History

The Kubotan is orignally developed by Grandmaster Takayuki Kubota as a tool for police officers to restrain suspects without permanent injury. Its popularity began in the mid-1970s when Grandmaster Kubota brought the weapon to the attention of the LAPD and began schooling female officers in its application. Because of its extreme effectiveness in breaking the will of unruly suspects with painful locks and pressure point strikes, the Kubotan is also dubbed the "Instrument of Attitude Adjustment". The Kubotan gradually expanded toward civilian self-defense application and is now a moderately popular self-defense tool.

The techniques for using the kubotan are basicly derrived from the yawara. Techniques for the yawara also came from tantojutsu. Using the tanto while still in the scabbard are the same as for a yawara. These techniques were develloped in case one was to draw their tanto but it did not come out of the scabbard. Both tantojutsu, the yawara and the kubotan are all self-sustaining systems but originated from each other.