Bo Shuriken- Making and Throwing them at the Ottawa Medieval Sword Guild Camping Weekend

Shuriken, the "inside-the-hand blades" so famously associated with the Ninja of feudal Japan, remain a subject of continuing interest and misunderstanding in the martial arts. We had the opportunity to practice with a version of these throwing weapons this past weekend, a Civic Holiday in Ontario: it's a fun recreational activity, and deserves a little explanation.

The Jinenkan Ottawa Dojo follows the Togakure Ryu tradition of deploying two general types of throwing blades: senban shuriken, which are thin, flat plates with four sharp points; and bo shuriken, the long, straight single-pointed spikes. The techniques of throwing these weapons are called shuriken-jutsu, or alternatively shuriken nage ("shuriken throwing"). Shuriken are the signature weapon of Ninja is movies, manga and other forms of popular entertainment. However, they were probably used by a wide range of traditional warriors. Other classical Japanese martial art schools retain these weapons as a minor part of their curriculum, and utilize various forms of blades. Schools such as the Yagyu Shinkage Ryu, Negishi Ryu and Katori Shinto Ryu include shuriken-jutsu, and occasionally demonstrate their skill publically. Besides the kinds of blades discussed above, historically other designs were used, probably descended from nails, needles, knives, or carpentry tools. Generally, shuriken are not thought of as a decisive or lethal tool, but rather as a supplemental weapon to distract an opponent, enabling escape or a decisive strike with a primary weapon.

Summer, with its hot, hazy days, is the perfect time for relaxed outdoor activities, such as camping with friends. This past weekend, a few of us were graciously granted permission to attend the Ottawa Medieval Sword Guild (OMSG) Camping Weekend. This four-day event is held every summer, courtesy of the Woods Farm located south-west of Ottawa. Since we have friendly relations with the OMSG and the Ottawa School of Western Martial Arts (OSWMA), we've been attending on-and-off for a few years. Many of the participants are archers, or otherwise enjoy recreational weapon throwing, including knives and axes.

I made the bo shuriken the week before the camping holiday. In preparation for the event, I bought 18 eight-inch steel nails. I then measured them against my own hand, and decided on a final length of approximately six inches. I cut off the flat heads and excess length with a hacksaw; then, I used a quarter-horsepower electric bench-top sander to flatten the ragged end and bevel it for safety. Next I tackled the points: the large nails provide an easy guide, as their heads are already facetted. However, it's relatively easy to lose track of the facets, and grind them unevenly, so attention to detail is critical. It wass important to rotate the shuriken frequently, and ensure I wasn't taking off too much from one side; from each facet, the point should have approximately the same angle. Also, I learned quickly that steel gets hot very quickly when sawed or ground, so it's important to be careful. I always used shop glasses while the grinder was on. The results were 18 bo shuriken, weighing approximately 2 ounces (50 grams), with needle-sharp, shiny points.

I should point out that, in retrospect, these do not conform to Togakure Ryu bo shuriken, in that they are less than 8.5 inches, are round along the shaft instead of four-sided, and do not taper towards the blunt end as well. However, for speed and ease of creation, as well as experimental purposes, they proved adequate.

I've had the opportunity in the past to simulate shuriken by throwing short wooden dowels into styrofoam. Because even the blunt ends of the steel shuriken would punch into styrofoam or cardboard, I made some simple targets by using styrofoam insulation and covering them with woven straw beach mats. The result had an effect similar to tatami mats: the tight straw weave won't part unless struck point-on by the shuriken, making this more demanding. At the Woods Farm, I placed the targets on archery blocks, make of sandwiched cardboard in wooden frames. This ensured the targets were at approximately torso-to-head level. The archery blocks were located in a dedicated archery range, with a solid earthen-and-timber backstop for safety.

Setting a distance of approximately 6-8 feet (2 meters) from the target, we held bunches of nine shuriken in the left hand, taking one at a time into the right hand. Unlike senban shuriken, we tried to "push" them through the air, with as little spin as possible. In the interest of full disclosure, many people grasped the throwing technique more quickly and intuitively than I did: I marveled at how some people made changes to how they threw the spikes, when such changes suited their bodies, and the results it produced. All the photos below reflect trials by other people than myself. The record was six full sticking hits, out of nine launched. In each case where the shuriken stuck, the sharp point penetrated the straw cover and styrofoam to a depth of at least an inch. From the sounds of the impacts, we realized that even a two ounce steel spike packs considerable impact. Note the tendency to strike the right-hand side of the target; most of the throwers were right-handed.

Though the shuriken throwing was an informal event, we attracted a fair number of participants and watchers; I've found that members of the Western martial arts community are inquisitive and open to sharing information and hints. For a hot, humid day on a beautiful piece of forested farm land, it was a great recreational activity; something fun to do outdoors, and then retreat into the shade for a cool drink and more conversation. On behalf of the Jinenkan Ottawa Dojo, I thank the OMSG, the OSWMA and the Woods Farm for hosting the Camping Weekend, and everyone for the frienship and hospitality.

Under Canadian law, the senban shuriken and other "star" or multi-point shapes are not legal. Since the prohibition apparently does not extend to bo shuriken, we restricted our making and practicing to this type. This places bo shuriken nage in the same category as recreational knife-throwing, or even tournament pub darts. Any such training is for informational and historical purposes only; the Jinenkan Ottawa Dojo does not condone carrying or use of any weapon, shuriken or otherwise, and takes no responsibility for their use or misuse.