Ancient Japanese Weapons: Example Research Paper By An Expert Writer To Follow

Japan is a country full of ancient secrets and wonders. Weapons from ancient times have been carried on to this day. When we go back in the days the first thing that we will probably think of is the famous Japanese samurai warriors. There were also others like warrior monks, ninja’s and ruffians. All of these were great warriors of ancient Japan that to this day bring a history of amazing weapons such as swords, spears, the art of archery and many other items and techniques used then and made as well as mastered to this day.
Japanese weapons were one’s to look out for and be aware of at all times. Many of the weapons were disguised as everyday things that one most likely would not recognize. One of these was a war fan. The weapon looked exactly like a fan but had two different variations of style. One had eight to ten ribs that were made with metal or wood that looked just like a normal fan, the other was completely made of metal or wood and had a shape just like an open fan. There were many different sizes and shapes as well as the material they were made from. They were used by a commander to give orders to his soldiers but not only. The warfare fans also served as weapons when using the martial art - tessenjutsu, translated as the iron fan technique. Whenever a warrior got darts, arrows and other similar warfare items thrown at him, he could defend and protect himself from getting injured by being well-skilled at using the fan. Tessenjutsu is an ancient technique that is not as popular as in the olden days but is continued to be practiced. Weapons such as the manriki-kusari, kusarigama, shuriken, makibishi, tekko-kagi and many others were also used in battle.
The manriki-kusari also known as the kusari-fundo was a famous ninja weapon that was very hard to master and was made from a chain with the length being from 12 inches to 28 inches, and a weight, together weighing up to 112 grams. It was sometimes used by the police as an arresting tool and by others as a self-defense weapon in cases when swords were not allowed to be worn. In battle it was used to strike opponents and unlike other weapons, the kusari-fundo would not leave the hands off the wielder. There were many different names and types of the weapon. The first time it was mentioned in manuscripts during the Nanbokucho period dating back to 1336. Another weapon that looked and functioned a lot like the kusari-fundo was the kusarigama. The difference was that it had a sharp sickle at one end which the opponent would be stroked with when brought closer by the wielder with the chain.
A popular hidden weapon was the shuriken. Also known as the throwing star or the ninja star, it is most commonly used by the ninja. Shuriken was an item used for throwing, stabbing and sometimes slashing the opponent. The stars varied in size and shape. In ancient times they were not used to kill but to only distract the enemy by targeting the weapon at the eyes, legs, face, feet and hands, typically the parts of the body it could easily come in contact with. Even though most think it was only a weapon of the ninjas, “shuriken was a weapon used like a sword, spear, or arrow just like a samurai might use” (“Ninja Encyclopedia: The Truth of Ninja”, www.ninjaencyclopedia.com). The thorns of surprise – Makibishi were very popular weapons used by the ninjas when trying to escape. The makibishi had the shape of a cube with sharp, pointy arms that pierced when stepped on or thrown at. It could be used in various ways like launching one at the opponent or putting some on the ground, which was very common since in the ancient times shoes did not have thick soles, they were made of straw so if someone was to step on the makibishi, it would stick through the foot. “Some ninja had more flashy version of makibishi, which were exploded when someone stepped on it. It was called Bakurai-bishi” (“Makibishi”, park5.wakwak.com). Ninjas are well-known for making weapons they did not only use to kill with but also just to fight with. The tekko-kagi was a metal claw with four nails and a ring around it which the ninja would grab onto or would attach to the hand by tying it with a rope. In many cases, it was used to take away the enemy’s weapons and was used for offense as well as defense. It is strange to come to the fact that it came from the idea of a farm tool used to reap weeds. When using it in battle, the ninja would rip and tare the samurai warrior like a tiger or a bear. Even though the Japanese are most well-known for their swords, other weapons were used also. Before swords became very popular amongst the warriors, bows and spears were most commonly used.
During the age of bow which aged back to the 16th century and before, archery was practiced much and had many styles, one of them was called Bakyujutsu. The technic included horseback riding together with archery. All of the styles of archery did not just include different amazing techniques but also showed the etiquette and good behavior of the samurai. The Japanese term for the bow is yumi. The bow varied in size because its measurements depended on the height of the archer. The arrow length would be from 33 to 44 inches and the bow from 84 to 97 inches. Different bows were used in different time periods. In the 800 to 900, the Fusetake bow was used, in 1100, the Sanmaiuchi was used, and both were made from bamboo. There were many other types of bows during the history of Japan and each new one was made with the best quality materials. Up to the 17th century, yumi was the favorite weapon of the samurai warriors.
Following the age of archery was the age of the spear. The spear is named yari in Japanese and does not differ much from any other spears elsewhere. Samurai warriors would wear very heavy armor and mostly used the spear to beat enemies not to spear them. They were very strong and would do it by swinging the spear and hitting the opponent while horseback riding.
After two amazing eras of weapons, the Japanese warriors found one main one they are proud of to this day. One of the most popular weapons of ancient Japan was and is the katana sword. “The origins of the Katana are somewhat unclear, however, it is commonly attributed to a mixture of both Chinese and Japanese craftsmanship” (“A Brief History of the Katana”, www.japanesejujitsu.org). It was used by the samurai warriors and had a blade that was curved to professionally chop down enemies. It is famous throughout the whole world for its outstanding quality. The katana had a single-edge blade and was made by heating and folding steal over and over again which gave it the most of strength and made it extremely sharp. It was first produced during the Muromachi period (1392 – 1573) but is still being made to this day. The length of the sword varied throughout history, about 23 -28 inches. It is known, though that in the beginning the sword’s length was 28. 5 inches. The sword was able to cut through basically any living creature and to this day is known as one of the world’s best swords. There were also other swords that were worn by the samurai to accompany the katana. The wakizashi and tanto were two of such best known traditional Japanese swords. The wakizashi sword had a blade approximately 12 to 24 inches long while the tanto sword was 6 to 12 inches long with a single or double edged blade and was used mostly for stabbing. One of these swords were worn together with the katana as a symbol of great social power and honor which only a great Japanese warrior, the samurai was able to wear. When the swords were paired together by such method, it was called Daisho, meaning big-small. Before the katana and the wakizashi, the tachi sword was worn. The tachi sword was 27 to 31 inches long and greatly influenced the development and production of the katana sword.
Another sword that we can compare with the katana is the ninjato sword of the feudal Japan ninjas. Unlike the samurai warrior, a ninja worked in silence. The ninjato also has two other names, the ninjaken and the shinobigatana. It was a sword used by the shinobi of Japan or in other word, the ninja. As the katana, the ninjato is very famous to this day and one of the symbols of Japanese culture like the ninjas themselves. The interesting part about the sword is that there is no actual physical evidence of its existence, only the 20th century and many argue about the fact. In the 1900s books and different publications mention the sword as well as its replica. The ninjato is known to be a short sword with a straight blade, less than 23 inches, and a square guard. It was also thick and heavy. There is a lack of historical evidence in order to actually know the exact from, use and time period the ninjato was used. The sword was depicted only a century ago which does not give precise information on its ancient story. One of the facts that are considered to be true is that the ninjato and katana are almost the same. The difference though is between the curved blade of the katana and the straight blade of the ninjato. Historians come to explain it that the ninjas chose such a style for convenience.
Japanese warriors used many swords. A couple more of which were the nodachi sword with a long and curved blade used while horseback riding in the 1400s, and the kodachi which was easier to use than the katana because of it being a medium-length sword.
There were and are many great and unusual weapons in Japan that are cherished and play an important part in the culture of Japan. From ancient to nowadays, the use of the weapons is fading but they are gaining more of a historical and cultural meaning. In modern days, people all over the world search to find these weapons in order to purchase them. The history of this amazing and beautiful country is greatly depicted by the outstanding skilled warriors and the unusual weapons they were able to come up with.
Bibliography“A Brief History of the Katana.” Japanese Jujitsu. February 8, 2009. Accessed May 09, 2016. “Makibishi.” Traditional Weapons in Japan. Accessed May 09, 2016.
“Ninja Encyclopedia: The Truth of Ninja.” Shuriken (Ninja Star). Accessed May 09, 2016.