Sai (weapon)

The sai (Japanese: 釵, lit. 'hairpin'; Chinese: 鐵尺, lit. 'iron ruler') is a pointed melee weapon originating from Okinawa. It is utilized in Okinawan kobudō, ninjutsu, and southern Chinese martial arts and is primarily used for stabbing, striking, parrying and disarming opponents. The sai consists of a pointed metal main prong, that projects from a one-handed grip, two shorter metal side prongs, which project from the opposite sides of the base of the main prong and point in the same direction as it, and a blunt metal pommel, that attaches to the bottom of the grip. It came to international attention, when martial arts became popular in the mid-20th Century, causing elements of Okinawan kobudō to spread to Japan and then to the wider world.