The ninjatō (忍者刀) is a straight-bladed weapon with a length of approximately 50 cm, purportedly used by ninjas in Japan.
The historical existence of this weapon is not firmly established and remains a subject of debate. Some argue that these weapons were forged during World War II as part of nationalist propaganda, while others suggest that the secretive nature of ninjas in feudal Japanese society during the Edo period led to the destruction of most evidence during the Meiji Restoration.
Overview
Regardless, it is believed that early ninjas initially used a katana similar to that of the samurai. However, the length of the katana posed difficulties during climbing or in narrow passages, making it challenging to draw in confined spaces. These requirements supposedly led to the evolution of the weapon towards a shorter, straight blade that was easier to draw when worn on the back, suitable for close combat or ambush situations.
In contrast to the katana and wakizashi, which emphasized cutting techniques, the ninjatō, balanced at the guard and wielded with one hand, would have favored thrusting techniques (tsuki) in the context of shinobi kenjutsu, the swordsmanship of the ninjas.
Features
The surviving examples of ninjatō available today are typically blades made from low-quality steel, similar to that used for agricultural tools, which is brittle and prone to breakage, especially when clashing with a higher-quality blade such as those used by samurai. This lower quality is attributed to the conditions under which the ninjas operated.
Given their rural backgrounds, ninjas would have relied on local blacksmiths, who were not trained in the techniques used to craft noble swords. Furthermore, ninjas did not share the same reverence for their weapons as samurai and would not hesitate to abandon them when necessary.
The use of this weapon in the activities of ninjas supposedly led to several innovations compared to the katana:
- A square guard (tsuba) that could be used to support the weapon against a wall, acting as a makeshift step. Sometimes the weapon is presented without a guard for easier concealment.
- A longer cord (sageo) attached to the scabbard (saya), which could be used to pull the sword after using it as a step, as a connecting link between the scabbard and the sword to use them as a flail, or as a garrote.
- A pointed scabbard to partially bury it in the ground for use as a foothold.
- An unusually long hilt (tsuka) for balance reasons but also to conceal objects such as poison vials, documents, or small throwing weapons.
- It is also said that the end of the scabbard could be removed and reversed, turning the scabbard into a spear or a breathing tube for underwater use.