Sai (weapon)

The sai (Japanese: 釵, lit. 'hairpin'; Chinese: 鐵尺, lit. 'iron ruler') is a melee weapon used for stabbing, striking and disarming opponents. It came to international attention through Okinawan kobudō, elements of which spread to Japan, then to the wider world, when Karate became popular in the mid 20th Century. The basic form of the weapon is that of a pointed metal prong with two shorter metal side prongs (yoku) projecting from the handle (tsuka).