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Kusari-fundo

Kusari-fundo

Kusari-fundo (鎖分銅) is a hand held 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) ("ten thousand power chain") or just manriki.

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 arresting weapons.

Wielders

  • Shoichi Nakamura