What Is The Hanbo, And Why To We Use It?
The hanbo is a staff weapon used in the martial arts of Japan. It is very popular with the members of the Bujinkan Taijutsu martial art. The hanbo is a stick about three feet long with a diameter of about an inch. The name of the weapon comes from the name of another weapon, the rokushaku-bo, the “six-shaku-stick.” A shaku is about twelve inches. So when we say, “hanbo,” which means, “half-stick,” we are acknowledging the existence of a larger weapon. This is truly very significant!
In feudal Japan, where the practice of hanbo-jutsu, the hanbo art, first originated, taking a stick to war as your weapon was a practice likely to get you killed. If sticks were taken to a fight, they were usually at least rokushaku-bo length, and often reinforced with metal studs or spikes. Even so, it was not considered a good idea to use a stick as a primary weapon. Instead, nearly everyone went to battle with a bow, swords, spear and halberd. So why is it that the hanbo was passed down in the teachings of martial arts in which it was not considered a battlefield weapon?
Sometimes, it was all a person had! If a warrior using a spear was in a combat situation, it was possible that the spear would be cut by an enemy warrior. A skilled opponent might seek to do this as quickly as possible, since it would render the spear-user weaponless. Unless, of course, he knew how to use the remaining small piece of his spear as a weapon! On the battlefields of feudal Japan, there were plenty of ways for a person to end up with a smaller stick. A warrior skilled with it would know how to use it to give him the best chance of success.
James A. Kelley, founder of http://www.NinguTrading.com has studied the martial arts of Japan for over ten years. His passion for the martial arts is equalled only by his passion for the history of Japan. A veteran traveller, James has lived in eight countries and has travelled to many more. He has visited historical locations in Japan and China in his research and training, and has trained in more than ten different martial arts. He holds a Black Belt rank and trains daily. In his free time, he handmakes martial arts supplies for martial arts practitioners, available at his website. Some of the things he makes include: hanbo, waraji sandals, and kyoketsu-shoge.
Tags: arts, bujinkan, cane, defense, genbukan, hanbo, history, japan, jinenkan, martial, ninja, samurai, self, staff
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