''Kusari-fundo'' ( 鎖分銅) is a handheld weapon used in feudal Japan consisting of a length of chain (''kusari'') with a weight (''fundo'') attached to each end of the chain. Various sizes and shapes of chain and weight were used as there was no set rule on the construction of these weapons. Other popular names are ''manrikigusari'' (萬力鏈) ()Ratti, Oscar; Westbrook, Adele. ''Secrets of the samurai: a survey of the martial arts of feudal Japan'', Tuttle Publishing, 199
p. 317
/ref> or just ''manriki''.

Parts

The chain (kusari)

Typically the length of the forged chain could vary from around 12 inches (30 cm) up to 48 inches (120 cm). The chain links could have many different shapes including round, elliptical, and egg-shaped. The thickness of the chain also varied. Usually the first link of chain attached to the weight was round and often larger and thicker than the rest of the links of the chain.

The weight (fundo)

The weight attached to each end of the chain could have many different sizes and shapes. The weights usually exactly matched each other in size and shape. On some of the related chain-and-weight weapons, the weights could be completely different from each other, with one weight much longer than the other, like a handle on one end, or one weight could be round while the other weight could be rectangular. Weight shapes include round, hexagonal, or rectangular. The weight could be fairly light or quite heavy, with the typical weight ranging from 2 ounces (56 grams) to 4 ounces (112 grams).

Use

The use of the ''kusari-fundo'' was taught in several different schools, or '' ryū'' (流), as a hidden or concealed weapon and also as a self-defense weapon. The ''kusari-fundo'' was useful when carrying a sword was not allowed or impractical, and samurai police of the Edo period would often use a ''kusari-fundo'' as one of their

non-lethal Non-lethal weapons, also called nonlethal weapons, less-lethal weapons, less-than-lethal weapons, non-deadly weapons, compliance weapons, or pain-inducing weapons are weapons intended to be less likely to kill a living target than convention ...

arresting weapons.

History

There are several chain and weight weapons. One type known as a ''konpi'' is mentioned in manuscripts as far back as the

Nanboku-chō period The , also known as the Northern and Southern Courts period, was a period in Japanese history between 1336-1392 CE, during the formative years of the Ashikaga shogunate, Muromachi (Ashikaga) shogunate. Ideologically, the two courts fought for 50 ...

(1336–1392). Masaki Tarōdayū Dannoshin Toshiyoshi (1689–1776), founder of the Masaki-ryū, is said to have developed a version of the ''kusari-fundo'' while serving Lord Toda, as a bloodless weapon that could be used to defend the grounds of

Edo Castle is a flatland castle that was built in 1457 by Ōta Dōkan in Edo, Toshima District, Musashi Province. In modern times it is part of the Tokyo Imperial Palace in Chiyoda, Tokyo, and is therefore also known as . Tokugawa Ieyasu established th ...

Legality

In the

Republic of Ireland Ireland ( ), also known as the Republic of Ireland (), is a country in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe consisting of 26 of the 32 Counties of Ireland, counties of the island of Ireland, with a population of about 5.4 million. ...

, the ''kusari-fundo'' (''manrikigusari'') is classified as an illegal offensive weapon. In

Massachusetts Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...

in the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

, carrying a manrikigusari in public is considered a felony.

Image gallery

Image:manriki kusari-fundo.JPG, A replica ''kusari fundo'' Image:Manriki kusari.JPG, An antique ''kusari-fundo''. Close-up of the weight ''(fundo)''.

Popular culture

* ''

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'' (''TMNT'') is an American media franchise created by comic book artists Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. It follows Leonardo (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), Leonardo, Donatello (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), D ...

'' features kusari-fundos being used by Karai and the Foot Clan. * ''

Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles ''Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'' is an American animated television series developed by Ant Ward and Andy Suriano for Nickelodeon. Based on the ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'' created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, it is a re-im ...

'' features a mystical kusari-fundo as the character

Michelangelo Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni (6March 147518February 1564), known mononymously as Michelangelo, was an Italian sculptor, painter, architect, and poet of the High Renaissance. Born in the Republic of Florence, his work was inspir ...

's main weapon of choice. * ''

Sluggy Freelance ''Sluggy Freelance'' is a long-running webcomic written and drawn by #Author, Pete Abrams. Starting in 1997, it is one of the oldest successful webcomics, and as of 2012 had hundreds of thousands of readers. Abrams was one of the first comic art ...

'' has a character named Kusari who uses the weapon.

References

External links

* {{Japanese (samurai) weapons, armour and equipment Samurai chain weapons Chain weapons of Japan Ninjutsu artefacts