Tonfa Ura Uchi
トンファー裏打ち
Tonfa ura uchi is a tonfa strike listed as technique number 5 in the official basic tonfa kihon sequence.
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Tonfa ura uchi is a tonfa strike that the official tonfa-jutsu kihon sequence lists as technique number 5. The tonfa can be held with one of three grips: honte mochi (natural), gyakute mochi (reverse) and tokushu mochi (special). The movement should originate from the shoulder, not the wrist, otherwise the strike lacks power. The origin of the tonfa itself is disputed; sources cite China, Okinawa and Southeast Asia. The traditional theory that the tonfa developed from a millstone handle is contested, since martial arts in Okinawa were historically practised by the upper class, who imported them from China. We have not been able to document the literal meaning of the name, the target the strike primarily aims at, or who introduced the technique.