A little known fact about the Shuriken is that it originated in Japan and was adopted by the Chinese during the early times. This small sword is of average size and has a cross guard. Its length is between 4.5 inches to 5.5 inches long and it weighs between one and two pounds. The blade is also known as makizashi or tanto in Japanese and is a short sword that has a flat edge and is much preferred over longer swords. This weapon is used by Japanese fighting masters such as Ueshiba and Isamu Senju. The two masters are among the six most senior karate teachers in the country and were believed to be the ones who invented the Shuriken.
The shuriken styles are categorized according to the weapon’s type of headgear that is usually either a hankoubu or tanto. Both these headgears have different functions although only the hankoubu is usually seen wearing these. The hankoubu is used as a concealed weapon in the hands and is mainly used as a surprise attack. The tanto is a longer sword and is primarily used as a medium when faced with combat. It is also thought that the shuriken could be part of a mix between two weapons like the makiwara and the katana.
This weapon has evolved over the years to become one of Japan’s most famous martial arts. The shuriken can be seen in many forms today which include, but not limited to, straight, curved, and even mixed fighting. Some types of this legendary weapon include: Sanchin, Hachiman, Yoruichi-zumo, Tancho, and several other variations of the original. The most well known form is Sanchin kata. The name Sanchin came from the writings of the Chinese warlord, Sun Tzu who wrote a book on the proper way of using the karate weapons.