Tekko - Okinawan Horse Sense

Another traditional Okinawan kobudo tool members of Seiyo Shorin-Ryu learn is tekkō (鉄甲). Tekko (also ‘tecchu’) is known as Okinawa ‘knuckle dusters’ in English and have a North America equivalent known as ‘brass knuckles’. But if you decide to train with the North American version, it is best not to ‘horse’ around and get of the wrong side of the horse. Brass knuckles have been outlawed in some states as well as in some countries just like nunchaku - so learn your local laws. 

Using car keys as tekko, a very good
  self-defense weapon for women and men.

The origin of tekko is not clear but it appears to have originally been an accessory tool found in the ‘horse’ stables of Okinawa. There are many varieties of tekko and one simple variety was a horseshoe or modified  horseshoe. 

As a horseshoe, the curvature (‘U’) of the shoe was placed in the palm of the hand with the two ends projected outward. The curve was usually wrapped in a rag or rope to give the defender gripping capability. A modification included sharpening the tips of the horseshoe, while others were made from two horseshoes tied or welded together. There are likely many other designs, as these tools were easily carried by Okinawa martial artists.

Another variety of tekko originated from saddle stirrups. Many traditional tekko look similar to Western-style saddle stirrups, rather than those used by Japanese samurai. In its simplest form, such a tekko made from a horse stirrup would have been a D-shaped tool that wrapped around the hand. As these  evolved, stubs and sharpen protrusions were added to the arch of the D to deliver greater damage. These types of tekko were made from both metal and wood and the hand grip was also used for striking and blocking.

The traditional horse stirrup tekko

Another tool used in handling a horse harnessed to a carriage was used as tekko, while another tekko was developed by fishermen from a tool that assisted in hauling in fishing nets (similar to nunti bo) to protect hands from sharp coral.

There are similar hand weapons considered as a variety of tekko, such as the ‘yawara’ or ‘kuboton’, which were nothing more than a stick or rod held in the hand. Some had pointed tips, others had a flat surface that was used to strike an opponent as well as activate pressure points. 

Kuboton tekko

The ‘chize kun bo’ was a short stick attached to a piece of rope that looped around the defender’s fingers to assist in retention of the weapon. Other tekko were made from wood with sharpened extensions which fit between the first and second fingers. 

The principal difference between Okinawan tekko and common variety of brass knuckles was not only mass of the object (brass knuckles have relatively high specific gravity) but most brass knuckles have four finger holes: traditional tekko had an open slot to place the hand and fist. 

There are modern versions of tekko, such as the ninja keychain tekko and the car key tekko. In the hands of a martial artist, the tekko can be an very effective weapon of self-defense for blocking, striking and  pressure point activation.

A ninjutsu tekko

Few martial arts schools include tekko in their curriculum; however, many affiliated with Juko Kai International train with tekko. 

Then there is the tekko-kagi, a farming implement used for reaping weeds and considered more of a ninjutsu weapon. The tekko-kagi included four iron spikes that looked more like a bear claw attached to a metal ring which fit around a person’s hand or wrist. Some of these were wicked-looking tools. 

A primitive tekko straight from the horse.

Okinawa Karate & Kobudo, East Valley of Phoenix, Arizona

Gavin and Dennis train in kobudo with sansetsukon (3-sectional staff) and bo (6-foot staff) at the Arizona Hombu

At the Arizona Hombu in Mesa, Arizona, a variety of Japanese-Okinawan martial arts are taught to  adults and families. We are an active member of Juko Kai International, Zen Kokusai Soke Budo Bugei Renmei, Seiyo no Shorin-Ryu Karate Kobudo Kai and Soke Council. So, we have credentials and copies of our credentials are available to examine in our Hall-of-Fame dojo at the 60 W. Baseline Center in Mesa - right across the street from Chandler and Gilbert.

At our martial arts school, traditional karate is taught rather than sport. There are many reasons for this. One is that karate was thought to be a weapon for 4 to 5 centuries, and only certain factions of the art became sport in the 1950s removing many of the effective self-defense applications deemed unsafe for competition - so the sport was watered down. Another reason is in sport karate, the student is taught to "win" and to "lose"; whereas in traditional karate, the original goal is still the most important aspect of karate. As stated by Okinawan Shorin-Ryu master and father of modern karate, Gichin Funakoshi, "The Purpose of Karate lies not in victory or defeat, but in the perfection of its participants". In sport karate, the focus is victory, in traditional karate, the focus is "perfection of the participants".

Karate and Kobudo go hand in hand. Many of the same blocking, striking, grappling and throwing techniques are used in both, thus one are should be bended and taught with the other art. This was the way it was taught on Okinawa for centuries and when introduced to Japan after 1922, Japanese karate systems began to either eliminated kobudo, or slowly removed it from the curriculum. By doing so, a very large segment of karate was abandoned by the Japanese and later European and American karate instructors and schools.

But at the Arizona Hombu in Mesa, Arizona, the traditions of karate and kobudo are retained and taught to all who become students. So, compare any martial arts school in Arizona with what is taught at the Arizona Hombu, and decide if you are learning enough about martial arts. Here are some of the many karate & kobudo arts taught at the Hombu:

Karate

• Shorin-Ryu Karate
• Shorin-Ryu Kobudo
• Kokushinkai Shitai Kori (body hardening). 

Samurai

• Kempojutsu
• Iaido (fast draw sword)
• Sojutsu (Okinawan spear)
• Naginatajutsu (Japanese Naginata or pole arm).
• Jujutsu
• Kenjutsu
• Hanbo (3-foot staff)
• Tanto (knife)
• Hojojutsu (rope restraint)
• Kubotan (short stick)
• Bokken (wooden sword)
• Jo (4-foot staff)

Kobudo

• Bo (6-foot staff)
• Kuwa (hoe)
• Ra-ke (rake)
• Tsune (cane)
• Tekko (horse stirrups - knuckle dusters)
• Sai (forks)
• Tonfa (Side-handle batons)
• Kioga (expandable baton)
• Shurichin 
• Manrikigusari & short rope
• Nunchaku (two-sectional staff)
• Sansetsukon (3-sectional staff)
• Nitanbo (2-sticks)
• Kama (sickles)
• Gusarigama (chain & sickle)
• Hara (Fish Hooks)
• Eku (boat paddle)

In addition, the Seiyo Shorin-Ryu karate kobudo system contains about 70 kata compared to many arts that have only 8 to 20. These include short and long kata and each kata contains many bunkai (practical applications).