5 Most Popular Ninja Weapons

When one thinks of the word “ninja,” images of stealth and death, usually in the form a black-clad assassin in head to toe clothing, come to mind. 

Ninjas are known for their physical abilities and mastery of tactics such as evasion and concealment. To that end they were first employed as spies, assassins, or thieves but today ninjas are popularized largely by movies like The Matrix.

There are many documented ninja weapons used by ninjas in old Japanese culture. Because they were not of the same caliber as samurai or soldiers, they often used tricks and covert measures to skirmish with enemies. 

One such weapon was shuriken - a star-shaped throwing weapon made from metal, bone, or wood. Some are daggers like knives called kunai. Some weapons are strong like nunchucks and many more..Let’s go to discover these amazing tools!

Popular Ninja Weapons

Ninjas are fictional characters, often depicted on television or film as spies or assassins. They are known for wearing black clothing and hiding their faces behind bandages typically colored red or black. 

Ninjas apparently prefer to use shuriken (substitute and throwing stars) for close-range combat, but their preference for stealth makes them effective weapons against trusted allies and distant enemies alike, including kidnapping targets with no way of escaping quickly.

Ninjas were known to wield many different weapons; the choice of what weapon a ninja would need depended on their surroundings, style of fighting, and type of enemy. 

For example, ninjas who needed to infiltrate castles for espionage or sabotage missions might be expected to use tools like lockpicks and telescoping poles as well as more traditional weapons like shuriken.

1. Shuriken or Ninja Star

The shuriken, also known as ninja stars or throwing stars, are traditional Japanese concealed weapons that consist of a small thin metal plate on the end of one or several flexible lengths of wire. These stars are typically sharp on one edge, with the opposite end blunt. 

Throwing stars

The pointed edge is designed to stick in an opponent's body and then be shaken loose to cause injury. Shuriken are often depicted in art as resembling either a multiple-pointed star or half-moon shape with two points facing outwards from each other at an angle greater than 90 degrees.

These ninja weapons are usually made of a very hard and durable metal called adamantium (hence the name "ninja star"). For example, steel or nickel-plated steel are commonly used. The degree of hardness is about 10 on the Mohs scale. 

In Japanese, "shuriken" means stars; one way to tell if a shuriken is Chinese in origin is that it retains a Chinese character showing the weapon's name inscribed along its edge. However, they were not only used by ninja. Shuriken were more often than not used by samurai as well as common criminals in Edo period Japan, due to their compactness and ease of use.

2. Nunchucks

Nunchaku, also known as nunchucks, are two sticks connected by a short chain or rope. They were traditionally used in martial arts and are associated with training and teaching. Nunchaku can be either flexible or rigid. Flexible nunchaku tend to be the most popular variety in use today because they offer a lighter and more convenient weapon to use. 

Nunchucks

Some styles of martial arts require practitioners to compete using a bit of both types of ninja weapons. Typically, flexible nunchaku have three lengths: one that is less than the length of your forearms (the stock), one that is twice the length (the middle), and one that is three times the length (the tip).

The origin of the nunchaku comes from Okinawa where farmers used it to thresh rice. The origin is not particularly clear, but most believe that it was made from the handles of plows. It became a weapon for Okinawan police, who used one stick for striking and the other for restraining prisoners. 

During World War II, nunchaku was outlawed by the Japanese government because it was associated with the Okinawans. It became a symbol of rebellion against the government and was only outlawed in Japan by Emperor Hirohito in 1945.

3. Blowguns

A blowgun is an ancient weapon. Traditionally made from cane or wicker, a hollow tube is tightly fitted with buckshot or darts. You can shoot the darts so that they fly over long distances. Blowguns were used by natives of South America, Africa and Asia for hunting small game like birds and monkeys.

Blowgun

These ninja weapons are still used in modern day by martial artists for exercise purposes. However, their use has been prohibited in many countries due to its risk of injury. In fact, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has classified the device as a Class I device, meaning that it's considered to have a substantial risk of illness or injury if used improperly.

The best part about blowguns are their long ranges. You don't have to be very accurate with them since you're just trying to shoot them over long distances. The other best part about blowguns is that they're safe and easy to use even for beginners.

Blowguns are very similar to guns. Their tubes contain the same parts and both gun and blowgun can be disassembled in order to clean and lubricate their parts.

4. Crossbows

Crossbows are ninja weapons that use the elastic energy stored in a bow to propel a projectile. Although they were developed some time before the other types of bows and have been traditionally used as hunting weapons, they are now widely used as military, law enforcement, and competitive shooting equipment.

Crossbows

They can launch bolts of various shapes and weights up to three meters (9.84 ft) or more with enough power to penetrate armor or pierce animal hides such as those of deer, elk, caribou and wild boar. The higher draw-weight and the greater length of fully drawn crossbows allows the use of heavier projectiles than those given off by short bows.

Crossbows are usually used by hunters who find them more expensive to purchase, but simpler and more powerful than firearms. They are still occasionally used in combat, although they do not seem to be popular with modern armies because of their slow rate of fire and the difficulty in training firing squads when compared to firearms. 

Modern hunting crossbows are almost universally made from strong fibers such as glass, carbon and/or wood (often laminated).

5. Ninjato - Ninja Sword

The ninjato is a type of ninja swords with a blade that curves gently from hilt to tip. Originating in the 16th century as a variation on the classic katana, it became little more than ceremonial weapon by the late 18th century and is now seldom seen outside of Japan.

Ninja sword

As you can see, ninjatos are known for having a gentle curve to their blades, which distinguishes them quite strongly from other types of swords. This curvature makes it easier to cut through things like armor or an opponent's clothing when compared with a straight-bladed sword such as the katana.

The ninjato is not simply the typical "ninja sword" of popular fiction; the term actually refers to a specific type of sword developed in Japan and used primarily by samurai in the late 16th century. The ninjato was a small katana with a gently curved blade.

Ninja Weapons in the Modern Society

The art of ninjutsu is an ancient one, dating back to feudal Japan. It's an art that has been passed down from generation to generation, but today, the blades and tools used by these stealthy warriors have largely been forgotten. These ninja weapons were once valued for their stealth and power in close combat situations. 

Carried in a ninja’s black belt (obi) or tucked into their robes (kimono), they would remain hidden until the moment was exactly right; when they could be drawn with blinding speed and precision. Yet, in the modern era, Japanese weapons have become increasingly popular. Their value and popularity has increased steadily to the point where they are now among the most valuable of all collectible blades.

But what about ninjutsu weapons? Are they worth collecting? If so, would it be worth spending a lot of money on less than historically accurate reproductions? Modern day ninja enthusiasts are divided on the issue; some believe that only historically accurate weapons should be collected. 

Others believe that a weapon’s quality is more important than its historical authenticity. Still others, seeing these weapons as largely forgotten relics of an age gone by and are therefore more willing to purchase reproductions as long as they are well made.