History of the Japanese Concealed Weapon, the Shurikens

One of the most famous martial arts weapons in the world is the throwing star. The throwing star has been used in Okinawa Japan for hundreds of years. Traditionally the throwing star was used for defense, but there are those that use the throwing stars as weapons. The throwing star is basically a hand sized, sharp throwing knife that can be used in many different ways. In the past the throwing stars were mainly for use as concealed knives. Most of the time the throwing stars in Okinawa were made from katana.

ninja stars

A shurikens is an ancient Japanese concealed sword that has been used as a concealed dagger or concealed metsubishi in times of confusion or attack. Most of the throwing stars in Okinawa have been made from wood or stone. Some throwers have even incorporated springs into the handle or the blade to allow for the throwing of the star with a more fluid motion. This allows the star to be thrown with more power than the traditional wooden or stone throwing stars.

The use of throwing stars is a very old tradition in Japan and it has its roots back in Okinawa Japan. Many different styles of fighting have evolved out of the basic concept of using a throwing knife as a weapon. Today the techniques used in Okinawa are used by many different martial artists all around the world. The history of the Japanese concealed weapon, the shurikens, is also a very important part of Japanese history and culture.