Kusarigama

Kusarigama at Iwakuni Castle

The kusarigama (鎖鎌, lit. "chain-sickle") is a traditional Japanese weapon that consists of a kama (the Japanese equivalent of a sickle) on a kusari-fundo – a type of metal chain (kusari) with a heavy iron weight (fundo) at the end. The kusarigama is said to have developed during the Muromachi period. The art of handling the kusarigama is called kusarigamajutsu.

Methods of use

Attacking with the weapon usually entailed swinging the weighted chain in a large circle over one's head, and then whipping it forward to entangle an opponent's spear, sword, or other weapon, or immobilizing his arms or legs. This allows the kusarigama user to easily rush forward and strike with the sickle.

A kusarigama wielder might also strike with the spinning weighted end of the chain directly while still outside the range of an opponent's hand weapon.

In popular culture

• In the manga and anime Vagabond, Shishido Baiken uses a kusarigama.
• In the anime and the manga series of Soul Eater, Black Star wields a kusarigama as his weapon.
• The demon slayer Kohaku from the manga and anime Inuyasha wields a kusarigama.
• Hattori Hanzō is depicted wielding a kusarigama in the manga and anime Naruto as well as in the video game series Samurai Warriors.
• Ryu Hayabusa uses a kusarigama in some games of the Ninja Gaiden series.
• In the 2012 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon series, Michelangelo often uses a kusarigama in addition to his traditional pair of nunchaku.
• In the game League of Legends, the champion Thresh, the Chain Warden, uses a kusarigama.
• In the fifth season of the cartoon Samurai Jack, the assassin Ashi uses a kusarigama.
• In the game For Honor the Shinobi uses kusarigamas.
• In the game Nioh, one of the available playable weapon type is the kusarigama.
• In the anime RWBY, Emerald Sustrai uses a pair of short kusarigama.

Image gallery

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See also

• Chigiriki
• Kusari-fundo
• Kusarigamajutsu, the art of handling the kusarigama
• Kyoketsu-shoge
• Okinawan kusarigama, Okinawan chain and sickle weapon
• Chain weapon
• Grappling hook

Sources

• Oscar Ratti and Adele Westbrook, Secrets of the Samurai: The Martial Arts of Feudal Japan (1973)
• Ellis Amdur, Old School: Essays of Japanese Martial Traditions (2002)