Tekagi-shuko

Tekagi-shuko

Tekagi-shuko (手かぎ手虎 lit. "Tiger hook hands"?) and neko-te (猫手 lit. "Cat hands"?) were two of the many kakushi buki (隠し武器 lit. "hidden weapon"?) deployed by the ninja of Japan. The main ryu (school) of ninjutsu that deployed such weapons were of the Togakure-ryū.

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Tekagi-shuko

Although many variations of this particular weapon existed, they typically consisted of two metal bands conjoined by a leather strip - one fitting around the palm and the other around the wrist. The upper band featured a variety of spike/claw-like protrusions that were useful for both offensive and utilitarian purposes, as well as in defensive techniques (disarming and such). The use of this weapon is still taught by the Bujinkan dojo under Masaaki Hatsumi and the Jinenkan under Manaka Unsui.

Neko-te

The Neko-te (cat paw or cat claw) is a name given to several contraptions fitted in or over the hand, with sharp blades or pins sticking out. Some of these original neko-te that were shaped like metal gloves had pins standing up from the metal plate covering the back of the hand, designed to trap other weapons and leave minor damage when required, while the long claw-like tips of the fingers were used to stab at arteries and other vital areas, and to scratch through exposed skin.

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