Ninja Weapons list

Ninki - auxiliary facilities for Ninja warriors. Ninki is used to perform any other secret operations, whether it is spying or diversion. The devices they used, Ninja divide into three categories:

Tonki – the special fixture to climb walls, to open locks, to cut wood and metal and to serve as devices to support in the close combat or to escape, if necessary.

Arare is the third-dimensional shuriken, classified as follows: o Jo-arare – large-sized spiked sphere with the incendiary oil inside;

o Tyu-arare - small-sized spiked sphere, used as shuriken to throw, either it is spreaded on the chasing road;

o Ko-arare – the reduced copy of tetsubishi, it is used by throwing the handful of ko-arare in eyes or under the feet of the enemy.

Tetsubishi – are the tiny steel «spikes» that are used when shaking off the pursuer. When chased, the Ninja used to spread the handfuls of these spikes behind. The spikes are made to be thrown on the earth and pierced there with the other spiked edge looking upward. A single spike was enough to stop the enemy since the warriors of that time would wear straw sandals and it was too painful to step on such spikes once. The spikes were also spread beforehand along the paths of warrior troops stands to ensure withdrawal in case of disclosure. Dry water chestnuts hishi were the prototype of tetsubishi;

Kobishi - pointed pyramid from wood similar to tetsubishi;

Igadama - metal "chestnuts" used by the Ninja spreaded along the way of chasers, in traps or thrown directly towards the enemy. The other name for the maribishi is "round spikes " or tetsumari - "iron sphere";

Dokubari – poisoned needles stuck in the tree roots or in the ground acroos the way of the chasers. The analogue for dokubari is takubishi – spikes of 2-3 cm made from bamboo tree;

Ippon-shugi-nobori – is like the spiky drum made from iron with the rope fastened to both sides of the drum. This drum was used as follows: with the purpose to climb the tree with branches too high off the ground the Ninja used the rope to enlace the tree with the spikes to pierce into the tree trunk. So, the Ninja would climb the tree leaning to feet and slanting backward. Shifting Ippon-shugi-nobori and supporting with legs, Ninja would easily and quickly climb the tree up and down;

Shuko and ashiko are the varieties of weapon of special purpose that appear as spikes or claws fastened to hands (shuko), and feet (ashiko). The application of this weapon is wide, including capture of the opponent’s weapon blade with “naked” hand, running up the slanting walls with the help of such claws fastened to the feet;

Nekode – «cat's claws», put on every toe separately (Nekode resembles the thimble with the pointed claw of 1.5-2 cm long);

Kakute – are rings with spikes that the Ninja used on fingers;

Tekko – knuckles of the Ninja of various shape – from ordinary sticks thickened to one end to spiky and pointed plates put on the palm and grasped in fist, also known as tekken (iron fist);

Tekkokagi – crotchet secured to the palm back also known as kumade (brankursine);

Shuriken;

Fighting sickles – a sickle (kama) is a multi-purpose tool used not only to fight but also to climb the heights. Open locked doors, to dig and hunt and so forth. The most popular and recognized are the following:

o Nata-gama – a small kama;

o O-gama – a large kama (the haft length is about 80 cm.);

o O-no-gama – o-gama with the protective guard on the haft;

o Kusarigama – a sickle with the chain of about 2.5 m long and load weight at the end, the tool comes in a variety of models;

o Kaen-kusarigama – kusari-kama with a small burning torch instead of the load at the end;

o Kaitaio-kusarigama – a pocket kusari-kama;

o Bakahatsu-gama – kusari-kama with a tiny bombshell instead of the load (nage-teppo) or a vial with the blinding powder;

o Mamuki-gama – kusari-kama with the live snake instead of the load fastened to the end of the sickle.

Kyoketsu shoge;

Yari;

Naginata;

Ninjato (shinobi-gatana) – Ninja sword;

Shiroko-gatana – the sword-blade represented as the saw set into the sward frame;

Aikuchi – a knife of 10-30 cm long, without tsuba (guard) and trimming, frequently used together with tanto;

Fukiya;

Bashigo – portative and rope-ladders (nava-bashigo):

o Mushubinawu and torinawu – a rope with the load at the end;

o Kaginava – a crochet like " small paw " or "cat" used to pass obstacles using the long rope often interlaced from the female hair;

o Kumo-bashigo (spider ladder) – a ladder with the block to lift loads and wounded or a ladder with a number of ropes with small hooks at one side which are good to secure to walls when thrown;

o Take-bashigo – modular bamboo ladders;

o Shinobi-kagi (a spy hook) – extendible stick of 5 sections folded-out as a ladder with the hook at one side;

o Gokagi – a stick with the long cord inserted in the way for the loops to create peculiar steps and with the hook at one end;

o Tobi-bashigo – a ladder with the climbing iron at the end. Sometimes it had metallic keys to drive in the wall that prevents swaying;

o Shinobi-kumade – extensible bamboo pole with the «hook» at the end;

o Yari-bashigo – a spear with the hook at the end and lateral metal canes used for both climbing and fighting;

o Shode-arami – a common boat-hook, used to pass obstacles like the high wall in the absence of yari-bashigo.

Skeleton keys, saws and clamps:

o Jurorokagi – something like the skeleton key;

o Kakeganeuke – the device to open fasteners at the distance;

o Kurorokagi – a metal pointed rabble-polygon for inbreak;

o Shaku – picklocks, usually classified for:

O-shaku – large picklocks;

Tyu-shaku – medium picklocks;

Ko-shaku – small picklocks.

o Shimeki – portatibe fixture to break-in;

o Kunai (tobi kunai) – a device for digging as well as for breaking-in that resembles the tabular tip of the spear;

o Tatami-nomi – handy chisel;

o Kaiki – a lever to prop doors or windows as well as for digging;

o Katsugai – clinches to climb and make an ambush on the ceiling;

o Katsugami – metal bolts on doors and windows used for climbing;

o Taji-mariki – clinches for immediate blocking of doors in front of the pursuing enemy;

o Tojime – a clamp holding for the Japanese house door;

o Uchikagi – a metal hook to climb walls;

o Koshikoro – a small saw;

o Onoko – a long saw to cut branches down;

o Oshikoro – a big saw;

o Shikoro - a handy woodworking saw with teeth from both sides;

o Yajiri – a pointed file with the wooden helve, used for throwing and close combat apart from its immediate purpose;

o Tsubogiri – a hand drill to make holes, for example, for listening surveillance.

Secret (camouflaged) kinds of weapon:

o Amigasa – shuriken hat (a traditional straw conic broad-brimmed hat with the pointed hoop sharp as the razor going from inside);

o Shinobi-jue – a stick with the blade or a chain with the load inside;

o Shinobi-kai – handy versions of shinobi-jue.

Shuiki – devices designed to transport passangers and load over the river (trench):

Kagata-hashami bune – a modular boat consisting of several sections resembling boxes; Kama-ikada – a float-boat “turtle” to pass water barriers as the carcass made from tree branches and

several Amigasa hats;

Taru-ikada – two cork floats-jugs for every feet or a float-boat where jugs are used as cork floats;

Uki-gusa – pneumatic cylinder for crossing made from the fabric, leather and other material soaked in water-resistant solution, with the lantern inside (also known as uki-daru);

Maruha bune – pneumatic boat (bellows were blown-up);

Tsugi bune – a modular boat made from leather and carcass from the tree branches;

Shinodake (mijujutsu) – a syringe made from bamboo wood to spray the poisonous substance. Also used as fukia, tanbo and as schnorkel;

Mizukakigeta – diving flippers;

Mijutumo – fixtures to walk onto the squashy grounds, resemble snowshoes.

Kaki – Flammable, luminous and explosive substances to commit diversions and distraction, as well as various types of torches not extinguishing in any climatic conditions or, vice versa, torches that quickly die out:

Miju-taimatsu – a torch that is on fire in any climatic condition; Gondo – a lamp with the candle inside, a prototype of the secret torch that holds the candle in upward

position for ever;

Origami gondo – a modular lantern that is easy to extinguish with hand;

Tonagokoro-taimatsu – «a torch in the fist»;

Torinoko – an eggshell filled in with the gunpowder;

Fuigo (uchitake) – a device to put on fire in the wind;

Ujume-bi – Ninja mines;

Hidama – a tiny bombshell that gives the bright flare (with gunpowder, potash chlorate and magnesium as the basic matter);

Hikyu – a flame bomb;

Hije – a kindling pole;

Hidake – a flamy tube;

Hiya – a kindling arrow.

Some of the devices used by the Ninja as a must:

Waraji – traditional Japanese straw sandals adopted by the Ninja as shoes with special sole to imitate various footsteps of animals, women, crippled people and others;

Tabi – shoes with the split toe;

Fukumi bari (hari) – tiny needles spit out to the opponent’s eye;

Shinobi-rokugu (six things of the spy) – a kit of six items that Ninja always use to make the mission.

All the devices and fixtures mostly made by the crude method, sometimes designed during the mission performance, force us to think of what we could do and create to achieve such goals? The Ninja warriors tried to be abreast of the times, sometimes leaving everything behind. The overview of historical items should evoke the thought that the proper path of comprehension and perception where the core is simplicity and efficiency, available and uniqueness of the decision.

Ninja motion methods

The way Ninja warriors move according to Ninjutsu School is one of the most significant aspects in the warrior training since this skill can be evaluated to assess the overall level of the Ninja skills and his availability to demonstrate various movements, sometimes mind-striking in complexity. Sliding over any surfaces while escaping, silent tiptoing, quick position changing on the high-relief terrain – this is not the entire list of skills the Ninja warriors master in shinobi-iri. Hereupon, as against most martial arts, the ninpo studies the wide range of the various ways to struggle and run that are helpful tools for the Ninja in achieving goals. The entire spectrum of Ninja movements can be conditionally classified into two groups of procedures: swiftness and remoteness and quietness.

Readiness and remoteness Shinobi-hashiri (Ninja running) is the sprint, the run with clearing the obstacle or marathon. Run and its

varieties are widely practiced in Ninja trainings, from specific approaches to general practices. O-ashi stands for the large step.

Quietness Yoko-aruki (side walk) is the way of motion used for secret shadowless move along walls and fences, and any

other heights. This technique helps to timely respond the hazard wherever it appears. Moreover, this kind of travel greatly troubles determination of motion allowing trace leaving for the purpose of deceiving opponents;

Shinobi-aruki (creeping walk) – this kind of motion is used by Ninja to move on tiptoe and allows to get the target and strike the enemy all of a sudden thanks to very slow and smooth move of the body weight from the back foot to the front foot;

Neko-aruki (cat walk) – this kind of motion is especially effective when sliding in the dark and especially on the creaky floor area is needed. The foot in the front touches and feels the surface slowly and carefully not watched by anyone and the body weight is put on the foot only after the best position for the foot is found. Hands are put in front of the body on the upper and middle (lower) levels to timely signal on object in the front if felt;

Mawari-aruki (swinging walk) – this approach is used when the intuition prompts to Ninja that the enemy is somewhere around. This walk allows visual assessing the environment not going far from the specified route and adequately responding the attack. On the top of it, the motion is quite impossible to predict or calculate to forsee (provided accidental steps are left);

Nuki-ashi (gliding walk) – this approach is used to move gliding onto squeak-free surface. The back foot goes forward in the inner curve. The body makes pendulant-like movements. Hands are stretched on both sides to avoid obstacles;

Shagiri-aruki – is the way to move on all fours;

Ko-ashi (little step) – this approach is used by the Ninja for the smooth move in the small grass (a little bit over the knee level) or in the water. The foot comes into the water or in the grass from upward колена) with the toe and slowly moves forward and slightly to the side;

Shime-ashi (squeezing step) – this motion is used to move silently on the small gravel or in the mud. A slow, kind of pressing heel-to-toe rock up, a very little step and half-bent allow the Ninja making less noise. The hands are rested to the knees for the pressing effect;

Shuri-ashi (friction step) – this approach resembles the shime-ashi but it is only used for the quick and silent motion (almost running) on the firm surface. This kind of technique distinguished with the lower body position due to knee-bend and small body flexion. The distance between feet is shortened to the least which the name tells about;

She-pu (snake crawling) – it is quite impossible to describe cases when the Ninja warriors have to crawl like snakes. The basic principles is when the body is impressed into the ground and hands and legs move in harmony;

Lung-pu (dragon crawling) – this technique of crawling is used when the Ninja has to watch enemies, shoot from the air gun, drag the captured, and many other cases like the dragon does in nature. The motion is

done by hand or foot only which is possible for the highly qualified and trained warrior who mastered all the Ninja techniques of motion.

There is a plenty of various techniques to train in motions and everything depends on goals of every specific approach.

Shuriken (a blade hidden in the hand) is a weapon to throw (occasionally it is used for striking purposes) to hold secretly. They came shaped as nails, needles or stars. Mostly shuriken pieces were made from scrap materials as they were disposable items to use and disappear.

Shuriken-jutsu practices a huge variety of shuriken, all depending on the weight, size, range of precise throw and the way of application during infighting.

Major types of shuriken:

Bo-shuriken (sticks, single-pointed or pointed at both ends): o Itiken bo-shuriken (circular section spike pointed at one end) is a 12-15 cm long weapon, 3 to

5 mm in diameter weighing approximately 30 gr. Itiken bo-shuriken is used to throw to 8 m distance; this kind of weapon is very effective in the close combat;

o Niken bo-shuriken (circular section spike pointed at both ends) is nothing to distinguish from the ordinary itiken bo-shuriken but here both ends are pointed;

o Itaken (Taira) (plan section spike – “board blades”) is the classic type of shuriken, which comes as the long flat bar of steel pointed at one side of 2 to 3 mm thick, 1.5 wide and approximately 15 cm long. This is a perfect weapon to throw at 6 m distance which is widely employed for infighting purposes.

Shaken or hira shuriken (wheel-shaped flat pieces of steel – “wheel blades”) are classified in number of rays and size as follow:

o Happo-shuriken (eight-pointed shuriken). There are five kinds of happo-shuriken:

12.5 cm range weapon, weighing about 115 g. This kind of shuriken is not used for close combat, though it is very powerful when throwing vertically or horizontally to 15 m distance;

13.5 cm range weapon, weighing about 70 g. This shuriken is used for throwing purposes only. The striking distance ranges to 10 m;

6 cm range weapon, weighing about 10 g. It is neither used for throwing to a longer distance nor for close combat due to its low weight. It is normally used as a weapon to shock opponents throwing 10-15 pieces at once in a throw to the enemy's face from a distance of up to 3 m;

10.5 cm range weapon, weighing about 60 g. The weapon is of perfect shape to throw both vertically and horizontally to the distance of 12 m. Not used in close combat;

8 cm range weapon, weighing about 50 g. This weapon is used to throw by any horizontal or vertical throwing technique, at a distance of up to 6 m, since the opponent might by injured by the short rays of this shuriken. This piece is not used in the close combat.

o Shiho-kongo-shuriken (shuriken of four lightning) is of 10.5 cm range, weighing about 75 g. This shuriken is used for both throwing technique and close combat. The distance for throwing is up to 8 m, and, thus, the throw should be strong enough;

o Shankaku-shuriken (three-pointed shuriken) is of 7.5 cm range, weighing about 25 g. It is rarely used for throwing, though can be successfully used in the close combat (as knuckles);

o Shenban-shuriken resembles a nail washer in shape used to fix the gate boards in the Japan castles of middle Ages. People having such shuriken on them were not deemed suspicious when inspected, as well as several screws or nails held by anyone else;

o O-shenban-shuriken (square shuriken with incurved sides) of 11.5 cm range, weighing about 75 g. This shuriken is good to use for close combat and throwing at a distance of up to 8 m. A firm and strong throw is required;

o Ko-shenban-shuriken (small square shuriken with incurved ends) of 8 cm range, weighing about 40 g. This is a perfect tool to be used for horizontal throwing at a distance of up to 7 m, but not used in the close-up action due to the shorter spike (finger cuts possible);

o Shikaku-shuriken (four-pointed shuriken) of 10 cm range, weighing about 60 g. This kind of shuriken is good enough to be used for close combat and throwing at a distance of about 10 m;

o Rokkaku-shuriken (six-pointed shuriken) is 11 cm long, weighing about 65 g, easily thrown to up to 12 m. A throw should be strong enough. Not used for close combat;

o Ko-shikaku-shuriken (a small four-pointed shuriken) is of 9 cm long, weighing about 40 g. This shuriken can be thrown horizontally at distance of up to 8 m. Due to its weight this weapon is not used to throw for farther distances. This is rather small for close combat;

o Rokuhoshi-shuriken (hexagonal shuriken) of 8 cm range, weighing about 55 g; this weapon is good to throw at shorter range. Strong throw is required since the weapon leaves minor injury due to the shorter blade length. Not used for close combat;

o Hakkaku-shuriken (octagonal shuriken) of 8 cm range, weighing about 50 g. This weapon is good for any throwing technique (whether horizontal and vertical) at a distance of 10 m. It is not recommended for infighting purpose.

There are different kinds of shuriken among these weapons but rarely used as Manzi-shuriken (gammadion-shaped shuriken), Judzi-shuriken (a cross-shaped shuriken), Gokaku-shuriken (a shuriken in the shape of a five-pointed star), Tatami-Judzi-shuriken (folded shuriken in the shape of a cross), Sanpo-shuriken (triangular shuriken) and so forth.

The phrase that says "Ninja often used shuriken which were previously treated with poison" was mentioned in most Ninja and Ninjutsu-related sources. The authors of these works might suppose secret recipes, but it actually seems much easier.

The two most common poisons to treat shuriken were common rust and dung. In the medieval Japan, where immunization against tetanus or rabies was never practiced, there was high risk to get poisoned with these two substances into the blood. This could result in the longer death in torments to horrify the others and prove the belief in super capacities of night demons.

Seven techniques using a ninja sword

1. Jasaguri-no-ho is the technique of rummaging

When in the strange atmosphere where the enemies could expect to attack, the Ninja grasped a sword, uncovered the blade for 2/3rd with the one end of the sageo in the mouth squeezing in the teeth while the

other end was still tied to the scabbard. While squatting to the limit and stretching hands forward moving the sword leftward and rightward, the Ninja used to explore the place for enemies to hide. When a Ninja hit up

against something soft, the tip of sageo squeezed in the teeth, is let down, the scabbard also dropped and the Ninja hit the thing with the sword jobbing and then cutting the target (exactly in this consequence).

2. Yojinnava-no-ho is the technique of the protective rope

A Ninja warrior could use sageo as the strain used in various occasions:

The rope was strained below the door to avoid a stranger enter the place where the Ninja was sleeping; The rope was used for the contrary purpose when it was strained while the Ninja was expecting an opponent

to stumble;

The rope was fixed to but not strained (for example, on the way of the guard walking back and forth), and it was strained when necessary with the enemy falling down. The Ninja was only taking advantage of using the rope.

3. Sageomakijime-no-ho is the technique to twist and pinch

The sageo rope was used as the strangler to kill the opponent; as the band when handling wounds; a belt to replace the lost one, etc. This was also helpful to tie the enemy, when necessary.

4. Tsurigatana-no-ho is the technique of sword swaling

The Ninja used to climb the wall squeezing the sageo in his teeth using the sword, particularly the guard-ring (tsuba) as the support, and the sword was then picked-up at the rope.

5. Nonaka-jinbari-no-ho technique was used to encamp in a filed

The Ninja used sageo to make the tent for a break or night tied to trees or simply dinging the poles.

6. Tabimakura-no-ho is the special technique to get a sleep during the trip

Tying the knife (short sword) and the sword together with the sageo, the Ninja used to lie above the rope. When he was attacked during the sleep to get disarmed, the Ninja was able to get up due to the rope vibration and respond immediately striking the attacker with the knife.

7. Nagatsukadori-no-ho is the technique to grasp the long haft

Putting the scabbard and the haft together with the help of the sageo, the Ninja used to take advantage of the unique flexible weapon to effectively confront the opponent using poles and knives whereas the rope was used to twist the longer weapon and the sword and scabbard- to defeat of an attack. In case when the scabbard or a sword dropped down, the Ninja could pick it up at the rope.