Weapons

Origins

Most karate weapons are of Okinawan origin. A common belief is that Okinawan kobudo developed as a result of the Okinawan samurai being stripped of their weapons at two different points in their history; however, this belief is based upon misconceptions.

The first time Okinawan samurai weapons were supposedly confiscated was during the reign of King Shoshin (1477-1526 AD). While documents show that Shoshin ordered his provincial lords, or aji, to live near his Shuri castle, it is no longer believe that he totally disarmed his ruling class. A famous stone monument, the Momo Urasoe Ran Kan No Mei, which is inscribed with the highlights of Shoshin's reign, describes Shoshin seizing the aji's swords, and how he amassed a supply of weapons in a warehouse near Shuri castle. Historians now believe Shoshin was building an armory to protect his ports and prepare for any potential invasion by wako, or pirates, not that he was stripping the samurai or the general population of their weaponry.

The second time Okinawan samurai were purportedly disarmed was after the Satsuma invasion of 1609 AD. However, documents describe that, while the Satsuma outlawed the ownership and sale of firearms, all the samurai of the Pechin class and above were allowed to keep family firearms. Documents show that in 1613 the Satsuma issued permits to the samurai to allow them to travel with their personal swords (tachi and wakizashi) to the smiths and polishers in Kagushima, Japan for maintenance and repair. It appears that, while there were restrictions on carrying weapons in public, the weapons were not confiscated.

The second time Okinawan samurai were purportedly disarmed was after the Satsuma invasion of 1609 AD. However, documents describe that, while the Satsuma outlawed the ownership and sale of firearms, all the samurai of the Pechin class and above were allowed to keep family firearms. Documents show that in 1613 the Satsuma issued permits to the samurai to allow them to travel with their personal swords (tachi and wakizashi) to the smiths and polishers in Kagushima, Japan for maintenance and repair. It appears that, while there were restrictions on carrying weapons in public, the weapons were not confiscated. Since there were restrictions on carrying weapons in public, the Okinawans relied on "kakushi buki" or the practice of concealed weapons, such as the sai and nunchaku, for self-defense.