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Shuriken (Japanese 手裏剣; literally: "sword hidden in the hand") is a traditional Japanese concealed weapon that were generally for throwing, and sometimes stabbing or slashing. They are sharpened hand-held blades made from a variety of everyday items such as needles, nails, and knives, as well as coins, washers, and other flat plates of metal.

Shuriken are commonly known in the West as "death stars", "throwing stars", "Chinese stars" or "ninja stars". However, the shuriken took many different shapes and designs during the time that they were used. The major varieties of shuriken are the bō shuriken (棒手裏剣, stick shuriken) and the hira shuriken (平手裏剣, flat shuriken), or shaken (車剣, also read as kurumaken, wheel shuriken).

Shuriken were mainly a supplemental weapon to the more commonly used katana (sword) or yari (spear) in a warrior's arsenal, though they often played a pivotal tactical role in battle. The art of wielding the shuriken is known as shurikenjutsu, and was mainly taught as a minor part of the martial arts curriculum of many famous schools, such as Yagyu Ryu, Katori Shinto Ryu, Itto Ryu, Kukishin Ryu, and Togakure Ryu. In the modern western world, shuriken can often be purchased online as collector's items, but in some countries owners must possess a certificate for possession of knives.

Bo-shuriken

Bo-shuriken is a throwing weapon consisting of a straight, iron or steel spike, usually 4-sided but sometimes round or octagonal in shape. They are usually single-pointed, but there are some that are double-pointed. The length of bo-shuriken ranges from 12 to 21 cm (5–8 1/2 in) and the average weight was from 35 to 150 grams (1.2–5.4 ounces). The bo-shuriken is thrown in a number of ways, such as overhead, underarm, sideways and rearwards, but in each case, the throw involved the blade sliding out of the hand through the fingers in a smooth, controlled flight. This is not to be confused with the kunai, which is a thrusting and stabbing implement that is sometimes thrown.

The major forms of throw are the jiki da-ho (direct hit method), and the han-ten da-ho (turning hit method). These two forms are technically different, in that the former does not allow the blade to spin before it hits the target, while the latter requires that the blade spin before it hits the target.

Bo-shuriken were constructed from a wide variety of everyday items, and thus there are many shapes and sizes. Some derive their name from the materials they were fashioned from, such as kugi-gata (nail form), hari-gata (needle form) and tanto-gata (knife form); others are named after the object to which they appear similar, such as hoko-gata (spear form), matsuba-gata (pine-needle form) while others were simply named after the object that was thrown, such as kankyuto (piercing tool form), kunai-gata (utility tool form), or teppan (plate metal) and biao (pin).

Other items were also thrown as in the fashion of bo-shuriken, such as kogai (ornamental hairpin), kogata (utility knife) and hashi (chopsticks), although these items were not associated with any particular school of shurikenjutsu, rather they were more likely just thrown at opportune moments by a skilled practitioner who was skilled in a particular method or school.

Origins

The origins of the bo-shuriken in Japan are still unclear despite continuing research in this area. This is partly because shurikenjutsu is a secretive art, and also to the fact that throughout early Japanese history there were actually many independent innovators of the skill of throwing long, thin objects. The earliest known mention of a school teaching shurikenjutsu is Ganritsu Ryu, prevalent during the 1600s. This school utilized a long thin implement with a bulbous head, thought to be derived from the arrow. Existing examples of blades used by this school appear to exhibit a mixture of an arrow's shape with that of a needle traditionally used in Japanese leatherwork and armor manufacture.

There are also earlier mentions in written records, such as the Osaka Gunki (大阪軍記, the military records of Osaka), of the standard knife and short sword being thrown in battle, and Miyamoto Musashi is said to have won a duel by throwing his short sword at his opponent, killing him.

Hira-shuriken

Hira-shuriken are constructed from thin, flat plates of metal derived from a variety of sources including hishi-gane (coins), kugi-nuki (carpentry tools), and senban (washers), and generally resemble popular conceptions of shuriken. These are sometimes called "ninja stars" as ninja are consistently seen throwing this which looks like a star. They often have a hole in the center and possess a fairly thin blade sharpened only at the tip. The holes derive from their source in items that had holes - old coins, washers, and nail-removing tools. This proved convenient for the shuriken user, as well, as the weapons could be strung on a string for transport, and the hole also had aerodynamic and weighting effects that aided the flight of the blade after it was thrown.

There is a wide variety of forms of hira-shuriken, also known as shaken, and they are now usually identified by the number of points the blades possess. As with bo-shuriken, the various shapes of hira-shuriken were usually representative of a particular school or region that preferred the use of such shapes, and it is therefore possible to identify the school by the type of blade used.

Modern shuriken, unlike historical ones, are most often made of stainless steel. They are commercially available in many knife shops in Europe and North America, although they are illegal in many states, countries, and provinces, such as the U.S. state of California.

Usage

Contrary to popular belief, shuriken were not primarily intended as a killing weapon, but rather as a secondary weapon that sometimes played a role supportive to a warrior's main weapon, usually the sword or spear, but it could be deadly in hands of a skillful shinobi. Shuriken were primarily used to cause either nuisance or distraction, both being tactics to gain an advantage in battle. Targets were primarily the eyes, face, hands, or the feet, the areas most exposed by a samurai's armor.

Shuriken, especially hira-shuriken, were also used in other novel ways – they might be embedded in the ground, injuring those who stepped on them, or wrapped in fuse to be lit and thrown to cause fire. They can also be used as a handheld striking weapon in close combat.

There are reports of shuriken being coated with poison intended either for a throwing target or for whoever may pick them up when left in a conspicuous place. Other reports indicate that shuriken may have been buried in dirt or animal feces and allowed to rust and harbor the anaerobic bacterium Clostridium tetani – if the point penetrated a victim deeply enough the bacteria would be transferred into the wound, causing a then-incurable tetanus infection.

Shuriken are a simple weapon, but their historical value, thanks to their wide variety of uses and the ready availability of material from which they could be made, has increased. Unlike katana and other bladed weapons, antique shuriken are not often well preserved, largely due to their original status as throwaway weapons.

In popular culture

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Shuriken are popularly believed to have been used by Japanese ninja. They can be seen in a wide range of modern media set in both modern and ancient settings. While shuriken are almost always associated with ninja and to a lesser extent other thieves and assassins, they are sometimes seen as wholly separate from that context. Often used is a fictional enlarged version of shuriken, called fūma shuriken.

On some occasions, shuriken are actually fired from guns (such like in the video games Painkiller and Tyrian 2000; in the tabletop board game Warhammer 40,000, the Eldar race use guns that shoot razor-sharp rounded shuriken).

Occasionally, the use of shuriken does not even involve a human throwing them (in the film Gamera vs. Guiron, monster Guiron fires four-point shuriken from the sides of his head, in the film Alien vs. Predator, the Predator's disc changed from an actual disc into a shuriken-style throwing star, and in the film Jeepers Creepers 2 the monster Creeper uses shuriken made of human bones).

Prominent examples of shuriken in popular culture include:

• Aero Fighters (video game): the FSX fighter jet shoots shuriken-shaped projectiles, upgradable to kunai.
• Mortal Kombat 4 (video game): Reiko and Jarek both use shuriken as their weapon of choice during combat.
• Conan the Adventurer (TV series): an episode is named "Sword, Sai & Shuriken". Magical shuriken are weapons of the major character Jezmine in the series.
• Final Fantasy VII (video game), Yuffie Kisaragi uses enormous shuriken as her primary weapon.
• Hot Rod (film): during a fight scene between Rod and his father, the latter throws a shuriken at Rod that gets embedded in his chest.
• Midnight: A Gangster Love Story (novel): the eponymous protagonist's visit to an apple orchard in upstate New York culminates with an unrealistic visit to a nearby blacksmith's shop, where he asks to have a shuriken made to his specifications.
• Naruto: Most ninja in naruto used shuriken mostly for long-range attacks, occasionally using them to trap enemies by attaching wires to the whole in the centre of the shuriken and throwing it so that the wire wraps around the opponent. Sasuke Uchiha is known to possess a Fūma shuriken and used it try and free Kakashi from Zabuza one of the series first antagonists.
• Neuromancer (novel): the protagonist, Case, is fascinated by shuriken. He is later bought one by Molly.
• Ninpuu Sentai Hurricaneger (TV series): the sixth and final Ranger to appear was Tenkuu Ninja Shurikenger (Green Samurai Ranger in the American version Power Rangers: Ninja Storm), whose symbol on Shurikenger's shinobi medal was a green eight-point hira-shuriken. Also in Hurricaneger, the three Hurricaneger fired shuriken from their Hurricane Gyro henshin devices (replaced with lasers in Ninja Storm due to U.S. television regulations).
• Sam Noir: the title character's love interest, Jasmine, is killed by four throwing stars in the back.
• Shadow Warrior (video game): the player character Lo Wang uses shuriken as weapon, and states: "I love the shuriken".
• Shinobi (video game): Joe Musashi's primary weapon is the shuriken. They are also primary weapon of his son Hayate in Shadow Dancer.
• Sluggy Freelance (online comic): the character Oasis throws shuriken as a harrying tactic and to wound fleeing opponents, in particular in her fight with Gwynn on the cliff in the Poconos, and her iconic duel with Bun-bun.
• South Park (TV series): in the episode "Good Times with Weapons," Kenny is depicted wielding a pair of shuriken, and maiming Butters with them.
• System Shock 2 (Video game): Cyborg Assassins use throwing stars as weapons.
• You Only Live Twice (film): the character Tiger Tanaka saves James Bond from being killed by Blofeld's gun by means of a throwing star. A similar thing happens in the film Tomorrow Never Dies, when the character Wai Lin saves James Bond from being shot by a henchman.
• Muppet Treasure Island The character Gonzo uses sea stars as throwing stars.
• French hip-hop MC Shurik'n is named after shuriken.

See also

• Fūma shuriken‎
• Kunai
• Shurikenjutsu

References

1. California Penal Code Section 12020 outlaws the manufacture, import, sale, and possession of a large number of weapons (including shuriken) with limited exceptions for law enforcement and the motion picture industry.

Literature

• Fujita, Seiko (1928) Zukai Shurikenjutsu (An Overview of Shuriken-jutsu)
• Nawa, Yumio (1962) Kakushi Buki Soran (An Overview of Hidden Weapons)
• Finn, Michael (1983) Art of Shuriken Jutsu
• Hammond, Billy (1985) Shuriken jutsu: The Japanese Art of Projectile Throwing A.E.L.S
• Shirakami, Eizo (1985) Shurikendo: My Study of the Way of Shuriken
• Iwai, Kohaku (1999) Hibuki no Subete ga Wakaru Hon (Hidden Weapons) BAB, Japan
• Kono, Yoshinori (1996) Toru Shirai: Founder of Tenshin Shirai Ryu in Aikido Journal #108
• Saito, Satoshi in Skoss, Diane ed. (1999) Sword & Spirit: Classical Warrior Traditions of Japan Vol. 2 Koryu Books
• Someya, Chikatoshi (2001) Shuriken Giho
• Mol, Serge (2003) Classical Weaponry of Japan: Special Weapons and Tactics of the Martial Artists Kodansha

External links

• The Secrets of Shuriken website
• How to throw the Shuriken
• Knife, Axe and Shuriken Throwing forum
• How to Make a Paper Ninja Star (Shuriken)

• Articles with trivia sections from July 2009
• Japanese martial arts terms
• Ninjutsu
• Throwing weapons
• Weapons of Japan