Sai - Metal three pronged truncheon somewhat like a small
pitchfork
According to legend the Sai is a Okinawan weapon. The sai was a simple farm instrument which the peasants turned to their advantage once they were forbidden to carry any arms.
Usually the sais are used in pairs. A third sai was hidden in the obi (belt) and was used to replace one sai that was thrown at the charging enemy.
If the throw was succesful, the fight could be over all at once. If not, the distraction could be just enough to get close enough to stab with the sai or to counter an attack and to win the battle.
Today the sai is blunted and rounded at the edges and in no longer used as a weapon for mortal combat.
Its use requires rigid training to manipulate it in movements that parallel those of karate. , The sai is used to develop poise, posture and dignity, essential to the martial arts.
The sai is a variation on a tool used to create furrows in the ground, it appears similar to a short sword, but is not bladed and the end is traditionally blunt. The two shorter prongs on either side of the main shaft are used for trapping other weapons such as swords or bo. The sai originally reached Japan in the form of the jitte or jutte, which has only a single prong. Both are truncheon-like weapons, used for striking and bludgeoning.
There are many other variations on the sai with varying prongs for trapping
and blocking, and the monouchi, or shaft, can be round or octagonal.