Historical Weapons - Naginata

The Naginata Originally, the naginata was used by warrior monks who would defend their shintoist temples from invaders. This weapon fell out of favor after the 14th century, when the temples were no longer a target. At any rate, the samurai did sometimes use the naginata while fighting at close quarters on horseback. The naginata was made from a short, curved blade, like that of the wakizashi, but instead of being attached to a normal sword hilt, it was attached to a long staff. The naginata staff could be anywhere from 38" to 4 feet long. This made the weapon extremely useful in close quarters, where it's wielder could keep sword-carrying attackers out of range. The age in which the naginata was most commonly used is the age in which the samurai were mostly archers, which meant that sword vs. naginata battles rarely took place. Some schools of martial arts still use the naginata today, however, the modern naginata more resembles the european Halberd, with the blade resembling a scimitar moreso than a wakizashi.

Historical Weapons - katana

The Katana
The Katana was developed in the early 15th century, when the feudal era was brought to it's climax in what historians call "The Age of States at War." This era began when the Feudal lords of ancient Japan began fighting amongst one another for control of the land. This time in japanese history ended with the Meiji restoration, when Japan was restored to a unified country and swords were outlawed. The katana was the samurai's most important sword. It is widely agreed that the Katana, or Dai-to is the single most perfect sword ever developed. It's power and finesse made it a nearly indefeatable weapon. Made with a curved ken (blade) set into a long tsuka (hilt) it is the sword we most identify with feudal japan today. The steel of the blade would be forged by master craftsmen, heated and folded over 200 times. Although the Katana was very powerful, it was also much lighter than European swords and could be handled with confidence and grace. Most Katana are about 42" long from tip to pommel (the end of the hilt) and the blade is usually 26" to 28" long. This means that the tsuka itself can be up to 14" long, much shorter than the grips of it's predecessors, the No-Dachi and the Tachi. The katana would be carried in a saya (scabbard and tucked into the samurai's belt. Originally, they would carry the sword with the blade turned down. This was a more comfortable way for the armored samurai to carry his very long sword. The bulk of the samurai armor made it difficult to draw the sword from any other place on his body. When unarmored, samurai would carry their sword with the blade facing up. This made it possible to draw the sword and strike in one quick motion, usually beheading the opponent. In order to draw the sword, the samurai would turn the saya downward ninety degrees and pull it out of his belt just a bit with his left hand, then gripping the tsuka with his right hand he would slide it out while sliding the saya back to it's original position. The appropriate way to hold the katana is still taught today by many schools of martial arts. First, the samurai would grab the tsuka with his right hand directly below the tsuba, or cut guard, which would keep his hand from slipping onto the blade. Next, he would place the pommel, the very bottom of the tsuka, into the palm of his left hand. The left hand would then be wrapped around and turned vertical so that the sword's pommel would be halfway into his closed hand. This left a gap of anywhere from 6" to 8" between the warrior's hands which allowed for superior flexibility. Because of the space between the fighter's hands, the sword's master could easily cut horizontall, vertically and diagonally. Also taught even in today's martial arts schools are the various kamae, or stances, which the samurai would take while training at his dojo. Here, wooden swords called bokuto or bokken were used so the students would not give one another lethal injuries. Later, the flexible bamboo shinai were developed, which would allow students to strike one another without cauing injury. The katana had great importance outside of combat as well. Throughout the Era of States at War, the Samurai would never be without it. It was a symbol of his status as a warrior, his obedience of the code of bushido and his undying loyalty to his master. It was considered a great honour to receive such a sword from one's master or even one's ally.

Historical Weapons - Wakizashi

The Wakizashi The wakizashi was always carried along with the katana, to make a daisho or pair. The wakizashi was, esentially, a shorter katana that could be wielded with one hand. One of the main uses of the wakizashi was to fight indoors, where the low ceilings of feudal japan would make use of the long katana nearly impossible. The katana-bearing samurai of the Genpei war period and the Warring States Era would never leave behind their wakizashi, which was often used as a backup weapon if the katana was lost or damaged. The wakizashi came in handy when, at many times, the katana's length was a disadvantage. The wakizashi was also used to perform seppuku, the ritual suicide of a member of the warrior class who felt he or she was living with great shame, from disappointing one's master or from being humiliated in a number of other ways. The following description is graphic and certainly not for the squeamish. Please do not allow children to read it. The samurai, when asked to, or granted permission to, commit seppuku, would kneel in the traditional manner with his wakizashi at his side. He would take the short sword from it's saya and thrust it deeply into his own torso, cutting himself open vertically. He would then continue on his ritual, in spite of the pain, by cutting once more horizontally across the original wound. The samurai, having disemboweled himself, will have then died an honourable death. It was permissible to have a close friend or trusted ally to act as a second, meaning that he or she would stand behind the samurai and strike his head off with the katana after the first cut had been made. If a female samurai were to commit seppuku, she would only cut her own throat, a much simpler and cleaner ritual.

Historical Weapons - Ninja-to

The Ninja-to Contray to popular belief, the ninjas' sword did not have any kind of specific design. The straight-blade, square tsuba swords are a product of hollywood. The actual ninja sword looked just like the samurai's daito or katana, but with a few small exceptions. For one, they were usually of a much poorer quality. To a samurai, his sword was his life. To the ninja, it was an important weapon, but not so important that it couldn't be replaced if broken or lost. There is some conflict in history as to whether ninja were formidable swordsmen. This is because there were so many different clans and groups of ninja, it is quite possible that some were well trained in the art of the sword and others were not. Since the ninja were warriors and soldiers alongside the samurai, in everyday life they had to appear as a normal soldier. Having a sword of a unique or special design would identify him as a ninja. This would cause problems, because ninja were always suspect! Sometimes the ninja would carry a sword whose blade was slightly shorter than the saya in which it was carried. The additional space would be used to hide blinding powder. Also some ninja would have a removable end piece on the saya so it could be used as a snorkel or filled with muddy water to be used as a type of metsubushi. Metsubushi is anything which blinds an enemy. The ninja sword also had a slightly longer sageo than the samurai sword. This was so the ninja could carry the sword by clenching the sageo in his teeth while climbing.

Historical Weapons - Kunai

Kunai A Kunai is an ancient kind of trowel, originated during the Tensho Era in Japan. The kunai was normally wrought of iron, not steel, cheaply forged and unpolished. The size of most kunai ranged from 20 cm to 60 cm, with the average at 40 cm. The kunai was used by common folk as multi-purpose gardening tools and by workers of stone and masonry. The kunai is not a knife, but something more akin to a wrecking bar. The blade was soft iron and unsharpened because the edges were used to smash plaster and wood, to dig holes and to pry. Normally only the tip would have been sharpened. The uses to which a kunai was put would have destroyed any heat-treated and sharpened tool like a knife. Contrary to popular belief, they were not designed as throwing weapons, though they can definitely be thrown and cause damage. Ninjutsu is very versatile in the way it employs weapons and non-weapons. A ninja could work as a gardener during the day and use a kunai without raising suspicion. Kunai normally had a leaf-shaped blade and a handle with a ring on the pommel for attaching a rope. This would allow the kunai to be strapped to a stick as an expedient spear, to be tied to the body as a hidden weapon, or to use as an anchor or piton of some kind. In Hatsumi Sensei's Grandmaster of the Togakure Ryu school of Ninjutsu collection there are examples of short kunai, long kunai, narrow bladed types, saw-toothed types, and wide bladed types. In some cases, the kunai and the shikoro are hard if not impossible to distinguish. A shikoro is a wide bladed saw with a dagger-type handle.

Historical Weapons - Yari

Yari
Yari is the Japanese term for spear, or more specifically, the straight-headed spear. The martial art of wielding the yari is called sojutsu or (somewhat incorrectly) yarijutsu. Yari measured anywhere from one meter to upwards of six meters (3.3 to 20 feet). The longer versions were called omi no yari while shorter ones were known as mochi- or tae yari. The longest versions were carried by foot troops (ashigaru), while the samurai usually carried the shorter versions. Yari were characterized by a straight blade that could be anywhere from several centimeters long, to 0.9 meters (3 feet) or more. The blades were made of the same high-quality steel that the swords and arrowheads of samurai weapons were forged with, and yari blades were very durable. Over history many variations of the straight yari blade were produced, often with protrusion on a central blade. Yari blades (points) had extremely long tangs which were usually longer than the sharpened portion of the blade. The tang protruded into a hollow portion of the handle. This resulted in a very stiff shaft and made it nearly impossible for the blade to fall or break off. The shaft came in many different lengths, widths and shapes; made of hardwood (nakae) and covered in lacquered bamboo strips, these came in oval, round, or polygonal cross section. These in turn were often wrapped in metal rings or wire, and affixed with a metal pommel (ishizuki) on the butt end. A sheath for the blade called saya was also part of a complete yari. Yari are believed to have been derived from Chinese spears, and while they were present in early Japan's history they did not become popular until the 13th century. The original warfare of the Bushi was not a thing for 'commoners'; it was a ritualized combat usually between two warriors who would challenge each other via horseback archery and sword duels. However the invasions of Mongols in 1274 and 1281 changed Japanese warfare and weaponry. The Mongol-employed Chinese and Korean footmen wielded long lances, fought in tight formation, and moved in large units to stave off cavalry. Some argued that the yari was more deadly than the katana, because while the katana was more than capable of splitting a man in half through his armor, slashing attacks did not often penetrate deeply enough to be fatal. The yari's blade, on the other hand, needed to penetrate only a few inches into the flesh in order to be deadly, and it also had a reach advantage over the katana. It could be thrust very quickly, and was difficult to parry. To properly counter a yari with a sword, one should use a kodachi. Yari overtook the popularity of the daikyu for the samurai, and foot troops (ashigaru) used them extensively as well. While it has not received the same recognition as has the katana, the spear was an invaluable weapon of war. By the edo period the yari had been mostly phased out, with mostly close quarter combat being seen the samurai tended to carry only the dashio because katana and Wakizashi were far more useful for close quarters. Over the next 200 years the Japanese armies would mirror their European and Asian counterparts by training spearmen to support their mounted samurai, and ward off approaching horses. During the peace time of the Edo, yari were still produced, sometimes in large numbers, by great swordsmiths. They maintained a primarily ceremonial weapon for years, until the post Meji-reformation re-interest in the martial arts.

Historical Weapons - Kyoketsu Shoge

Kyoketsu Shoge The Kyoketsu Shoge, which means "to run about in the fields and mountains", is a double edged blade, with another blade attached at 90 degrees to it. This is attached to roughly 18 feet of rope, chain, or hair which then ends in a large metal ring. It is thought to have developed before the more widely known kusarigama (sickle and chain). Almost exclusively used by the ninja, the kyoketsu shoge had a multitude of useful applications. The blade could be used for pulling slashes as well as thrusting stabs. The chain or cord, sometimes made from women's or horse hair for strength and resiliency, could be used for climbing, ensnaring an enemy, binding an enemy and many such other uses. The long range of the weapon combined a cutting tool with the capability to strike or entangle an enemy at what he perceived to be a 'safe' distance out of the way.

Historical Weapons - Tanto

Tanto A tanto is a common Japanese knife or dagger with a usually single or sometimes double sided blade length of about 1530 cm (6"12"). There is a disputed saying about the tanto, wakizashi, and katana stating that they are "the same sword in different lengths." The tanto differs from the others as it was designed primarily as a stabbing instrument, but the edge can be used to slash as well. Tanto first began to appear in the Heian period, however these blades lacked artistic qualities and were purely weapons. In the Early Kamakura period high quality tanto with artistic qualities began to appear, and the famous Yoshimitsu (the greatest tanto maker in Japanese history) begins his forging. Tanto production increased greatly around the Muromachi period and then dropped off in the Shinto period ("New sword" period). Shinto period tanto are quite rare. Tanto gained popularity again in the Shin-Shinto Period (New-new sword" period) and production increased, however many Shin-Shinto tanto are of poor quality. Tanto are forged generally in hira-zukuri, meaning that they have no ridge-line, unlike the shinogi-zukuri shape of a katana. Some tanto are very thick with a triangular type construction and no ridgeline are called yoroidoshi and are designed for armor-piercing. Tanto were mostly carried by samurai; commoners did not generally carry them. Women sometimes carried a small tanto called a kaiken in their obi for self defence. It was sometimes worn as the shoto in place of a wakizashi in a daisho. Before the 16th century it was common for a samurai to carry a tachi and a tanto as opposed to a katana and a wakizashi. It was a favorite weapon of the ninja because of its light weight, and was favored for assassination. It was also a popular weapon among the yakuza.

Historical Weapons - Kusarigama

Kusarigama Kusarigama is a traditional Japanese weapon that consists of kama (Japanese for sickle) on a metal chain with a heavy iron weight at the end. Attacking with the weapon usually entailed swinging the weighted chain in a large circle over one's head, and then whipping it forward to entangle an opponent's spear, sword, or other weapon, or immobilizing his arms or legs. This allows the kusari-gama user to easily rush forward and strike with the sickle. A kusari-gama wielder might also strike with the spinning weighted end of the chain directly, causing serious or deadly injury to his opponent while still outside the range of the opponent's sword or spear. Though the kusari-gama is derived from a farmer's sickle, and though the sickle was often carried as a weapon by farmers during the feudal era of Japan, it is important to note that these farmers did not carry kusari-gama. Its purpose as a weapon was very obvious, so unlike a sickle, it could not be carried openly. The art of handling the Kusarigama is called Kusarigamajutsu. According to some accounts, the kusari-gama was traditionally used by ninja as it is a weapon that is well-suited against swords and spears. Whether or not ninja embraced the weapon, records show that the kusari-gama was extremely popular in feudal Japan, with many schools teaching it, from about the 12th to 17th Century. Usage of the kusari fundo is taught in Bujinkan ninjutsu. A notable example of the use and mis-use of the weapon is the story of the great 17th Century kusari-gama teacher Yamada Shinryukan. Shinryukan was known to have killed many swordsmen with his weapon, until he was lured into a bamboo grove by Araki Mataemon. There, he was unable to swing the chain and trap Mataemon's sword, and was thus killed. Perhaps one of the most famous historical users of the kusarigama is Shishido Baiken. A swordsman of great skill, he developed great skill with the kusarigama, but was killed by the legendary samurai Miyamoto Musashi. Fictional accounts of kusari-gama sometimes show fighters swinging the sickle with the chain, rather than the weighted end. Though entertaining, this is not a proper use of the weapon, as the sickle is likely to bounce off a target without causing much injury.

Historical Weapons - Kama

Kama The Kama (pronounced Kar-mah) are Okinawan and Chinese weapons that resemble traditional farming devices similar to a small scythe or a sickle. The development of this tool as a weapon began after Japan annexed Okinawa and outlawed all traditional weapons. The sickle, implemented as a redesigned weapon form, was called a natagama. The kama resemble another weapon familiar to the Japanese koryu, the Kusari-Gama, which had a weighted chain used to parry and club an enemy from a distance before the final Kama strike was administered. The kama itself is a stabbing and slashing weapon that is most effective for any type of hand-to-hand combat. The world's most renowned master of this kobudo style is Tadashi Yamashita, seen using these weapons in the film "The Octagon".

Historical Weapons - Jitte

Jitte The jitte or jutte (Japanese: literally "ten-hand", i.e. the weapon with the power of ten hands), is a specialized weapon which was used by law enforcement officers (called okappiki or doshin) during Edo period Japan. Nowadays, the jitte is the subject of the japanese martial art of Juttejutsu. The modern jitte is about 45cm (18 inches) long with no cutting edge and a one-pronged hilt, designed to catch and snap off an opponent's sword blade. Although two weapons could conceivably be used for the same purpose, a single fused implement provides a safer means of catching a moving sword or knife. After the blade has been caught, the jitte is pushed up to the hilt of the sword, allowing the officer to control the attacker's arms and thereby disarm him. The original form of the jitte is traditionally believed to have been created by the legendary swordmaker Masamune; it resembled its name of "ten hands", having that many prongs, and resembling a rake. It was carried in one hand, and used on the battlefield either to trap an enemy's sword and then slay them, or trap it and bind the enemy with a lasso or grapple with them, capturing them. The design is said to have been derived from the Okinawan sai, although some assert that the jitte existed first, and influenced the design of the sai.

Historical Weapons - Shuriken

Shuriken
Hira ShurikenShuriken; "hand reverse/hidden blade") is a traditional Japanese concealed weapon that was used for throwing, and sometimes stabbing. They are small, sharpened, hand-held blades made from a variety of everyday items, such as needles, nails, and knives, as well as coins, washers and other flat plates of metal. Shuriken were mainly a supplemental weapon to the more commonly used katana (sword) or yari (spear) in a warrior's arsenal, though they often played a pivotal tactical role in battle. The art of wielding the shuriken is known as shuriken-jutsu, and was mainly taught as a minor, or more correctly, a secret part of the martial arts curriculum of many famous schools, such as Yagyu Ryu, Katori Shinto Ryu, Itto Ryu, Kukishin Ryu and Togakure Ryu. Shuriken are commonly known in the west as "throwing stars", however this term hardly does justice to the weapon, as the pointed "star" shaped form is but one of many different designs the blades took over the centuries they were used. The major varieties of Shuriken are the bo shuriken and the hira shuriken, or shaken, also read as kurumaken) Hira shuriken Hira shuriken are constructed from thin, flat plates of metal from a variety of sources, such as coins (hishigane), carpentry tools (kugi-nuki), washers (senban) and as such do not generally look like what is usually conceived of as the ninja star. Often they have a hole in the center, are only sharpened on the very tips and are very nearly square in shape with slighty curved sides and a fairly thin blade. The reason for the hole is that the original source items had holes - old coins, washers and nail-removing tools, each possessed holes as part of their design. This was found to be convenient for the user of the shuriken, as they could be carried strung together on string, and the hole also had an aerodynamic effect which aided the actual flight of the blade as it was thrown. Also part of the design is the fact that the tips alone were sharpened, for the simple fact that having sharpened edges would lead to cut fingers. In addition, the thinness of the blade added to the penetrating power. There are a variety of forms known that follow the fashion of the shaken. Variations include one- or two-pointed tips, smoother aerodynamic shapes to aid flight, or small blades. It should be noted that unlike bo-shuriken, senban shuriken were used as harassment tools rather than as a true throwing knife in many instances. Generally they would gash an opponent and bounce off, making it difficult to ascertain the direction from which it was thrown. During medieval times, samurai used small throwing missiles as ranged weapons. Besides shuriken, these throwing spikes were used.

Historical Weapons - Shuriken continued

Bo-Shuriken
Bo ShurikenThis is a throwing weapon consisting of a straight, iron or steel spike, usually 4 sided but sometimes round or octagonal. They were normally single-pointed but variations exist that are double pointed. The average length was 16 cm and the average weight was around 50 grams. The Bo shuriken is thrown by holding it in the palm of the hand, the shaft being supported and controlled by the first two fingers. The shuriken is thrown by snapping the wrist forward and brushing the back of the blade. This slows down its rotation in the air, thus controlling the distance at which it will stick. The straight bo-shuriken were thrown so that they spun slowly in flight. Thus, the thrower did not have to worry about how many rotations the shuriken would make on its way to a target. This allowed the thrower to stick the shuriken in a target that was moving toward or away from the thrower. A skilled shuriken thrower would have been able to hide the shuriken and throw it while just outside of sword-striking distance to distract their opponent. A bo shuriken is not a dart. A dart has feathers or a tassel which correct the path of the shuriken in flight in the same manner as an arrow. The flight path and rotation speed of a bo shuriken are controlled entirely by the release of the shuriken by the thrower. In a combat situation, one could throw a single or handful of shuriken toward an opponent as a diversion. The targeted areas are vulnerable body parts like the face, the throat or the hands. The maximum effective range is about 6 yards. With an opponent thus distracted or injured, one could escape or take the advantage with a follow-up attack. Tracing back through history to determine the origins of this unique throwing weapon is difficult, if not impossible. In theory, it can be seen how the four-pointed Senban shuriken, characteristic of the Togakure Ryu of ninjutsu, was perhaps developed from the four-cornered, iron reinforcing plates (washers) that backed up the heads of the nails used in the joining of timbers in castle and fortress construction. Such washers are also seen in the construction of the large taiko drums still played today. Today few ryu still train to throw shaken. In such ryu, a single, carefully aimed shaken is thrown against a target. Also, rare kata are taught where shaken are used for an initial action followed by a sword technique. Contrary to popular belief, (video games, Hollywood, etc.) shuriken are not designed as a primary weapon, but rather as a distraction or tactical weapon. The first bo shuriken were large nails used in the wooden construction of temples and houses. However, the more commonly seen four sided shuriken was a tool used by carpenters to dig out those nails. Usually ninja could not afford to buy an expensive weapon from a weaponsmith. As a result, they improvised by using everyday objects for weapons. Shuriken could be used on the battlefield as a distraction; a hidden ambush group might throw a volley as a diversion or delaying tactic. Shuriken were at times tipped with poison.

Historical Weapons - Hanbo

Hanbo The hanbo is a quarterstaff used in martial arts. Traditionally, the hanbo was three shaku, or 90 cm long, exactly half the length of the rokushakubo. As with any weapon, bearers would often find one best suited to their build, opting often for one that comes up to about waist/hip height. Hanbojutsu, the method of using a hanbo, is a focus in several martial arts including the Kukishin Ryu koryu classical school of martial arts. Part of the importance in using this length is that it approximate that of a walking cane. It should be noted that although techniques with a cane in this ryu-ha utilize pulling or hooking and possess one rounded end, that they invariably function the same as a hanbo in all other respects. The hanbo can be used as a means of striking, restraining or even throwing someone. It is useful to know because sticks are abundant and can be picked up if attacked. Masaaki Hatsumi says that one who wishes to be a swordsman should first master hanbo techniques, since it can be held and utilized in a similar fashion to a Japanese sword (but without the cutting edge). When utilized properly (parrying by deflecting the sword by striking the flat parts of the blade), it was more than capable of defeating a katana.

Historical Weapons - Rokushakubo

Bo A bo is a long stick, usually made of wood or bamboo, but sometimes it is made of metal or plated with metal for extra strength; also, a full-size bo is sometimes called rokushakubo. This name derives from the Japanese words roku (meaning "six"), shaku (a Japanese measurement equivalent to 30.3 centimeters, or just under 1 foot) and bo (kanji, Chinese character meaning "staff"). Thus, rokushakubo refers to a staff about 6 shaku (181.8 cm, about 6 ft.) long, other types of bo range from heavy to light, from rigid to highly flexible, and from simply a piece of wood picked up off the side of the road to ornately decorated works of art. The martial art of wielding the bo is bojutsu. The basic purpose of the bo is increasing the force delivered in a strike, through leverage. The user's relatively slight motion, effected at the point of handling the bo, results in a faster, more forceful motion by the tip of the bo against the object or subject of the blow; thus enableing long-range crushing and sweeping strikes. The bo may also be thrust at an opponent, allowing one to punch from a distance. It also is used for joint-locks, thrustings of the bo that immobilize a target joint, which are used to non-fatally subdue an opponent. The bo is a weapon mainly used for self-defense, and can be used to execute several blocks and parries. Martial arts techniques, such as kicks and blocks, also are often combined with weapon techniques when practicing this martial art to enhance its effectiveness. Although the bo is now used as a weapon, its use is believed to have evolved, like most martial arts devices used as weapons, from non-combative uses. The bo staff was traditionally used to balance buckets or baskets. Typically, one would carry baskets of harvested crops or buckets of water or milk or fish, one at each end of the bo, that is balanced across the middle of the back at the shoulder blades. In poorer agrarian economies, the bo remains a traditional farm work implement; yet, when these nations were required to lay down their arms by conquering armies, they looked to their household implements to extend their self-defense. In styles such as Yamani Ryu or Kenshin Ryu, many of the strikes are the same as those used for Yari (spear) or Naginata (Japanese polearm). There are stick fighting techniques native to just about every country on every continent. The word "bo" is merely the Japanese word for wooden staff weapons.

Historical Weapons - Kusari fundo

Kusari-fundo Kusari-fundo is a weighted short chain that is closely-related to the kusari-gama in application. It is a close range weapon, ranging between eighteen and thirty inches in length (approximately the lent, and generally constructed of a non-reflective etched steel chain. This flexible weapon can be used to strike, snare, or entangle the enemy or his weapon. It is rumored that the kusari-fundo was invented to disarm, disable or kill attackers of the imperial castle without bloodshed, as it was considered hallowed ground. As with the kusari-gama and kyoketsu-shoge, striking attacks with the kusari-fundo utilize the very end of the weight in motion in order to generate the most leverage and impact. Striking trajectories include:

Tenchi furi: Rising or falling vertical strikes Yoko furi: Inward or outward horizontal strikes Happo furi: Inward or outward diagonal strikes Naka furi: Forward shooting strikes

Historical Weapons - Shuko

Shuko Handclaws, also called Shuko or Tekagi ("hand hooks"), are claw- or hook-shaped objects used by ninja as weapons. They were originally sharp spikes fixed to wooden clogs used for walking on snow or ice. Later they came to be worn on the hands as an aide for scaling walls, trees, and other upright objects. Eventually they entered the realm of combat, with the spikes used to scratch an opponent. The spikes were attached to a broad band to help hold them in place, and these were sometimes used to block blows and even ensnare swords. When handclaws were invoked by a skilled user, victims often appeared to have been mauled by a bear or other wild animal. It is commonly believed that the spikes were also used to scratch messages into stone or wooden surfaces to warn accomplices of what lay ahead; for example, one line could mean "safe passage"; two, "turn back"; and three, "enemy ahead." Sometimes used for torture, the handclaws are victors of fierce punishment.