Ninjatō
 |
 | The examples and perspective in this article may not represent a worldwide view of the subject. |
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (December 2007) |
 |
The ninjatō (忍者刀), also known as ninjaken (忍者剣) or shinobi katana (忍刀), is the most common name for the reputed sword a ninja would have carried. According to the book Ninjutsu History and Tradition by Dr. Masaaki Hatsumi, Ph.D, Soke or Ninja Grandmaster of the Bujinkan Ninja organization, these swords came in a variety of shapes and sizes. Often, however, they were much shorter than the traditional daito katana used by the samurai of feudal Japan.
The typical ninjatō carried by a ninja would most likely have been a wakizashi or shortsword fitted with a katana-length handle and placed in a katana-length saya (scabbard). This may have been used to deceive one's opponents into miscalculating how quickly it could be drawn allowing one to use a battoujutsu strike faster than expected. It also disguises the weapon (that would easily identify them as a ninja) as a common sword. The extra space in the saya may also be used to store or hide other equipment or goods.
Modern ninjato are often straight with a square tsuba (hand guard), but this is not historically accurate. According to the same book by Masaaki Hatsumi, the ninja ken was straight, but only in contrast to the average sword of the period which were much more curved. The ninja ken still had a slight curve to the sword. Hatsumi says that they were often straight bars of low-quality steel with an edge ground on to them. According to other sources, some of the swords being forged during the Tokugawa era also had blades with less curvature than others. This was also the period during which the mythology of the ninja grew as they were employed by the Shogun as secret police.
The Bujinkan dojo currently contains one school, the Togakure-ryū, which teaches the use of the ninja ken. Typically, this is a wakizashi-length sword (or slightly longer) that has been outfitted with katana sized koshirae (fittings). The idea behind a shorter sword is that it is much easier to fight in close quarters with a shorter sword, as would be necessary for a ninja acting as an intelligence-gatherer.
References
- A Glossary of Arms and Armor, ed. George C. Stone, Southworth Press, 1961, p. 469
- Ninjutsu: History and Tradition, by Masaaki Hatsumi, Unique Publications, 1981, ISBN 978-0865680272
- Secret Guide to Making Ninja Weapons, by Yamashiro Toshitora, Butokukai Press, 1986, ISBN 978-9994291311
- The Mystic Arts of the Ninja by Stephen K. Hayes, Contemporary Books, 1985, ISBN 0809253437
- "Ninja Swords - Did They Exist Historically?" Sword Forums International, Summer 1999.
- Link to BBC article from the Japan - No Surrender series
- Link at sword-buyers-guide.com to general article
- Link at Kris Cutlery.com