Wikininja
Register
Advertisement
Ninpiden

Different versions of kaginawa in the ninpuden

The kaginawa (grappling iron), or grappling hook, was a climbing and descending device consisting of a pronged hook with roughly 3 to 5 meters (12 to 15 feet) of rope attached. The kaginawa was used to scale walls or to swing across large gaps, however, it could also be used as a weapon. By holding the rope and swinging the hook over the head, a shinobi could strike his opponent with the prongs of the hook or the rope could be used to entangle the enemy and enable the shinobi to strike with another weapon. It could also be used to overturn boats.

According to the Bansenshukai shinobi manual, spikes erected along the edges of castle walls would be ripped down by grappling hooks or ropes. These spikes were called shinobi-gaeshi, they were intended to keep shinobi from climbing over.

Natori Masatake states in Shoninki shinobi manual that it could be used to retrain and tie someone up, to lock a sliding door, to climb, and much more. In the text, he mentions a thin rope called konawa, and how his school passes down, through oral tradition, a secret technique which uses this rope. Although he did not write down the technique, he does mention that the konawa could be attached to the saddle of a horse if needed. When descending from a high place, a rope should be used, if the shinobi doesn't have one he could tie up his clothes to create a temporary rope.

The Giyoshu military manual mentions a grappling hook in which the head is made out of a rake called an uchikagi. Both the Giyoshu and the Shoninki manuals mention running a cord through bamboo cylinders with coins between them to create a grappling hook with a good grip.

4d9febc7

Shinobi would carry a long cord with them and attach it to a doorway or exit. The cord would be reeled out behind the agent as to not lose his way in the castle or mansion he's infiltrating. When he's done or simply needs to escape he would follow the cord back out.

Portable bridges and temporary structures were used to cross rivers and bridges. The shinobi's task was to discover the length , width, and dept of a moat and report the dimensions, or to cross it in secret at night.

This page uses Creative Commons Licensed content from Wikipedia (view authors). Smallwikipedialogo.png

Gear

Throwing Weapons
Shuriken Grenade Bo-Shuriken Blinding Powder
Bladed Weapons
Wakizashi Katana Yari Shikomizue
Ranged Weapons
Bo Staff Bow Blowpipe Arquebus
Equipment
Medicine Grappling Hook Caltrop Stone Pencil
Clothing
Straw Hat Chain Mail Disguise Tenugui
Advertisement