What are Ninja Swords Made of?
The word "ninja" is an English rendition of the Japanese word “shinobi”. There are various theories about its origin, but the most probable seems to be that it derives from a combination of “ni” meaning "two" and either “Shinobu” or "shinobi", meaning "to steal inside". This means someone who sneaks in undetected, like a ninja.

Ninjas were spies and assassins in feudal Japan. Local lords called upon them to defend their interests and crush enemies at home or abroad. Although they were officially employed by a daimyo, their mission and their loyalties were to the shogunate and the emperor.

The first ninja were peasants trained in unconventional warfare. They were originally called “kunoichi”, meaning "female ninja", but this term was later replaced by “on-shi”, meaning “man of profound training”. 

Ninjas became professional spies or assassins and worked for extremely high fees in a variety of fields such as information gathering, espionage, sabotage, and assassination. They could perform deep recon on a target or infiltrate enemy lines and then destroy enemy fortifications using various methods such as bombs or fire oil.

The Ninja mainly used real swords as their fighting and combat weapons. However, they alsp used several other weapons, and we will enlist them here. Anyway, here is a detailed guide to ninja swords and what they are made of.

What Kind of Weapons Did Ninja Use?

Ninja weapons come in many different shapes and sizes, but they are all designed to be silent and lethal. Often, ninja weapons will also be disguised as or hidden inside everyday objects. Some of the most common ninja weapons are listed below.

* Katana: A Japanese sword whose curved blade falls in a direct line from hilt to tip. Katana sword gave rise to the myth that ninjas fought with two swords at a time, allowing for more brutal combat wounds. 

* Shuriken: Also called ninja stars, these blades were originally created from animal bone or sharpened steel. Often, they would be made with a hole in the center so that a ninja could tie it to their finger. 

Ninja stars

* The Sumi-Gatana: Also known as the ninja star, this weapon was created from four points wrapped around a metal rod. The purpose of this weapon was to stab and throw at the same time. A stab wound from one of these weapons is often fatal. 

* Kusarigama: This weapon consisted of a sickle connected to a sandal-like handle by a chain.

* Ninja Swords: A sword was a common weapon for ninjas because it could be easily hidden and lethal. Some ninja swords were disguised as canes or walking sticks.

What are Ninja Swords?

Ninja swords are the traditional weapons of the fighters, who use them in their archery or in combat. They were originally based on farming tools. The word's origin is unknown, but it may derive from a Japanese dialect meaning "night woman", due to its shape being curved like a woman's breast.

A ninja saber consists of a blade and guards with various hand-to-hand weapon attachments like rings and bars for attacking. The guard is usually made out of iron or steel with a blackened finish and furthermore has multiple grooves for increased grip, which reduces slipping during combat.

Ninja Swords

Ninja Swords Made of?

As one can imagine, being a ninja requires many qualities, most notably ones that pertain to stealth and secrecy. In order for a ninja to be successful in their missions, they must have quick reflexes alongside stealthy actions; that way they can quickly escape should something go wrong. 

A ninja will also carry around weapons with them at all times which is why katana swords are famous among these warriors: the sword length enables them to strike quickly with precision while giving good reach as well. The main features of ninja swords are:

  • Blade of Ninja Swords

The blade's curve is not very severe. This will help ensure that the blade is still sharp even after extensive use; this requires the ninja to maintain their sword often to ensure it never gets dull. 

A severe curve on a ninja katana sword would likely mean that after a hundred or so strikes, it would begin to lose its sharp edge, and then for only being used for twenty strikes more, it wouldn't be as sharp as before (or at least not nearly as sharp).

  • Handles of Ninja Swords

The handle of the weapon has been made from wood/steel. There are some disadvantages to using this type of material in a Japanese sword. First of all, wood is a material that will likely not hold up from constant use. 

Over time, the handle may develop a crack or a splinter which would then render the sword useless. Steel has the same problem because steel is a softer type of metal, so it can develop dents or cracks after much use. Because these materials have been used in many ninja full tang swords, they are not very effective and are easily damaged when used frequently.

  • Straight Blade with No Curve

The blade is straight with no curve. This is because the ninja needs to be able to make quick strikes with precision; this can only be achieved with a straight blade as opposed to one with a curve. In order to strike with such precision and accuracy, the blade will need to be as straight as can be. This is why it is important that no curve be allowed on a ninja saber. 

Even if a straight curve were chosen for the katana, there would still need to be no compromise of weight and sharpness (both are needed in a katana), so perhaps this has been taken into consideration in the design.

Ninja Swords

  • Guards of Ninja Swords 

The guard gives it strength and protection against attacks. Some people may say that this option would make the katana an overall weak weapon; however, this is not true at all. It is the guard that gives strength and protection against attacks. 

The ninja will often carry their sword around for the sake of stealth, so it would make sense that they would be used in battle as well. The guard will also give some extra resistance to attacks which would only increase the power behind the blows being struck.

  • Striking Efficiency

The sword has been designed for another purpose aside from a weapon. This makes a lot of sense as to why ninjas would choose a katana as their main weapon: its length enables them to strike quickly with precision while giving good reach as well. Essentially, the katana sword has been designed for the purpose of being a ninja sword and not merely a weapon. 

While there are other things to discuss when talking about a ninja's weapons, I believe that these five characteristics are the most important. Just as it is with any weapon, there must be balance in each of these parameters in order for it to be strong.

Ninja Swords Used for Martial Arts and Self Defense

Ninjato is a type of Katana that originates in Japan and is used as martial arts and self defense weapons. The short sword is typically slightly curved along its length to provide stability with the cutting edge towards the hilt. This style of the blade came about as a means to preserve the balance between cutting edges, by having them curve around near the hilt.

Also Read: Sword Fighting Techniques


Ninjato is a popular choice for collectors because of its aesthetic appearance and historic value. The blade has a thin, sharp edge and is usually about 28 inches long. The blades are made from either carbon steel or stainless steel and come in a variety of styles including the kanmuri-otoshi (curved downward), hira-zukuri (flat or squared), and shinogi-zukuri (straight). 

Sword Fighting Techiques

These ninja swords have traditionally been made using folded steel, with around 1250 layers of metal being created before they are then hardened. This process is known as Tamahagane, which is considered to be some of the best steel in the world.

These swords were designed around keeping blades on one side stronger than on the other, which allowed for more precise use of each edge when facing an opponent, who may have been armed with a sword and shield. Today, they are still used in disciplines such as Kendo or Iaido by samurai or close-combat fighters like ninjas.

Also Read: Most Expensive Samurai Swords


Ninja Swords: Modern Cosplay Weapons!

In the last few years, a number of celebrities have been seen wearing Japanese ninja fantasy swords for their costumed appearances at conventions. There is even an entire YouTube channel dedicated to images and videos of these celebrity cosplayers.

The use of these cosplay swords has become more and more common with the rise in Japanese culture and manga popularity. There is also a fascination with East Asian culture's history — particularly the feudal era — which gives another motivation for the practice. People love to carry these swords nowadays to different parties.