, Sansetsukon (Three-Section Staff),

“Soft” weapons

Chain whip, Rope dart, Whip (Bullwhip), Lariat, Tabak-Toyok, Meteor hammer, Urumi,
Surujin, Bolas, Flying claws, Dragon beard hook

Truncheons

Jutte (or Jitte), Blackjack or Slapjack, Telescopic baton

Sickle

Arit, Chicken Sickles, Karambit

Shields

Buckler, Hoplon, Hungarian shield, Targe

Short range projectile weapons

Blowgun (fires Fukiya, poison darts or pins), Chakram, Sling

Clubs

Mere (hooked jade or carved wooden flat club), Patu (sharpened jade blade), Gunstock war club, Shillelagh, Morning star, kanabō

Miscellaneous

Brass knuckles, Tessen (Iron fan), Fu (a battle axe), Tomahawk, Korean Fan/Mu Puche (Tempered Birch Fan), Shobo, Wind and fire wheels.

This is not a complete list of the Weapons used in Martial Arts, but we hope we’ve made a useful and detailed list that may help you in your search for where and what martial art weapons are available and those that may exist for your own training in the diverse and interesting martial arts in your location.

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I collect Japanese katana. All of them are razor sharp and cut through paper with one slice. Katana is a Japanese sword.

On the 15th episode of Human Weapon, Jason Chambers + Bill Duff travel back to Japan to learn Ninjutsu. They learn different weapons that the ninja used, as well as tactics & warfare. In the ultimate search for a HUMAN WEAPON, mixed martial artist Jason Chambers and football pro Bill Duff put their bodies on the line as they train in the most lethal forms of combat before going toe-to-toe with masters of each fighting style.

this is for people who are well experienced in iaido/iaijutsu or any martial using an iaito. I’ve been using a standard bokken for a while and was ready for a iaito. but when i browse around, i’m 6’4" so i’m having trouble what length of the blade. a lot of websites have different suggestions and i thought at least 2.60 or 2.65 shaku would do well. I need a little advice.

I live in the Baltimore area, but I am willing to travel up to an hour from Baltimore for a quality martial arts class. Please include links to websites and/or contact information/phone number with your answers. There are many choices in the area, and frankly it is quite overwhelming. Recommendations of schools to check out and/or schools that should be avoided are appreciated.

Thanks.