Kama — 鎌 (Sickle)
The kama (鎌) is a sickle — a short wooden or metal handle with a curved blade at right angles. Practiced in pairs, it is one of the most common agricultural tools repurposed as a weapon in the Okinawan tradition.
Physical Characteristics
| Property | Detail |
|---|---|
| Handle length | ~30–35 cm |
| Blade length | ~20–25 cm, curved inward |
| Material | Metal blade, hardwood handle |
| Usage | Held in pairs |
Technique
The primary kama actions are:
- Horizontal cuts at low or mid-level
- Hooking — using the inner curve of the blade to trap a limb or weapon
- Thrusting with the blade tip
- Blocking with the handle, redirecting with the blade
The pairing of kama means the practitioner can simultaneously attack and defend: one kama blocks while the other cuts, or both work in complementary arcs.
Kata in the Taira Curriculum
- Kanegawa no Nitan-gama (兼川の二丁鎌)
- Tozan no Nitan-gama (唐山の二丁鎌)
Variants
Some organizations practice a chained-sickle variant (kusarigama, 鎖鎌) — the blade attached to a weighted chain, extending the kama's range to that of a flexible weapon. This variant is more common in Japanese mainland traditions; Ryukyu kobudo generally uses the standard paired kama.
Placeholder
Detailed kata descriptions and application notes will be added here.