Samurai Weapons

Kusarigama are interesting weapons which evolved from Kama; the farming sickle, to incorporate a length of chain with a weight at the end.

Kusarigama are a notoriously difficult weapon to master, but someone skilled in Kusarigamajutsu can use the weapon in a variety of ways, such as…

• Swinging the weight on the chain to distract or strike an enemy before moving in with the blade.
• Disarming an enemy at range by entangling their weapon.
• Entangling the enemy themselves.
• Striking a deadly or injuring blow to the enemy with the weight.
• Holding the weight and swinging to strike the enemy with the bladed end.

Kusarigama certainly added a whole new dimension to the Kama, particularly greater range.

Of course, Kusarigama from different regions and periods vary, but the most prominent difference is some Kusarigama have the chain attached to the upper-end of the weapon (usually on a loop on the near side of the blade, or to a hold made in the near of the blade) or to the butt of the handle. Differences also occur in the length of the blade, the size and shape of the weight as well as chain length.