This section provides details on katas that use traditional martial arts weapons such as the Bo (Bo staff), Nunchaku (Nunchucks), Sai, Kama and Tonfa. Weapons katas are used to teach a set pattern of techniques so martial arts students can practice offensive and defensive techniques. These katas are usually performed by a single individual.
Weapons katas or kobudo katas are used by many different styles of Karate such as Shorin-Ryu, Shotokan and Chito-Ryu. Moreover, weapons katas are also used by other Japanese martial arts such as Aikido. Traditional Japanese weapons katas usually use Okinawan Kobudo weapons. However, even though some katas might have the same name, they could use different kata techniques and movements based on the style of martial arts performing the kata. Check with your instructor.
For unarmed (non-weapon) katas, please visit Black Belt Wiki’s main martial arts Katas & Forms section.
Martial Arts – Top 10 Martial Arts Books
Weapons Katas by Martial Arts Style
Aikido – Jo Katas
- Aikido Jo Katas
- Related – Aikido Jo Suburi
Karate – Chito-Ryu Weapons Katas
- Chito-Ryu Kata – Sakugawa No Kon (Bo kata)
Karate – Gensei-Ryu Weapon Katas
- Bojutsu Kihon Kata
- Nunchaku Kihon Kata
- Bojutsu Kumite Kata
- Nunchaku Kumite Kata
Karate – Isshin-Ryu Kobudo Weapons Katas
- Isshin-Ryu Tokumine No Kun (Bo kata)
- Isshin-Ryu Urashi No Kun (Bo kata)
- Isshin-Ryu Shishi No Kun (Bo kata)
- Isshin-Ryu Kyan No Sai (Sai kata)
- Isshin-Ryu Chatan Yara No Sai (Sai kata)
- Isshin-Ryu Kusanku Sai (Sai kata)
- Isshin-Ryu Hama Higa No Tuifa (Tonfa kata)
Karate – Ryu Kon Kai Weapons Katas
- Ryu Kon Kai – Choun No Kun (Bo kata)
- Ryu Kon Kai – Fukyu Bo (Bo kata)
- Ryu Kon Kai – Fukyu Nunchaku (Nunchaku kata)
- Ryu Kon Kai – Nicho Sai (Sai kata)
- Ryu Kon Kai – Nunchaku Jutsu (Nunchaku kata)
- Ryu Kon Kai – Sakugawa No Kon (Bo kata)
- Ryu Kon Kai – Shushi No Kun (Bo kata)
- Ryu Kon Kai – Tuifa Jutsu (Tonfa/Tuifa kata)
Karate – Shorin-Ryu Weapons Katas
- Shiromatsu No Kon (Bo kata)
- Shorin-Ryu Kata – Shirataro No Kon (Bo kata)
- Sakugawa No Kon (Bo kata)
- Shushi No Kon or Shusi No Kon (Bo kata)
- Shorin-Ryu Kata – Choun No Kun (Bo kata)
- Kishaba No Kama (Kama kata)
- Maezato No Sho (Nunchaku kata)
- Nunchaku Sho (Nunchaku kata)
- Chomo Hanagusku No Sai (Sai kata)
- Kyan No Sai (Sai kata)
- Tonfa No Kata (Tonfa kata)
Karate – Shotokan Weapons Katas
- Shotokan Kata – Kanazawa No Bo Dai (Bo kata)
- Shotokan Kata – Kanazawa No Bo Sho (Bo kata)
- Shotokan Kata – Shushi No Kon Dai (Bo kata)
- Shotokan Kata – Shushi No Kon Sho (Bo kata)
Karate – Shudokan Weapons Katas
- Shudokan Kata – Seitei No Kun Bo Kata (Bo kata)
Karate – Shuri-Ryu Weapons Katas
- Shuri-Ryu Tsue Sho (Bo kata)
Karate – Uechi-Ryu Weapons Kata
- Uechi-Ryu Kata – Seijun No Bo (Bo kata)
Karate – World Oyama Karate Weapons Katas
- World Oyama Karate Kata – Bo Kihon Sono Ichi (Bo kata)
- World Oyama Karate Kata – Bo Kihon Sono Ni (Bo kata)
- World Oyama Karate Kata – Chion (Bo kata)
- World Oyama Karate Kata – Soki (Bo kata)
- World Oyama Karate Kata – Soki Dai (Bo kata)
Yamanni-Ryu
- Yamanni-Ryu Kata – Donyukon Ichi (Bo kata)
- Yamanni-Ryu Kata – Donyukon Ni (Bo kata)
- Choun No Kun Sho
- Choun No Kun Dai
- Shuji no Kun Sho
- Shuji no Kun Dai
- Ryubi no Kun
- Sakagawa No Kun
- Shirataru no Kun
- Tomari Shirataru no
- Yunigawa no Kun
- Shinakachi no Kun
- Chikin Bo
Weapons Katas by Weapons Type
Bo Katas
- Chito-Ryu Kata – Sakugawa No Kon
- Isshin-Ryu Kata – Shishi No Kun
- Isshin-Ryu Kata – Tokumine No Kun
- Isshin-Ryu Kata – Urashi No Kun
- Ryu Kon Kai – Choun No Kun (Bo kata)
- Ryu Kon Kai – Fukyu Bo (Bo kata)
- Ryu Kon Kai – Sakugawa No Kon (Bo kata)
- Ryu Kon Kai – Shushi No Kun (Bo kata)
- Shorin-Ryu Kata – Choun No Kun
- Shorin-Ryu Kata – Shirataro No Kon
- Shotokan Kata – Kanazawa No Bo Dai
- Shotokan Kata – Kanazawa No Bo Sho
- Shotokan Kata – Shushi No Kon Dai
- Shotokan Kata – Shushi No Kon Sho
- Shudokan Kata – Seitei No Kun Bo Kata
- Shuri-Ryu Kata – Tsue Sho
- Uechi-Ryu Kata – Seijun No Bo
- World Oyama Karate Kata – Bo Kihon Sono Ichi
- World Oyama Karate Kata – Bo Kihon Sono Ni
- World Oyama Karate Kata – Soki
- Yamanni-Ryu Kata – Donyukon Ichi (Bo kata)
- Yamanni-Ryu Kata – Donyukon Ni (Bo kata)
Eku Katas
- Chikin Akachu No Eku Dai
Jo Katas
- Aikido Jo Katas
- Arakaki No Jo
- Nobori-Ryu No Jo
- Nobori-Ryu No Jo Sho
- Nobori-Ryu No Jo Dai
Kama Katas
- Hamahiga No Kama
- Kishaba No Kama
- Kobu Nicho Gama
Kuwa Katas
- Kuwa No Kata
Nunchaku Katas
- Ryu Kon Kai – Fukyu Nunchaku (Nunchaku kata)
- Ryu Kon Kai – Nunchaku Jutsu (Nunchaku kata)
- World Oyama Karate Kata – Nunchaku Kihon Sono Ichi
Sai Katas
Surujin (or Suruchin) Katas
- Surujin No Kata (or Suruchin No Kata)
Tinbe Rochin (Shield & Short Spear) Katas
Tonfa/Tuifa Katas
Sansetsukon Katas
References
- World Matsubayashi-ryu Karate-Do Federation, The Kobudo of Matsubayashi-ryu, http://www.matsubayashi-ryu.com/content/kobudo-matsubayashi-ryu
- Isshin-Ryu World Karate Association, Kata, http://www.isshinryukarate.com/
- Matayoshi Kobudo Kodokan Honbu, Matayoshi Kobudo Weapons, http://www.matayoshikobudokodokan.com/Weapons/WeaponsIndex.htm