The tonfa is a short wooden weapon consisting of a main shaft with a perpendicular handle set near one end, traditionally used in pairs, one in each hand, in Okinawan kobudo. Its design allows it to be gripped by the side handle and rotated, extending the striking length of the forearm, or held along the forearm itself to block and deflect strikes. Some accounts trace its origin to a wooden handle once fitted to a millstone, though the details are debated among historians.
Tonfa training generally covers strikes, blocks and rotations performed solo before progressing to paired forms, in a similar structure to other kobudo weapons such as the sai. The tonfa's design is often cited as an influence on the side handled police baton used in some countries, though the two developed for different purposes and are trained quite differently in practice.
As with other traditional weapons, size should suit the practitioner's forearm length for comfortable rotation. See our weapons training guide for general sizing and material guidance.