When was shuriken invented

So the invention of the shuriken meant samurais could hang onto their swords and have another tool in battle. Shuriken were thrown using two methods.

In movies and shows, shuriken are shown as being very dangerous and lethal. But the truth is that they were rarely used to kill enemy soldiers. In direct combat, shuriken were used as a distraction, nuisance, or to weaken a target.

Since they could only hit exposed skin or sensitive areas, shuriken were aimed at the feet, arms, face, eyes, and groin. These throwing weapons gave samurais a distinct advantage in battle. They could quickly throw shuriken and temporarily incapacitate or weaken an enemy long enough to deliver a deadly blow.

Shuriken were usually thrown from a distance of about 30 feet or so. This allowed the samurai to engage a target at a distance while being able to close the distance to the target. Shuriken were also used to distract or disorient enemies. The shuriken would strike the enemy and disappear into the distance. This would leave the attacker disoriented and confused as to who hit them. This would give the samurai enough time to escape or cause the attacker to retreat.

Shuriken could also be used to cause the enemy to dodge or open themselves up to attack for a moment. Shuriken were made of cheap or disposable material like scrap metal or broken tools.

This is because they were meant to get thrown away and lost in the heat of battle. Most depictions of shuriken depict them getting thrown at enemies to kill them, but they also had other uses in battle.

Some samurai would cover their shuriken in potent poison. This way if it injured an enemy, it would eventually kill them. They would poison shuriken with natural poisons that were available such as aconite. Samurai would also bury their shuriken in feces to cover it in dangerous bacteria. One of the most common methods involved wrapping a pitch-soaked cloth around the shuriken and lighting it on fire.

It was then thrown onto anything flammable, such as huts, wagons, or enemy tents. In the peaceful Edo Period , the major role of ninja was to gain as much information about the political situation of neighboring territories to protect their own domain and lord.

As shinobi gradually disappeared in the late Edo Period, factually inaccurate images of ninja appeared in novels and other entertainment. Ninja were often portrayed utilizing their mysterious skills to commit theft. In Kabuki Classical Japanese drama and Ukiyoe pictures of everyday life in the Edo Period , ninja were often dressed in black and held shuriken in their hands, a portrayal that influenced the current image of ninja.

There are two major types of shuriken, bo shuriken stick type and kurumaken wheel type. Bo shuriken are easier to make and more powerful than kurumaken. Kurumaken, on the other hand come in a wide variety of shapes. Kurumaken are more popular than bo shuriken because they have many blades, each of which can hurt enemies.

Swing your arm down from above. This technique is often shown in manga; however, it is almost impossible. It is necessary to hold the shuriken firmly to make a powerful throw. A few Shuriken were also placed in a hidden breast pocket for protection and easy access when attacked by enemies. WA Japanese Shuriken. Top right is a bo shuriken, and others are kurumaken in different shapes. Weapon of Ninja. Ninja carried many weapons other than shuriken. Moreover, instructions by main schools were heavily engrossed into deception.

Hence, only information from scrolls, trusted students, and commoners appeared. These commoners might not have engaged themselves into the art but had some knowledge. During this time, the weapon was known as Shiriken. It was due to a misconception that it was a small utility knife held in the scabbard of the long sword. Shuriken comes into different shapes, styles and sizes.

It has two major types: the plate type and the stick type. Shaken plate or wheel type is made from flat metal plates. Hira Shuriken is multi-pointed and star-shaped. Senban Shuriken has the shape of a lozenge. Teppan is simply a larger version of Senban.

Moving on, Bo Shuriken stick type is long, thin and cylindrical. Thickness and shape vary, classifying themselves into three designs defined by the material used. The first one is cylindrical, straight-sided, and needle-shaped.

The second is square. The third is shaped like a knife. Resources provide no accurate and chronological history of Shuriken. Available are only speculations and random traces from preserved manuscripts and handed-down stories. During ancient times, throwing of things has been a favorite pastime. Later on, people used them for protection and food hunting. This paved rise to the idea of a throwing system. One of the earliest mentions of throwing things is from the oldest Japanese extant chronicle, Kojiki.

He threw a cylindrical vegetable into its eye. In the same year was also written another account entitled Nihon Shoki. It describes Ishihajiki , a stone-throwing implement. It was written in the 8th century. Meanwhile, a section of Hiyori no Ki depicts holding a short blade hidden in the palm and throwing it. This was believed to be the origin of the term Shuriken. Furthermore, Osaka Gunki tells about Tadamasa saving himself from his enemies by throwing a Wakizashi.

He later created the first Shuriken called Tanto-gata. Still, other Japanese chronicles such as Heike Monogatari mentioned stone throwing. They used Totekibuki to refer to stones designed to aid throwing. They later called them Tsubute. Evolving into an iron stone, the name changed to Tetsutsubute , believed to be the progenitor of Senban Shuriken. The development of the Shuriken art appeared fragmented.