Ninja Gear

Bokken (wooden sword)
This is a wooden copy of the katana, designed to simulate that sword’s weight and other characteristics. It is used to practice swordsmanship since it does not cause cutting injuries. Wielded aggressively, however, it can cause injury from the force of the blow. The bokken requires sword proficiency, not club proficiency. It shares a weapon proficiency eith the katana.

Broad sword (darn dien)
This Chinese rapier is longer than the western short sword, but has a lighter blade.

Katana (samurai long sword)
This single edged, slightly curved sword ends in a chisel point. It is perhaps one of the finest types of sword made, noted for its superior construction and design. Great care is taken in making the katana, and the forging and construction of it is considered a rare and valuable art. The weapon smith must labor long hours to achieve the correct temper of the blade. When correctly made, the blade is light, well balanced, strong, flexible, and resilient. The quality of the metal and forging allows the blade to be ground to a razor-sharp edge. In addition, such blades are often beautifully decorated with etched designs, prayers, or family lineages. Equal attention is given to the hilt, guard, and scabbard of the weapon. Katanas may have individual names, reflecting deeds of glory in which they have been used. For the samurai character, the katana is more than just a sword. It is part of his honor and the honor of his family. It is his personal weapon, not to be used by others. To touch the scabbard of the sheathed katana is to insult the samurai. To draw the blade without permission is a graver insult. A single katana may have been in the same family for generations, becoming a treasured heirloom. To lose such a weapon is a shameful disgrace that can be swept clean only by the recovery of the weapon and the punishment of those who have taken it. Many samurai have given their lives to recover a family weapon. The value of a katana can vary greatly depending on the quality of workmanship and the history of the weapon. The price listed in Table 24 is for an average weapon. Others may be of greater or lesser value, depending on the quality.

Long sword
Several varieties of long sword are used by ninjas, chiefly the straight-bladed sword from which the katana evolved.

Ninja-to (Ninja sword)
This is the ninja’s standard sword. It is approximately the length of a short sword, making it easier to conceal on the body. The blade of the ninja-to is straight and lower quality than that of katana. However, in keeping with the ninja’s methods, the sword and scabbard have multiple uses, which vary from ninja to ninja. Some of these uses include secret compartments in the hilt of the sword or tip of the scabbard for carrying powders, poisons, or daggers.

The scabbard is normally longer than the sword and opened at both ends, allowing it to serve as a blowgun or breathing tube. The stiff, strong, scabbard can also be used as a hanbo or the rung of ladder.
Strong silk cord may be wrapped around the scabbard, to be unwound for climbing. Other devices can be attached or hidden within this weapon.

No-daichi (two-handed sword)
This is the equivalent of the western two-handed sword. It is constructed more like the katana or ancestral long sword, having a narrow, slightly curved or straight blade and a minimal circular or octagonal guard.

Parang (chopping blade)
Parang is both a tool and a weapon – a heavy-bladed machete capable of delivering chopping blows of great force. It is commonly found in the hands of primitive tribesmen, who use it for everything and are seldom found without it.

Short sword
Many varieties of short sword are used by ninjas. Some are better-made parangs, others include the darn dien.

Tetsu-to (iron sword)
This odd weapon is basically an iron bar shaped in the fashion of two-handed Oriental sword. It is a heavy weapon used for strength training, not combat, and is very slow to use.

Wakizashi (samurai short sword)
This is a short sword, similar in design and construction to the katana. Like the katana, the wakizashi may be named for some past deed or event. It holds almost as important a place in the samurai’s honor as his katana. Those rules and guidelines concerning the katana and its care also apply to the wakizashi when it is part of a matched set. The wakizashi and the katana are normally worn as a pair by samurai characters. This pair is known as daisho, or ”long and short.” In many lands, the two-weapon combination is a sign of samurai status. Anyone other than a samurai who wears the long and short swords together is subject to arrest or immediate execution.