Ninjatō

The ninjatō (忍者刀), ninjaken (忍者剣), or shinobigatana (忍刀) , are allegedly the preferred weapon that the Shinobi of feudal Japan carried. It is portrayed by modern ninjutsu practitioners (including Masaaki Hatsumi and Stephen K. Hayes) and is prominently featured in popular culture. Replicas of this weapon are also prominently on display in both the Koka Ninja Village Museum in Kōka, Shiga and the Iga-ryū Ninja Museum in Iga, Mie. Historically, there is no physical evidence for the existence of this "katana-like short sword legendarily used by ninja", though it is believed that they are based on the design of the wakizashi or chokutō swords.

History

Because of the lack of any physical evidence or antique swords from the Sengoku period to the Edo period (16th to 19th century) matching the description of the ninjatō, the history of the weapon can only be reliably chronicled from the 20th century onwards.