Different Types of Ninja Weapons are Explained!

The ninja is one of the most revered figures in Japanese history. For over a thousand years, they were known as masters of every possible weapon and used them to wreak havoc upon the enemy – be it samurai warriors or forbidden scrolls. 

The ninja weapons are any tools or items that can be used to cause harm, but without the overt evidence of blood that most weapons produce. Ninjas use a variety of tools, such as shuriken (throwing stars), smoke bombs, and grappling hooks to do battle with their enemies. 

The ninja’s garb also included weapons like their kenjutsu sword called tanto and short bow called yumi (bows are also used in hunting). The ninja was characterized as a medieval warrior who wore black and relied on stealth to overcome his opponents, using weapons such as the katana, shuriken, and nunchaku.

Nunchaku:

A weapon composed of two short wooden sticks connected by a length of rope or chain. They were commonly used by the ninja to temporarily disarm opponents. These weapons are also linked with the legend Bruce Lee.  

 

In real life, these ninja weapons were rarely used but some evidence do support their use by ninjas such as the Hattori family and the Bessho clan, although they were primarily used as farming tools or weapons.

Ninja-to: 

A sword that was carried by many ninja, especially during the Sengoku Jidai. It is typically a straight single-edged blade with a circular or oval cross-section, and often has a small hand guard (tsuba) at the base of the blade. The actual use of this sword was mainly as a tool for farmers since it was very versatile in cutting down tall grasses and simply cutting wood. 

The term "ninja-to" can also be used to describe a special type of sword known as a ninjato based on the design of this sword. The ninjato is known as a short, curved blade with the end of the hilt wrapped with cord or leather. These swords were actually used by ninja and ronin instead of common samurai swords.

Yakumo Katana: 

A fantasy sword that appears in Hayashi Razan's 'The Book of Family Traditions on How to be Healthy', it was said to have been used by a 12th-century military leader named Shoji Yamamoto (山本蘇時). The weapon has a blade composed of three "shinobu" (神秘, mystery) blades that are connected by five chains. 

The weapon is said to be capable of slashing both vertically and horizontally. While the weapon is said to have been made in the 12th century, this sword was never actually used by an actual ninja since it is an impractical weapon that would be unable to slice anything. It was instead used as a tool for ancient Japanese blacksmiths who were known to create such weapons.

Ninja Stars:

The word shuriken (手裏剣) is a Japanese word that literally means "sword hidden in the hand." These are traditional Japanese concealed ninja weapons that were generally carried for self-defense. It is known as the "ninja star" or "throwing star" because of the resemblance to contemporary shuriken.

In modern times, throwing shuriken is typically called kunai.The blade of a shuriken could be made from various bladed materials such as, but not limited to, chakra-infused steel, stone (such as obsidian or flint), or even wood, and many could be stored in the "pocket" of a ninja tool pouch (katana-bukuro) for convenient carrying.

Which Weapon is Your Favorite?

Every ninja carries a different weapon for different situations. Learn all about their capabilities and how to choose the best one for your mission.

 

Ninjas are not all the same. There are many types of ninja with different abilities, ninja weapons, and missions. To be a successful ninja, it's crucial to learn how to use your weapons correctly in order to complete your mission successfully while getting out alive! 

With so many variations on this archetype, what exactly is the right tool for each predicament? Take a look at these cool weapons and make a decision which one suits you the best.