Ninjutsu

Ninjutsu is a Japanese martial art based on the art of strategy, unconventional warfare, guerrilla warfare and espionage. 

There are 18 disciplines in ninjutsu, and these are:

1. Seishinteki kyōyō (spiritual refinement)
2. Taijutsu (unarmed combat)
3. Kenjutsu (sword techniques)
4. Bōjutsu (stick and staff techniques)
5. Sōjutsu (spear techniques)
6. Naginatajutsu (naginata techniques)
7. Kusarigamajutsu (kusarigama techniques)
8. Shurikenjutsu (throwing weapons techniques)
9. Kayakujutsu (pyrotechnics)
10. Hensōjutsu (disguise and impersonation)
11. Shinobi-iri (stealth and entering methods)
12. Bajutsu (horsemanship)
13. Sui-ren (water training)
14. Bōryaku (tactics)
15. Chōhō (espionage)
16. Intonjutsu (escaping and concealment)
17. Tenmon (meteorology)
18. Chi-mon (geography) 

Weapons

There are many different weapons used in Ninjutsu, mainly:

Composite and articulated weapons:

• Kusarigama - kama linked to a weight, either by a long rope or chain
• Kyoketsu shoge - hooked rope-dart, featuring a metal ring on the opposite end
• Kusari-fundo, also known as manriki or manriki-gusari - a chain and weight weapon

Fistload weapons

• Kakute - rings resembling modern wedding bands with concealed, often poison-tipped spines, typically worn by kunoichi and enabling ninja to quietly strangle enemies with the pointed ends against the neck or throat
• Shobo - a jabbing or piercing weapon, similar in shape to kubotan and yawara, but often featuring a center grip ring
• Shuriken - various small hand held weapons including "throwing stars" that could be used to stab, slash or they could be thrown
• Tekko - an earlier version of brass knuckles
• Tessen - a folding fan with an iron frame. it could be used to club, or cut and slash the enemy
• Jutte - A weapon similar to the Sai

Modified tool weapons

• Kunai - multi-purpose tool
• Shikoro - used as a tool for opening doors and stabbing or slashing

Projectile weapons

• Fukiya - Japanese blowgun, typically firing poison darts
• Makibishi/tetsubishi - the Japanese type of caltrop
• Shuriken - various small hand held weapons including throwing stars and throwing darts that could be used to stab, slash or they could be thrown
• Yumi and Ya - traditional Japanese bow and arrow
• Bo-hiya (Japanese fire arrow) - fire arrow
• Tanegashima (Japanese matchlock) - Japanese Matchlock
• Bajōzutsu - Japanese Matchlock in a form of a pistol
• Tekagi-shuko and Neko-te - hand "claw" weapons

Staffs and polearms

• Hanbo, bō, jō, and tambo - various sized staff weapons
• Yari - traditional Japanese spear that's similar to the naginata
• Nagamaki - pole arm with roughly equal length blade and handle
• Naginata - traditional Japanese pole-arm used by women and samurai (example: women might protect their home with a naginata)

Swords

• Katana - a long curved and single-edged sword, more commonly used by samurai (or ninja disguised as samurai)
• Wakizashi - short sword that can be hidden on the ninja's body, also a backup weapon
• Ninjato - short-bladed straight sword, fictional ninja sword
• Tachi - slung sword and a little bit longer than the Katana
• Tantō - dagger
• Kaiken (dagger) - Similar to the tantō
• Hachiwara
• Bokken - traditional wooden sword use in Japanese martial arts
• Shinai - used in kendo

Stealth tools

• Kaginawa or grappling hook - climbing and Hojojutsu composite tool that also functioned as a makeshift gaff hook weapon
• Rope
• Shinobi shōzoku - the reputed ninja clothing.

Axes, Mallots and others

• Ōtsuchi - Japanese Mallot
• Ono (weapon) - Japanese axe and hatchet
• Kanabō - Japanese club 

For more information please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ninjutsu

Author: The Bear Martial Arts Team 

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