Hira shuriken

Shuriken

The Bo-shuriken are a type of Japanese throwing weapon. They consist of a 12-21cm length of iron or steel usually with four faces but were sometimes known to be round or octagonal. Some had a single pointed end and others were pointed on both.

Hira shuriken usually resemble the popular conception of shuriken. They are constructed from thin rounded plates of metal, often with a hole in the centre and sharpened edges. They are used in the same way as the Boshuriken but also as a slashing weapon. Shuriken were also sometimes coated in poison - one method of this was to bury the shuriken in dirt and animal faeces in order for it to carry a bacterium.