In Okinawa metal was very scarce. The sai may have been an ornament, denoting certain rank, that could also be used as a weapon.

There are reports of similar weapons used in India and definitely in China. There is a type of sai, manji sai, where the two shorter prongs point in opposite directions. The origin of the sai is unclear. The centre prong is longer that the two outside prongs. The sai is a three pronged weapon made of metal. It is more flexible and does not break easily. The origin of the bo is most likely the stick that was put across the shoulders to carry baskets with rice, produce or water buckets. The bo is the first and the most often used weapon in Okinawan kobudo. It is often used to practice when hitting a makiwara board. Okinawan kobudo was at its zenith some 100 years ago and of all the authentic Okinawan kobudo kata practiced then, only relatively few remain known.Ī bo is a six-foot (1.8 m.) long staff often tapered at both ends. Many of the Okinawan kobudo traditions were preserved and handed down in middle of the 20th century by Taira Shinken. Farm implements would be readily available. One should also remember that in those days, except for the few people that lived in actual castles, the different classes of a community lived much closer to one another. Although much of it is based on farm implements, it is unlikely that farmers would have had the inclination or energy to pursue intensive weapons training. Most likely Okinawan kobudo was developed by the Pechin warrior class, based on systems imported from China and adapted to local conditions. Apparently already in the 15th century the ruling king in Okinawa prohibited citizens from carrying weapons. All weapons were kept in the King’s castle. Okinawan kobudo, just like karate, has been strongly influenced by the martial arts from China and other cultures in Southeast Asia.

Tichu kobudo measurement