Bojutsu

Bojutsu (棒術) is the art of using a staff weapon called bo (abbreviation of ruku-shaku-bo (six-shaku-staff), a shaku being close to one foot long). Staffs are perhaps one of the earliest weapons used by man. They have been in use thousands of years in Eastern Asia.

Today bojutsu is usually associated either with Okinawan kobudo or with Japanese koryu budo. Japanese bojutsu is one of the core elements of classical martial training. In the Okinawan context, the weapon is frequently referred to as the kon.

Aikido founder Morihei Ueshiba was known to practise with bo, which later formed the base of Aikido's weapon work with a shorter staff, jo.

See also: jodo, quarterstaff, budo, martial arts