Japan ~ The Land of the Rising Sun

Okinawa is one of the Ryuyyu Islands of Japan, a chain of islands that stretch out like pearls in the Pacific Ocean south of the island of Kyushu of Mainland Japan.  Despite being a part of Japan it has its own culture, its unique dancing, clothing and music style.

 It was here that Karate and other Martial Arts originated.  

At one time the islands were an independent nation but in 1609 Shimazu Tadatsune, Lord of Satsuma, invaded the Ryūkyū Kingdom. He used a fleet of 13 junks and was accompanied by 2,500 samurai. In that year he conquered the islands for the people were not militarily minded. They paid tribute to the Chinese and after their leader, King Sho Nei, ordered that they surrender they had to pay both the Chinese and the Japanese.

This arrangement continued for several hundred years until 1874.  Then in 1879 with the signing of the Treaty of Shimonoseki the Chinese finally gave up their claims to the Islands.

The Japanese forbade the carrying of weapons in the islands and, to defend themselves, they developed the Martial Arts that they had learned from the Chinese.  In addition to Karate ~ the way of the empty hand ~ they developed Kobudo.  The original ideas were developed from a variety of Chinese Martial Arts.

There are various reasons given for this development. Some say that they used farm implements to defend themselves.  The bo, for example, is cited as being a cudgel;  although this does in fact resemble a staff for it is nearly 2 metres long (1.83 cm) and is slim and relatively elegant. Interestingly I have not been able to find any other explanations or ideas regarding origins of Kobudo. only comments saying that the farm implement story is mythical.  

Let us then look at a simple definition.

A cudgel (also known as a club, baton, truncheon, nightstick or bludgeon) is one of the simplest of weapons. It is essentially a short  and heavy stick.  Wooden clubs were used as weapons for millenia.

Now for the Bo

I do not propose to dwell on this but any interested person may do what I do and go to Ryukyu Kobudo Shimbukan for this is a very authorative site that is in English though based in Okinawa itself.  

This is only one of the weapons used in Kobudo.  The site above does list and explain all the implements used. It is well worth visiting and when one does visit picture in your mind a scene of several hundred years ago when farmers etc. protected themselves using the implements described.

I do not propose to dwell on Martial Arts in my articles on Okinawa.  I would rather leave that to the experts.  What I wish to do is to show people in the West in particular how one may enjoy a fantastic holiday in Okinawa and live in a similar fashion to the way the locals live.

I will be exploring: The music - Japanese lacquerware - Glass blowing - The Theatre - Buddhist Temples - Gardens and walks around this fascinating area. 

Check out this Guide Gecko Site.
Almost all the information you need to Tour Okinawa with step-by-step guides. This site is being added to all the time.