TONFA, Karate Weapon of Self-Defense

Hondo-wa (handle strike) with tonfa. Not all tonfa are equal, many found
at various martial arts supplies are poorly made, and will lose their handles
particularly when using an handle strike. Hanshi Finley demonstrates
handle strike at the Seiyo Hombu in Mesa, Arizona.

Tonfa has an enigmatic history. Tools similar to the Okinawan tonfa are found in other Asian countries including China, Indonesia, Thailand and Philippines. Some suggest tonfa was developed in southeastern Asia and later introduced to Okinawa. Others argue the weapon is indigenous to Okinawa. 

Mae Sun Sawk is a similar weapon developed in Thailand, and has a rope to wrap around the elbow. A Chinese version of tonfa, known as guai, roughly translates as crutch (or walking stick). Guai is thought to have originated in China prior to 700 BC. A variation of guai is made from iron and called ma guai (horse crutch). Having a close martial arts kinship, any connection between China and Okinawa must be considered.

Demonstrating maewashi-ka (extended strike) following furi
uchi (whipping strike) with tonfa. Seiyo Hombu in Mesa, AZ

Also referred to as tunfa, tong fa or tuifa, feudal Okinawans often made tonfa from a native tree species similar to white oak. On Okinawa, farmers used tonfa in millstones with their projecting knobs that inserted into sockets on either side of the grinding stone. The millstone was driven along a trough designed to grind grain into flour. In its original form, handles of tonfa likely were not rounded and possibly looked like wooden hammers. As they evolved, tonfa were modified for combat.

In combat, tonfa is gripped by the short perpendicular handle (nigiri) or by the longer main shaft (monouchi) away from the handle. When the handle is grasped, the shaft protects the forearm & hand during blocking, while the knob (tsukagashira) & (tsuka) protects the thumb. If the end of the shaft is held, the shaft can be used to ward off blows, and the handle used to hook an opponent's weapon, arm, leg or neck. Traditionally used in pairs, large amounts of energy can be imparted to the shaft of the tonfa when swinging the tool by the handle. The tonfa can also be held by the shaft to strike with the knob similar to a hammer. In some instances, handle knobs were made with points to impart greater damage. One can also thrust either end of the shaft (ushiro atama or zen atama) to strike.

Seiyo Shorin-Ryu Karate and Kobudo classes, Mesa and Gilbert, Arizona

Some suggest the tonfa shaft should extend about one inch beyond the elbow for combat; however, the weapon need only extend to the tip of the elbow (or slightly less). The shaft is 20 to 24 inches in length. Three traditional grips of tonfa include: (1) natural (honte mochi), (2) reverse (gyakute mochi), and (3) special grip (tokushu mochi).

The tonfa is just one of many weapons in the arsenal of Okinawan kobudo (古武道). Okinawan kobudo is also referred to as Ryukyu kobujutsu (see koryu). Weapons of kobudo are thought to have connections with farmers, merchants & fishermen of Okinawa. It is a common belief that tools evolved into self-defense weapons used by peasants because of restrictions ordered by King Sho Shin and later by the Satsuma Samurai. However, modern martial arts scholars have been unable to verify this & some suggest karate & kobudo were restricted to the Pechin (samurai) caste, rather than the Heimin (commoner). But it is likely there was influence by both groups. The genius of Okinawan kobudo was the addition of kata which became an extension of karate & the same strikes & blocks used in kobudo were used in karate with minor modifications.

Grandpa defends Grandma's attack.

After evolving on Okinawa, the tonfa was later introduced to the world & became popular with law enforcement throughout the world until replaced by expandable baton. However, few law enforcement agencies (other than in Japan) trained more than a few hours with tonfa. As a result, such law-enforcement weapons become awkward & under-used.

For members of Seiyo no Shorin-Ryu Karate Kobudo Kai, learning tonfa is important and is considered to be an extension of our martial arts system. Members train in three tonfa kata and learn all of the bunkai (applications in the kata) along with kumite. Kumite typically matches tonfa against other kobudo weapon such as bo, kama, tanto, etc.

Jeff and Adam train in kumite during kobudo class at the Seiyo Shorin-Ryu Hombu in Mesa,
Arizona.

Tonfa - Shorin-Ryu Kobudo Weapon

Handle strike (hondo wa) with tonfa at the Seiyo Shorin-Ryu Hombu, Mesa Arizona.

Similar to all other Kobudo weapons & Okinawan martial arts, the tonfa has an enigmatic history and may have more than one genesis. This is just one of many kobudo weapons taught by Soke Hausel and his instructors in the east valley of Phoenix.

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

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

Soke Hausel uses maewashi-ka (extended, or, reverse strike)
with tonfa at the Seiyo no Shorin-Ryu Karate Kobudo Kai
Hombu in the East Valley of Phoenix.

A similar weapon was 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 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 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 as weapons of self-defense by Okinawan peasants and possibly by the Okinawa samurai caste known as Pechin. 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 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.

Dr. Adam attacks with bo, which is blocked 
by a defender using snapping strike (furi) to 
extend the tonfa to maewashi-ka. When done
properly, furi is performed similar to snapping 
a wet towel.

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, 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 as the flat or square tonfa in blocking heavier weapons. A rounded tonfa will not absorb the force of a blow from a bo as effectively, since it tends to focus the energy of impact into the forearm at the point of contact of the rounded surface with the forearm. The half-moon and flat tonfa more effectively redistribute energy from a blow of a heavy weapon throughout the flat surface of the weapon.

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.

It is common belief that these tools evolved into weapons and were developed by Okinawan peasants due to restrictions placed upon Okinawans by King Sho Shin and later by the Japanese Satsuma Samurai. However, modern martial arts scholars have been unable to verify this hypothesis and some 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 often discussed in Okinawan folklore and also these kobudo weapons were tools of trade for the commoner, something a member of the high society of Okinawa (Pechin) would likely have ignored.

The genius of Okinawan kobudo was the development of kobudo kata which became an extension of karate. The same strikes and blocks used in kobudo are used in karate with some 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 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.

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 practise 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 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. 

"We support American values, the US Constitution, and facts; so, we can no longer support facebook or linked-in" - Soke Hausel

University of Wyoming martial arts professor and research geologist at the
Wyoming Geological Survey on the UW campus inducted into two Halls
of Fame in the same year for two different professions.

Letter from University of Wyoming President Philip Dubois
acknowledging induction of Soke Hausel into two Halls of Fame