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Kenjistsu / Kobudo: Japanese and Okinawan Weapons Systems |
 Kenjutsu: Christian Tissier Sensei cutting the wrist  Katana: The Japanese Sword
Kenjitsu is the Japanese martial art specializing in the use of the Japanese sword (katana). Kenjitsu is the main focus of the koryu (old-school martial arts systems of Japan), because the katana was seen as the main weapon of the samurai (Japan’s ancient warrior class). Kenjitsu schools prepared the samurai to deal with a wide range of weapons and these weapons were integrated into the various kenjitsu ryu. Today most schools concentrate on the sword, but also train with the bo (staff), jo (short staff), yari (spear) and naginata (halberd).
The four disciplines associated with Japanese sword work:
Kenjitsu kata: Paired attack and defense exercises using the boken (wooden sword) or fukuro shinai (padded bamboo sword).
Batojitsu: Cutting practise. A live blade is used to cut prepared targets made out of wood, bamboo, or grass mats.
Iaijitsu: The practise of drawing the sword, cutting instantly in any direction, and returning the sword to the scabbard. In the beginning stage of learning a boken is used and thereafter an iaito (blunt sword) and finally a live blade.
Free Sparring: For safety, protective clothing and boken or shinai are used.  Iai-jitsu, drawing the sword Kobudo  Sai Practise  Nunchaku Practise
The most common kobudo weapons are the bo (staff), sai (hand held fork), tonfa (swivel batton) and kama (sickle).
 Sai  Kama  Tonfa  Nunchaku The advantages of weapons training:
A martial arts practitioner can gain allot from studying weapons.
Weapons use is an internal (subtle) skill by nature. When one uses a weapon, brute force is not as important as skill, speed and accuracy. Weapons are also ideal tools for learning the skills of distancing and timimng. Each weapon has unique characteristics. When the practitioner understands the principals underlying all the basic weapons, he/she will learn to deal with any weapon and use any object as a weapon. One has to spend a lot of time with weapons to become familiar with their use.
Hans Menck practises the use of kobudo weapons (bo, sai, tonfa, nunchaku and kama) as well as elements of Kashima Shin Ryu and Katori Shinto Ryu Kenjutsu, and aiki ken and aiki jo (aikido sword and short staff). He also studies chinese weapons such as the sword, sabre, staff, halberd, deer horn knives, whip and whip chain.  Two-sword technique |
Kenjustu / Kobudo 
