Chain weapons

Kusari-fundo:

The chain (kusari)

The kusari of a kusari fundo. Typically the length of the forged chain could vary from around 12 inches up to 48 inches. The chain 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 were usually exactly matched in size and shape but on some of the related chain and weight weapons the weights could be completely different from each other, with one weight being 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, hexagon, and rectangle. The weight could be fairly light or quite heavy with the typical weight being from 56.25 grams to 112.5 grams

Use:
The use of the kusari-fundo was taught in several different schools ry as a hidden or concealed weapon and as a self defense weapon. The kusari-fundo was useful when carrying a sword was not allowed or impractical, samurai police of the Edo period would use a kusari-fundo as one of their non lethal arresting weapons.

History:

There are several chain and weight weapons with one type known as a konpi being mentioned in manuscripts as far back as the Nanbokucho period (1336-1392). The founder of the Masaki ry Masaki Tarodayu Dannoshin Toshiyoshi (1689-1776) 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.

Chigiriki:

Japanese chigriki, chain and weight weapons, one with a hollow iron staff and one with a hollow wood and iron staff. The chigiriki is a Japanese flail weapon. It consists of a solid or hollow wood (sometimes bamboo) or iron staff with an iron weight and chain on the end, sometimes retractable. The chigiriki is a more aggressive variation of the parrying weapon kusarigama. It can be used to strike or entangle the opponent as well as to parry his blows and to capture or incapacitate an opponents weapon. The stick can be as long as the wielder's forearm or longer, while the length of the chain could also be of various lengths. The iron weight could have spikes and its shape could be round or be multi sided. Its origin is not clearly known. Chigiriki belong to the furizue family of weapons (brandishing-sticks), which was any type of stick or staff with a chain attached and it is also one of the shinobi zue weapons (ninja staffs and canes), shinobi zue were often hollow and had multiple uses such as hiding other weapons such as shuriken or as a blow gun or a breathing tube. Chigiriki-jutsu is the method of training using a ball and chain attached to a stick. The chigiriki is said to be used by the Kiraku ryu and the Araki ryu schools