Kusarigama – Japanese weapon in the shape of a sickle

If you have ever watched anime or even Japanese movies, you may have seen a character using this weapon. The kusarigama is a traditional Japanese weapon in the form of a sickle with a small handle and a chain.

The sickle of the weapon is called kama [鎌] while the chain is called kusari [鎖] thus forming the word Kusarigama [鎖鎌]. At the end of the chain, there is a dagger to hold the weapon, which seems quite dangerous to use.

One should not confuse the kusarigama with a sickle used by farmers, especially in Feudal Japan. The kusarigama could not be used or carried openly. The weapon has been developed and used since the Muromachi period, which began around 1330.

Not just anyone could handle this weapon well. So much so that the use of this weapon is compared to an art, which was called kusarigamajutsu. If handling a Nunchaku is already difficult, what can be said about a sickle at one end and a long chain?

The Art of Kusarigama

The methods of use and fighting with this weapon varied greatly. The art of mastery kusarigamajutsu is a combination of various combat styles and even martial arts. This allowed its bearer to quickly change tactics, depending on the opportunity or need faced.

The basic attack of this weapon was to swing the chain, with a weight of iron at the end, in circles above the user’s head. After this movement, the chain was thrown forward, with the aim of entangling the opponent’s weapon. Another goal was to immobilize the legs or arms of enemies. This allowed for an approach to attack with the sickle.

Unlike what is often shown in movies and anime, users of the kusarigama do not throw the sickle at enemies. Because, practically speaking, throwing the sickle is not effective at all. It would be quite difficult for this movement to cause damage to the target; it could instead come back and harm the user.

Another way to attack using the kusarigama was to throw the iron weight directly at the opponent. This weight could have spikes or even small claws. This caused serious and even fatal injuries to enemies. Another advantage of this weapon was that when thrown, the bearer could easily retrieve it by pulling the chain.

The Popularization and Curiosities of Kusarigama

The fame and increased use of the kusarigama came in the 12th century, in Feudal Japan. So much was the popularization that the art of handling the kusarigama was soon spread by the Kohga Ha Kurokawa Ryu, one of the oldest and most well-known schools of Japanese martial arts.

One of the most famous users of this Japanese weapon was Yamada Shinryukan from the 17th century. He became a notable teacher of kusarigamajutsu. He was responsible for the deaths of many swordsmen due to his excellent skill with the kusarigama.

Unfortunately, he was defeated by a swordsman named Araki Mataemon. This swordsman lured Professor Shinryukan into a bamboo grove. The thick bamboo limited the professor’s space to swing the weapon’s chain. Taking advantage of this, Mataemon seized the opportunity to knock down and kill Shinryukan with his sword.

Another user of the kusarigama (perhaps the most well-known) was Shishido Baiken, who lived during the Edo period in Japan. The existence of Baiken is not 100% proven. Nevertheless, it is said that he was one of the most skilled with the kusarigama.

Unfortunately, he died in a battle against the legendary samurai Miyamoto Musashi. The samurai threw a knife, out of reach of Baiken’s weapon. The knife hit Baiken, knocking him down, and then Musashi struck him with a sword.

Shishido Baiken was portrayed in the manga Vagabond, which sold over 82 million copies worldwide. He also appeared in games such as Ryu ga Gotoku Kenzan! by SEGA for PS3 and in the game Guilty Gear.

If you want to know more about the fight and history of Miyamoto Musashi against Shishido Baiken, you can buy their books and mangas below: (Hold on, the article continues)…

Other Appearances of the Kusarigama

• In the anime Naruto, the character Hanzou, a legendary ninja from the Village of Rain, has a kusarigama as his main weapon;
• Mayuri Kurotsuchi in the anime Bleach also uses a kusarigama, taken from his ear;
• In the game League of Legends, the characters Thresh and Akali use this weapon;
• In Tokusatsu Jiban, the character Chambaranoit uses a Kusarigama as a secondary weapon;
• In games like Kingdom Under Fire, Shadow Fight 2 and 3, Kingdom Under Fire, Nioh, and several others, the kusarigama can be used as a playable weapon;
• In the animated film Kubo and the Two Strings from 2016, one of the villains uses this Japanese weapon;
• We can find this weapon in many other movies, mangas, animes, and games;

Below, watch a video of how a real fight with the Kusarigama works:

What did you think of the Japanese weapon in the form of a sickle? Did you know about this weapon? If you liked the article, don’t forget to share and leave your comments.