Small weapons, concealed weapons, secret weapons

Figure 3-5 Women wllh fukuro shinai in the 6-oku. This woodblock print by Ut,lgawa Toyokuni depKts women in the 6-oku. the area of the castle or palace reserved for women. Note that four of me women are using what appear to be fukuro shinai (bamboo practice swords covered with leather). or possibly even bokutO (wooden swords). (Author's collection)

SMALL WEAPONS, CONCEALED WEAPONS,

SECRET WEAPONS ------------------------------------------------

Certain Edo-period jujutsu schools developed weapons that were used to maximize the effects of atemi when attacking the vital points of the body. These same minor weapons were sometimes called by different names by the different schools. Although some weapons were used exclusively by the school that had developed them (this was often the case with some of the more "exotic" weapons), others, though varying slightly in appearance and sometimes known by differenl names, were used in a number of schools.

Some general terms often encountered in connection with certain categories of minor weapons are kobuki ("small weapons"), kakushibuki ("concealed weapons"), and hibuki ("secret weapons").