Ninjas: highly trained martial arts practitioners known for their skills in espionage, infiltrations,
and assassination.
Here we look at some of the most lethal weapons used by feudal Japan's deadly assassins.
Number 11: Kusarigama As if a sharp sickle and a heavy iron weight
were both not dangerous enough as separate weapons, the Japanese decided to combine those
two with a metal chain, giving birth to the kusarigama.
The deadly chain-sickle weapon was developed during the Muromachi era, and has its own
unique art of handling known as kusarigama-jutsu.
Ninjas would later come to adopt the weapon as part of their deadly arsenal.
The hybrid weapon compliments a specific type of fighting usually for use against an opponent
bearing a long weapon such as a sword or spear.
A kusarigama user would swing the weighted chain in a circle above his head, and then
quickly whip it forward to entangle his opponent’s weapon rendering it unusable.
It could also be used to immobilize the enemy by entangling one of his limbs.
The kusarigama user would then lunge forward and strike down his incapacitated opponent
with the sickle end.
Apart from using the sickle, the weighted chain could also be used to directly strike
an opponent from a distance, while still outside their attack range.
With enough force, the iron weight could easily fracture bones.
Number 10: The Kakute Ring Kakute are small metal rings with spikes protruding
from it, worn as a finger ring.
These weapons are very much favored by the kunoichi, or female ninjas.
The reason is that kakute rings are simple to use, and are concealable as they look like
any other normal ring, but with spikes hidden inside the hand.
The weapon is obviously only used up close, but still, is very capable of delivering considerable
damage, especially towards non-suspecting enemies.
Apart from cutting someone's throat, the spikes could be used to hold onto an opponent or
choke them, and sometimes for climbing as well.
An expert and careful user would go as far as to have the kakute spikes coated in poison
so even a slight scratch could kill their target.
This weapon is one reason why you would want to avoid shaking hands with a ninja.
Number 9: Tekko-kagi Imagine brass knuckles, but with forward facing
iron nails like bear claws.
That's the tekko-kagi, a ninja weapon that has a close resemblance to the X-man Wolverine's
protruding adamantium claws.
The origin of the weapon was a rather peaceful one, as a tool for farmers to reap weeds.
But in the hands of a skilled ninja, the tekko-kagi becomes a lethal weapon.
The tool is multifunctional, and could be used to directly slash an opponent, to catch
and take over their weapon, and also as a shield for self-defense.
Usually it is used during missions where carrying large weapons just wasn't possible.
Ninjas would often wear two Tekko-kagis on both hands while in combat, making them appear
no less frightening and dangerous than wild bears and tigers.
Number 8: Neko Te If you think the tekko-kagi was scary enough,
then you should take a look at the neko-te.
It is also a claw like weapon, but worn like a glove, and with the blades protruding directly
from the ends of the fingers much like a cat's claws.
And that's exactly what the neko-te means in Japanese, "cat claws".
There is nothing subtle about the appearance of this weapon, and it looks exactly like
Freddy Krueger's bladed glove.
The neko-te was favored by the kunoichi, with the eyes and throat as favorite slashing targets
for these female ninjas.
Like other bladed ninja weapons, the neko-te nails are sometimes imbued with poison to
make sure the target is successfully killed.
Number 7: Metsubushi Metsubushis are the pepper sprays of the ninja
world.
The name translates to "crush the eyes", and is one thing a ninja's opponent should avoid
at all costs when in a fight.
The weapon could come in many forms, but are typically delivered from a small pipe that
can be blown at an enemy, or from an egg shell that can be thrown.
This results in the delivery of a special concoction of ashes, ground-up pepper, mud,
flour, and dirt into an opponent's eyes.
For extra damage, metal scrapings or broken shards of glass are sometimes also added.
While not lethal in itself, a victim would end up completely vulnerable to a follow-up
deadly blow, as they would be blinded and disoriented from the pain.
Metsubushi is also a perfect tool for ninjas to escape unwanted situations, as their blinded
pursuers would most definitely give up.
Number 6: Ninjato Many people know of the katana, the traditional
Japanese sword used by samurai during ancient and feudal times.
But ninjas also have their own version of the katana, known as ninjato.
Compared to the swords carried by the samurai, ninjato were smaller in size and more compact
in form.
The overall length is usually less than 60 cm, and is relatively thick and straight with
no curves.
The swords were either forged by ninjas on their own from slabs of steel, or were regular
long katanas that were cut and sharpened so they would end up in the right form and shape.
This results in a sword that is easier to carry and conceal, while still capable of
delivering swift and deadly attacks.
The swords could also be used somewhat like a ladder, where ninjas would stab them into
cliffs or walls, step on them, and retrieve them with a strap attached to the hilt.
The maneuver would be difficult if a curved sword like a regular katana was used.
Number 5: Fukiya The fukiya is a type of blowgun used in Japan.
The practice still exists today in modern Japan as a national sport similar to archery.
However, fukiya was known in the past as a ninja's weapon, with numerous ninjutsu schools
specializing in its use.
Ninjas would often fire two inch long poison darts, or fukibari, from a concealed location.
The dart itself is usually not enough to kill a target, but the poison would finish the
job.
The weapon is extremely affective for stealth kills at a long distance, as well as a form
of distraction.
Although it has a much shorter range than a typical bow and arrow, it has its own advantages.
The 50 cm long fukiya is easily concealable, and is often disguised as an innocent flute,
enabling disguised ninjas to sneak the weapon past guards.
Apart from its use as a weapon, the fukiya could also serve as a breathing pipe for hidden
ninjas submerged underwater.
Modern fukiya sport players are proof of how deadly the weapon could be in the past, as
experts could deliver very accurate shots at long distances.
We could easily say that the fukiya were the sniper rifles and silencers of feudal Japan.
Number 4: Sai Sai, the weapon familiar to those in the West
as the weapon of choice for Raphael from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and the female assassin
Elektra from Marvel.
Traditionally used on the islands of Okinawa, the sai is useful as both an offensive and
defensive weapon.
The weapon has a very distinctive look as a long pointed metal baton with two curved
prongs projecting from the sides.
Sai users practice a variety of fighting styles which involve strikes, blocks, parries, and
capturing an opponent's weapon between the weapon's shaft and curved side prongs.
Rather than slashes, the sai is more affective in delivering short jabs into vital areas.
The weapons are much lighter than swords, relatively easy to handle, and are typically
carried in pairs, one for each hand.
Due to its light weight, it could also be thrown towards an enemy when needed.
Number 3: Kunai The kunai is a dagger-like-weapon which serves
as one of ninja's most basic but multi-functional weapons.
Historically, it is believed to have been derived from hand trowels, as farmers and
masons of feudal Japan used to make weapons out of any spare tools they could get their
hands on.
Kunais are crafted from metal into sharp blades with balance and weight in mind, as they are
used both in close combat, and thrown from a distance.
Apart from combat, they are used for digging and gouging holes in the wall for spying.
They could also be used as tools for climbing, as a grappling hook or as a piton.
Both a tool and weapon, the versatility of these easily concealable weapons make them
really useful.
One of the most distinctive characteristics of a kunai is the ring at the end of its handle.
This serves to increase the blade's function.
A rope could be attached to make it into a makeshift swinging weapon, or it could be
strapped to a long stick as a spear.
To add its deadliness, poison could also be coated on its tip for extra effect.
Number 2: Poison We've talked about how poison could be used
to compliment some weapons, often coated on tips of blades.
But its deadliness and wide variety makes it deserve a special mention on this list.
As stealthy assassins, ninjas could not avoid using poison, as it enables them to kill their
targets without confronting them directly.
Poisons could be placed directly into the food and drinks of victims, or put in their
mouths while they slept at night.
And in case of direct combat, even a light graze on an opponent's skin would be enough
to eventually kill them if the weapon is coated with poison.
All of this proves how extremely convenient poison is, as even the strongest of opponents
could be killed with ease.
Poisons come from many sources in an exotic country like Japan, giving ninjas a wide variety
of the substance at their disposal.
They had a deep knowledge of vegetation, and lived deep in the mountains where various
types of plants grew.
Apart from plants, their poison also came from mushrooms, toads and puffer fish.
Number 1: Shuriken You definitely can't talk about ninjas without
mentioning shurikens.
Shuriken literally translates to "sword hidden in user's hand", and are sometimes referred
to as throwing stars in the West.
They are crafted into many different shapes and sizes, usually with a hole at the center.
Shurikens might be small, but are essential tools in a ninja's arsenal.
They often serve a secondary role, as a nuisance or distraction when facing an enemy.
A skilled user would target exposed areas of an opponent's body, at high speeds and
incredible accuracy.
When a person is hit by a shuriken in the dark, they might confuse it to be a slash
from a swordsman nearby.
Similar to a caltrop, shurikens can be embedded in the ground, injuring the feet of those
who step on the spikes.
There are many other ways of using it, such as in combination with other weapons.
It could be wrapped with a small explosive, or coated with poison.
They could also serve as a close combat weapon when needed.
In skillful hands, shurikens could be extremely deadly, as they could be targeted onto vital
areas.
There are even reports of these metal stars being buried in feces and soil to harbor bacteria
so that its victims could end up with a tetanus infection.