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 The Katana or Samurai Sword is strictly an offensive weapon. Forging the blade was a religious act and the forging method was a closely guarded secret known only to a few Master Swordmakers. Those secrets have been passed down through the ages to those family members deemed worthy. Only a handful of these Master Craftsmen are practicing the art today. |
| Kama are short handled sickles, also developed from Okinawan farm implements and used to combat the Samurai Sword. |
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| Nunchaku means wooden flail. It was originally used as a rice thresher and consisted of two unequal lengths of hardwood connected by a cord made of horse hair. Modern nunchaku are constructed of |
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lighter wood and the two sticks are of equal length. Nylon cords or lengths of chain have replaced the hair cords. The nunchaku can be wielded with tremendous velocity in striking and are also valuable in parrying attacks from other weapons. |
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Sai are a pair of pronged truncheon used defensively against the bo or the samurai sword. Its design stems from the concept of a pitchfork and was originally developed in Okinawa during the Japanese occupation of those islands. |
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