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| Bō The rokushakubo, or bo for short, or stick is probably one of the first weapons used to defend or hunt. It could easily be found, was not very difficult to handle, and could be used for multiple purposes. The rokushakubo of Okinawa may have been introduced from China. It probably originated from a farm tool called tenbin. It is a stick held across the shoulders, on which fish or water buckets could be hung. The tapered version called a kon, however, is indigenous to the islands. The tapered staff is about 1.8 meters (6 ft) in length, with the ends tapering considerably. The end of the kon, because of its reduced circumference, has greater penetrating power. A walking stick used by monks to ease hiking could provide another origin of the bo. Monks eventually used their sticks to defend themselves when their temple was attacked. Rokushakubo and kon techniques were probably developed very early in history, and were probably refined after the Heian Era (around 1127 AD). They were not designed or developed for the warrior class but for the farmers and fishermen who needed protection from footpads (thieves) and brigands. The rokushakubo of the samurai is totally different in both technique and application. The Okinawan kon and rokushakubo rely on thrusting, swinging and striking techniques that stem from empty-hand styles of okinawate. Attacks are often avoided by agile footwork and returning strikes made at the enemy's weak points. Click here to see our Bo collection The wikipedia article about the bō is here
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