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How to Throw a Shaken or Ninja Star
The throwing star shuriken, known as hira shuriken, or shaken, use an entirely unique criteria in flight than do the bo shuriken, as they spin at a brisk rate, and have multiple points which can stick into the target. There are different techniques for throwing the star. Dr Hatsumi, current Head Master, or 33rd soke of Togakure Ryu Ninjutsu, shows throwing the shuriken as one would throw a small Frisbee. This is the method I prefer. The blade is held parallel to the ground, between the thumb and first finger. The wrist makes a flicking action forward as the arm straightens out in front of the thrower's stomach. Several shuriken are held cupped in the left hand like a stack of coins, and are passed to the right hand in rapid succession. Shirakami Aizo however, states that this method is wrong, and that the blade is held and thrown vertically, in much the same way as a bo shuriken. You will need to practice both methods to determine what style is the best for you. Several books are written with different styles. You can research them by clicking here. http://www.martialartsgear.com/Books/Ninja_And_Ninjitsu/Ninja_And_Ninjitsu.shtml
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The Essence Of Ninjutsu
Men are helpless
only when they see themselves as helpless.
The present is out only opportunity for power.
The passage of time controls and bends all things
only when we believe in the passage of time.
The future lived is merely yet another.
Now.
The Essence Of Ninjutsu The Historical Ninja
The Essence Of Ninjutsu
A ninja popularity boom has been developing in Japan over the past decades, and the public has been flooded with movie, TV, and paperback novel ninja characters. Almost exclusively, the ninja have been portrayed as overlooking all concepts of right and wrong and all morality in order to accomplish their self-serving aims. Recent trends in the Western world have also attempted to potray the ninja as mere technicians of violence who feel justified in supporting any cause for the right amount of money or power. From polar extremes of the political spectrum, mercenaries and terrorists alike enjoy claiming a kinship to the netherworld ninja heroes of feudal Japan as depcited in the popular media.
None of these concepts comes anywhere close to the real ninja. Uninformed writers and self-promoting entertainers have merely used the art of ninjutsu to cater to audiences seeking the exotic and unusual. I must say that there is really nothing wrong with the entertainment industry bending the lore of the ninja to fit the demands of the public. However, it is a little surprising that Japanese and American audiences would believe that the weakly-researched flights of fancy fiction writers were the true essence of ninjutsu. It is even more amazing, and a little amusing, that after awhile, the writers and entertainers become recognized as ninja authorities, and soon, anxious followers are busy billing themselves as actual practitioners of ninjutsu. This is happening in Japan and also the West.
Founder of the system, Daisuke Nishina of Togakure Village, after the defeat at the hands of Heike troops, Daisuke escaped from his birthplace in Nagano and took up residence in the remote region of Iga. There, he took on the name Daisuke Togakure, and later was credited with founding the Togakure ryu ninjutsu.
Sensei Masaaki Hatsumi
34th Grandmaster
Building a Shuriken
THE OLD WAY OF BUILDING THIS WEAPON IS A VERY COMPLICATED TASK. FIRST YOU
MUST BUILD A LIMESTONE FURNACE, WHICH TAKES ABOUT TWO MONTHS. THEN, YOU CAN
START BUILDING YOUR WEAPONS. YOU MUST ALSO KNOW HOW TO FORGE THE WEAPON.
Throwing Stars can now be purchased inexpensively. They come as practice stars and as surgical steel stars. The surgical steel are high quailty and are razor sharp. Remember, they are not toys. If you would like to check out the stars we have, click here.
http://www.martialartsgear.com/Rangedweapons/index.shtml
A Story from James Madden
Ninja Weapons, Martial Arts Supplies, Martial Arts Gear:
Thinking back many years, I can still remember when my father gave me my first real knife. I was a Cub Scout at the time and the knife was a Cub Scout pocket knife. That knife went everywhere that I went. Although it was not much of a throwing knife, it spent many hours bouncing off trees. The thrill I would feel when the knife finally stuck into a tree is a sensation I still have trouble explaining.
Perhaps part of that sensation came from the fact that for the first time in my life I felt some type of physical control over things outside my immediate reach. I felt the same kind of excitement by breaking a bottle with a rock from thirty feet or by hitting a target with an arrow from across the yard. I have found that this same sensation is shared with and sought after by a great many other people, and I feel that it goes back to a very primitive time in man's past.
In the years since obtaining my Cub Scout knife, I have met many people who have shared my interest in throwing knives, as well as tomahawks, spears, and other primitive weapons. Oddly enough, although interest in these weapons appeared to be widespread, the knowledge of how to throw them correctly was not. Written material on throwing weapons seemed almost non-existent or at best very sketchy, and experts were few and far between. It seemed as if throwing weapons was almost a lost art.
As my interest continued to grow, I spent many hours practicing, experimenting, and talking to people who were knowledgeable and informed about the art of throwing weapons. Additionally, I read whatever material was available on this subject. With time and practice, I was able to work out the basic fundamentals for throwing many different types of weapons. I have spent many enjoyable hours pursuing this hobby and sharing it with others, and I would like to share it with you now.
Along with learning the technical aspects of throwing weapons, I found the history and development of these early weapons quite fascinating.
Rather than simply present a manual on how to throw these weapons, I have also included some of the historical and developmental background of these weapons. By doing this, I hope to provide you with an interesting and wellrounded approach to the art of throwing weapons.
James W. Madden
