ASHIARO
The Ninja were master
trackers able to identify all types of prints on the ground and, being the
proficient trackers they were, they also realized that they, too, could be
tracked, especially while wearing tabi or split toed boots. This problem was
solved by the invention of many types of "footprints" carved out of wood and
attached to the soles of the Ninja's tabi.
The ashiaro took many shapes
such as a bear's or a dog's and they also were made to imitate human prints.
These prints made the Ninja's tracks look like those of a child by making the
ashiaro small and shaped like a child's foot or the Ninja could be made to look
like a cripple by deforming the shape of the ashiaro. Wearing these footprints,
a Ninja could walk confidently through enemy territory and not worry about being
tracked. After all, the Samurai wouldn't consider a cripple or a child a threat.
ASHIKO
The Ashiko were spiked claws that were worn
on the feet. This helped the Ninja climb faster and more efficiently on their
missions. As well as a great climbing aid, it could also be used in combat to
deliver deadly kicks.
BO (Staff)
The staff was one of
the most important weapons in the ninja's arsenal. It was generally around 6
feet in length, made of hard wood or bamboo and was hollow. The reason for the
hollow part was another trick of the ninja trade. By flicking the bow with great
speed, the ninja could launch a poison tipped dart or small knife out of the
open end of the staff, often catching the opponent off guard.
BOKKEN
A bokken is a wooden sword usually used for
sword training. When a student begins to work with a sword, he learns basic
maneuvers with a bokken. However, the bokken can also be used as an effective
weapon since it is made of strong, heavy wood. In fact, many Ninja preferred to
use the bokken on a mission than a regular sword.
The reasons for this
are that a bokken is lighter and easier to carry, there is no risk of cutting
oneself, bokken are very easy to camouflage since they can be stained or
painted, and, when using proper techniques, a bokken can easily break bones and
damage internal organs.
BOW (Long & Short)
The
bow and arrow was a weapon used by the ninja as well as the samurai. There were
two types of bows used, the short bow and the long bow. The arrows were
sometimes dipped in poison to make them deadlier. Kunoichi (female ninja) were
experts with the bow and arrow.
CHIGIRIKI
This
weapon is a 2 foot long straight stick, with a 2-1/2 chain attached to the top
with a ball with spikes. This weapon is considered to be the japanese morning
star. The chain could be fitted in side the stick like the Kusari-Gama/Kama, and
used as a mace.
DARTS
The ninja would use the poison
darts differently depending on the situation. It was not uncommon for the ninja
to carry poison darts in his mouth so they could be blown into the enemy's face
at close range. If they needed to kill someone quietly, a dart could easily
enter the body and be withdrawn without leaving a mark. From a distance the dart
could be shot with a blowgun.
Kunoichi (female ninja) would hide the
poisonous darts in their hair. When the victim was preoccupied with something
else, the ninja would stick them with the dart.
DOKA
A doka is a small container for used to safely
carry live coal. This device is used for lighting candles, fuses. It can also be
used to warm their hands on cold nights.
FUKIYA
The
fukiya, or blowgun, was a staple in the Ninja's arsenal since it was so
versatile.
The fukiya was used to shoot darts (sometimes poisoned) at an
enemy from a distance and, since it made almost no noise, the Ninja's hiding
place wasn't threatened by using this weapon. Aside from launching darts, the
blowgun could be used as a snorkel while the Ninja was underwater. Since the
fukiya was made of bamboo, it blended in with the reeds in the water, therefore
enabling the Ninja to stay submerged for hours, if necessary.
Metsubishi
could also be delivered through the fukiya by shooting small paper containers
filled with pepper and metal shavings at an enemy's face.
GANDO
Though the Ninja operated mostly by night, even they needed some
light now and then. The gando was a lantern that acted much as a flashlight. A
candle was mounted inside a piece of metal that was shaped like a cone and a
handle was attached to the closed end of the metal. With the candle shielded by
the metal, light only shone in one direction instead of all directions as with a
regular lantern.
HANBO
A bo 3 feet in length that
can be concealed as a cane. Can be used like a bokken. May also conceal things
inside, like a sword blade or a chain.
HASAMI BUNE
Hasami bune is a collapsible float that is used to transport the
ninja's equipment across the water without getting wet.
HOKO
This weapon looks like a sai mounted on top of
a jo. The Hoko was mostly made out of bamboo and was a very good offensive, as
well as a very good defensive weapon. It was used in a stabbing motion, there
are some variants of this weapon.
KAGINAWA
The
kaginawa, or grappling hook, was a climbing device consisting of a pronged hook
with 12 to 15 feet of rope attached. The kaginawa was used to scale walls or to
swing across large gaps, however, it could also be used as a weapon. By holding
the rope and swinging the hook over the head, the Ninja could strike his
opponent with the sharp prongs of the hook or the rope could be used to entangle
the enemy and enable the Ninja to strike with another weapon.
KAKUTE
The Kakute were rings that the kunoichi wore
that were dipped in poison. The rings could be made out of metals, and tempered
wood. The ninja would quietly strangle enemies with the ring stuck in their
neck. It was far less messy then using a sword, and left very little evidence on
how the victim died.
KAMA
Kama are the basis of the
kusari-gama. Kama is just the sickle on it's own. They are usually used in pairs
and swung in various arcs, crescents etc.
KAMA IKADA
A water crossing device that was like much like a raft. Ninja would
build these to cross large bodies of water or to sail to their destination.
All sorts of slashing motions combined with the forward momentum of the
ninja they can cause some devastating damage. The blade of the Kama is roughly
around 11-12 inches. The handle is slightly longer. Original sickles had a
longer blade and shorter handle.
KUNAI
The Kunai was
a small dagger-type tool that served primarily as a utility knife. It's
secondary use was as a weapon, with a sharp point and short handle it was a
great throwing weapon. It was also a great close combat weapon as it could be
used in very tight situations.
Some other uses for the kunai include a
climbing device, a hammering tool, a make-shift spear tip just to name a few.
KUSARI-GAMA
The Kusari-gama is a combination of a
sickle (short scythe) and a long chain with a weight attached to the end of it.
The sickle was used in a slashing or stabbing motion, as well as used to block
and hook opponents weapons. By holding the chain portion of the weapon, the
sickle could be swung around to get a greater reach with it.
The chain
portion of the weapon was most often used for trapping an enemy or his weapon.
Once tangled up with the chain, the ninja could finish him off with the sickle.
This was a weapon the ninja invented out of farming tools they used.
KUSURIBIN
The Ninja often carried a "medicine can"
filled with antiseptics and ointments which he used to heal himself if he were
cut or injured while on his mission. The kusuribin was also used to carry
poisons and antidotes.
KYOKETSU-SHOGEI
The
Kyoketsu-shogei was a knife attached to one end of a long cord made of women's
or horse hair, or sometimes chain. On the other end of the cord was a ring. The
knife could be used in close quarters or swung around by holding on to the ring.
MANRIKI-GUSARI
The Manriki Gusari was a chain
usually about 3 feet long, and weighted at both ends. It was developed as a
self-defence weapon but was also a wicked offensive weapon in the hands of a
ninja. It was small and easily concealed in the palm of the ninja's hand, or in
a sash.
While holding one end of the chain, it could be swung around and
used as a whip. The weighted end could cause a great deal of damage.
METAL GRIPS
Since the Ninja had to be prepared to
run over any and all terrain, they often carried metal strips with a spiked edge
on one site. These strips were tied to the bottom of the Ninja's tabi to gain a
better grip over uneven or slippery terrain. These would be the equivalent of
the spiked shoes that many athletes wear today.
MIZU GUMO
A Mizu Gumo is a water crossing device that was used by the ninja.
It was an inflatible seat that surrounds the hips of the ninja and suspends him
in water. The pouches that held the air were usually made out of rabbit skin and
horse hide.
METSUBISHI
Metsubishi, or "eye closer",
were used to temporarily, or sometimes permanently, blind the enemy. Hollowed
out egg shells, paper bags and short bamboo tubes were filled with a combination
of sand, metal filings and pepper and were used to attack the eyes of an enemy.
Egg shells and paper bags were used by throwing the fragile containers at the
opponent's face, causing it to break on impact and scatter the contents across
the face and into the eyes. Bamboo tubes were sealed with paper or wax and, when
the seal was broken, the tube was flung in the direction of the opponent,
sending the contents into the face, blinding him.
Usually, metsubisi
were used to make an escape when surrounded or cornered or if the Ninja felt
there were too many opponents to fight at once. For example, if a Ninja were
faced with 5 or 6 opponents, he might use metsubishi to blind 2 or 3 of them
while he dispensed of the others.
NAGINATA & JUTTE
The Naginata is a long staff with a blade attached to one
end.
NEKO-TE
The Neko-te were usually used by the
kunoichi (female ninja). The weapon is strong iron fingernails that were
fastened into leather bands fitted on the fingers, and resembled claws (not like
that of of the shuko, ashiko) and were also dipped in poisons. The eyes were a
favorite spot for slashing.
NUNCHAKUS
Though not a
primary weapon of the Ninja, nunchakus (also known as "nunchucks") were used
because they could be adapted for many situations. Aside from being easy to
carry, the nunchakus were used to defend against most any weapon from a bo to a
sword. By trapping the blade of a sword with the chain between the two sticks, a
Ninja could entangle and disarm a sword-weilding attacker.
The same
concept applies to almost every other weapon. The nunchakus were not just used
for defense, they could also be effectively employed against an enemy in an
offensive way. The Ninja could strangle an opponent or even execute joint locks
with the chain or cord between the two
sticks.
ONO
The Ono, or battle axe, was a very
powerful weapon used to smash through castle gates, knock opponents off their
horses or totally destroy anyone attempting to fight with a lesser weapon. The
Ono was generally 4 feet long with a heavy, oversized steel blade. The weight of
this weapon demanded great skill from the user in battle.
SHIKORO
The Ninja carried a variety of small sawing
tools with them in order to make small holes in walls so that a clear view could
be gained into a room while hiding. Most of these saws were triangular in shape.
This enabled the Ninja create a hole that was wide on his end of the wall and a
small hole on the other side.
SHINOBI BUNE
Sometimes, the Ninja had to cross wide rivers or even sail down
them. For this, bamboo sticks and large, empty jars would be carried in a bag
and, when the Ninja reached the river he had to cross or travel down, he
assembled them into a criss-cross frame and then the jars, which were sealed
closed, were tied to the bottom of the frame and acted as floats. The Ninja then
pushed the boat into the water and used an extra bamboo stick as a
paddle.
SHINOBI KAI
A shinobi kai is a collapsable
oar that is used with ninja water crossing devices. It was made of bamboo strip
with a fan at the end.
SHOBO
A shobo was a small
weapon that was used for striking pressure points within the body, the neck was
the best place to strike. It was a ring fitted on the middle finger and a piece
of sharp/dull wood attached, there are many variants of this
weapon.
SHUKO / ASHIKO
These were steel or iron
bands that were tied over the hands and feet and used as climbing aids. With the
use of shuko and ashiko, a Ninja could scale a wall or climb a tree in a matter
of seconds. In fact, many Samurai were reported as saying the Ninja could "climb
like a bear."
SHURIKEN
The Shuriken is the trade
mark ninja weapon made famous by the movies and stories about the ninja. The
Shuriken was simply a flat piece of metal with sharpened points that were thrown
at the enemy.
The Shuriken was not originally designed as a killing
weapon. It was mostly used to distract or deter so the ninja could escape. While
in the midst of a get-away, the Shuriken could be thrown at the samurai chasing
the ninja, possibly making the samurai think twice about continuing the chase.
Although the Shuriken was not intended to kill, it was easily made
lethal by dipping the edges in poison. This was effective, but sometimes it
backfired when the ninja would accidentally cut himself while digging around for
it, thus poisoning himself.
Shuriken were also designed to hit the
opponent then bounce away out of sight. This way a ninja could fool an
unsuspecting guard or sentry into believing he had been cut by an invisible
swordsmen. (One of many mental tricks)
SMOKE BOMB
This circular bomb of smoke was made famous by the ninja movies in
the 80's. For a quick get away this bomb could be filled with gun powder to make
an explosion and smoke.
SWORDS
The ninja sword
(ninja-to) was different than that of the samurai. The long sword that the
samurai carried was made of high-carbon steel, and took months to have made.
They were hand made specially for each samurai, taking great care to make a very
high quality sword. It was so sharp that it could easily cut a man in two, even
through their armor. The length of the samurai swords averaged around 26 1/2 to
37 inches.
The ninja sword was considerably shorter, only 24 inches, and
the quality of the swords was much poorer. The reason for the poorer quality was
the way they used the sword as opposed to the way the samurai used theirs.
Samurai would swing their sword, severing limbs and slashing at the opponent.
Ninja, on the other hand, used the sword more in a stabbing motion. To use the
blade of the ninja sword effectively you would have to use a sawing motion when
the blade came in contact with the opponents flesh.
Another reason for
the poor quality of the swords is that since ninja were mostly mountain people
and outlaws, they could not afford to hire expert sword smiths like the samurai
could. Also their own sword smiths did not have access to the right resources to
be able to make curved edge swords with well constructed blades. If a Ninja
could overcome a samurai he would take his swords, simply because they are
better.
Although the ninja sword was smaller and poorer quality, it still
had its advantages. The scabbard for instance was made longer than the sword,
about 3 to 4 inches longer. At the end of the scabbard there was a hidden
compartment that was used to hide small weapons such as spikes, daggers or small
amounts of poisons. Another use the sword had was that it could act as a small
step by jamming the blade into the ground, the ninja could use the hand-guard as
a step to get that extra height needed to scale a wall. Because the blade was
not very sharp, the ninja could also use it as a hammer by holding onto the
blade (carefully) and hitting with the handle. Also it was common to have the
tip of the scabbard come off so it could be used as a snorkel.
TANTO
The tanto, or knife, was an important weapon
in the ninja's arsenal. Like the ninja-to, the tanto was not made of the high
quality steel that the samurai's sword was but the ninja made up for this by
using the tanto as a multi-purpose tool.
The tanto was used to pry open
doors, dig holes or small ditches, or it could be thrown like a shuriken. Of
course, the tanto was also used to cut and stab an opponent.
TESSEN
The Tessen was a folding fan with an iron
frame and, when folded, was used to club an enemy. A few different variations
were invented, including one with a sharp edge on the outside of the framework
so that, instead of only being able to club a person, the ninja could cut as
well.
TETSU-BISHI
Tetsu-bishi (also known as
calthrops) are small metal weapons shaped so that one point is always up. They,
like the shuriken, were a weapon used for distraction while fleeing. The ninja
would scatter the calthrops behind them and anyone unlucky enough to step on
them would not likely continue with the pursuit. They could also be thrown, and
dipped in poison like the shuriken.
TARU IKADA
Floatation pots used by the ninja to cross shallow waterways and
streams. The ninja would put each foot into a pot and cross the water.
TOJIME
Since most Japanese doors slid from side to
side instead of opening outward or inward, the Ninja would carry a variety of
"jamming" tools. The tojime were bars of steel with a hook on each end. These
hooks would be used to hold the door closed by locking them
closed.
TSUGI BUNE
The Tsugi Bune is a collapsible
boat used by the ninja. Each ninja would carry their section of the boat when on
land, and then join the pieces together when need for floatation.
YARI
The Yari was typically 5 feet long with a 6
inch blade and the handle often contained a hidden chain or knife. |
