Okinawan Tonfa - Mesa Students Certify in Martial Arts Weapons

I continue to find the greatest students in the world. Or do they find me? Must be karma.

Earlier this month, Shihan Neal Adam (5th dan) defends against Sensei Bill
Borea (2nd dan) using bo and tonfa.

Anyway, at the Arizona School of Traditional Karate in Mesa - within 30 feet of Gilbert and about a hundred+ yards from Chandler, our students continue to perfect technique. For me, I love to watch them progress. I've been a martial arts instructor for more than 4 decades and taught a few thousand students at a few universities in the past, and each year my students get better and better and better. Not only here in in the Phoenix Valley, but also all around the US, India, Japan, Vietnam, Middle East, Canada, China, Great Britain, and Switzerland. I have lost touch with most and wish I knew how they were all doing and what they were doing with their lives, and if martial arts helped them in their path in life.

As the Soke of Shorin-Ryu Karate Kobudo (Seiyo Kai), I look to teach my students a large variety of martial arts that mostly fall under Okinawan and Japanese Shorin-Ryu Karate, Kobudo, Self-Defense, and Samurai Arts. These include iaido, iajutsu, jujutsu, hojojutsu, naginatajutsu, yarijutsu, hanbojutsu, tanto, ra-ke, tsue, kuwa, manrikigusari, gusarikama, shurichin, nunchaku, kama, sai, bo, jo, nitanbo, kobuton, and tonfa (and a few others).

Ryan works over Lou during Tonfa training in the
Kobudo Class.

Thus this week, a few of our Mesa Students who have been at the dojo almost every kobudo night (Thursday night) since I introduced the tonfa last year, got the chance to prove their ability with this weapon. The tonfa, the classical night stick also referred to as the PR-24 and side-handle baton, has been used by many law enforcement agencies around the globe, but few officiers really know how to use this baton.

In most Okinawa baton training, students use two tonfa unlike law enforcement. Even so, our students learn to use just one tonfa as well as two. A small group of our students who tested for certification (meaning they have reached a level of expertise with this weapon that is considered expert) have shown they understand kihon (basic strikes, blocks and throws), they demonstrated all three of our Seiyo Shorin-Ryu tonfa kata, demonstrated bunkai (applications from the kata), used to tonfa as a self-defense weapon against attackers armed with clubs, poles and knives, and also demonstrated kumite (sparring) defending with a pair of tonfa against attackers wielding a bo (6-foot pole). Imagine, fighting another martial artist with these wooden weapons and having no protective gear. 

Following exams, I am happy to say the I've certified five martial artists in Arizona in tonfajutsu. Congratulations to Adam Bialek, Patrick Scofield, Sarah Kamenicky, William Borea and Ryan Harden. They all came out of the exams with only a few minor bruises.

Tonfa (Martial Arts baton) taught at the Arizona School of Traditional Karate

Katharina (9th kyu) trains with Sarah
(2nd dan) during kobudo.

Soke Hausel (10th dan) began teaching tonfa to the kobudo classes at the Arizona School of Traditional Karate on Baseline in Mesa to students from Mesa, Gilbert and Chandler in the East Valley of Phoenix. We even have students driving from Scottsdale, Phoenix, Tempe and Glendale to train at the Arizona School of Traditional Karate. Why? Possibly because of the unique 'traditional setting and atmosphere of the dojo' - and much of the training is in Japanese.

Tonfa was introduced to our students in September 2011 in the kobudo classes and we began learning basic blocks and strikes with the Okinawan traditional weapon and continued training in bunkai (applications) including kata (forms). As of December, the class has progressed learning two tonfa kata and much of their bunkai and also trained in some ippon kumite (controlled sparring) with the tonfa vs. bo (6-foot staff) and tonfa vs tanto (knife).

Starting in late January or early February, we will start learning our 3rd kata (form) and its bunkai.

Paula (2nd dan) strikes Sarah (2nd dan)
with tonfa as Sarah defends with bo.

Dave Hargreaves blocks Patrick Scofield's bo attack with tonfa
at the Arizona School of Traditional Karate

Students of all ages learn to use Tonfa in Mesa and Gilbert

Sarah (2nd dan) works with Amber during tonfa class
at the Arizona School of Traditional Karate in Mesa

Members of Seiyo No Shorin-Ryu Karate Kobudo Kai train each week in kobudo, the ancient art of Okinawan weapons. Training includes kata, bunkai (applications) and ippon kumite (controlled sparring), whether they are in Arizona, Colorado, Wyoming, India, Vietnam or were ever they might be.


Members also train in kobujutsu, or better known as samurai weapons. In September, 2011, members of the karate school (Arizona School of Traditional Karate) in Chandler, Mesa and Gilbert were introduced to one of the many kobudo weapons of old - the tonfa, and we'll continue learning the tonfa well into the next year prior to focusing on some other weapon.

Ippon kumite (one step sparring) with tonfa and bo.

So what is a tonfa?  The tonfa became popular worldwide as a night stick used by law enforcement personnel. A skilled tonfa practitioner can defend against a variety of attacks as this is a very practical weapon.

After the students learn kihon (basics), bunkai (applications), ippon kumite (sparring) and kata (forms) of tonfa, they will be tested for proficiency in this tool and then move on to learn other weapons along with karate (empty hand) training.  We have the greatest students in the world who support one another and work with each other. Our classes include about 30% female. If you are looking for something to do each week that requires only a good nature, come join us at 60 W. Baseline Road.

Rich Mendolia defends strike from Neal Adam.

Tonfa kihon (basics) training. Here our members practice age uke (rising block) - at the Mesa Gilbert Chandler
karate school in the East Valley of Phoenix, Arizona.

Don't mess with Texas and don't mess with Paula. Bill tries to
mess with Paula and finds some new bruises in the morning. Paula is
our resident Samurai from Japan.

Charles Jean trains with Ryan Harden at Mesa Gilbert dojo

Tonfa - Shorin-Ryu Kobudo Weapon

Chinese Cultural Center in Phoenix - Photo by Soke

Similar to all other Kobudo weapons & Okinawan martial arts, the tonfa has an enigmatic history with more than one possible origin. This is one of many kobudo weapons that is researched and practiced at the Arizona School of Traditional Karate in Mesa and Gilbert as well as in all Shorin-Ryu Karate and Kobudo (Seiyo Kai) dojo.

Weapons similar to the tonfa were found in other Asian countries including China, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines. Keep in mind few things ever developed without the influence of others and there is a tendency by Mankind to build on or modify earlier creations.

Dr. Neal Adam with tonfa attacks Ryan Harden with bo
at the Arizona School of Traditional Karate in Chandler 
Mesa and Gilbert

It is suggested by some historians & martial artists that the tonfa was developed somewhere else in Southeast Asia and was later introduced and modified in Okinawa. But others suggest that the weapon was indigenous to Okinawa and there may have been a parallel evolution of weapons in other Asian countries.

A similar weapon was apparently created in Thailand known as the Mae Sun Sawk. The Thai weapon includes a rope at the elbow end of the weapon that is tied to the person’s arm unlike the Okinawan tonfa. The Chinese version of a tonfa is known as guai, which roughly translates as crutch (or walking stick). Guai is thought to have originated in China prior to 700 BC. A variation of the guai is made from iron and is called a ma guai (horse crutch). With the close relationship between China and Okinawa any connection between these two countries must always be considered.

Okinawan folklore states that during the reign of Okinawan king Shō Shin, restrictions were placed on the use of bladed weapons in order to stabilize the country after a period of civil war. This restriction is said to have favored development of secretive agricultural and fishing tools used as weapons of self-defense by Okinawan peasants and samurai caste. In this context, it is thought that tonfa may have been developed from a wooden handle of a millstone, a common agricultural tool. But keep in mind that the Okinawan tonfa as used today is distinct from the millstone frame.

Also referred to as tong fa or tuifa, feudal Okinawans made tonfa from native tree species similar to white oak. Typically, two tonfa were used in vertical and horizontal millstones with projecting knobs inserted into sockets on either side of the stone. At this point, the millstone was driven along a trough to grind grain into flour.

Soke Hausel poses for Hall of Fame induction photo at the
Sandan School of Martial Arts in Saratoga, Wyoming.

If the tonfa actually originated as millstone handles, they had to be modified to produce modern tonfa, which are now manufactured in quantity. In its original form, the handles most likely couldn’t be spun since most millstone handles were not cut precisely nor are they typically rounded and many appeared similar to a wooden hammer. Most primitive tonfa also lacked a handle pommel (tsukagashira).

In combat, a tonfa with a rounded handle can be maneuvered easily. Those tonfa with rounded shafts typically can be swung with force but some people don’t like these as they are not as effective in blocking heavier weapons as a flat tonfa. A rounded tonfa will not absorb the force of a blow from a bo effectively, since it tends to focus the energy of impact into the forearm. The half-moon and flat tonfa more effectively redistribute the energy from a blow of a heavy weapon throughout the flat surface.

Patrick and Neal practice tonfa bunkai at Arizona
School of Traditional Karate in Mesa and Gilbert

The tonfa is just one of many weapons in the arsenal of Okinawan kobudo (古武道). Okinawan kobudo is also referred to as Ryūkyū kobujutsu or koryū and is known as "old martial arts way" referring to ancient weapon traditions of Okinawan martial arts. The weapons of kobudo are thought to have connections with farming and fishing cultures of Okinawa. Some of these kobudo weapons include: nunchuku, sai, kama, hanbo, nitanbo, kuai, bo, kobutan, eku, ra-ke, kuwa, manrikigusari, tanto, hari, nireki, surichin, tetsubo, tekko, tinbe, yawara, suruji, tinbe-rochin, etc.

George Mumford from Boston, trains with tonfa at the
Seiyo Hombu (Arizona School of Traditional Karate)
in Mesa.

It is common belief that these tools evolved into weapons used by Okinawan peasants due to restrictions placed upon Okinawans by King Sho Shin and later by the Satsuma Samurai. However, modern martial arts scholars have been unable to verify this hypothesis and many historians now suggest that karate and kobudo was restricted to the Pechin (samurai) caste on Okinawa, rather than the Heimin (commoner). I suspect there was some influence by Heimin societies, simply because it is discussed often in Okinawan folklore.

The genius of Okinawan kobudo was its development of kobudo kata which became an extension of karate. The same strikes and blocks used in kobudo are used in karate with minor modifications. Thus most kobudo kihon (basics) mimic karate kihon. The kobudo traditions were shaped by indigenous Okinawan techniques that were modified from imported methods principally from China.

The characteristics of the tonfa (see photo on right from Nasiakos Spyros, Hanshi/9th dan, World Okinawa Seishinryoku Karate Do Federation, Athens, Greece) are that it is gripped by the short perpendicular handle (nigiri) or by the longer main shaft (monouchi) at the back end (ushiro atama). When the handle is grasped, the shaft protects the forearm and hand while the knob (tsukagashira) and (tsuka) protects the thumb. If the end (ushiro atama) of the shaft is held, the shaft (monouchi) can be used to ward off blows while the handle (tsuka and nigiri) is used as a hook to catch the opponent's weapons, arms, legs and/or neck.

In offense, one can swing the shaft to strike. Large amounts of energy can be imparted to the shaft by twirling the tonfa by the handle. The tonfa can also be wielded in such a way as to use the knob as a striking implement similar to a hammer. One can also thrust either end of the shaft (ushiro atama or zen atama) to strike an attacker.

Tonfa are traditionally wielded in pairs, one in each hand. This is unlike law enforcement agencies that typically use one nightstick. The effectiveness of the tonfa as a law enforcement tool was seen in its use worldwide.

Soke Hausel demonstrates zuki (thrust) with katana
(photo by Kenrick Davis).

The size of tonfa is determined similar to sai and should extend about one inch beyond the elbow for combat: however, it is recommended that for dojo use and practice that the weapon only extend to the tip of the elbow. The shaft is typically 20 to 24 inches in length.

The weight of the weapon is also important. The weapon should not so light that you lose power and focus, and should not be too heavy that it cannot be maneuvered with speed. Three traditional grips (1) natural (honte mochi), (2) reverse (gyakute mochi), and (3) special grip (tokushu mochi) are used.

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