Shurikens: characteristics, history and myths. Shuriken deadly star: history, classification, application features Ninja throwing star

In addition to the katana, among the weapons of Japan, throwing blades, which were " calling card» hired killers and ninja spies - shurikens.

Shuriken weapon

Often, shurikens are called the ninja star, as they were mainly used by the warriors of the night. They gained popularity among Japanese assassins due to the fact that pointed plates, sharp-edged stars and thin blades can easily be hidden under clothing and suddenly, surreptitiously used against the enemy. Taking shurikens of the required form in two hands, the ninja could not only throw them, but also cut and stab them in close combat. In addition, shurikens helped with tree climbing and were used as armchairs when making a fire.

Shuriken types

Shurikens are divided into many types, usually these ninja throwing weapons are classified into two types: bo-shuriken throwing arrows, and sharpened stars or shaken plates.

Bo shurikens, in turn, come in the form of a stick (hashijo), a sharp wedge (kusabigata), a spindle (bosuigata), needles (harigata), knives (tantogata), etc. There are about fifty types of bo.

Bo shuriken

Most often, ninjas used the well-known throwing "stars", otherwise called shaken. The variety of shakens is very large (several dozen types): in the form of a cross, multi-pointed stars or swastikas, in the form of an iron ring (tekkan).

The most interesting among the shaken are tetsumari-shuriken and manji - shuriken. Tetsumari shuriken was made from two metal rings in the shape of a wheel. windmill. Poison was applied to the pointed parts of the manji shuriken.

Shuriken throwing

The technique of throwing shurikens comes from the skill of throwing all kinds of knives - tanto, etc., and special arrows for throwing utine.

Shuriken throwing techniques

The bo shuriken is thrown using a half turn throw (hankaiten daho) and a no turn throw (choku daho). During the execution of the throw, rotation around the transverse axis is tried to be completely eliminated. A properly balanced bojo shuriken moves almost in a straight line.

Shakens were usually thrown in batches with high speed in turn. When throwing, twisting is necessary, which is done with the help of the shaken grip closer to the edges and the movement of the brush, which resembles a snap of the fingers. With such a twist, the movement of the shaken is more accurate, and during a throw in a horizontal plane, a wing effect is created, which increases the flight distance.

The warrior of the night was obliged to be able to throw shurikens not only accurately, but also unexpectedly, from any position of the body.

Shuriken throwing methods

Toji no kata - the throw was made by moving from top to bottom with the hand that was opposite to the forward leg.
Hon-uchi - the same as Toji no kata, but the hand and foot were of the same name
Yoko-uchi - shuriken throw in a horizontal plane from the shoulder;
Gyaku-uchi - hon-uchi with a body turned sideways;
Dza-uchi - throw in a vertical plane while sitting on your knees;
Hanza toji no kata - toji no kata sitting on one knee;
Hanza hon-uchi - hon-uchi sitting on one knee;
Hanza Yoko-uchi - Yoko-uchi sitting on one knee;
Hanza gyaku-uchi - gyaku-uchi sitting on one knee.
Ne-uti - shuriken throw lying on the ground;
Juji-uchi - throwing two shurikens at once in different directions;
Onken-uchi ("hidden blade") - an unexpected sharp throw of a shuriken from a hidden pocket;
Intyu-uti - throwing lying down in the dark;
Haya-uchi ("high-speed throwing") - alternate throws with high speed right hand left hand while squeezing a pack of shurikens and thumb pushes them to serve in the right hand.

Often, shurikens were thrown at once, several pieces per throw, which made it possible to deprive the enemy of vision or pierce the shakens in both legs.

Shurikens were difficult to throw over long distances, so they were used mainly to delay pursuers or injure an opponent, followed by melee.

Basically, shurikens were thrown at the eyes, temples, neck, and arterial passages. Due to the fact that shurikens were often thrown at the head, they practiced throws on a round twenty-centimeter target.

Shurikens also performed auxiliary functions - they were used as master keys, nail pullers, they cut holes for surveillance.

Wearing shuriken

Hired killers carried shurikens in a special pouch on their belts, as well as in numerous hidden compartments in clothing or sword hilts. The ninja carried about twenty to thirty throwing blades with him.

Article Genre - Ninja

"Asterisks" of the ninja have become famous and popular thanks to numerous films, computer games and, of course, anime. The popularization of this type of edged weapons played a role - shuriken in mass consciousness perceived as traditional weapons Japanese, along with the katana.

Bo shuriken

Shuriken translates as "blade hidden in the hand." And contrary to the prevailing stereotype, the number of their varieties is amazing. They differ not only in shape, but also in size, weight and method of manufacture. And in order not to get confused in the “starry sky”, shurikens are usually divided into two large groups: bo-shurikens (or bojo-shurikens) and shakens.

Bo-shuriken are throwing weapons that are shaped like a rod. It could be four- or octagonal or round. Most often, weapons were sharpened on one side. True, occasionally there are also options with double-sided sharpening. But they are rather the exception to the rule. The fact is that these "sticks" according to the rules were rushed so that they flew without rotation. The weight of bo shuriken ranges from 30 to 150 grams, and the length is from 12 to 25 centimeters. Depending on the wishes of the warrior or on the skill of the blacksmith himself, bo-shurikens could be in the form of a needle, nail, knife, and so on (about 50 forms in total). The flight range, of course, is not impressive - 7-8 meters. Yes, and lethal force is not up to par. Therefore, this type was used mainly to distract the enemy.

Syaken

The name "Syakeny" is translated as "sword-wheel". Unlike the "stick", they had a more sophisticated, star-shaped (or round) shape. They were made from a thin metal plate, and the edges of the "star" were sharpened sharply. The diameter of the syaken ranges from 100 to 180 millimeters, and its thickness is from 1 to 3 millimeters. Make sure to make a hole in the center. It not only improved the aerodynamic performance of the weapon, but also added convenience to it. Star-shaped shurikens could be worn on a rope. Due to the design, the range of the syaken reaches 12-15 meters.

As in the case of bo-shurikens, shakens have great amount wide variety of variations. The fact is that there was no corny standard in medieval Japan regarding shurikens. And the masters were guided either by their own vision of weapons, or adjusted to the requirements of various martial arts schools (each used its own technique for using “stars” and “sticks”).

According to the established tradition, the craftsmen decorated the shuriken with patterns and special mystical signs. In those distant times, there was a belief that they were able to attract some powerful forces into allies.

History of weapons

In Japan, unlike the same Europe, throwing weapons have not become massive. Why this happened is hard to say. It is known that the Japanese went the traditional way - they threw stones and any “things” that came to hand at the soldiers of enemy clans. Then this direction began to develop gradually. And shurikens were first mentioned in the "Military Tale of Osaka Castle". Approximately in the sixteenth century, tsubute appeared - metal plates with a sharpened edge. They were either octagonal or round shape. Of these, most likely, future syakens appeared. And from inji-yari - throwing knives - bo-shurikens. True, there is an assumption that they "evolved" from everyday objects. Therefore, the names have been preserved. For example, ari-gata (needle shape), kugi-gata (nail shape) and so on. But exactly where the shurikens came from is still unknown.

In the Middle Ages, by the middle of the Edo period, a type of martial art shurikenjutsu - throwing shurikens. True, only the elite were allowed to train, since this art was secret. Although the ninja were engaged in it, the samurai also mastered it.

The mass character of shurikens among warriors is due not only to convenience in combat (moreover, in close combat, ninjas used them as brass knuckles or a knife), but also to low cost of manufacture. It took little time to create the "asterisk", and it did not require special skills from the blacksmith.

Shuriken are known to have been used in a variety of ways. Throws were made from different positions, changing the flight path.
So, bo-shurikens were thrown with and without turnover. The warrior held the weapon between the thumb and forefinger and made a throw. What distinguished the master from the student was that his "needle" flew in a straight line, without deviating from the trajectory. Therefore, throwing a bo-shuriken sharpened at both ends was, of course, much easier. But on the other hand, it spoke of the low qualifications of a warrior. And in medieval Japan, they paid great attention to this.

Both bo-shurikens and shakens usually threw bursts. An experienced ninja could throw 5-6 "stars" or "sticks" at the enemy in 15 seconds. Since the Japanese soldiers were well protected by armor, the lethal force of the metal weapons was very low. Therefore, the ninja tried to hit the face, eyes or throat with shuriken.

Usually (if it happened during the battle) the thrower had only a few seconds to inflict as much damage as possible on the enemy before he approached the distance of a katana or spear strike. But the ninja often used poisoned shuriken. Especially if it was required to eliminate a certain person. Then the chances that the mission will be completed successfully became much greater. It is also known that ninja used shurikens not only as deadly weapon. With the help of the "asterisk" it was possible to cut a hole in the wall in order to observe, pry a nail, cut the rope, and so on. And since shurikens were consumables, warriors usually carried them with them more than one at a time. Most often, 10 pieces. Some used rope, others wrapped in cloth. The most experienced ninja hid "stars" and "needles" in sleeves, pockets and hair.

Nowadays, shurikens are sold in the most ordinary stores in Europe and the USA. They also made it to Russia. True, in our country “stars” and “needles” are considered edged weapons if the length of their rays exceeds 8 millimeters.

Shuriken is an extensive and very numerous group of Japanese throwing weapons designed for concealed carry. Sometimes it was also used for striking in close combat, as a stabbing or cutting weapon. The name "shuriken" is translated as "blade hidden in the hand."

It is curious that of all the variety of Japanese edged weapons, it was the shuriken and the traditional katana sword that gained the greatest fame and popularity. And if with regard to katana it looks absolutely fair and justified, then loud world fame shuriken causes some bewilderment. The reason for the popularity of this throwing weapon is very simple: thanks to modern cinema and anime, shuriken has become a real "calling card" of the mysterious medieval Japanese assassins and spies - ninja. However, this view is not entirely true.

There are a huge number of varieties of shuriken, they differ in their shape, size, weight and method of manufacture. There are some peculiarities when using different types this weapon. All shurikens can be divided into two large groups:

bo shurikens;
shakens.

Precisely to last group the “ninja stars” known to us from the movies are well treated.

Masters often applied various mystical signs to shurikens in order to attract powerful forces to their side in the upcoming battle. otherworldly forces. In general, it can be said that shuriken was a very common type of throwing weapon in medieval Japan and was used not only by ninja, but also by samurai. Therefore, the technique of its use was taught in almost all famous Japanese martial arts schools.

Today, shurikens can be bought at regular gun shops in Europe and the United States. Although, in some countries the sale of this edged weapon is prohibited. According to Russian legislation (according to GOST), the length of the rays of a shuriken should not exceed 8 mm, otherwise it will be considered a melee weapon.

However, before proceeding to the description of this weapon and its classification, a few words should be said about the history of its occurrence.

History of weapons

It should be noted right away that in Japan, throwing weapons (spears, darts, axes) are not as widespread as, for example, in Europe. In the early periods, the most common throwing projectile was stones, which were thrown with the help of heshihajiki - a Japanese sling. In historical treatises there is a description of how warriors in battle threw arrows or wakizashi short swords at the enemy.

The first descriptions of throwing techniques are found in the Kojiki, a treatise that was written back in the seventh century AD. This document deals with how to properly throw stones at the enemy. In another ancient Japanese source, Manueshi, arrow-throwing techniques are depicted. Shuriken is first mentioned in the Osaka Castle Military Tale, in the same work it is told how the warrior Tadamasa threw a wakizashi short sword at his opponent. Later, it was this man who became the founder of the shuriken-jutsu style.

In the chronicles of the XII century, there is often a description of the use of stones in battles. There were even special units warriors whose main task was to throw stones at the enemy. This was called "inji-uchi" or "stone-throwing fight". Similar tactics were often used later, during the internecine wars of the 14th and 15th centuries. The warriors who participated in such battles were called "mukai tsubute-no mono", which means "advanced stone throwers".

Already at the end of the 13th - the second half of the 14th century, stones began to be replaced with special metal projectiles - inji-yari ("spear stones"), which in their shape resembled a spearhead. Around the 16th-18th centuries, tsubute appeared - metal plates of a round or octagonal shape with a sharpened edge. It is likely that the inji-yari became the forerunner of the bo-shuriken, and the tsubute became the shaken in the future.

Most likely, the bo-shuriken appeared earlier than the well-known "shaken stars". Even the very meaning of the word shuriken - a blade hidden in the hand - suggests that the first samples of this weapon looked more like a blade than a polygonal star.

Although, it is possible that bo-shuriken originated from ordinary everyday items that could be adapted for throwing in a duel. Some of them retained the names of their "ancestors" in their names: ari-gata (needle shape), kugi-gata (nail shape), tango-gata (knife shape).

Tsubute were a very common weapon; references to it are also found in the so-called ninja treatises. Naturally, they were not the main weapon of a warrior; tsubute were thrown into parts of the enemy’s body that were not protected by armor, trying to injure him or at least distract him.

By the middle of the Edo era in Japan, such a type of martial art as throwing shurikens - shurikenjutsu had already appeared. It is likely that it was formed from the more ancient art of javelin throwing - bujutsu. Although, it should be noted that the origin of shuriken is still a mystery. This is primarily due to the fact that the art of shurikenjutsu was secret.

Shurikens had a number of significant advantages, which led to their wide distribution. First, this weapon had light weight and dimensions, which made it possible to carry it secretly and use it unexpectedly for the enemy. Secondly, shurikens were cheap, their manufacture did not take much time and did not require high qualifications from the blacksmith. For shuriken, it was possible to take not the highest quality steel. At the same time, a well-trained fighter could hit the enemy with a shuriken at a fairly decent distance. In addition, these weapons could also be used in close combat (especially bo-shurikens) as a knife, stiletto or brass knuckles.

Classification

To give general description shuriken is problematic, because this weapon has a large number of varieties that differ greatly in appearance and characteristics. As mentioned above, shuriken throwing weapons are divided into two large groups: bo-shurikens and shakens.

Bo-shuriken or bojo-shuriken. This is a type of cold throwing weapon, which has the form of a rod, round, octagonal or tetrahedral section. As a rule, bo-shurikens were sharpened from one end, but there are also specimens with double-sided sharpening. These deadly sticks could have a length of 12 to 25 cm and a weight of 30 to 150 grams. The shape of the bo-shuriken could be very different: rod-shaped, wedge-shaped, spindle-shaped, reminiscent of a needle, knife or nail. Currently, more than 50 forms of this weapon are known.

The technique of using bo-shuriken was studied in many Japanese martial arts schools. So not only ninja spies, but also samurai very diligently studied the secrets of using shurikens in battle.

Shakeny (or kuruma-ken, which translates as "sword-wheel"). This type of throwing weapon, made in the form of a thin metal plate of a star-shaped or round shape with a sharp edge. The diameter of such a plate could be from 100 to 180 mm. This weapon had a different thickness: from very small (less than 1 mm) to quite significant (about 3 mm). Thin and light shakens are easier to throw, but their range and accuracy are lower. In addition, such weapons are difficult to cause serious damage to the enemy. Heavy "stars" had better ballistics and penetrating properties, but they were harder to throw. Therefore, the rate of fire was reduced. Sometimes the thickness of the syaken decreased from the center to its edges. This design improved ballistic performance weapons, but complicates their manufacture.

During the manufacture of flat metal plate evenly tempered, after which they formed rays (unless, of course, they made a “star”). And then sharpened them sharply.

A hole was usually made in the center of such a plate, which improved the aerodynamic properties of this weapon, and also made it possible to carry shurikens on a rope, like a bunch of keys. In addition, the hole made it easier to remove this weapon if it got stuck in something (in a tree or a samurai's head). By the way, thanks to a more perfect aerodynamic shape, the syakens had a greater range of destruction than the bo-shurikens. At the "stars" it was about 12-15 meters, and a sharpened rod could be thrown only 7-8 meters.

By the way, "asterisks" were indeed more popular with ninjas, samurai preferred to use straight bo-shurikens. There are a huge number of varieties of shakens (at least fifty). First of all, they differ in their shape: round, six-pointed, quadrangular, three-beam and others. Their names - like those of the bo-shuriken - are associated with one or another school of martial arts that used them most often.

The variety of sizes and shapes of both bo-shurikens and shakens is largely due to the different techniques of their use, which, by the way, continues today in oriental martial arts schools. It should also be understood that common standard products did not exist at that time, so every blacksmith made unique products, with its own size and shape. In addition, in the manufacture of shuriken, of course, the individual characteristics of the fighter, as well as his preferences, were taken into account.

How shuriken were used

Written sources that have survived to this day describe different ways use of shurikens. Throws are made from different positions using different trajectories. Naturally, shuriken throwing techniques various kinds also has its differences. In addition, each school of martial arts had its own methods of using these weapons.

If we talk about the technique of working with bo-shurikens, then there were two main techniques: a throw without a turn and a throw with a turn.

Usually, the bo shuriken was clamped between the thumb and forefinger, so that its blunt end lay at their base. Then the weapon was thrown with force towards the enemy. A well-thrown shuriken should fly in a trajectory as close as possible to a straight line. They tried to minimize the rotation during the throw. It was much easier to throw a bo-shuriken sharpened on both sides.

Shakens were usually thrown in series, while the projectile was twisted with a brush. Among the masters of shuriken possession, such a saying was popular: "One breath-exhalation - five knives." According to other sources, a well-trained warrior could throw five "stars" in 10-15 seconds. Thus, they tried to compensate for the small depth of the damage caused by their quantity. Given the maximum range of the throw, the defender had about 3-4 seconds before the enemy approached the distance of a sword or spear strike. Sometimes the cutting edge of shurikens was smeared with poison, a technique especially loved by ninjas.

The rotational movement allowed this weapon to remain stable, fly farther and more accurately hit the target.

The main target for the shuriken was the face, eyes, throat, limbs and other parts of the body that were not protected by armor.

The ninja really loved the shakekens, although of course they were never the main weapon in the arsenal of these elusive warriors. It should be noted that in the instructions on ninjutsu, which the researchers managed to find, there is practically no description of the methods of throwing shurikens. This fact can be interpreted in two ways: either this skill was so secret (you can recall shurikenjutsu) that its secrets could not even be trusted to paper, or each master had his own technique. Given the widespread use of these weapons among the Japanese military elite, the second explanation looks more preferable.

It is believed that a ninja warrior should have been able to throw "stars" from absolutely any position: standing, sitting, lying down, on the run. They were trained to equally skillfully use both hands, throw weapons under different trajectories, snatch shurikens from any storage places with lightning speed (because of the belt, armlets, lapels of clothes). Today we know about seven basic ways of throwing this weapon, nine secret ways and eight of medium difficulty, which were used by the ninja.

These medieval Japanese scouts-saboteurs used shurikens not only as throwing weapons, it was convenient to cut holes in walls and screens, pry nails, and make holes for covert surveillance with a sharpened “asterisk”.

Shuriken were usually worn in a stack, 8-10 pieces each, wrapped in cloth. Sometimes hidden in pockets, sleeves and even hair.

If you have any questions - leave them in the comments below the article. We or our visitors will be happy to answer them.

Throwing weapons have accompanied man since ancient times. The first stone thrown at the mammoth marked the beginning of the evolution of the most incredible flying objects necessary for survival. We will talk about them today. Knives and, and special throwing plates: samples of throwing weapons that have come down to us from time immemorial differ in shape, weight, material from which they are made, range, but they have one thing in common - without a trained hand, it's just a piece of metal.

Martial artists say that in skillful hands it can become a weapon. Of course, people have been using them for hunting since ancient times, but if we consider objects, namely, as weapons: a shaken, an ax, a knife, etc., then here you need to spend some time learning how to use it, learning how to throw it correctly , prepare your own .There are many types of throwing weapons, but today we will consider only four of them.

shuriken

Shuriken (bo-shuriken) - a large forged pin with a sharpened end. it secret weapon ninja. The literal translation from Japanese is a blade hidden in the hand. Shuriken - a weapon of concealed carrying in the form of a steel pin for a swift attack at short distances. The length of the bo shuriken varies from 12 to 21 centimeters, and the weight, from 35 to 150 grams. Shuriken, in itself, can be used not only as a throwing weapon, but also as a weapon. hand-to-hand combat. Traps were set up with shurikens.

There are two main ones that depend on the grip. At the first grip, the shuriken is taken with the sharp end up. This is a relentless throw. At the second grip, the tip of the shuriken turns down - throwing in a half turn.

If you just practice throwing a shuriken to a person who has never done this, then not only his hand, but his whole body starts to hurt the next day. Because it uses the biodynamics of the whole body, starting from the legs, twisting the hips, torso, abs, chest and arms, that is, the work of the whole body is practically used completely.

The task of a fighter when throwing a shuriken is to turn his body into a catapult. The energy of the throw is born in a barely noticeable movement of the legs. The master moves the body forward, giving the hips an impulse of rotation, and only at the final stage, the hand is included in this mechanism. That is, practically the hand is the final stage. Practically we are.

Shuriken is most effective when throwing non-reverse. That is, it does not rotate in a vertical plane. Almost everything depends on the distance to the target and the angle of attack.

With any throw, you must instantly determine the distance to the target, determine the position of the target in space, understand your own position in space, and only taking into account all these factors, make a throw. The actual distance to hit a target with a shuriken varies anywhere from two to four meters.

In Japanese martial arts, shuriken has a distracting function. That is, for example, a shuriken is thrown from the left hand, with right hand.

Syaken

The next example of a throwing weapon is a shaken, or, in other words, a ninja throwing star. This is a flat throwing weapon with four to eight rays, really like a star. The diameter of the shaken ranges from five to ten centimeters, and the weight can reach up to 300 grams. Be careful, formally, the use of shakens, like bo-shurikens, is prohibited by the law on weapons, but only when it comes to combat, not sports. But how to distinguish them - the law does not give an explanation. Although in this case the lack of clear criteria gives a free interpretation of the law on weapons. An expert may or may not recognize a shaken as a melee weapon. And yet, to use such thrown weapons outside the walls sports sections- Not recommended.

Contrary to popular belief, the ninja did not try to do much harm, but tried to minimize it, and, if possible, avoid collision altogether. Accordingly, the shaken was also a distraction to break the distance and hide. In medieval Japan, clothing was fairly loose. And one of the options for using this clothing was to protect against shurikens and shakens, since a freely hanging fabric is a rather serious obstacle for a shaken, blocking its flight path.

The technique of throwing a shaken can be different. A trained fighter is able to throw a throwing star from any position and hit the target. At the same time, you do not need to control which side this throwing weapon will enter the target, and bother with the number of revolutions. In flight, the asterisk rotates around its axis. This rotation causes a phenomenon similar to the action of gyroscopic forces on a top. While the top is spinning, it does not fall. The stronger the impulse of rotation that the fighter's hand transmits to the shaken, the more stable the flight of the throwing star.

To divert attention, you can throw any improvised means, such as metal money, and the effect will be about the same.

Xinbiao - a flexible spear, or a dart on a string

This is a heavy forged blade that is attached to a long rope. With this weapon, you can strike in the manner of unwinding the rope and hitting it flat with a forged blade, or you can spin it and let it go forward so that it flies with a tip, and if the target is hit, it pulls back by the rope, and you again remain with your weapon.

Shinbiao is one of the so-called rope spears. The length of historical samples of this weapon reached 20 centimeters, and the mass reached 300 grams. This is a rather serious type of weapon, and, like any flexible weapon, it is extremely difficult to master and takes a lot of time to master.

Unlike shakens and shurikens, which are most effective at a distance of five meters, the range and speed of shinbiao are much higher. The technique of its use is very spectacular and interesting. Allows you to throw it in one direction, pull it out, and immediately, without doing anything else, throw it in the other direction.

Throwing Knife

Only in shape it resembles a classic knife. As a rule, it is a thick, heavy projectile, the weight of which can reach up to 500 grams. Unlike a conventional knife, a sports equipment does not have cutting edge, so the athlete can freely take it by the blade without fear of cutting himself.

In Russia, special requirements are imposed on the knives with which athletes train. The knife should have one-sided sharpening, the blade width should not exceed 6 centimeters and the absence of a stop (guard). This is partly determined by the law, partly by the rules of international competitions.

Man gives it a linear and angular velocity. Both of these parameters must be completely under the control of the athlete. Linear speed is the speed at which the knife moves towards the target. Angular - the speed of rotation of the knife around its axis.

The closer we stand to the target, the closer we take the knife with a grip to the tip. The knife, accordingly, makes a greater number of revolutions. The further you move away from the target, the higher you intercept the knife by the blade. At long distances, the knife is taken under the very handle. In this case, the knife spins more slowly. A good, heavy knife made of forged steel, has great speed and penetrating power when thrown. At the same time, even if it hits a harder target than a regular target, such as a metal sheet, it does not blunt.

The term shuriken (literally translated as "blade hidden in the hand") refers to all types of throwing weapons used by ninja. By the way, what people usually understand by shuriken is a blade ( various forms, most often star-shaped) and has its own term - "shaken". However, in our country this term is little known and unusual, therefore we will call all blade-shaped weapons (“stars”) shurikens, and arrow-shaped ones - “arrows”.

So, shuriken is a metal flat throwing weapon of a complex polygonal shape with sharply sharpened edges. The shapes of the plates and the number of points (3-10) depended on the school, but they had a common principle of structure. The flat surface of the "asterisk" was supposed to provide the "wing effect", that is, the state when the thrown body flies due to the lifting force of air resistance. The angular momentum (a physical term for rotation) that appears during a “twisted” throw stabilizes the flight and provides sufficient throwing range.

To carry out a spin, it is convenient to have a protruding tip, grabbing which is more convenient to throw and easier to spin. The more the sprocket rotates in flight, the longer it remains stable, and, therefore, the further the flight will be and the stronger the defeat. However, a small number of protrusions greatly facilitates the "asterisk", which reduces its damaging properties. In addition, there is a chance of hitting the target "between the tips", that is, again, reducing the lethal force. On the other hand, a large number of shuriken "petals" make it heavier, which somewhat reduces the flight range, but significantly enhances the damaging properties. At the same time, if a separate end hits, the depth of the wound will be much greater. The rhomboid shape of the point (with an extension in the middle) leads to getting stuck in the body of the enemy, so that its extraction is associated with significant effort and additional damage with blood loss. Frequently planted shuriken blades with a large number"spikes" behave as a single edge during rotation, reducing the penetration depth and making a cut instead of a puncture.

(с)http://sahara.beon.ru

To facilitate heavy specimens, a hole is made in the center of the body of the shuriken, which can also be used to secure the rope. Additional effects and striking properties were achieved by varying the size, shape and type of shuriken petals. For example, four-sided shurikens in the form of a square with concave edges were used for cutting ropes and ripping material with a sharply honed side edge. Shurikens with the ends of the spikes bent inward or with a thickening at the end of the point stuck in the target and often acted as harpoon tips. The serrations along the edge of the spike played the same role. The existing large variation in shuriken sizes (from 6 to 12 cm in diameter) made it possible to satisfy a wide variety of requests.

(с)http://blogs.privet.ru

Shuriken clips were used, 9-15 pieces each, which increased efficiency due to the “burst”, which densely covered a certain space and confidently hit the target. There were numerous varieties of shuriken throwing techniques: “offhand”, on the move, in a jump, in a fall, over the shoulder, simultaneously with drawing the sword, with a swing, from the stomach, etc. To increase the striking ability, the edges of the shuriken or the tips of the spikes were often covered poisons.

Folding shurikens were usually disguised as household items or items of clothing, usually a belt buckle. More "simple" versions only increased the number of damaging petals. Some were equipped with an automatic opening device, which was activated by pressing a button in the center of the sprocket, while the folded petals shifted relative to each other. So, for example, a triangular shuriken turned into a six-pointed one. In the open position, the shuriken petals were fixed with a stopper, usually forever, but some folded when the button was pressed again. The edges were usually one-sided sharpening, which made it safe when folded, but unambiguously determined the direction of the twist when thrown at a target.

Shurikens were thrown from 10-15 m, clips were usually attached to the belt on the left, or behind the right. Only a small number of masters could hit targets at distances up to 50 m.

Throwing arrows were elongated cylindrical or faceted metal sticks with sharpening at the ends. Such arrows were well balanced and adapted, depending on the throwing technique, for throwing at short or long distances. Throwing arrows had a length of 10 to 15 cm with a diameter of about 2 cm and were worn in a quiver, secretly located on the arm or lower leg under clothing. A set of arrows consisted of 4-12 pieces of various lengths.

There was also a special kind of arrows that were worn stuck into the shield from the inside or outside. They were thin metal rods sharpened at one or both ends. They were used for throwing over short distances (up to 10 m) and as spikes (sometimes poisoned) in various traps. Sometimes such an arrow was simply clamped in a fist during close combat (in our time, street fights and the criminal environment, a direct analogue of such an arrow is ordinary household nails and pieces of reinforcement).

Some types of arrows were flat and looked like a thin triangular double-edged blade. They were worn in cases, usually 3 pieces each. The case was attached to the inside of the wrist. They rushed by the same technique as a knife from a sleeve.

Some arrows were thrown with a rope similar to some darts, but their use was of an auxiliary nature - sending parcels, overcoming obstacles.

Arrows used in Southeast Asia had common name"Paku" and were of two types: a two-three-pointed arrow 5-8 cm long, in which all ends are sharpened and 10-15 cm, in which only one end is sharpened.

A curious "secret weapon" often became a peasant's hat (amigasa), popular both in China and Japan. It was not only a conical headdress with wide brim, perfectly hiding the face from the sun and prying eyes. Such a hat was made from rice straw, which was woven around a hard hat frame. An arcuate honed blade was attached to this frame, with the point outward, hidden by the overhanging brim of the hat. The blade could go along the entire perimeter of the headgear or have breaks in certain areas. The effectiveness of such a weapon depended entirely on the unexpectedness of its use. Throw range - up to 20 m.

The ninja wind weapon was a hollow tube into which arrows (needles) were inserted with plumage tightly adjacent to the edges of the tube. Putting the pipe to his lips and exhaling into it, the ninja set the arrows in motion, flying into the target at high speed. The flight range depended both on the length of the tube barrel and on the shape and length of the arrows.

To lengthen the barrel, while maintaining portability, the gun was made two-section folding with a total length of up to 70 cm. The sections were interconnected by a lock, an expander was fixed at the end of the pipe, which made it easier for the shooter to fly out of the barrel without disturbing the flight path. The ends of the arrows were saturated with poisons and the question of effectiveness was determined not so much by the strength of the flight as by the accuracy of the hit. Arrows could carry a charge of explosive or flammable substances and be used to set fires or distract the enemy.

In China, shurikens were analogous to all kinds of plates, sometimes of complex shape and double-sided sharpening. The most popular is the "arhat coin" - a standard ancient Chinese coin with a diameter of 3.5-4.5 cm with a square hole in the middle. It was simply sharpened along the entire edge. Later, they did the same with metal plates. Sharpened coins and plates are still found in the criminal environment around the world. There are known cases of killing sentries by them on the towers during mass escapes.

Needles were also used. The arrows "byao" and "tsy" were especially popular. Biao had a length of up to 10 cm, weight - 220-260 g ( throwing knives usually weighed 80-150 g), had a round, triangular or diamond shape and resembled the tip of a spear. A piece of fabric usually served as a stabilizer, although sometimes there were arrows with hard plumage. Tsy, with approximately the same mass, could be up to 22 cm long, had a round or triangular shape and looked like a hairpin or chopstick. There was no stabilizer, or instead there was a brush made of a material like horse hair. A demonstration of accuracy usually served as throwing an arrow at a tossed apple or orange.

The arrow-knife "byaodao" had the shape of a crescent 18-20 cm long and 8-10 cm wide. It had a blade without a handle, pointed at one end and having a central and two lateral curved spikes on the other. It rushed about with the help of a grip on one of the extreme spikes.

Even in China, the "hand arrow" was popular. It was a small construction of a tube, an arrow and a compressed spring with a stopper. As soon as the stopper was removed, the spring fired a charge. The effective firing range was no more than 3 meters, but it was compensated by the unexpectedness of the application (Jackie Chan demonstrates something similar in the movie Big Little Warrior). Such arrows could be carried in clips of 2-3 pieces, sometimes stones, shot, self-propelled guns and even small rockets were used as ammunition.

The Indian chakra is also a shuriken in the form of a ring with a diameter of 13-31 cm with a sharpening along the outer edge, although mentions of it in Indian literature are found much earlier than information about Japan in general and ninja in particular. Small chakras rushed about like shurikens, and large ones were previously spun on two fingers. They were worn on the head (over the headdress, if there was one) or on the arm, like a bracelet. Sighting range the throw reached 30 m, which is generally higher than that of shurikens.

An analogue of shurikens among the peoples of Australia is a boomerang. It can be up to 92 cm long with a width of 6 and a thickness of 2 cm. combat capabilities are phenomenal (however, as well as the skill of the thrower who is able to provide them) - he can hit the enemy who is hiding behind a shield in the back, turn around the corner of a building, hit several targets with a ricochet, etc.

African ritual throwing knives also had a shuriken-like shape. Wind pipes were also very popular there (for example, in one of the stories about Sherlock Holmes “The Treasures of Agra”, such an aborigine appears with a pipe). In general, they were no different from the Japanese ones already described. It is generally believed that the Japanese were not "discoverers" similar types weapons, but they perfectly modified it to fit their needs in their conditions and developed methods of application. Clay balls or needles (arrows) usually served as "cartridges" in such tubes. The length of the tubes was 40-200 cm, the diameter was 0.5-1 cm, providing a firing range, on average, about 15 m. The length of the needle was 3-30 cm.

In an unchanged form (with the exception of the materials used - metal and plastic instead of bamboo stalks, reeds and reeds) wind pipes exist in our time almost everywhere. When I was a schoolboy, among my "colleagues" used cases from ballpoint pens through which they "spit" chewed paper. This, of course, is pampering, but in combat conditions such paper can be saturated with various poisons (including vegetable ones), which are relatively safe for the mucous membrane, but are sometimes fatal when penetrating through the pores of the skin. The worst thing is that the target of the hit may not be noticed, and live for a couple of days as if nothing had happened, and then fall down with symptoms of some kind of tropical fever. Similar phenomena were encountered american soldiers in Vietnam, as well as ours and NATO in Afghanistan.

"Classic" shurikens are industrially produced in Japan and America, but only as souvenirs. At least about them combat use is almost unheard of these days. And the arrows seem to have gone into oblivion ...