Japanese Influence on Okinawan Kobudô
The kumidances of Okinawa are dances performed by two players who
simulate sparring with various weapons. These dances may be of Japanese
origin. The Nihon Budô Taikei (Martial History of Japan) notes that Sat-
suma farmers and peasants were taught self-defense by the Jigen-ryû head-
master Tôgô Bizen-no-Kami Shigekata (1602–1659) at the insistence of the
Satsuma lord Shimazu Yoshihisa. The transmission of combative tech-
niques was accomplished through the medium of the Jigen-ryû Bô Odori
(Staff Dance). This dance included two-man sets that simulated combat for
jô and katana, rokushaku bô, and yari, and separate techniques for eku,
kama, shakuhachi(flute), and other implements. Although the original
kumi dances of Okinawa may be derived from Japanese prototypes, new
dances are periodically created and performed by contemporary kobudô
practitioners. The distinguishing factor between kumi dances and weapons
kata is that kumi dances are performed for entertainment, with little or no
emphasis on the combative bunkai(application of techniques) contained in
the forms. Movements are judged for aesthetic value, rather than for com-
bat effectiveness.
This is not true of Okinawan di(in Japanese, te). Okinawan di move-
ments resemble the movements of onna odori(ladies’ dances), but the
bunkai are transmitted with emphasis on combative applications. Okinawa
di is composed of various open-hand forms, including moto-ti(original
hand), kihon-ti(basic hand), tori-ti(grappling hand), uragaeshi(reversal),
ogami-ti(prayer hand), koneri-ti(twist hand), oshi-ti(push hand),kaeshi-
ti(return hand),nuki-ti(draw hand), and nage-ti(throw hand). The pin-
nacle of di technique and practice is Anjikata no Mai no Ti(Dancing Hand
of the Lords). The empty-hand movements exhibit a circularity and flow
that correspond to the movements used with di weaponry.
The primary weapons used in Okinawa di are katana, naginata, and
yari. These weapons were also the primary martial implements used by
Japanese samurai. It is possible that Okinawan di is indirectly derivative of
Japanese forms. The Japanese presented the Ming court with katana, nagi-
nata, and yari during the fourteenth century. It is possible that the Oki-
nawans were influenced by techniques and weapons from China, which
were originally based on Japanese patterns.
It is also possible that the Okinawans received civil combative forms
from Ryûkyûan samurai (in Okinawan, pechin) traveling to Satsuma after
subjugation of the Ryûkyû kingdom by the Satsuma clan in 1609. This possi-
bility is substantiated by the tradition that Okinawan rokushaku bôjutsu(staff
technique) was unknown in the Ryûkyûs until after Sakugawa “Toudi” (in
Japanese, Karate) and Koura Tsuken (1776–1882) returned with them after
studying in Satsuma. Matsumura Sôkon “Bushi” (in Okinawan, Chikudun288 Kobudô, Okinawan