Lecture No.3: The direction for uses of the weapon of the ninja
The direction for uses of the weapon of the ninja (summary)
Lecturer: Hiromitsu Kuroi
A carried tool and the attire which was to put on when stealing into enemy's castle or residence under the darkness at night, was a working clothes with the navy color which is called "KURE-dying", a farmer in Iga・Koga area in those days, his ordinal clothes wore because the character was detected when there were something to which ninja is peculiar.
When something to be carried by farmer's clothes, and not to be doubted, would be farm implement, and thick double edged sickle (called Otokogama) was often used to break, and to steal in.
The rope of abates which made by the tree with a prickle a barrier to protect from enemy was difficult to cut with a sword, so sickle was effective to use. As other way to use, four sickles tied together to use as an anchor, or tied with a long knotted rope with a sickle could be used as a ladder. A sickle was also to be used to protect one's self.
The ninja who disguise self as various occupation, and invades hostile area couldn't often carry a weapon. When saying a ninja, people imagine a throwing knife, but anything to find out a weapon by a look couldn't be possessed. The long nail, which was to be used as a throwing knife, was also to put in a gap of stone wall to be used as a climbing tool. The clamp, which was often used by a carpenter, and also used like a throwing knife, is big iron U-shaped nail with both ends bent which has a various size and shape, was used to link a wooden piece together. A clamp is used even now and is sold at a home improvement center. It was in everywhere like a long nail, so it wasn't better to be doubted at that time.
A clamp was used to remove a door and steal in, or to destroy an enemy line like a claw bar. About 30centimeter long of big clamp was also to be used as a climbing tool in the following situations:
・to go to the height which doesn't reach only by hand
・climb a tree
・put in a gap in stone wall to climb up
Also, put wooden piece together by clamp bound it up with a string and a raft is made to go down a river, or across the water-filled moat.
When sleep in the open, it was to arrange in parallel crosses to use as a trivet to put a pot or a kettle.
The ninja was carried the tool which can be used multipurpose by one. Today, there are deluge of handy gadgets. It would be rarely to consider how to use beside the original purpose of usage, so it could be good to learn in wisdom of ninja who utilized an ordinary tool for the various uses.
