| Throwing Star |
Articles about Shuriken |
Information AboutThrowing Star |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT SHURIKEN | |
| throwing weapons | |
| throwing blades | |
| japanese words and phrases | |
| ninjutsu | |
| weapons of japan | |
|
Shuriken (手裏剣; lit: "hand release blade") are throwing blades. The martial art of wielding the shuriken is called '' Shuriken-jutsu ''. 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. The major varieties are the ''bo shuriken'' (棒手裏剣) and the ''hira shuriken'', throwing blades with multiple points, sometimes called ''senban'' (車剣, also read as '' Shaken '') but more commonly known in the West as throwing stars or '''ninja stars''', due to their distinctive shape. These "throwing stars" usually had only four points, but they were known to have up to eight. USES Contrary to popular belief, ( Video Game s, 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. Contrary to popular culture, It was not necessary to "stick" it into the target. When throwing it they would spin the weapon very fast, so that it would then hit opponents' arms or legs, creating a "saw" effect. 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 contained with tipped poison. Corrosion is also a relentless factor in humid Japan, and the Rust may be an effective poison if introduced into the bloodstream. BO-SHURIKEN This 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. SENBAN SHURIKEN Senban shuriken were used in the Edo Period 1603-1867. They were originally a Carpentry tool and as such do not generally look like what is usually conceived of as the ''ninja star''. Typically 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 they were originally nail pullers, and the hole was used to grab the nails while the edges provided leverage. 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. 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. POPULAR CULTURE
SEE ALSO REFERENCES EXTERNAL LINKS |
|
|