Shurikenjutsu - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

is a general term describing the traditional Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

ese martial arts

Martial arts

Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....

of throwing shuriken
Shuriken
A shuriken is a traditional Japanese concealed weapon that was generally used for throwing, and sometimes stabbing or slashing...

, which are small, hand-held weapons used primarily by the shinobi
Ninja
A or was a covert agent or mercenary of feudal Japan specializing in unorthodox arts of war. The functions of the ninja included espionage, sabotage, infiltration, and assassination, as well as open combat in certain situations...

in feudal Japan, such as metal spikes bō shuriken, circular plates of metal known as hira shuriken, and knives (tantō
Tanto
A is one of the traditional Japanese swords that were worn by the samurai class of feudal Japan. The tantō dates to the Heian period, when it was mainly used as a weapon but evolved in design over the years to become more ornate...

).

Shurikenjutsu was usually taught among the sogo-bugei, or comprehensive martial arts systems of Japan, mostly in ninjutsu

Ninjutsu

or may be:*the arts associated with espionage and assassination in feudal Japan, see Ninja*modern schools of martial arts claiming to be based in these traditions, see Modern Schools of Ninjutsu*fictional depictions, see Ninja in popular culture...

, as a supplemental art to those more commonly practiced such as kenjutsu
Kenjutsu
, meaning "the method, or technique, of the sword." This is opposed to kendo, which means the way of the sword. Kenjutsu is the umbrella term for all traditional schools of Japanese swordsmanship, in particular those that predate the Meiji Restoration...

, sojutsu
Sojutsu
, meaning "art of the spear" is the Japanese martial art of fighting with the Japanese .-Origins:Although the spear had a profound role in early Japanese mythology, where the islands of Japan themselves were said to be created by salt water dripping from the tip of a spear, as a weapon the first...

, bōjutsu
Bojutsu
, translated from Japanese as "staff technique", is the martial art of using a staff weapon called bō which simply means "staff". Staffs are perhaps one of the earliest weapons used by humankind. They have been in use for thousands of years in Eastern Asia. Some techniques involve slashing,...

and kumi-uchi (battlefield grappling) or jujutsu
Jujutsu
Jujutsu , also known as jujitsu, ju-jitsu, or Japanese jiu-jitsu, is a Japanese martial art and a method of close combat for defeating an armed and armored opponent in which one uses no weapon, or only a short weapon....

, and is much less prevalent today than it was in the feudal era.

History

The origins of shurikenjutsu are shinobi in origin, as there is a lack of reliable documentation regarding the art's history when compared to other arts. However, there are various oral traditions peculiar to each school (Ryu
Ryu
* Ryū , a school of thought or discipline ., a book by Ryūnosuke Akutagawa* Ryū , a series by Masao Yajima and Akira Oze* Ryu , a common Korean family name...

), that describe how their art developed and came to be used within their system.

The art possesses many originators and innovators who discovered and developed their own various methods of adapting everyday objects into throwing weapons, hence the wide variety of both schools and blades. Furthermore, the art itself is typically quite secretive, as shurikenjutsu gains its tactical advantage by using stealth and surprise. Shuriken are small and easily concealed, yet they have the versatility of being used as a stabbing weapon at close range (called shoken if used in this manner), as well as a longer range thrown weapon).

Types of shuriken

Shuriken consist of two basic designs:

Bo-shuriken - straight metal spikes, usually 4-sided but sometimes round or octagonal. They were normally single-pointed but variations exist that are double pointed. The average length was 16 cm and the average weight was around 50 grams. The bo shuriken is thrown by holding it in the palm with the shaft resting between the first and second fingers. They are thrown from either hand, overhand, underhand, or sidearm from standing, seated, and lying positions. This is the most common form of shuriken used in traditional shurikenjutsu.
Hira-shuriken, shaken (or "throwing stars") - flat, wheel-shaped plates of metal, with sharpened points. Usually 3 mm thick or less, about 11 cm wide, with a variety of tips ranging between 3-20. The hira-shuriken can be thrown either from overhead, or horizontally with a quick wrist-snap, depending on the weapon.

Modern practice

With the abolition of swords during the Meiji period

Meiji period

The , also known as the Meiji era, is a Japanese era which extended from September 1868 through July 1912. This period represents the first half of the Empire of Japan.- Meiji Restoration and the emperor :...

, shurikenjutsu saw a major decline, along with many classical martial arts, and almost died out after the turn of the 20th century as Japan sought to become modernized. In fact, many styles of shurikenjutsu became extinct. If it were not for the efforts of several individuals such as Kanji Naruse (188? - 1948) and Fujita Seiko (1900 - 1966) shurikenjutsu practitioners who preserved the art by transmitting it and writing books on the subject, as well as a handful of surviving classical martial arts schools such as Yagyu Shingan Ryu, Yagyu Shinkage Ryu, Katori Shinto Ryu, Kukishin Ryu

Kukishin Ryu

or Kukishinden Ryū, originally "Nine Gods Spirit School" is a Japanese martial art allegedly founded in the 14th century CE by Kuki Yakushimaru Ryūshin...

and Takeda Ryu Nakamura Ha

Takeda Ryu Nakamura Ha

Takeda Ryu Nakamura Ha is a gendai martial art developed by Nakamura Hisashi in the mid to late 20th century.-Takeda Ryu history:...

, Togakure Ryu the art of shurikenjutsu would indeed have been lost to history.

Two schools specifically devoted to shurikenjutsu exist, Negishi Ryu and Meifu Shinkage-ryū.

History

Types of shuriken

Modern practice

Further Reading