Here you’ll find 6 Martial arts that start with O, organized from “Okichitaw” to “Ono-ha Itto-ryu”. These styles range from Indigenous stick fighting to classical Japanese sword schools and emphasize self-defense, combat sport, or weapon work.

Martial arts that start with O are a small, varied group spanning Indigenous North American and classical Japanese traditions. Notably, Okichitaw revives Plains Indigenous combat, while Ono-ha Itto-ryu preserves a centuries-old samurai sword lineage.

Below you’ll find the table with Style, Origin, Focus, Founding period, and Notes.

Style: The common name of each martial art, so you can quickly recognize and search for the system.

Origin: The country or region where the art developed, helping you place styles in their cultural and geographic context.

Focus: The primary emphasis like Striking, Grappling, or Hybrid, so you can compare practical uses at a glance.

Founding period: The approximate year, decade, or century when the art emerged, giving historical perspective on its age.

Notes: Brief clarifications about alternate names, lineage disputes, or notable practitioners to guide your further research.

Martial arts that start with O

NameCountry of originFocusFounding period
Okinawan KarateOkinawa (Japan)Striking17th–19th century
Okinawan KobudōOkinawa (Japan)Weapons17th–19th century
Okinawan BojutsuOkinawa (Japan)Weapons17th–19th century
Okinawa-teOkinawa (Japan)Striking17th–19th century
Ono-ha Itto-ryuJapanWeapons17th century
OkichitawCanada (Manitoba)Hybrid1990s

Descriptions

Okinawan Karate
Traditional striking arts from Okinawa that influenced modern karate; emphasizes punches, kicks, kata and practical self-defense blending Chinese and indigenous methods.
Okinawan Kobudō
Classical Okinawan weapons arts focused on farm-tool-based weapons (bō, sai, tonfa, nunchaku), preserved in kata and paired practice for weapons skill and cultural continuity.
Okinawan Bojutsu
Specialized staff (bō) techniques from Okinawa’s kobudō tradition, teaching striking, sweeping, thrusting, and kata-driven drills for range and weapon control.
Okinawa-te
Historical term meaning “Okinawan hand,” describing early, informal striking traditions that later evolved into the island’s modern karate systems.
Ono-ha Itto-ryu
A prominent classical kenjutsu school emphasizing swordsmanship, combative timing and single-strike principles; influential in Edo-period samurai training and later kenjutsu lineages.
Okichitaw
A modern Indigenous Canadian martial art developed in the 1990s combining Cree warrior traditions with striking, grappling and weapons work, taught with cultural and historical context.
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