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WABUKAN Arsenal · Knives and blades · Okinawa

Sai

A three-pronged metal truncheon, pointed but not sharpened. The side prongs trap and block a stick or blade.

Sai
Sai WABUKAN illustration

Also known as

釵 · jitte-like trident (in English); chā (Chinese)

Origin and history

The sai reached Okinawa from China or Southeast Asia and was used by Ryūkyū officials to control crowds and arrest people. It became one of the main weapons of Okinawan kobudō and is usually trained in pairs.

Martial arts that use it

Okinawan Kobudo

Construction

A pointed metal shaft (monouchi), round or octagonal, of about 45–55 cm, with two curved side prongs (yoku) and a handle with a pommel; it is normally blunt.

Basic techniques

Training

Short-blade training starts with trainers made of wood, aluminium or rubber. Students drill angles of attack, grips (forward and reverse), checking the opponent’s arm and footwork, then flow drills with a partner. Live blades are kept for solo forms by experienced practitioners, if at all.

Safety

Use training knives for all partner work and eye protection for fast drills. Never mix live and training blades in the same session, store blades sheathed and out of reach of children.

Legality (general information)

Swords, knives and other edged weapons are regulated very differently from country to country (and sometimes from region to region): owning one at home is often allowed, while carrying it in public, buying it under a certain age or importing it may be restricted or banned. Practitioners usually transport them cased, out of reach and straight between home and dojo. This is general information, not legal advice: check the law where you live.

Did you know?

Some kobudō systems carry a third sai in the belt to throw or to replace one that is lost.

More weapons

Kama Butterfly swords Deer horn knives Kris Karambit Golok

Sources

Original WABUKAN text, written from these cross-checked sources (facts, not sentences).

  1. Wikipedia — Sai (weapon)
  2. Wikipedia — Okinawan kobudō