The Tonfa Like the nunchaku, they were improvised weapons called into use after rulers and invaders confiscated all metal weapons. They may be used for blocks, thrusts, and strikes. By spinning the Tonfa around the short handle, tremendous striking force may be generated. By using the long portion in conjunction with the short handle, the Tonfa may be used for numerous come-a-longs and arm locks.

Several decades ago, Tonfa almost passed from the modern scene. With the explosion of interest in martial arts during the 1960's, Law enforcement agencies noted the tactical superiority of Tonfa over the prevalent police baton. Since then, they have become very popular with law enforcement, and are known variously as Police Tonfa, side-handle batons, TR-24's, PR-24's, etc.

This is not surprising, as Tonfa were frequently the weapon of choice for medieval Japanese police officers...and for good reason. With relatively little training, an individual could develop an arsenal of bone breaking blocks, strikes and counters, effectively establishing tactical superiority over the unarmed, or lightly armed opponent. At higher levels of execution, Tonfa proved to be effective even against the sword-wielding samurai.

In essence, it is a two handed weapon (one in each hand), which allows for full movement of the body, and use of feet as appropriate. Because of the physical properties of the side handle configuration, tremendous rotational velocity can be developed in even the tightest of spaces (not unlike the rotational characteristics of nunchaku).

They can be used as thrusting weapons, and fit perfectly into the postures and stances supporting traditional low, high and mid blocks. If that s not enough, a little creative improvisation reveals that gripping the trunk of the Tonfa permits using the handle as a striking element, much like a hammer. Or with an additional sprinkle of improvisation, the trunk held Tonfa begins to act like a cane or extended hook, opening up a world of pull downs, joint locks and control techniques.

The origin of the tonfa is debated but experts believe it either originated in China or Indonesia. It is used in both Southeast Asian and Chinese martial arts and was possibly brought to Okinawa through their influence. A similar weapon called the mae sun sawk is used in Thailand. Tradition holds that during the reign of Okinawan ruler Shō Shin, restrictions were placed on the use of weaponry in order to stabilize the country after a period of civil war. This restriction is said to have favoured the development of unconventional agricultural tools as weapons of self-defense. In this context, it is believed that the tonfa was developed from a wooden handle of a millstone, a common agricultural implement much like the kama