The fight with arms has a long tradition on Okinawa. It is also typical that the unarmed fight-techniques always developed the fight-techniques with arms synchronized, like which two wheels at the same axis of a car.
The RYÛKYÛ KOBUDÔ, as we know it today and practice, can be retraced up to SAKUGAWA TÔDI (05.03.1733-07.07.1815), the forefather of the TÔDE (the present-day KARATE), who practiced also BUKI-JUTSU (fight-techniques with arms). RYÛKYÛ KOBUDÔ was relayed in the consequence by many masters up to the present-day
By the KOBU-JUTSU master YABIKU MODEN (1878-1941), was established in 1911 presumably the “RYÛKYÛ KOBU-JUTSU KENKYÛ KAI”.
In 1955, TAIRA SHINKEN (12.06.1897-03.09.1970) created from it the “RYÛKYÛ KOBUDÔ HOZON SHINKÔ KAI” society (translates approximately “to the support and protection of the old arms-fight-arts of RYÛKYÛ”) in order to finish the unfinished work of his master YABIKU MODEN.
After the death TAIRA’s in 1970, his student AKAMINE EISUKE (01.05.1925-13.01.1999) adopted the leadership of the association until 1999, the year, in which he also died.
The RYÛKYÛ KOBUDÔ system consisted of 36 KATA, which were collected by TAIRA SHINKEN SENSEI. Unfortunately some have not been relayed this KATA in the course of the years and consequently have been lost gone.
In order to have consisted RYÛKYÛ KOBUDÔ of the manner further, as it had been taught by SENSEI AKAMINE EISUKE, well-founded TAMAYOSE HIDEMI SENSEI at the 22.05.1999 the “RYÛKYÛ KOBUDÔ TESSHINKAN KYÔ KAI”. The TESSHINKAN uses 23 KATA and uses NUNCHAKU (threshing flail), TEKKÔ (knuckledusters), BÔ (long-stick), SAI (metal-trident), TUNFA (millwood), TINBÊ & RÔCHIN (shield & dagger), KAMA (sickle) and ÊKU (paddle) as primarily-arms.