My kobudō kata

Twelve kata across six weapons, accumulated over more than fifteen years of practice in the Matsubayashi-ryū weapons tradition. The base transmission runs through Chōtoku Omine to Phil Kromka to Jordan Du Val; additional kata and refinements have come through Hanshi Arakaki, Ōshiro Toshihiro (Yamanni-ryū seminars), Steve Gombosi, and most recently from Jordan’s 2023 Okinawa trip with Miyagi Sensei.

The underlying lineage is described separately in the overview of the Matsubayashi kobudō tradition. This piece is the list itself, with enough context to situate each kata.

Bō (棒) — the six-foot staff

Four of the five canonical bō kata. Sakugawa no Kon remains unpractised in my training.

Kata	Notes
Shiromatsu no Kon	One of the two foundational bō pieces. Bunkai refinements from Arakaki Hanshi, who has taught this kata’s applications extensively in seminars. Two reference demonstrations exist: an earlier recording and a 2020 Bujin TV version, both by Arakaki Sensei.
Shiratarō no Kon 白樽の棍	Yamanni-ryū derived. The reference demonstration is Shinei Kyan himself — the primary source figure of the Matsubayashi weapons tradition — performing it on film. A second variant, shown by Arakaki Hanshi during seminar, is also practiced; no reference film for that version.
Shūshi no Kon	A core Shuri-te bō kata with Arakaki refinements.
Chōun no Kon	Part of the Omine transmission.

The bō is the weapon I have practiced longest and have the deepest relationship with. The four kata cover a wide range of technical material: Shiromatsu and Shūshi on the more direct, committed end; Shiratarō with the Yamanni-ryū qualities of fluidity and continuous motion; Chōun with its own distinctive rhythm.

Sai (釵)

Kata	Notes
Sai Dai Ichi — Chomō Hanagusuku no Sai	Named for Hanagusuku Chomō, the old Okinawan sai master from whom the kata descends. Reference: dedicated Matsubayashi-ryū Sai Dai Ichi demonstration.
Sai Dai Ni	The second sai form. Reference: Shinjo Sensei in Nagamine’s dōjō.
Kyan no Sai	Named for Shinei Kyan. References: Shinei Kyan himself, and Takayoshi Nagamine, 2nd Sōke.
Kishaba no Sai	Named for Chōkei Kishaba. Reference: 1980 Matsubayashi demonstration.

The sai (釵) is a three-pronged iron weapon — not a sword, despite appearances — used historically by Okinawan police for trapping and controlling rather than cutting. The four kata span the principal sai transmissions in Matsubayashi.

Nunchaku (ヌンチャク)

Kata	Notes
Nunchaku Shō	The first nunchaku form. Reference: Shinjo Sensei.

The nunchaku curriculum in our branch is Nunchaku Shō only; Maezato no Shō is part of the canonical list but not what I have trained.

Tonfa (トンファー / tuifa)

Kata	Notes
Tonfa no Kata	Reference: Takayoshi Nagamine, 2nd Sōke.

The tonfa is a wooden handle-grip weapon, probably originating as the handle of a millstone. Its characteristic motion is the rotating block-and-strike combination that exploits the handle’s pivot point.

Kama (鎌) — the hand sickle

Kata	Notes
Kishaba no Kama	Named for Chōkei Kishaba, an early member of the Honbu dōjō. Transmitted in our branch through Steve Gombosi. Reference: Chōkei Kishaba himself.

The kama is practiced in a pair, one in each hand. It is the most demanding weapon in this list from a coordination standpoint — managing two edged implements with different rhythms in each hand, while the kata requires sharp, committed cuts and precise control of the blades near the body.

Eku (エーク) — the boat oar

Kata	Notes
Tsuken Sunakake no Kon Eku	From Tsuken island. Sunakake (砂掛け) means “sand throwing” — the feint of throwing sand into an opponent’s eyes before the weapon strike. Transmitted through Jordan Du Val’s 2023 Okinawa trip with Miyagi Sensei; no reference film of that version online. A closely related version exists in Ryukyu Kobudo (Taira lineage), demonstrated by Akamine Sensei, which gives a sense of the kata’s shape and rhythm.

Kata

Notes

Tsuken Sunakake no Kon Eku

From Tsuken island. Sunakake (砂掛け) means “sand throwing” — the feint of throwing sand into an opponent’s eyes before the weapon strike. Transmitted through Jordan Du Val’s 2023 Okinawa trip with Miyagi Sensei; no reference film of that version online. A closely related version exists in Ryukyu Kobudo (Taira lineage), demonstrated by Akamine Sensei, which gives a sense of the kata’s shape and rhythm.

The eku is not part of the canonical five-weapon list but is trained in our branch as a direct result of the 2023 Okinawa trip. It is the most distinctly Okinawan of the weapons — the repurposed tool of a fishing people, an oar adapted to combat in the same practical spirit that runs through much of kobudō. The Tsuken Sunakake kata is named for both its island of origin and its signature technique.

Reference demonstrations

For several of these kata, specific film records serve as the lineage standard in our branch:

Kata	Reference video	Demonstrator
Shiromatsu no Kon	Earlier · 2020 Bujin TV	Arakaki Toshimitsu Hanshi
Shiratarō no Kon	YouTube	Shinei Kyan
Sai Dai Ichi (Chomō Hanagusuku no Sai)	YouTube	—
Sai Dai Ni	YouTube	Shinjo Sensei, Nagamine Honbu dōjō
Kyan no Sai	Kyan · Takayoshi Nagamine	Shinei Kyan; Takayoshi Nagamine, 2nd Sōke
Kishaba no Sai	1980 demo	—
Tonfa no Kata	YouTube	Takayoshi Nagamine, 2nd Sōke
Kishaba no Kama	YouTube	Chōkei Kishaba
Nunchaku Shō	YouTube	Shinjo Sensei
Tsuken Sunakake no Kon Eku	Ryukyu Kobudo version (sister tradition)	Akamine Sensei