Weapons Systems
Tonfa
Early Modern
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The tonfa is a melee weapon that originated in the armed component of Okinawan martial arts, where it is known as the tunkua. It consists of a stick roughly 15 to 20 inches long with a perpendicular handle attached about a third of the way down its length, traditionally made from red or white oak and wielded in pairs. Its exact origin is debated, with accounts tracing it variously to China, Okinawa, or Southeast Asia, where related fighting styles use it as a defensive and striking weapon.
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