Throwing star. Battle star. About the history of shuriken

The history of special-purpose bladed weapons in Russia is truly multifaceted. The knife is an integral part of the “wardrobe” of special forces in Russia. However, it is surprising how diverse this wardrobe can be. The scouts themselves admit in conversations that if it comes to fire contact with the enemy, or, even worse, to hand-to-hand combat, then the operation can safely be considered uncovered.

However, the same special forces soldiers admit that sometimes, in certain cases and situations, “working with your hands” is still the best option. That’s when special equipment comes into play, neutralizing any enemy without noise or dust.

About history

The very concept of a “knife” was not new for the Soviet army - despite the fact that fighters were taught to use edged weapons in the heat of battle mainly together with a rifle, equipping firearms with so-called “bayonet knives”, the experience of handling edged weapons as a separate type of weapons the Soviet army had. As an independent combat unit in the hands of a soldier, the knife began to be actively used by Soviet soldiers during the Soviet-Finnish War, and reached its finest hour during the Great Patriotic War.

In those years, the situation on the fronts was such that quite often attacks from one side or the other ended in real bloody hand-to-hand combat, in which anything was used - from rifle butts and helmets to sticks and knives. It is no secret that some types of weapons, due to the lack of their own developments and, for the most part, due to lack of time, were simply copied in the Soviet Union from foreign ones.

One of the first Soviet knives NA-40, made on the basis of a uniform bayonet-knife of 1919, became just such a brainchild. They did not assign an unpronounceable name to the knife and the name was simply deciphered - Army Knife, and the number 40 meant nothing more than the year of adoption. It was the NA-40 that became the main working tool of Soviet soldiers in close combat, and also became a reliable ally for a good hundred units involved in sabotage operations.

An expert in the field of edged weapons and a master of artistic forging, Oleg Zvonarev, in an interview with Zvezda, told several interesting facts from the history of the Soviet knife: “As for this particular knife, it is a typical representative of good copying, and to be more precise, of good manufacturing based on existing samples.

The knife required minimal maintenance, the sharpness was maintained for quite a long time even under very harsh conditions, and in hand-to-hand combat the NA-40 could give odds to the best German blades. There were often cases when the Germans took knives from killed Red Army soldiers and subsequently used them themselves. It cannot be said, of course, that the knife was perfectly made - the handle sometimes flew off in the heat of battle, but this is the most serious thing that could happen to it then. Soviet intelligence officers, for example, called this knife an “arrow” because of the rapid lines, and in reports on the completion of the task they often wrote: “The object was hit by the intelligence officer’s arrow,” the expert said.

"Shurikens" of Private Torsunzhakov

The use of edged weapons by Soviet troops and special forces was justified - although there were devices for covert (silent) shooting, due to the insufficient development of technology, the shot was only partially masked, and, despite the significantly lower noise level, they still drew attention to the shooter . Edged weapons for forward detachments became a real lifesaver, but no one could even think that in addition to knives and bayonets, scouts would use... shurikens.

There is still no consensus on where the exotic Japanese star-shaped throwing knives came from. Some experts argue that shurikens appeared at the disposal of Soviet soldiers immediately after the Russo-Japanese War as trophies, while others argue that the little Japanese killers appeared only a year or two before the war. One way or another, shurikens did not receive widespread use due to the exotic nature of the “devices” themselves.

However, at the end of 1942, reports increasingly began to come from sabotage detachments in which shurikens appeared as a more lethal weapon than an ordinary Soviet knife. Historian and collector of bladed weapons, retired special forces officer Viktor Krasilnikov, in an interview with Zvezda, told where and by whom Japanese throwing knives were used: “The first shurikens, or rather, the first mentions of their use, date back to 1942-1943. Sabotage groups during the Rzhev-Vyazma operation then used them. They say that hira-shuriken (sharp four-pointed throwing “stars”) were made by one of the volunteers in peacetime and were simply lying around as an outlandish souvenir, however, with the onset of war, they were very useful.”

“With the help of shurikens, with proper skill, it was possible to easily “remove” the sentries without noise and dust. Private Red Army Torsunzhakov during the Rzhev-Vyazemsky operation generally distinguished himself by having a unique skill: he inserted shuriken into the area of the cervical vertebra of the Fritz and could instantly neutralize almost any enemy. I also heard about other cases of using shurikens, but there were more throwing knives than Japanese things made according to ancient designs.” - said the expert.

Scout's shooting friend

The post-war years became a real haven for weapons inventors of any kind - pistols, rifles and other deadly devices were invented by the dozens. Edged weapons, in turn, underwent only minor changes - and how can one develop an ordinary-looking knife, in which the main area for work is the handle and the blade? However, even in this case, Soviet gunsmiths had surprises prepared.

It is difficult to say for sure how exactly the idea of creating a shooting knife came to the mind of the Tula gunsmith Khlynin. Historians and experts in the field of unusual small arms claim that the influence was most likely the study of German trophies: such as a shooting buckle and other unusual shooting products. One way or another, the special scout knife (or NRS), developed by Khlynin, still remains, perhaps, the most unusual piercing-cutting and simultaneously shooting item adopted for service.

The creation of this type of weapon for the needs of the special forces of the Ministry of Defense and the KGB of the USSR made it possible to kill two birds with one stone: firstly, an effective object appeared with which a scout could operate even without a weapon, and secondly, an opportunity arose to study the practically untapped niche of special personal weapons in development which involved entire research institutes.

The head of the art forging studio and collector-historian Viktor Novopoltsev told in an interview with Zvezda some facts from the history of the most unusual knife in the world: “Since this knife is a combination weapon, this means that you can also shoot from it if you really press it. In order to not only cut, but also shoot, a small trigger mechanism was built into the knife, and for the shooting itself, SP-3 ammunition was used, which, in addition to the knife, is used in special silent pistols.”

“This is a special cartridge with a cut-off of powder gases, which is fired almost silently in a natural environment. The 7.62x38mm cartridge can kill at close range with a successful hit, and with a not entirely successful hit, it can almost mortally wound an enemy. In addition, in addition to the unique trigger mechanism, the knife is excellent for “field” work - planing wood, sawing through thin steel rods, “thorns” and other protective structures can be done with this knife without much difficulty - for such purposes there is a special file on the butt.”

My opinion is this: this tool was created not so much as a knife, but as a last chance for survival. Judge for yourself: cover the muzzle of the knife with a thick rubber curtain to prevent dust and moisture from accumulating, making the descent as simple as possible. Everything indicates that the creators did everything possible to ensure that the knife at the critical moment worked 100% like clockwork and did not fail. I’m already silent about the cutting qualities of the knife. With it you can easily survive in the taiga for some time.”

“I am often asked the question, why is there only one barrel for a knife? Well, the answer to this question is simple: as a weapon for the last shot, which decides the fate of the wearer, a knife does not need two barrels. I think the enemy will not allow you to fire a second shot in conditions of active shooting and combat in general. Therefore, it’s either hit or miss here. Although, on subsequent shooting knives, the ammunition was increased,” the expert said.

Combat "Chameleon"

Tula is the birthplace of unusual weapons. From anti-tank to cold - Tula gunsmiths do it all. In the 90s, already having some developments in the field of special weapons and equipment, a special four-shot shooting knife “Chameleon” was developed at the Tula Military Artillery School. In developing a new knife, Tula residents use their entire knowledge base - from the use of advanced materials for manufacturing to an extremely simple and reliable trigger mechanism design.

An expert in the field of small arms and special forces veteran Viktor Snegir, in an interview with Zvezda, shares interesting facts from the life of the Tula shooting knife: “I worked with it only a few times, but I can briefly describe it as follows: reliable, convenient, and will not let you down. The 5.45mm cartridges were taken from the PSM pistol. The “Chameleon” differs from the scout knife, firstly, in the amount of ammunition it carries for firing. There are four of them there versus one for the LDC. Well, so to speak, it increases the chances of survival. (laughs). But seriously, in addition to the good qualities of the knife blade itself, which can be used to saw, plane and cut quite hard, the knife can be disguised well as some unnecessary device and, if necessary, quickly snatched. Fortunately, the handle promotes a good grip. I know that there is also a modification for underwater combat swimmers. It already uses needle-type cartridges - like the APS assault rifle, for example. However, the land version of the knife turned out to be such that after a shot... from a distance of about 25-27 meters, the 5.45x18mm ammunition pierced a titanium plate 1.5-2mm thick. This, you know, is a very good indicator, which in combat conditions would guarantee hitting the target.” - said the expert.

Experiments on creating advanced weapons in Russia, in fact, never stopped. It is reliably known that even in the difficult 90s for the country, the development of shooting, special, small-sized and tactical knives for special forces of the army and navy was in full swing. With a high degree of probability, it can be argued that the developments and results obtained during this period will form the basis of a new combat edged weapon for Russian special forces. And something suggests that the demonstration of advanced special-purpose edged weapons for the Russian army is a matter of the near future.

A brave ninja, all in black, fights with enemies. He skillfully wields a katana and repels all attacks, but the number of opponents is not decreasing, the battle is in full swing. And so, the ninja is cornered, his beautiful sword is knocked out of his hands, and the strongest and most evil warrior is going to kill him. What's next? A cool ninja can't just die like that! But the very moment comes - the finest hour of shuriken. The ninja throws shuriken at the bad guy's neck, all the enemies are shocked, he gets to the katana and wins.

Familiar story, right? Shuriken, judging by many Hollywood films and anime, is a very useful thing and always helps everyone out. But these weapons were not only used by ninjas. Every warrior in Japan carried a minimum of 8-10 shuriken in addition to a katana or yari spear.

The Japanese began throwing various objects at the enemy back in the 12th century. Judging by ancient chronicles, Japanese fighters met, as they say, “wall to wall” and threw stones at each other. In the armies there were special auxiliary detachments of warriors called upon to shower enemies with stones; this action was called “inji-uchi”, which translated means “throwing stones”. The warriors who participated in such stone-throwing battles were called “mukai tsubute no mono” - “advanced stone-throwers”, and their commanders were called “inji no kanja” - “leaders of the stone-throwers”.

This type of fighting existed in Japan for a long time, and in parallel it also developed into a kind of “fun” with the same name “inji-uchi”. Such battles took place during the holidays. Moreover, even during a “game” battle, it was possible to throw not only cobblestones at the enemy, but also jugs with a flammable mixture. It was fun at the city festivals in Japan, to say the least.

The art of war changed, and at the beginning of the Sengoku era, this is the middle of the 13th - second half of the 14th centuries, other shells went into battle. They were shaped like spearheads. They were called “inji-yari” - “spear stones”. This was the first prototype of shuriken, namely their subspecies of bo- or bojo-shuriken.

In the Edo era (1603-1867), steel plates called “throwing stones” were used. They were made from hardened steel in a round or octagonal shape with a diameter of 4-5 cm and a thickness of 1 cm. Descriptions of tsubute, as their name sounds in Japanese, are found even in the secret instructions of ninjas. They were not the main weapon; they were thrown at the face or other parts of the body that were not protected, or to simply distract the opponent. Tsubute may have been the prototype for another type of shuriken - the shakien.

By the middle of the Edo era, such an art form as shurikenjutsu had already appeared. It is derived from the more ancient bujutsu - spear throwing. In general, “shuriken” literally translates as “blade hidden in the hand.” So the shurikens themselves, as we see them now, did not yet exist.

They appeared a little later, from where, by the way, it is not known. Many scientists generally doubt that shurikens come from Japan. This is due to the fact that the art of using shuriken is kept secret, as is more accurate and detailed information about schools of shurikenjutsu. The specimens that have survived to this day are of Japanese origin and date back to the 17th century; they belong to the Ganritsu Ryu school, this is the first school of shurikenjutsu that was mentioned in ancient documents.

The advantage of this weapon is that it does not take up much space, is light in weight, it can be carried with you in large quantities and thrown over considerable distances. Some ninjas even hid shurikens on themselves by wrapping them in cloth. By the way, steel plates were used not only in throwing, but also in close combat as brass knuckles.

Shurikens are not only the familiar ninja “stars”. This is a whole class of weapons, it is usually divided into two subclasses: bo- or bojo-shuriken and sharen.

Bo means "needle" and bojo means "stick". It is immediately clear that the shurikens of this family are elongated. They range in length from 12 to 21 cm. Bojo-shuriken come in a variety of varieties. The name depends either on the progenitor, for example, kugi-gata (nail), ari-gata (needle), tango-gata (knife), or on the object that the shuriken resembles: hishi (chopsticks), oko-gata (spear ), matsuba-gata (pine needle). They can be screw-type, plate-type, or wedge-shaped, in general, depending on which master and for whom he made this weapon.

Shaken also have many varieties; this name is translated as “sword-wheel”. The name of each type of shakken appeared from the type of steel from which certain objects were made. For example, a coin (hisi gan) or carpentry tools (kugi-nuki). These are steel plates with a hole in the middle. Firstly, it gives the flight an aerodynamic effect, and secondly, it is simply more convenient to carry shurikens with you, like a bunch of keys. They are also distinguished by the number of blades; they are cruciform, three-pointed, six-pointed, swastika-shaped, “hedgehog” - in general, for every taste.

But that's not all. The semban shuriken stands out in particular. This shuriken is almost square in shape with concave edges. It can be called the twin of the spacer washer for the tightening pins of castle or fortress gates. Wearing a semban was less risky; if he were discovered by a ninja, he could simply say that he was going to a neighboring prince to repair the gate as an honest worker.

Ancient legends and tales brought to us a description of shurikens, but there are no exact instructions or guidelines for the technique of wielding these weapons. Each school of Shuryukenjutsu teaches in its own way, and everyone who masters this art creates his own style. Even a small piece of steel has its own philosophy.

Shuriken is a Japanese bladed throwing weapon from the arsenal of ninjas and samurai. Initially, shuriken was a rod 15-20 cm long, made of metal and pointed at one end. In order to hit the enemy with such a weapon, the warrior needed great skill. Shurikens consist of a base and teeth with a tip and a blade that have one- or two-sided sharpening, and, in fact, are several blades arranged in a circle. A through hole can be made at the base of the shuriken to reduce its weight. After being thrown, the shuriken flies in a rotational motion. The presence of teeth (from 3 to) ensures, when hitting a target, an almost one hundred percent probability of causing damage compared to .

Gradually, throwing weapons were improved, and new types of shuriken were developed, much more convenient to use. Shurikens made in the shape of a cross, triangle, star or stripe are much easier to throw at a target. The flat surface is the very feature of this throwing weapon that provides it with the ability to create a “wing” effect during a twisted throw.

There were both solid-cast shurikens and folding ones, a special mechanism was used to bring them into firing position. Shurikens differed in shape, size, number of teeth and their shape, method of sharpening and number of blades. The very form of this throwing weapon was influenced by the Japanese people’s penchant for mystical symbolism and esotericism. It was with the aim of enlisting the help of otherworldly forces that mystical symbols were often applied to the surface of shurikens.

Most flat shuriken had a special hole in the center through which a rope was passed. Thus, a warrior could always carry these weapons with him in fairly large quantities. A real ninja always had with him a large number of shuriken, of the most varied shapes and sizes. Most often, warriors had 9 pieces of each type of shuriken, since the number 9 was considered sacred in Japan. This weapon perfectly met the requirements for devices for silent killing.

Small and light, thrown with a skillful hand, shuriken could become both a murder weapon and a way to distract the enemy’s attention and give the warrior time to strike with a sword. If necessary, to get rid of the chase, the warrior also used this throwing weapon, noticeably reducing the pace of movement of the opponents.

The shuriken throw was quite effective at a distance of about 15-20 m. The symmetrical shape of the weapon made it very convenient for an aimed throw, ensuring sufficient flight stability. The jagged edges of the weapon ensured a much higher percentage of damage than when throwing bladed bladed weapons. If the blades of the weapon were lubricated with a poisonous compound, then the wounds inflicted by it became fatal.

This formidable weapon could be used by its owner for non-combat purposes. So, ninjas often used shurikens to make fire. When one shuriken struck another, the warrior managed to create sparks, with which he ignited the gunpowder. Shurikens are divided into small, having a diameter of up to 6 cm, medium - up to 8 cm and large - over 8 mm. Shurikens can be made folding, with opening teeth; the typical weight of shurikens is from 60 to 200 g.

You can make shuriken yourself at home. See how to do this

Ninja “stars” have become famous and popular thanks to numerous films, computer games and, of course, anime. The popularization of this type of bladed weapon played a role - shuriken in the mass consciousness is perceived as a traditional weapon of the Japanese, along with the katana.

What is required to make the model?

If you urgently need to make shuriken, then prepare several rectangular sheets. To make a semblance of Naruto's shuriken, you will need black sheets. When making crafts to complement the ninja costume, use paper that matches the color of the gloves or the robe itself.

Since we propose using the origami technique to make crafts, you don’t need anything other than a few thick sheets of paper. The modules are attached to one another using paper flaps.

Making crafts will take no more than 10 minutes, which, if necessary, will allow you to quickly create new items.

Shuriken translates to a blade in the hand, so make small models. The smaller the size, the tougher and more realistic the craft will be.

History of weapons

It should immediately be noted that in Japan throwing weapons (spears, darts, axes) are not as widespread as, for example, in Europe. In early periods, the most common projectiles were stones, which were thrown using ishihajiki, a Japanese sling. In historical treatises there is a description of how warriors in battle threw arrows or short wakizashi swords at the enemy.

The first descriptions of throwing techniques are found in the Kojiki, a treatise that was written back in the seventh century AD. This document talks about how to properly throw stones at the enemy. Another ancient Japanese source, Manueshi, depicts arrow throwing techniques. Shuriken was first mentioned in the “War Tale of Osaka Castle”; the same work tells how the warrior Tadamasa threw a short wakizashi sword at his opponent. Later, it was this man who became the founder of the shuriken-jutsu style.

In the chronicles of the 12th century there is often a description of the use of stones in battles. There were even special detachments of warriors whose main task was to throw stones at the enemy. This was called "inji-uchi" or "stone-throwing." Similar tactics were often used later, during the internecine wars of the 14th and 15th centuries. The warriors who participated in such battles were called “mukai tsubute no mono,” which translated means “advanced stone throwers.”

Already at the end of the 13th - second half of the 14th centuries, stones began to be replaced with special metal throwing projectiles - inji-yari (“spear stones”), which in their shape resembled the tip of a spear. Around the 16th-18th centuries, tsubute appeared - metal plates of a round or octagonal shape with a sharpened edge. It is likely that the inji-yari became the predecessor of the bo-shuriken, and the tsubute in the future turned into shakens.

Most likely, bo-shuriken appeared earlier than the well-known “shaken stars”. Even the very meaning of the word shuriken - a blade hidden in the hand - suggests that the first examples of this weapon resembled a blade rather than a polygonal star.

Although, it is quite possible that bo-shuriken originated from ordinary everyday objects that could be adapted for throwing in a duel. Some of them retained the names of their “ancestors” in their names: ari-gata (needle shape), kugi-gata (nail shape), tango-gata (knife shape).

Tsubute were a very common weapon; references to it are also found in the so-called ninja treatises. Naturally, they were not the warrior’s main weapon; tsubute were thrown at areas of the enemy’s body unprotected by armor, trying to injure him or at least distract him.

By the middle of the Edo era, such a type of martial art as throwing shurikens - shurikenjutsu - had already appeared in Japan. It is likely that it was formed from the more ancient art of javelin throwing - bujutsu. Although, it should be noted that the origin of shuriken still remains a mystery. This is primarily due to the fact that the art of shurikenjutsu was secret.

Shurikens had a number of significant advantages, which led to their widespread use. Firstly, this weapon was light in weight and size, which made it possible to carry it secretly and use it unexpectedly for the enemy. Secondly, shurikens were cheap, their production did not take much time and did not require high qualifications from the blacksmith. For shuriken, it was possible to take steel that was not of the highest quality. At the same time, a well-trained fighter could hit the enemy with shuriken at a fairly decent distance. In addition, these weapons could also be used in close combat (especially bo-shuriken) as a knife, stiletto or brass knuckles.

Four-pointed throwing star

There are several schemes for making shurikens. They are all based on the same principle, which is used to form a four-pointed star. This basic model is suitable for beginners. Traditionally, square sheets are used for origami. It takes two squares to make one model.

In more detail, step-by-step instructions tell you how to make origami from shuriken paper:

Fold the two opposite edges of each square toward the center. Repeat the remaining points for each detail.
Fold the resulting rectangle in half.
Bend the diametrically located corners. On the second rectangle, make a fold at the other corners so that you get a piece that is a mirror copy of the first.
Bend the workpiece diagonally on both sides. You got two halves with corners pointing in different directions.
Fold the pieces one on top of the other perpendicularly so that you can connect the corners with the gaps.
Insert the corners into the gaps first on one side and then on the other. Evaluate the final result.

You have received a paper shuriken, which can be made from contrasting shades of paper to make it even more attractive. This is a transformable craft that can be used to make others; for example, it can be turned into a spinner or a bright pinwheel to decorate a holiday table.

The children are very inventive: using four-pointed shuriken, they came up with the idea of assembling a more complex weapon - a bunch of stars. It looks impressive and is large due to the use of 4 to 8 standard shuriken. Such models are most often used by the most avid origami lovers, who have understood the essence of this art and learned to modernize the basic models to suit their needs.

Price, where to buy

The price of pchak ranges from 800 rubles and almost indefinitely, and you can buy such Uzbek national knives either in the “manufacturer” state itself, or in an online store. The cost of the product depends on several factors - what materials were used in production, which master worked on the pchak, and others.

We recommend reading about the types of knives. From the article you will learn about the main forms of knives, their names and characteristics, the materials of the knife blade by type of metal, as well as the rules and criteria for choosing a knife. And here is more information about throwing knives.

Pchak is a national Uzbek knife that can be actively used in every kitchen. It is practical, convenient and requires rare sharpening. It can become an expensive gift or a beautiful souvenir for a real man.

Eight-pointed complex design

One of the models that was obtained by modifying the basic modules is the eight-pointed throwing star. It is called transformative. In appearance it bears little resemblance to Japanese throwing weapons, but is still loved by children. Many boys believe that a star with eight sharp corners is “more dangerous” than the standard one, so they often make this model for games.

There are several options for folding such a craft. They can only be mastered by those who are fluent in the art of origami. Here are step-by-step instructions for one method.

Make 8 modules from square blanks of the same size:

Place the sheet at an angle facing you. If you took colored paper, then the white side should be facing up. You should not take the double-sided option, since the unpainted part will help you during assembly of the structure.
Fold it diagonally and unfold it.
Raise the lower corners to the marked line in the middle of the sheet.
Bend the top sharp corner down.
Fold the bottom corner in the same way.
If you did it correctly, the tip will be flush with the tip of the valve assembled earlier.
Fold the module in half vertically.
Make 7 more elements to assemble a circle of modules.

The model folds very simply: the lower left corners of each module need to be placed in the white pockets of the other.

Using this pattern, assemble the entire eight-pointed star. After the circle closes, you will get paper origami “Eight-pointed Shuriken”.

The described elements can be used to create other crafts, it is only important to use your imagination and understand the basics of fixing them without using glue.

Shuriken weapon

Shurikens are often called the ninja star, since they were used mainly by warriors of the night. They became widespread among Japanese assassins due to the fact that pointed plates, stars with sharp edges and thin blades can easily be hidden under clothing and suddenly, surreptitiously used against the enemy. Taking shurikens of the required shape in two hands, the ninja could not only throw them, but also cut and stab them in close combat. In addition, shurikens helped in climbing trees and were used as chairs when making a fire.

Types of shuriken

Shuriken are divided into many types, usually these ninja throwing weapons are classified into two types: throwing arrows bo-shuriken, and sharpened stars or shariken plates.

Bo shurikens, in turn, come in the form of a stick (hashijo), a sharp wedge (kusabigata), a spindle (bosuigata), needles (harigata), knives (tantogata), etc. There are about fifty types of bo.

Bo shuriken

Most often, ninjas used the well-known throwing “stars,” otherwise called shaken. The variety of shakens is very large (several dozen types): in the shape of a cross, multi-pointed stars or swastikas, in the shape of an iron ring (tekkan).

The most interesting among the shareken are tetsumari shuriken and manji shuriken. Tetsumari shuriken was made from two metal rings in the shape of a windmill wheel. Poison was applied to the pointed parts of the manji shuriken.

Shuriken throwing

The technique of throwing shurikens comes from the skill of throwing all kinds of knives - tanto, etc., and special arrows for throwing utine.

Shuriken throwing techniques

Bo-shuriken is thrown using a half-turn throw (hankaiten-daho) and a no-turn throw (choku-daho). When performing a throw, they try to completely eliminate rotation around the transverse axis. A properly balanced bojo shuriken moves almost straight.

Shakens were usually thrown in batches at high speed, taking turns. When throwing, a twist is required, which is done by gripping the shaken closer to the edges and moving the hand, which resembles a snap of the fingers. With this twist, the movement of the shaken is more accurate, and during a throw in the horizontal plane, a wing effect is created, which increases the flight distance.

The warrior of the night was required to be able to throw shuriken not only accurately, but also unexpectedly, from any position of the body.

Methods of throwing shuriken

Toji no kata - a throw was made with a top-down movement with the hand that was opposite to the leg extended forward.
Hon-uchi - the same as Toji no kata, but the arm and leg were of the same name
Yoko-uchi - throw shuriken in a horizontal plane from the shoulder;
Gyaku-uchi - hon-uchi with the body turned sideways;
Dza-uchi - throw in a vertical plane while sitting on your knees;
Hanza toji no kata - toji no kata sitting on one knee;
Handza hon-uti - hon-uti sitting on one knee;
Hanza yoko-uchi - yoko-uchi sitting on one knee;
Hanza gyaku-uchi - gyaku-uchi sitting on one knee.
Ne-uchi - throwing a shuriken while lying on the ground;
Juji-uchi - throwing two shurikens in different directions at once;
Onken-uchi (“hidden blade”) - an unexpected sharp throw of a shuriken from a hidden pocket;
Inyu-uti - throwing while lying down in the dark;
Haya-uchi (“high-speed throwing”) - alternate throws at high speed with the right hand, while the left hand squeezes a pack of shuriken and with the thumb pushes them out to be fed to the right hand.

Often shurikens were thrown several at a time per throw, which made it possible to deprive an enemy of his sight or to plunge shurikens into both legs.

Shurikens were difficult to throw over long distances, so they were used mainly to delay pursuers or wound an opponent and then engage in hand-to-hand combat.

Basically, shurikens were thrown at the eyes, temples, neck, and areas of the arteries. Due to the fact that shurikens were often thrown at the head, throwing was practiced on a round twenty-centimeter target.

Shurikens also performed auxiliary functions - they were used as master keys, nail pullers, and they cut holes for surveillance.

Carrying shurikens

Assassins carried shurikens in a special pouch on their belts, as well as in numerous hidden compartments in their clothes or sword hilts. The ninja carried about twenty to thirty throwing blades with him.

Article Genre: Ninja

Training to work with “hidden blades” ( shuriken

) was often included in the curriculum of
ninjutsu
, both ancient and modern. But these days, finding a real, working shuriken suitable for practicing strikes or throwing is quite problematic. The most that can be found on the market is a souvenir star, made of shiny but extremely dull metal, barely big enough to fit in your hand. Such a “tool” is of little use, so the question of how to make a real ninja shuriken at home or in limited conditions becomes quite relevant.

From articles about shurikens

, we know that there are two forms of “hidden blades” -
bo-shuriken
and
hira-shuriken
.
Both were used both as melee weapons (like brass knuckles
or
yawara
) and to hit targets at a distance.
to practice taijutsu
with sharp objects without an experienced teacher, and throwing blunt wooden or rubber blanks will not allow you to feel the throw at all - therefore, you may need shurikens of a wide variety of designs and materials.

Making bojo shuriken

First you need to decide on the materials - if you want to practice bo-shuriken

, then in any case you will need a metal weapon (although it is highly recommended to start practicing throwing techniques with knives). You won’t have to make practically anything from scratch in this way, since a huge number of objects in themselves are practically bo-shuriken (you will only need to shorten the source to 18-20 cm, sharpen it and, if necessary, process it with a file):

Thick knitting needles
Checks and crutches
Footed pieces of reinforcement or rod
Nails
Any elongated metal object that you don’t mind sharpening (everything, even old table knives).

If you have a great desire to create bo-shuriken

precisely a specific or original shape, then in this case take care of searching for or purchasing the starting material - a metal, rubber or wooden plate (depending on what you plan to use the finished product for) with a thickness of at least 5 mm and a width of not about 20 cm (see what length of the weapon will be the most comfortable for your hand). Decide on the shape (you can use the sample pictures on the right) and draw the desired result on the plate. Carefully cut/saw out the workpiece and clean the edges. Sharpen the end (or both) and add a “tail” or “wings” if desired (these will help the shuriken keep its direction of flight). Ready.

A less troublesome and more widespread method of personal production of bojo-shuriken

at home is the systematic sawing of the same plate (but here it is better to choose a larger thickness - about 1 cm) into pieces of the above-mentioned length (= the width of the plate). The resulting pack of bars can easily be sharpened and used as a harsh and cheap version of a throwing weapon. Example on the left.

Making a shaken or hira-shuriken

There are practically no analogues for quickly replacing shakens. Bicycle sprockets, radiator plates, and saw cutters, popular for throwing in the Union after the appearance of films with Sho Kosugi, are, of course, scary to look at, but were not exactly what was used in feudal Japan by the military classes. Therefore, practically the only way out here is to create such a “throwing star” yourself.

For shaken

that you want to use as brass knuckles - made of wood and rubber - the manufacturing process is very simple: you again find a plate of the desired material, mark it (three and four-ray stars are better suited for practicing painful point effects), cut out the shuriken and remove the excess with a knife. The thickness in this case will be determined as follows - the thicker the star, the less painful and safe the training will be for your sparring partner. That is, one or two centimeters for a rounded beam will be quite enough.

If you want to make a star that will actually fly and stick into the target, then your only acceptable choice of material is metal. It doesn’t matter which one, as long as it’s hard (or thick) enough and you can’t bend it with your bare hands. The manufacturing procedure will be as follows:

Draw a star shape on the blank. Another way is to print out one of the templates in the pictures below and glue it to the metal.
If the metal is too thick to work with a hacksaw, then you need to drill as many holes as possible on the outside of the marking or template, and then saw through the “partitions” between them.
The resulting “hedgehog” shape must be processed with a file, smoothing out the protrusions and giving the shaken the desired appearance.
It is enough to sharpen only the very tips of the rays, this will be quite enough for them to stick into the target

Optional in the center of the shuriken

(stars) you can make a hole so that you can wear them in a bunch, or sharpen the rays along the entire length.
In this case, it will become potentially traumatic for an inept shurikenja, so be careful. And don't forget - shurikens are melee weapons! In Japan, hand throwing weapons - spears, darts, hatchets, etc. — has not received much development. The only exception is, perhaps, the famous throwing blades, which are called in Japanese.

How to throw shuriken?

Paper is used to make a type of Japanese weapon, the hira-shuriken. It can be thrown from different positions, positioned horizontally or vertically to the target. To throw, the craft is held between the fingers of one hand, and then a throwing motion is made with the hand, pushing the figurine out.

During the flight, the figure must rotate around its axis 360 degrees.

Japanese ninjas threw shurikens so that they broke through flimsy fences and got stuck in a tree. Forbid your child from throwing crafts at animals and people in advance. Give him a target similar to the one used in darts. Even paper can cause severe pain if it hits the eye or solar plexus. Throwing a toy at a target is even more useful; this activity will develop your hand and eye.

Origin story

It is very difficult to trace the history of the origin of the unique throwing weapons of the ninja (after all, you must admit, ninjas do not tell anyone about their secrets). In addition, throwing shuriken, as a form of martial art, was secret - only a select few were trained in it. However, there are some facts about the creation of certain types of shuriken, which were made for certain ninja families.

There were various shapes, sizes - 4-gonal, 8-gonal, and even in the shape of a triangle. The first mentions of shurikens date back to the 16th century - it was then that a certain throwing projectile made of metal with sharpened sharp edges was first mentioned in Japanese treatises. Before this period, the Japanese threw stones in battle (and quite accurately), then came the turn of small spears (the size of a tip). But it was the shuriken that got all the glory as a Japanese throwing weapon.

Let us immediately note that it is, of course, difficult to kill immediately with the help of this weapon - the size does not allow it (we are not talking about damaging vital organs, for example, using a shuriken on the enemy’s throat). However, it was not difficult to inflict significant and painful injuries. Warriors of the night - ninjas - most often unexpectedly wounded the enemy with a steel “star”.

It was possible to cut something or stab in close combat (here death would surely occur - from many small and precise wounds). In peacetime, shurikens were used in everyday life - for example, when climbing trees.

Performing four-pointed shuriken

The four-pointed origami shuriken is performed in stages: first you need to make two paper modules, and then combine them into a “flying star”.

Instructions for creating and assembling elements:

Make a square from a sheet of paper by bending the sheet as shown in the picture and cutting off the unnecessary part.

Fold the resulting square in half and cut it in half.

Bend both resulting pieces in half again.

Fold the corners on each piece. Be sure to pay attention to ensure that the flowing folds are mirrored.

Once again bend the modules along lines symmetrical to the resulting triangles (as in the figure).

To assemble the two resulting parts into a single figure, we turn one of the modules over to the opposite side. After this, we combine it with the first, tucking its free ends into the improvised “pockets” of the other as shown in the figure.

Next, we turn the figure over and tuck the free ends of the first part into the “pockets” of the second.

The four-pointed paper shuriken is ready!

The following video will help to show the process of making shuriken even more clearly:

Please note that the shuriken folding pattern used in the video is slightly different. The basis of the figure is not one large square, but two, each of which is folded four times, which ultimately gives the paper star greater density.

Shuriken throwing techniques

In the ryu that have survived to this day, the training program of which includes shuriken-jutsu

— Katori Shinto-ryu, Negishi-ryu, etc., a variety of different ones are used. Throws are performed from different positions, along different trajectories.

In the technique of throwing bojo-shuriken

a distinction is made between a throw with a half-turn (
hankaiten-daho
) and a throw without a turn (
tTku-daho
). When throwing, they try to minimize rotation around the transverse axis. A well-balanced bojo shuriken flies in an almost straight line. The easiest way is to stick it into the target, sharpened at both ends.

Shakens

they threw, as a rule, in series, very quickly, one after another. They must be thrown “with a twist”, which is ensured by the displacement of the grip to the periphery of the projectile and the “clicking” movement of the hand. Thanks to rotation, the flight of the plate becomes more stable, and when thrown horizontally, the plate rests on the air with its plane (wing effect), which significantly increases the range and accuracy of the throw.

However, Nawa Yumio

notes that in ancient manuals we will not find anywhere descriptions of methods for throwing shurikens. This fact can probably be interpreted in two ways. On the one hand, they could be considered a secret weapon, and in this case the student received instructions on their use only from the lips of his mentor. However, given the widespread use of shuriken among Japanese warriors, this seems unlikely. Rather, the methods of throwing a blade were simply not codified, and each fighter developed his own methods of throwing.

Making an 8-pointed shuriken

The process of making an eight-pointed star using the origami technique is generally similar to creating a four-pointed shuriken. In order to make a paper shuriken with eight ends, you will need to make eight blanks. Moreover, they can be either the same color or multi-colored.

Manufacturing scheme:

For the basis of each module we take a square sheet of paper and bend it twice diagonally.

Then fold the square as shown in the figure.

We fold the workpiece along the line marked with a dotted line and wrap the part located above the dotted line back (as shown in the picture).

We fold the top layer of paper along the red line, aligning points C and B, as well as the sides marked with green lines with each other. We compare the intermediate result with the picture.

We turn the workpiece over to the other side and fold the right side along the line marked in red so that the green lines are aligned with each other.

Next, we bend the corner along the line marked with a dotted line, and the first blank of the future 8-pointed shuriken is ready!

We repeat the previous sequence of actions 7 times and get eight blanks for the future star. You can start assembling!

We open the right “half” of the first (purple) blank and place the left corner of the second component of the future shuriken (pink blank) in the “pocket” of the left “half” as shown in the figure.

We tuck the right bent “half” of the purple workpiece into the “back pocket” of the pink one along the arrow marked in the figure.

Intermediate results from the front and back sides should be as follows:

Similarly, we connect all eight elements of shuriken:

We compare the resulting results from the front and back sides with the picture:

We connect the first and last blanks of the figure with each other: the scheme is the same as when combining elements with each other. To do this, raise the free edge of the last eighth (blue in the picture) of the workpiece to the top layer of the figure.

We turn the figure over to the other side and tuck the free edge of the first (purple) piece into the “floor” of the last (blue) piece in the same way as we connected the pieces together.

The 8-pointed shuriken is ready! We admire the result!

You will learn another interesting variation of making a spectacular transforming eight-pointed star made of paper by watching the video:

Many boys like to make throwing weapons such as shuriken from paper. It can be used in games and entertainment. These four-pointed stars are origami, which is quite easy to make with your own hands.

To create such a throwing weapon, you do not need complex drawings or a template, just dexterous fingers and a sheet of paper. If you don’t want a fight with such shurikens to end in self-harm, or even death, do not use iron in the manufacture; the most you can make this throwing projectile from is cardboard. This is not a treasure sword. And diagrams with descriptions and pictures will help you fold it out of paper, which will clearly demonstrate exactly how you need to bend and fold a sheet of paper to make a shuriken and not a machine gun. What a shuriken looks like in the original will help you imagine a photo or drawing on the Internet.

Many boys like to make throwing weapons such as shuriken from paper

To create ninja shuriken, you need to create a transforming blank.

In this case, a diagram will be described that will help create an 8-pointed star.

You need to prepare the paper. Each module needs its own paper sheet. It is best to do this type of work using paper of different colors.
The sheet is bent diagonally. Then it bends again.
The bottom left edge should be folded into the center of the paper.
Then the upper right corner is also folded into the center of the sheet.
The top paper layer is folded from top to bottom.
The workpiece is turned over. The triangle at the top needs to be lowered down by pulling its upper corner.
The corner formed at the bottom is bent into the middle. This is the final stage of creating a transformer blank.
Now you need to repeat the above steps to make 7 more of the same blanks.
You can start assembling the shuriken. To do this, the right corner of the triangle is turned away from one workpiece. You need to insert the left corner of another workpiece into the formed “pocket”. This must continue until the end.

The 8-pointed shuriken looks very beautiful, especially if it is multi-colored. They can decorate the interior.

Glory of Shuriken

But this was not the only success of using shuriken. After all, in talented hands any weapon will be deadly. What was the glory of shuriken? In throwing technique. Even here there were rules that the warriors strictly followed. For example, bo shuriken was thrown with and without a half-turn - future ninjas learned this technique for a long time, practicing every movement in detail.

The situation with throwing a shaken was even more difficult - here it was necessary to take into account the shape of the weapon. Here, a twist is needed, which ensures a clearer and more accurate movement and an accurate hit on the target.

This can be achieved by holding the shuriken by the edges in the direction of movement of the hand. The last type of weapon was thrown one after another at high speed. In total, a warrior could have up to 30 throwing plates, which he used.

Unfortunately, with the advent of firearms in Japan (and with it, shuriken) they ceased to be used everywhere. After the start, many martial artists went to the front. Not everyone was lucky enough to return from the battlefield. There was no one to teach the intricacies of shuriken throwing.

It would seem that these traditions were doomed to extinction. But Western interest in Japanese culture and traditions again revived the people's interest in throwing weapons.

New martial arts schools have begun to appear everywhere, where young people have the opportunity to touch the mystery of shuriken. And of course, last but not least, shuriken received a second “birth” thanks to films about ninjas - invincible warriors of the night, releasing their deadly “stars”.

In addition to the katana, among the weapons of Japan, throwing blades, which were the “calling card” of hired killers and ninja spies - shurikens, became extremely famous.

Gallery: paper shuriken (25 photos)

DIY 4-pointed paper shuriken: diagram

A boy who wants to pretend that he is a samurai or a ninja should definitely make such a craft.

Master Class:

You need to take a square-shaped sheet. You can tear out a piece of paper and make it square.
Then this leaf is resolved in half. You get 2 rectangles. Alternatively, you can use paper of 2 different colors, so the craft will be much more beautiful.
After this, each rectangle is folded in half lengthwise. You should get 2 new rectangles, but thinner ones.
Now you need to fold the corners of the shapes. One corner bends up and the other corner bends down.
Now the rectangle needs to be folded along the lines. They were symmetrically laid out in a triangle earlier.
Symmetry should be checked at this stage. Two figures are placed side by side. If any of them is larger or smaller, you need to redo the workpiece. The correct shuriken can only be made if both parts are equal.
To connect the parts, the right figure is turned over and carefully attached to the left figure.
The modules are attached to the “pocket” formed at the bottom of the triangle.

A boy who wants to pretend that he is a samurai or a ninja should definitely make such a craft.

At the last stage of assembly, it is necessary to bend the edges of the fastened figures.

Shuriken device

Shurikens consist of bases with or without a hole, teeth with a tip, usually sharpened on one side. A special feature of the design of shurikens is their flat surface, which provides a “wing” effect in flight when thrown with a twist, which makes it possible to throw it over a long distance. The presence of numerous teeth, ensuring almost 100% defeat in contrast to single-bladed throwing melee weapons. The relative roundness in general and the symmetry of the elements ensures flight stability, guaranteeing, if you have skills in throwing techniques, good aiming of the throw.

Like most other types of weapons of the throwing type, shurikens were worn several at a time. Most often there were nine of them, as this number was considered sacred and bringing good luck. The appearance of shuriken also showed the Japanese’s desire for esotericism and mystical symbolism. In order to be convinced of this, it is enough to compare their form with any of the numerous publications devoted to the occult sciences, in which the corresponding symbols are shown. In addition to the information contained in the form itself, mystical signs were sometimes applied to the surface of the weapon. There is no bravado in this, and this was not done for beauty, because the people who made the weapons and used them firmly believed that with their help they could attract powerful otherworldly forces to their side.

In terms of the number of different forms, shurikens are perhaps second only to arrows, however, even among this type of weapon, several general groups of characteristics can be distinguished, according to which it is customary to classify them:

a) for the device as a whole: solid (solid) and folding, consisting of several prefabricated elements, brought into firing position using a push-button spring mechanism; with and without a hole in the base;
b) by design: with a classically expressed base and teeth and with an unexpressed base and teeth, where the base is a direct continuation of the teeth and vice versa without a pronounced boundary between them;
c) by size: small - up to 6 cm in diameter, medium - over 6 cm to 8 cm, large - over 8 cm in diameter up to 12 cm or more;
d) by the number of teeth: three-tooth, five-tooth, four-tooth, six-tooth, eight-tooth;
e) according to the shape of the teeth: triangular, polygonal, figured, crescent-shaped;
f) by type of teeth: needle-shaped, wedge-shaped, diamond-shaped, arrow-shaped;
g) according to the shape of the bases of the teeth: straight, curved to the left (right);
h) according to the presence of sharpening: one-sided and two-sided;
i) by the presence of blades: single-bladed teeth and double-bladed teeth.

For all of the above types, there are a number of general requirements for them: To effectively hit a target, the weight of small shurikens must be at least 60 g. With an increase in the diameter of the shuriken by 1 cm, the weight must increase by 10 g in direct proportion.

Some, unlike the Japanese (they initially made it from improvised materials), believe that the material of manufacture is also of great importance. An indispensable requirement is that it must be sufficiently rigid and hard so as not to deform or collapse when encountering a relatively rigid obstacle when thrown with the maximum effort of an adult man from a distance of 3-4 meters, it is also mandatory to check for “break” Shuriken thrown from 3 -4 meters into the training target, in the form of a wooden board, must enter the obstacle to a depth of at least 5mm

The philosophy behind making your own shuriken.

There are many commercial sites on the Internet offering beautifully made, expensive blades. In various ways, I feel that they lack the true spirit of shuriken. When you look at how blades were made historically, there are a lot of innovations that I think are often missed by most people who visit these sites. In fact, shurikens are nothing more than metal objects adapted to become throwing weapons, and they were made from improvised materials that were most accessible and cheap at that time in Japan. For example, senban shuriken, which are square-shaped blades, were made from a simple metal plate placed under the head of a nail during the construction of buildings. Since they had a shape that was already close and easy to throw, its edges were simply sharpened and it was ready for use. In the same way, bo shurikens, square and triangular in cross-section, had this shape because they were made from nails and other improvised materials. It was an expression of the search for something that was functionally available to accomplish the task at hand with a minimum amount of rework, and it was an expression of a fighting spirit more than the expensive and aesthetic extravagance of perfectly made and beautiful looking blades. This mercantilism does not correspond to the Japanese idea of simplicity, naturalness and practicality, the desire to do only what is necessary and achieve the best results without excess. Secondly, I think you can get a lot more satisfaction out of making your own shurikens. I'm sure the ancient ninjas, ronin and bushi made such weapons with their own hands rather than buying them from a forge or anywhere else. Part of developing this technical skill is researching the properties of different materials and different shapes to find out which ones are best and making changes accordingly in your own products. Making your own blades also allows you to develop a deeper understanding of the weapon and the art. Looking at the incredible variety of blades that were used in shuriken jutsu, we can see that there really is no "ideal shape"; rather, what was readily available and could be turned into a sharp, practical and effective weapon by simple sharpening , which was easy to learn to throw with proper training.

TECHNIQUES OF THROWING

Unlike the western arrow (dart), the center of gravity of which was located closer to the pointed end, and the flight of which was really flight, the weight of the shuriken was evenly distributed over its entire area. Consequently, a special grip was required to ensure a hit on the first throw and not hit the target at an obtuse angle, which would significantly reduce the force and effectiveness of the strike. The shuriken was held (shuriken mochikata) in the palm, pressed tightly with the thumb. It lay between the outstretched index and middle fingers. The greater the distance to the target, the deeper the shuriken was placed in the palm before throwing.

Shuriken is thrown (shuriken nagekata) with a slashing motion that starts from the shoulder and passes through the forearm to end at the fingertips. There are two main types of grip. With a direct (masugu) grip, the tip of the shuriken lying in the hand faces outward. In the reverse grip version (kaiten), the tip is turned away from the opponent and rests under the thumb. Shuriken can be thrown with throws: top (omote), side (uoko) and bottom (gyaku). The top one is the simplest and most powerful. Side and bottom throws are not as powerful, but since they are more difficult to notice and predict, they are quite unexpected for the enemy. With any method, shuriken can be thrown straight or with a half-turn. Shurikens are thrown from various positions (ichi). Ninjas practice throwing while standing, running, kneeling, sitting, lying on their stomach or back, as well as throwing two shuriken simultaneously in two different directions.

Paper shuriken: the simplest origami pattern

This fun activity is perfect for keeping the kids occupied. In addition, the operating scheme is as simple as possible.

At the first stage of work, you need to make a square from a piece of paper. To do this, one edge of the rectangular paper should be folded towards the opposite edge. The part of the sheet that remains at the bottom must be cut off.
The diagonal of the square is collapsed. In order to do this, you need to bend the upper right corner diagonally. Excess paper is cut off.
Now the preparation of parts begins. The squares are folded in half. Rectangular shapes were formed.
The resulting figures are cut to length with scissors. Instead of a knife, you can use a special paper knife; it is easier to work with.
Now it is important to bend each piece of paper along its length. You need to align the edges of the shapes by bending the corners diagonally. In this case, one corner of the figure is bent down, and the other is bent up.
Now the figures need to be compared. They should be a mirror image of each other. If the figures are not equal, it is recommended to remake one of the two blanks. Otherwise, you won't be able to make the right shuriken.
Now each figure needs to form a triangular fold. To do this, the top edge is bent diagonally.
At this stage you can begin assembling the shuriken. One figure turns over to the other side. One part is placed perpendicular to the other. This is how their connection should occur.
The upper corner of the lower part is folded into the previously formed “pocket”. A similar action is performed with the lower corner.
Now the design needs to be carefully turned over with the front side facing the needleworker.
We need to keep turning all the corners.
Then the final fold is made.

To make the craft last as long as possible, it is recommended to wrap it with tape. This will prevent it from falling apart.

What tools and materials do you need to prepare?

Working on shuriken is working with paper. This type of creativity, like any other, requires the master to prepare materials.

Working on shuriken is working with paper

In this case, you will need the following materials:

Paper sheet. This can be ordinary A4 printer paper or colored paper. The ideal option for creating shuriken would be to use special origami paper. You can find it in stationery stores.
Scissors or paper knife.
Scotch. It is not necessary to use it, but with it the shuriken will last much longer.

How to make shurikens video

The video shows detailed step-by-step instructions for making metal throwing stars.

Warning: Remember that the shuriken we made is very dangerous and you need to handle it very carefully - do not swing it, do not hold on to the sharpened edges, and even more so, do not throw it at other people.

Article genre - Japanese weapons

In addition to the katana, among the weapons of Japan, throwing blades, which were the “calling card” of hired killers and ninja spies - shurikens, became extremely famous.