Martial Arts Weapons: A Beginner’s Guide to Bo, Nunchaku, Sai and More

You watched one kung fu movie, one Ninja Turtles rerun, and one YouTube clip of a guy spinning a bo staff like a helicopter blade. Now you want in. There’s just one problem: the second you search for martial arts weapons, you get a wall of strange names, mall-ninja swords, and forum arguments about whether nunchucks are “real.”

Pick wrong and you end up with a $40 chrome sword that bends on the first swing, or a pair of solid wood nunchaku and a fresh bruise on the back of your skull. (Everyone gets one. It’s basically a rite of passage.)

This guide fixes that. Below, you’ll get a clear map of the main traditional martial arts weapons, where each one comes from, which arts actually train with it, and the beginner-friendly training versions that let you learn without visiting the ER. By the end, you’ll know exactly which weapon fits the art you’re curious about in 2026.

What Counts as a Martial Arts Weapon?

A martial arts weapon is any tool that a fighting system trains with in a structured way: staffs, sticks, blades, chained flails and farm tools that got a serious upgrade. Many of them started life as everyday objects. The Okinawan kama was a rice sickle. The tonfa may have started as a millstone handle. Filipino sticks stood in for blades during practice.

Today, most people train weapons for coordination, timing, distance control and tradition, not for street fights. Weapon work also makes your empty-hand techniques better, because a stick in your hand exaggerates every bad angle and lazy footstep.

The weapons below are grouped by where they come from, since that tells you which school you’d actually need to walk into.

Martial Arts Weapons at a Glance

Weapon	Origin	Main Arts	Beginner Training Version
Bo staff	Okinawa / Japan	Okinawan kobudo, many karate schools	Rattan, wax wood or foam bo
Nunchaku	Okinawa	Kobudo, some karate and kung fu schools	Foam-padded nunchaku
Sai	Okinawa	Kobudo, some karate schools	Lightweight or practice sai
Tonfa	Okinawa	Kobudo, some karate schools	Wooden or padded tonfa
Kama	Okinawa	Kobudo	Wooden or foam training kama
Katana	Japan	Iaido, kenjutsu, kendo, some aikido	Bokken, shinai or blunt iaito
Jo staff	Japan	Aikido, jodo	Wooden jo
Naginata	Japan	Naginata-do, some koryu schools	Bamboo or wooden practice naginata
Jian	China	Tai chi, wushu, traditional kung fu	Wooden or blunt practice jian
Dao	China	Kung fu, wushu	Wooden or blunt practice dao
Escrima sticks	Philippines	Arnis, Eskrima, Kali	Rattan or padded sticks
Karambit	Southeast Asia	Silat, some FMA schools	Plastic or aluminum trainer

Okinawan Weapons (Kobudo)

Kobudo is the Okinawan art of traditional weapons, and it’s where a lot of the most recognizable martial arts weapons come from. Many karate schools teach some kobudo alongside empty-hand training, so if you already train karate, you may be closer to these weapons than you think. (Our guide to the types of karate explains how different styles approach this.)

Bo Staff

The bo is a long hardwood staff, traditionally about six feet long (the “rokushakubo,” or six-shaku staff). It’s the foundation weapon of Okinawan kobudo and the most common first weapon in karate dojos.

Why beginners love it: the bo teaches two-handed coordination, posture and hip rotation better than almost anything else. Strikes, thrusts, blocks and spinning patterns all come from moving your whole body, not just your arms.

Training version: start with a rattan, wax wood or foam bo. Lighter staffs are easier to control while you learn kata, and a foam bo won’t redecorate your living room ceiling.

Nunchaku

Nunchaku are two short sticks connected by a cord or chain. Bruce Lee made them famous, and they’ve been the poster weapon for “martial arts” ever since. In traditional training, they show up in kobudo and in some karate and kung fu schools.

Nunchaku training builds wrist speed, hand switching and timing. It also builds humility, because the stick you’re not watching is usually the one that hits you.

Training version: foam-padded nunchaku, full stop. Master the basic swings, catches and hand changes with foam before you even think about wood.

Sai

The sai is a three-pronged metal truncheon, usually trained in pairs. Despite how it looks in movies, a traditional sai is not a sharp blade. It’s a striking, blocking and trapping tool, and the side prongs (the “yoku”) can catch an incoming strike.

Sai work develops grip strength, forearm control and quick flipping between a forward and reverse grip. It’s a favorite in kobudo kata and looks fantastic in demonstrations.

Training version: lighter practice sai are easier on the wrists. Full-weight sai feel great later, once your forearms have stopped filing complaints.

Tonfa

The tonfa is a stick with a side handle, held so the long part runs along your forearm. You can block with it like a forearm shield, then spin it out for a strike. Its design is widely credited with inspiring the side-handle police baton.

Tonfa training teaches close-range blocking, spinning strikes and trapping. It’s one of the more practical-feeling kobudo weapons because the defensive angle is so natural.

Training version: wooden or padded tonfa, used in pairs once you’re comfortable with one.

Kama

The kama is a sickle that started as a rice-harvesting tool. In kobudo, it’s trained one at a time or in pairs, with hooking, slashing and blocking movements.

It’s also the weapon instructors are most careful about. Real kama are sharp, and even dull ones have a point that loves fingers. Expect to train with wooden or foam training kama for a long time, which is honestly the right call.

Japanese Weapons

Japanese weapon arts tend to be very formal, with lots of etiquette, precise footwork and kata (prearranged forms). Many schools focus on one weapon for years.

Katana (and the Bokken)

The katana is the curved Japanese sword, and it’s probably the most romanticized weapon on Earth. In practice, almost nobody trains with a sharp one. Different arts use different tools:

• Bokken: a solid wooden sword used in kenjutsu, aikido and as a kata tool in many schools.
• Shinai: a bamboo sword used in kendo, where practitioners wear armor (bogu) and strike each other for points.
• Iaito: an unsharpened metal practice sword used in iaido, the art of drawing and cutting in one motion.

If you want sword work, the bokken is the classic starting point. It’s cheap, durable and teaches the same lines and timing as the real thing.

Jo Staff

The jo is a shorter staff, roughly four feet long. It’s best known from aikido and from jodo, an art built around the jo against the sword. If you’ve read our explainer on what Aikido is, you know many dojos use the jo, bokken and a wooden tanto to teach distance and timing.

The jo is a great middle ground: more maneuverable than a bo, but long enough to teach real reach and angles.

Naginata

The naginata is a pole with a curved blade on the end, historically used on the battlefield. Today it’s practiced as naginata-do (modern naginata), often with bamboo-bladed practice versions and protective armor for sparring, plus some traditional koryu schools.

It’s a niche choice, but if you like long weapons and formal training, naginata is a fascinating art with a very welcoming community in many countries.

Tanto

The tanto is a Japanese knife. In aikido and jujutsu, it’s almost always a wooden training tanto, used to practice disarms and defensive movement against a blade.

Chinese Weapons (Kung Fu)

Chinese martial arts have one of the biggest weapon catalogs anywhere. Traditional kung fu and modern wushu both train a long list of weapons, and there’s a classic saying about four of the most important ones: the staff, the spear, the broadsword and the straight sword. If you’re weighing Chinese and Japanese systems, our Kung Fu vs Karate comparison covers the bigger differences.

Staff (Gun)

The Chinese staff, or gun, is often called the grandfather of weapons because it’s usually taught first. It builds the base skills of power, footwork and coordination that the other weapons depend on.

Spear (Qiang)

The qiang is the spear, traditionally nicknamed the king of weapons. It’s all about thrusting precision and circular parries, and it’s a staple in wushu forms.

Jian (Straight Sword)

The jian is a straight, double-edged sword nicknamed the gentleman of weapons. You’ll see it most often in tai chi and traditional kung fu, where it’s trained slowly and gracefully. It looks calm, but it demands excellent balance and wrist control.

Dao (Broadsword)

The dao is a single-edged, curved sword, often called a broadsword or saber. Where the jian is precise and elegant, the dao is powerful and sweeping. It’s a common early sword in kung fu because the movements are big and forgiving.

Training version for both swords: wooden or blunt practice swords. Wushu competitors often use light, flexible blades, which are great for forms but not for contact.

Filipino Weapons: Escrima, Arnis and Kali

Arnis, Eskrima and Kali are three names for the Filipino martial arts (FMA), and they flip the usual order: students often start with weapons first, then apply the same angles to empty hands. Arnis is also recognized as the national martial art and sport of the Philippines.

Escrima Sticks

The signature weapon is the rattan stick, usually around 26 to 28 inches long. You’ll train with one stick, two sticks (double stick drills called sinawali), or a stick and a knife. Many FMA schools also train stick sparring with padded sticks and protective gear.

Why it’s a fantastic beginner weapon:

• Cheap and durable: rattan sticks cost little and take a beating.
• Practical angles: FMA striking angles transfer well to self-defense and empty-hand work.
• Fast feedback: partner drills like sinawali make you better at coordination quickly.

Daga (Knife)

Many FMA schools also train the daga, or knife, always with plastic, wooden or aluminum trainers. It’s taught as part of a complete system, with a big focus on awareness and defense.

Other Martial Arts Weapons Worth Knowing

• Karambit: a curved blade from Southeast Asia associated with Silat. Training uses plastic or aluminum trainers only.
• Krabi krabong weapons: Thailand’s traditional weapons art, closely tied to Muay Thai’s history, trains the krabi (sword) and krabong (staff).
• Korean weapons: Hapkido schools often teach the cane, and Haidong Gumdo is a Korean sword art built around cutting and forms.
• European longsword: Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA) clubs train medieval and Renaissance sword manuals with steel feders and protective gear.

The Best Martial Arts Weapons for Beginners

If you’re brand new, these are the easiest weapons to start with, in rough order:

1. Escrima sticks: cheap, safe with basic care, and you’ll be doing useful partner drills fast.
2. Bo staff: builds full-body coordination and is taught in tons of karate and kobudo schools.
3. Jo staff: a great option if you train or plan to train aikido.
4. Bokken: the classic way to start sword work without the risks of steel.
5. Foam nunchaku: fun and great for hand speed, as long as you start with foam.

Weapons to save for later: kama, sharp swords, and anything with a real edge or point. These need a qualified instructor and a lot of foundation work first.

How to Start Weapons Training Safely

• Train under an instructor first. Weapons multiply small mistakes. A good teacher fixes your grip and footwork before bad habits set in.
• Start with trainers. Foam, rattan and wood first. Steel and sharp edges come much later, if ever.
• Give yourself space. Check the ceiling, the walls, the TV and the dog before you swing anything. Ask every bo beginner who has ever met a light fixture.
• Wear protection for contact drills. Stick sparring needs a fencing-style mask, gloves and padding.
• Go slow to go fast. Smooth, controlled reps build speed safely. Speed without control just builds bruises.

A Quick Note on Legality

Rules about owning or carrying weapons are different everywhere. Some places restrict items like nunchaku, certain knives or swords, especially carrying them in public. Training gear at home or in the dojo is usually treated differently than carrying something on the street, but don’t assume. Check your local laws before buying or transporting any weapon, and when in doubt, keep it in a bag between home and class.

FAQ

What is the most common martial arts weapon?

The staff is probably the most common. Versions of it show up in Okinawan kobudo (bo), Japanese arts (jo), Chinese kung fu (gun), Korean arts and many others, because it’s simple, versatile and a great teacher of fundamentals.

What is the easiest martial arts weapon to learn?

For most beginners, escrima sticks or a bo staff. Both are forgiving, affordable and taught in lots of schools, and you can practice useful basics within your first few classes.

Which martial arts use weapons?

Okinawan kobudo, many karate styles, aikido, kendo, iaido, kenjutsu, jodo, kung fu and wushu, tai chi, Arnis/Eskrima/Kali, Silat, Hapkido and HEMA all include weapons training. Not sure which art fits you? Start with a style you like, then ask the school what weapons they teach.

Are nunchucks a real martial arts weapon?

Yes. Nunchaku are part of Okinawan kobudo and are trained in some karate and kung fu schools. They became pop-culture famous through movies, but they have a legitimate training tradition behind them.

Can I learn martial arts weapons at home?

You can practice basics at home with foam or wooden trainers, especially after an instructor shows you the fundamentals. Online videos are helpful for review, but in-person feedback is the fastest and safest way to build good technique.

Final Thoughts

The world of martial arts weapons is huge, but it gets simple once you sort it by origin. Okinawan kobudo gives you the bo, nunchaku, sai, tonfa and kama. Japanese arts bring the katana, jo, naginata and tanto. Chinese systems train the staff, spear, jian and dao. And the Filipino martial arts hand you a pair of rattan sticks on day one.

If you’re just starting, pick an art you’re genuinely excited about, grab a safe training version of its core weapon, and learn from a real instructor. The helicopter-blade bo spins come later. Your ceiling fan will thank you.