The Katana – Not just a weapon, but the soul of bushi.It is the most sophisticated form of the beauty of killing.The more beautiful it is, the more deadly sharpness it has. Katana are distinguished from broadswords for the extremely sharp edge and the slightly curved blade.The beauty of a katana appears on its blade and edge.Its grace form and grim beauty has been fascinating many warriors.
The Wakizashi – Shorter than the Katana (about 68 cm), this sword was worn indoors by the Samurai, because the Katana was too long to fight in small rooms.
The Tanto – This is a small japanese knife from the same steel as the Katana and the Wakizashi. This knife was sometimes worn instead of the Wakizashi.
The Kama – Originaly a farming tool to weed plants. Because the farmers were not allowed to carry weapons they used their tools to defend themselves. This weapon is most know for its use by ninjas.
The BO – A large staff (about 2 M) used as a self defense weapon by the common people, who were not allowed to carry weapons.
The Jo – A shorter staff (about 1.35 M) also used as a selfdefense weapon by the common people.
The Keibo – A small stick (about 35 cm) used for fighting in small area’s.
The Ebo – A very small stick (about 15 cm) perfect as a defense weapon and easy to cary around.
The Tonfa – A nightstick with a handle attached to the side of it. many police forces have adopted it to replace the old police baton (nightstick).
The Nunchaku – Two sticks connected by either a small cord or chain. Originally it was used as a farming tool to thresh grain. and the farmers started using them as weapons to defend themselves.
The Shuriken – The word shuriken means “a dagger hidden in a palm,” so all daggers small enough to hide in a palm were called by this name. They have many variety in their shape and usage. Some are starlike shaped, and thrown with spin. Some other are needlelike shaped, and thrown just like a throwing dagger. Though a shuriken can hardly penetrate armor protection, it was enough because ninja threw it at unarmed target mainly. Venom was used with shuriken normally.
The Yari – The Japanese spear didn’t differ largely from that of other countries. During the Civil War Era, spear was the most standard weapon of bushi.
The Naginata – A pole arm with a single, curved blade on one end, is employed with sweeping, circular motions and, as an extension of the wielder, channels energy in a harmonious display of beauty and precision. The Naginata is a weapon with a rich history, utilized and refined from the Nara Period (710-784 A.D.) to today. Employed initially by the Bushi, it later found itself the specific weapon of the Sohei or Buddhist monks. It is the school of the spear and, as such, is a shafted weapon. The length of its oval shaft varied, from 5′ to 8′, depending on battle conditions and personal requests. The most striking feature, however, was the blade; it could be anywhere from 10 inches to more than 2 feet, and was sharpened on a single side, fashioned in the manner of either Sakizori or Uchizori. As with most shafted weapons, it was most devastating when utilizing sweeping, circular motions. However, thrusts with the blade and also the heavy Ishizuki on the butt end were acceptable tactical alternatives.
The Jutte – Jutte are implements that were used by the samurai as well as the feudal era police. They were used for trapping the blades edged weapons as well as jabbing, striking and trapping fingers.
The Yumi – The Japanese bow was the main battlefield weapon for the bushi until the 1530’s. A typical Japanese bow is 2.3m length, made of bamboo with a string of silk and pine resin. An arrow is made of bamboo and bird feather. Bamboo is the best material for bow in the plant kingdom. Though inferior to modern composite archery bow in penetration and accuracy, it was a deadly weapon, too. Until the musket was brought from Europe in 17th century, the bow was most respected by bushi.
Recent Comments