The Anatomy and Characteristics of Ninja Swords

Ninja swords are short swords with curved blades used by the ninja. These swords have two different types, the katana and ninjutsu-to. The sword length was typically around that of an ordinary longsword or shortswords being worn in the late 16th century when they were adopted as Japanese Imperial Palace weapons by Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Tokugawa Ieyasu, and another daimyo from 1570 onwards.

Kato Kunisada created what is now called katana during the Muromachi period in the 14th century. After that, it became one of the three most commonly found weapons among samurai on battlefields up until the early Edo period. In the late 16th century, when these swords became popular among samurai, they added some width to the metal part of the sword between the edge and grip (hi) as a new feature.

These swords are often said to be from 23 to 25 inches long. The difference in length likely stems from the fact that different daimyo had different standards for their ninja, just as they did for their regular samurai. It is known that Iga ninjas were trained by Hattori Hanzo and Koka ninjas were trained by Ishikawa Goemon, but what was considered a "normal" size of the ninja sword had differed over time and person.

Origins of Ninja Swords

There is evidence that tools and weapons of similar shape to these ninja swords were made as far back as 300-500 A.D. In fact, it's believed that some Chinese ancestors of the ninjas themselves first created these weapons. The original tool was called a ninjato because they were only used for assassination purposes and would be disguised as a farming tool or other inconspicuous object.

The traditional Japanese katana, with its curved blade partly due to samurai swords giving their wielders maximum reach in close-quarters combat, falls short when it comes to stealthy assassinations. That is why this sword, with a straight blade, was designed with a stabbing point. The origins of the katana are shrouded in mystery and even some Japanese people feel that its existence has been pushed back to the 12th century.

This sword (or shinobi-zue) had gained popularity by the 14th century but there are no records showing that it was used for self-defense or to kill someone. This is why many people claim that all the swords used by Ninja in feudal Japan were just training swords to teach warriors close combat techniques. What we do know, however, is that despite having a curved blade, early examples of these swords look very different from their modern counterparts.

Anatomy of Ninja Swords:

A ninja sword is a type of sword primarily used by the shinobi, or by various other organizations in feudal Japan. This sword has a long, straight blade that has one edge beveled at 50 degrees and usually only a single-edge back curve. The hilt is often quite long and usually made of black lacquered wood covered in red silk tassel. The guard is generally U-shaped with the front edge curved to protect the user's face from an oncoming attack.

The blade typically ranges from 10 to 15 inches (250 to 380 mm) with a slight curve over its length. Although the average blade length can vary considerably, most blades are about 12 inches (300 mm). The size can vary greatly, with some blades such as the Ichimonji no kami being 18 inches (460 mm) long. The average weight of a Japanese sword is just under a kilogram.

Historically, smaller swords were considered easier to conceal and use in confined quarters, such as castles and shrines. However, by the Edo period (1603–1868), this view was changing due to the more frequent utilization of ninja on covert missions. Today, ninja swords are mostly ceremonial weapons used for display during festivals and parades in feudal Japan or by practitioners of Ninjutsu in modern times.

Characteristics of Ninja Swords:

Ninja swords have been around for centuries! Their skills made them what they are today. Ninja swords have many different shapes and sizes. They range from short to long blades and also vary in the kind of blade that they are (single-edged or double-edged). The length of the blade is usually between six inches to eighteen inches.

These swords used to be worn on their backs out of sight but this was usually during times when there were no laws against using weapons in public. Nowadays, most sword carriers wear a sheath so that it will be less conspicuous to people around them who don't know about their hobby. These swords are also not used just for self-defense or fighting. They have been used in circus and other stage performances by professional performers.

The design of this sword is unique. The most basic ones are made with a wooden handle and a metal blade with sharp edges on both sides that curve slightly at the tip. The weapon was sometimes decorated, although this is not usual practice anymore since people no longer have to camouflage their weapons to stay unnoticed during battle. Also, handles were painted so that the color would represent their allegiance in times of war; they were black for assassination missions or red for ones that involved open combat.