BUKIHO KEMPO KOBUJUTSU

All of the previously mentioned principles can be applied to weapons when the weapon principle itself is properly learned.  Literally Buki means martial tool and while translated as weapon I like to keep focused on the idea of using any tool in a martial way.  The ultimate idea of weaponry is to be able to use anything in your environment for survival.

 

Bukiho then is the weapon or martial tool principle.  The first rule is that physically you continue to move in the way of Kempo, naturally moving and applying the empty hand principles to the weapon in your hand, or hands.  The weapon is just a natural extension of your body and is applied in the same way as your bodily weapons just adjusting to range and whether it is a bludgeon, bladed, or flexible weapon.

 

The next aspect of Bukiho is the three levels of thrust, which are usually considered to be high, middle, and low from a Kata perspective and in application to head, to torso, and below the belt.  These thrusts can also be applied to a prone person, still keeping in mind that you are thrusting to actual target areas of self defense.

 

Finally Bukiho has eight angles which from a normal perspective can be seen as down, up, left, right, down left, down right, up left, and up right.  However it is important to always aim your weapons at vital points when you need to do serious or lethal damage and specifically not aim at vital points if you’re trying to stop an attacker without deadly consequences.

 

In Kiyojute Ryu Kempo Bugei we call the study of weaponry Bukiho Kempo Kobujutsu.  We study the ancient weapons of Japan and Okinawa, along with some Chinese weapons, in order to internalize the weapon principle so that we can use anything, literally anything, in our environment as a weapon.  Thus wherever you are you have items with which you can defend yourself.  Whether in a restaurant, an office, or anywhere else, you are armed with weapons of survival.