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A ''shuriken'' ( ja, 手裏剣; literally: "hidden hand blade") is a Japanese
concealed weapon Concealed carry, or carrying a concealed weapon (CCW), is the practice of carrying a weapon (usually a sidearm such as a handgun), either in proximity to or on one's person or in public places in a manner that hides or conceals the weapon's pre ...
that was used as a hidden dagger or
metsubushi or ''gantsubushi'' are a variety of implements and techniques that were used in feudal Japan by samurai police and other individuals to temporarily or permanently blind or disorient an opponent. Description One type of ''metsubushi'' was used ...
to distract or misdirect. They are also known as throwing stars, or ninja stars, although they were originally designed in many different shapes. The major varieties of shuriken are the and the or . Shuriken were supplementary weapons to the
sword A sword is an edged, bladed weapon intended for manual cutting or thrusting. Its blade, longer than a knife or dagger, is attached to a hilt and can be straight or curved. A thrusting sword tends to have a straighter blade with a pointed ti ...
or various other weapons in a
samurai were the hereditary military nobility and officer caste of medieval and early-modern Japan from the late 12th century until their abolition in 1876. They were the well-paid retainers of the '' daimyo'' (the great feudal landholders). They h ...
's arsenal, although they often had an important tactical effect in battle. The art of wielding the shuriken is known as
shurikenjutsu is a general term describing the traditional Japanese martial arts of throwing ''shuriken'', which are small, hand-held weapons used primarily by the Samurai in feudal Japan, such as metal spikes ''bō shuriken'', circular plates of metal known a ...
and was taught as a minor part of the martial arts curriculum of many famous schools, such as
Yagyū Shinkage-ryū is one of the oldest Japanese schools of swordsmanship (''kenjutsu''). Its primary founder was Kamiizumi Nobutsuna, who called the school Shinkage-ryū. In 1565, Nobutsuna bequeathed the school to his greatest student, Yagyū Munetoshi, who ...
,
Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū Written as 天眞正傳香取神道流 before adoption (1946) of Tōyō kanji. is one of the oldest extant Japanese martial arts, and an exemplar of '' bujutsu''. The Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū was founded by Iizasa Ienao, born in ...
,
Ittō-ryū , meaning "one-sword school", is the ancestor school of several Japanese Koryū kenjutsu styles, including Ono-ha, Mizoguchi-ha, Nakanishi-ha, Kogen, Hokushin, and Itto Shoden. The style was developed by Itō Ittōsai Kagehisa. Ono-ha Ittō-ryū ...
,
Kukishin-ryū , originally "Nine Gods Divine (from heaven) School" (also translated as "Nine Demon Divine (from heaven) School" by many modern groups having different lineages) is a Japanese martial art allegedly founded in the 14th century CE by Kuki Yaku ...
, and
Togakure-ryū is a historical tradition of ''ninjutsu'' known as the "School of the Hidden Door", allegedly founded during the Oho period (1161–1162) by ( ), who learned his original fighting techniques from a Chinese monk named Kain Dōshi. However, the h ...
.


Bo-shuriken

A ''Bo-shuriken'' is a throwing weapon consisting of a straight iron or steel spike, usually four-sided but sometimes round or octagonal in section. Some examples have points on both ends. The length ranges from 12 to 21 cm (5–8 in) and the average weight from 35 to 150 grams (1.2–5.4 ounces). They should not be confused with the
kunai A is a Japanese tool thought to be originally derived from the masonry trowel. The two widely recognized variations of the kunai are short kunai (小苦無 shō-''kunai'') and the big ''kunai'' (大苦無 ''dai-kunai''). Although a basic tool ...
, which is a thrusting and stabbing implement that is sometimes thrown. ''Bo-shuriken'' were constructed from a wide variety of everyday items, and as such came in many shapes and sizes. Some derived their names from the materials of which they were made, such as ''kugi-gata'' (nail form), ''hari-gata'' (needle form) and ''
tantō A is one of the traditionally made Japanese swords (Commons:Nihonto, ''nihonto'') that were worn by the samurai class of feudal Japan. The tantō dates to the Heian period, when it was mainly used as a weapon but evolved in design over the year ...
-gata'' (knife form); some were named after an object of similar appearance, such as ''hoko-gata'' (spear form), ''matsuba-gata'' (pine-needle form); while others have names that are purely descriptive, such as ''kankyuto'' (piercing tool form), ''kunai-gata'' (utility tool form), or ''teppan'' (plate metal) and ''biao'' (pin). The ''bo-shuriken'' is thrown in a number of ways, such as overhead, underarm, sideways and rearwards, but in each case the throw involves the blade sliding out of the hand through the fingers in a smooth, controlled flight. The major throwing methods are the ''jiki da-ho'' (direct-hit method), and the ''han-ten da-ho'' (turning-hit method). These two are technically different, in that the former does not allow the blade to spin before it hits the target, while the latter requires that the blade spin''.'' Other items such as hairpins, ''kogata'' (utility knife), and chopsticks were thrown in the same way as ''bo-shuriken'', although they were not associated with any particular school of shurikenjutsu. The origins of the ''bo-shuriken'' in Japan are still unclear, despite continuing research. This is partly because shurikenjutsu was a secret art and also due to the fact that throughout early Japanese history there were many independent exponents of the skill of throwing long, thin objects. The earliest-known reference to a school teaching shurikenjutsu is Ganritsu Ryu, active during the 17th century. This school utilized a long, thin implement with a bulbous head, thought to be derived from the arrow. Surviving examples of blades used by this school appear to combine an arrow's shape with that of a needle traditionally used in Japanese leatherwork and armor manufacture. There are earlier mentions in written records, such as the ''Osaka Gunki'' (大阪軍記, the military records of
Osaka is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the third most populous city in Japan, following Special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama. With a population of 2. ...
), of the standard knife and short sword being thrown in battle.
Miyamoto Musashi , also known as Shinmen Takezō, Miyamoto Bennosuke or, by his Buddhist name, Niten Dōraku, was a Japanese swordsman, philosopher, strategist, writer and rōnin, who became renowned through stories of his unique double-bladed swordsmanship a ...
is said to have won a duel by throwing his short sword at his opponent, killing him.


Hira shuriken/shaken

''Hira-shuriken'' generally resemble the popular conception of shuriken. They are constructed from thin, flat plates of metal derived from a variety of sources including ''hishi-gane'' (coins), ''kugi-nuki'' (carpentry tools), spools, and ''senban'' (nail removers). They often have a hole in the center and possess a fairly thin blade sharpened mainly at the tip. The holes derive from their source in items that had holes—old coins, washers, and nail-removing tools. This proved convenient for the shuriken user as the weapons could be strung on a string or dowel in the belt for transport, and the hole also had aerodynamic and weighting effects that aided the flight of the blade. There are a wide variety of forms of ''hira-shuriken,'' and they are now usually identified by the number of points the blades possess. As with ''bo-shuriken'', the various shapes of ''hira-shuriken'' were usually representative of a particular school ( ryū) or region that preferred the use of such shapes, and it is therefore possible to identify the school by the type of blade used.


Usage

Shuriken targets were primarily the more exposed parts of the body: the eyes, face, hands, or feet. Shuriken, despite low mass, were capable of dealing lethal blows at short ranges. In some cases, shuriken were capable of partially disemboweling targets. Shuriken, especially ''hira-shuriken'', were also used in novel ways—they could be embedded in the ground, injuring those who stepped on them (similar to a
caltrop A caltrop (also known as caltrap, galtrop, cheval trap, galthrap, galtrap, calthrop, jackrock or crow's foot''Battle of Alesia'' (Caesar's conquest of Gaul in 52 BC), Battlefield Detectives program, (2006), rebroadcast: 2008-09-08 on History Cha ...
), wrapped in a fuse to be lit and thrown to cause fire, or wrapped in a cloth soaked in poison and lit to cover an area with a cloud of poisonous smoke. They could also be used as a handheld weapon in close combat. There are reports of shuriken being coated with poison, intended either as a throwing weapon or to be left in a conspicuous place for a victim to pick up. Other reports indicate that shuriken may have been buried in dirt or animal feces and allowed to harbor the bacterium ''
Clostridium tetani ''Clostridium tetani'' is a common soil bacterium and the causative agent of tetanus. Vegetative cells of ''Clostridium tetani'' are usually rod-shaped and up to 2.5 μm long, but they become enlarged and tennis racket- or drumstick-shaped wh ...
''—if the point penetrated a victim deeply enough, the bacteria transferred into the wound could cause a then-incurable
tetanus Tetanus, also known as lockjaw, is a bacterial infection caused by ''Clostridium tetani'', and is characterized by muscle spasms. In the most common type, the spasms begin in the jaw and then progress to the rest of the body. Each spasm usually ...
infection. Shuriken are simple weapons, but their historical value has increased. Unlike the ''
katana A is a Japanese sword characterized by a curved, single-edged blade with a circular or squared guard and long grip to accommodate two hands. Developed later than the '' tachi'', it was used by samurai in feudal Japan and worn with the edge f ...
'' and other bladed weapons, antique shuriken are not often well preserved, largely due to their expendable nature.


Legality

Modern commercially available Shuriken, which are sold in
Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
and
North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...
, are often made of
stainless steel Stainless steel is an alloy of iron that is resistant to rusting and corrosion. It contains at least 11% chromium and may contain elements such as carbon, other nonmetals and metals to obtain other desired properties. Stainless steel's corros ...
. However, in many countries and jurisdictions, they are illegal to possess or carry, such as
Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...
, the
Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
,
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
,
Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
, and the
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
(manufacture, sale, distribution and import). In the United States, they are prohibited in some states such as
California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
,
Indiana Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...
, New York. In some cases they may be allowed but are still subject to specific local legislation. Owners may be required to possess a certificate for possession.


See also

* Batarang *
Boomerang A boomerang () is a thrown tool, typically constructed with aerofoil sections and designed to spin about an axis perpendicular to the direction of its flight. A returning boomerang is designed to return to the thrower, while a non-returning ...
*
Chakram Chakram ( sa, , script=latn; pa, , script=latn) is a throwing weapon from the Indian subcontinent. One of its major purposes is to protect the turban and the head from sword/melee attacks. It is circular with a sharpened outer edge and a diamet ...
*
Kunai A is a Japanese tool thought to be originally derived from the masonry trowel. The two widely recognized variations of the kunai are short kunai (小苦無 shō-''kunai'') and the big ''kunai'' (大苦無 ''dai-kunai''). Although a basic tool ...
*
Makibishi The term makibishi (撒き菱 or 撒菱) refers to the Japanese version of the caltrop. The tool (''igadama'') is a sharp spiked object that was used in feudal Japan to slow down pursuers and also was used in the defense of samurai fortifications. ...
*
Wind and fire wheels Wind-and-fire wheels () are melee weapons, wielded as a pair, associated with Chinese martial arts such as baguazhang and taijiquan. Visually, they are similar to chakrams, although unlike chakrams they are not throwing weapons. Each wheel is a f ...


References


Literature

*Nawa, Yumio (1962) ''Kakushi Buki Soran'' (An Overview of Hidden Weapons) *
Seiko Fujita , born , was a prominent Japanese martial artist, researcher and author. Regarded as the 14th and final heir to the Kōga-ryū Wada-ha Ninjutsu tradition, he was highly respected by his peers and a core member of Japan's classical martial arts co ...
(June 1964
''Zukai Shurikenjutsu'' / 図 解 手 裏 剣 術
(An Overview of Shuriken-jutsu) *Finn, Michael (1983) ''Art of Shuriken Jutsu'' *Hammond, Billy (1985) ''Shuriken jutsu: The Japanese Art of Projectile Throwing'' A.E.L.S *Shirakami, Eizo (1985) ''Shurikendo: My Study of the Way of Shuriken'' *Iwai, Kohaku (1999) ''Hibuki no Subete ga Wakaru Hon'' (Hidden Weapons) BAB, Japan *Kono, Yoshinori (1996) ''Toru Shirai: Founder of Tenshin Shirai Ryu'' in ''Aikido Journal'' #108 *Saito, Satoshi in Skoss, Diane ed. (1999) ''Sword & Spirit: Classical Warrior Traditions of Japan Vol. 2'' Koryu Books *


External links

* {{Authority control Japanese martial arts terminology Ninjutsu artefacts Throwing blades Samurai weapons and equipment Weapons of Japan Japanese inventions