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KAGINAWA


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I have written very little of late, ... so thought I might toss out to the membership a small but sometimes vital piece of Samurai gear. It is difficult to write much on an item so straight forward and pretty much self explanatory however many of you will know little or anything about the item. The item to be discussed is known to the Japanese as a KAGINAWA .... kaga being the word for hook and inawa being the word for rope.

 

The kaginawa was a three to four armed iron hook generally forged from a single piece of iron with a ring attached to the opposite end of the hooks.

 

This ring facilitated usually a short length of chain and attached to the chain was a rope. Here is a good definition: A grappling hook device with multiple hooks (known as claws or flukes), attached to a rope; it is thrown, dropped, sunk, projected, or fastened directly by hand to where at least one hook may catch and hold. Generally, grappling hooks are used to temporarily secure one end of a rope. They may also be used to dredge for submerged objects. Historically, grappling hooks were used in naval warfare to catch ship rigging so that it could be boarded.

 

In the case of trying to scale a fortification wall, the kaginawa would be swung around and around above the head of the user by the rope and once momentum was gained it would have been released in an upward swing and hopefully would pass over the stone or wooden top of the wall to be scaled, there lodging itself securely by one or more of it's hooks to allow the user and others to climb the fortification wall. The short piece of chain attached to the bottom of the kaginawa proper would help prevent the abrasion of the rope.

 

The example I picture was acquired a few years ago now, and is made of iron. Overall length including the chain is 29 inches ( 73 1/2 cm ) and the main part of the kaginawa is 7 inches ( 18 cm ) to where the hooks curve. Each hook is 4 inches around the curve long ( 10 cm ). The nice thing about this example as compared to say a hook used by a peasant to hang items from the rafters of a house is that this example has a well executed brass cherry blossom on one side and whom ever took the time to put it there had one hell of a time as the hole for the pin went crooked and came out about 50 degrees above the entrance. Just a nice bit of character and certainly not designed to hang items from a rafter.

 

I could find drawings ( woodblock ) of the kaginawa in use, but for the life of me I could find nothing in print relating their use in a particular battle or siege. Photographs attached and as always any errors or omissions are mine alone.

 

... Ron Watson

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Dear John,

Before writing that short piece on the kaginawa, ... I did a good deal of research. I was able to find many articles and/or photographs and woodblock prints dealing with fire fighting in old Japan. I was able to find all of the common tools used in such endeavours including tobikuchi ( fireman's axe ) of varying lengths, ryudosui (water pumps ), ladders, even the sasumata-yari ( crescent shaped ), water buckets, no end of specialized clothing, and was somewhat surprised to see an annual Firefighters Memorial Ceremony where ladder acrobatics are demonstrated. Please see here : http://www.pinterest.com/samuraiantique ... ku-and-eq/ and here : https://tokyobling.wordpress.com/tag/ladder-acrobatics/ Please be sure to scroll down the entire article.

 

Now, I am sure a firefighter in old Japan used whatever tool was useful and/or available .... possibly a Kaginawa should it be handy, .... but I can find nowhere where the kaginawa was a standard fire fighting tool which your short comment would lead the reader to believe.

 

I accept constructive criticism, or alternatively a different point of view so long as you've done your homework and back up your argument. I see nothing of this in your reply.

 

... Ron Watson

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I was thinking of the Meiji period, when a lot of these newer western style fire brigades were formed, as having used them. True, no documentation in drawings or wood block prints of them, but, standard in western brigades. I guess this proves nothing per Japan in the real sense though. Here is an excerpt from an Oct 19 1859 fire in Victoria; "I was present at the fire Tuesday morning last, and although I put in some `big licks' in the way of crying `fire' until I was hoarse and helped to roll the hose from the reel when we arrived there, having thrown as much mud and whiskey in the fire as anyone else in the crowd.... Come, gentlemen who are engaged in the collection of subscriptions to start the Victoria Fire Department, let us understand, where we are to stand and how we are to act, but above all don't stand still and let valuable time go by. Get the hooks, ladders, grapnels and axes prepared at once and ready to be used when needed...". Of interest in the same town was the competiton between different brigades, just like Japan. Chief Joseph Wrigglesworth relates, "I remember one night, a bitterly cold one it was, with deep snow on the ground... there was a big fire on Langley Street in a building owned by Dr. Mathews. The "Tiger" was the earliest to reach the conflagration and laid hose down the street. A few minutes later the 'Deluge' arrived and attached to their engine. The men of the Tiger engine, infuriated at such an act, demanded that it should be taken from the `Deluge' and attached to their engine. The Deluge men refused. Then started such a fight as I've ever seen or participated in. We went at it hammer and tongs stumbling about in the snow. Nobody thought of the fire. It burned itself out." John

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Such hooks were used during the last stages of the siege of Constantinople (in 1453) .When the outer wall (the fortifications had two walls but only the outer one could be manned by the defenders) was destroyed by the Turkish guns, the defenders managed to raise a wooden palisade, topped with barrels filled with earth. Therefore, during the several assaults which ended with the fall of the city, the Turks used grappling hooks to tear apart the palisade and drag down the barrels.

This use of the grappling hooks is well documented by quite a few contemporary sources.

 

I guess that these Kaginawa would have been used under similar circumstances, against wooden defensive works. Or in naval warfare, of course.

 

Trying to climb the walls using a rope under enemy fire during a siege seems a bit extreme even for warriors who don't put too much value on their own lives. Maybe during surprise attacks, when using ladders would be impossible?

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Dear Brian,

The Kaginawa in this case was forged from one piece of iron. Even the chain is hand forged. Being well experienced in the appearance of rust both from age and of artificially induced I can vouch for this piece being much older than Meiji. You are right the addition of the mon would not be something one would find on a piece of fire fighting equipment nor a hook for hanging items from a rafter. I found it amusing the trouble whomever added the mon went to get a hole through the iron. He had a heck of a time.

... Ron Watson

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Ron

Thanks for the very interesting links. I once read that in Old Japan, firemen attending a blaze would have a standard bearer, who would plant his banner into the ground and stand alongside it whatever happened, even if the fire advanced upon him. Whether this is true or not I don't know. Also read that firemen together with yakusa were very keen on full body tattoos.

 

Getting back to the main subject, I'm posting a picture of a koro that I have, hope it's of interest.

Mick

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Dear Mick,

While we're on a bit of a tangent here ( Japanese Firemen ), ... the banner you refer to was called a matoi. Each Fire Brigade had a different shape of matoi for identification and for what ever reason took displeasure if another fire brigade showed up at a fire they were fighting. The Hikeshi ( firemen ) were both revered and feared as they were often ruffians ready at the drop of a hat to fight others as well as fires. Perhaps because of this camaraderie ... Body Tattoos became synonymous with the Hikeshi. Firemen had a strong group mentality, expressed in manifold ways. Attached to my response is a photo of a fireman's hook ( tobikuchi ) in my collection for your interest.

 

By the way, ... I think the word Koro ( usually a Japanese brazier ) or alternatively among the Asian community a medical Syndrome associated with genital shrinkage :shock: !

 

I think the photograph you posted would be better simply classified as a 20th century bronze ( patina and style ). By the way I do like it

 

... Ron Watson

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To further the discussion about this grapnel, I have been contacted by someone who specialises in Japanese weapons and fire fighting equipment. They agree that it is not for fire fighting, my bad, western influence did not surplant the good staff hook tools they already had. I include some pertinent remarks, "First the name, Kaginawa, is probably mistaken, since this name contains the term nawa which means "hemp rope" (Japanese are extremely particular about the naming of their tools, I doubt they would use the word hemp rope for a chain in any circumstances. Proper kaginawa were used as grappling hooks to scale fortifications. A chain grappling hook would have been impossible to use efficiently due to its weight (you can't throw it far enough to be meaningful). As a weapon, Kaginawa were used to disarm, trip and then immobilize sword wielding opponents by swiftly unravelling the rope and binding the stunned opponent. They were mostly used by women or people of non-samurai status who were not armed with swords to defend themselves." and "The tool in the photo in the discussion threads looks to me like a 鎖竜蛇, a Saryuda, or more likely a 鎖熊手, a Sakumade (iron rake), if I were to interpret this as a weapon.

However, I do not think that this is an antique weapon. Rather I think this is civil defense tool made sometime between 1930 and 1945 (most probably 1940-1942). The mon that you mention is in the form of a sakura and it is of a different color metal (brass?). I have seen this kind of sakura (cherry blossom) mon on other civil defense tools and equipment from the era I mention." John

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Dear John,

I have no idea where you came up with your " expert ", but here is the definition of kaginawa that I used : Kaginawa (鈎縄?) is the combination of the words kagi meaning hook and nawa meaning rope. [1] The kaginawa is a type of grappling hook used as tool in feudal Japan by the samurai class, their retainers, foot soldiers and reportedly by ninja. Kaginawa have several configurations, from one to four hooks. The kagi would be attached to a nawa of various lengths, this was then used to scale a rather large wall, to secure a boat, or for hanging up armor and other equipment during the night.[2] Kaginawa were regularly used during various sieges of miscellaneous castles. The nawa was attached to a ring on one end which could be used to hang it from a saddle

 

Tomorrow, John I will take the item in question to the Post Office and have it weighed. I personally feel I would not have much trouble swinging this grapple EVEN with the very light chain attached. In fact having the bit of light chain attached would in my opinion aid in getting momentum to carry the grapple upward and over a wall. It would be more effective for momentum than just hemp rope attached to the hook.

 

Now, ... the second suggestion your acquaintance made that this was some sort of weapon for entangling your sword wielding enemies makes no sense, ... since the grapple is overly large for this type of employment when a much smaller grapple would have been more efficient.

 

Then your knowledgeable acquaintance goes on to say that he does not think it a weapon at all ( neither do I, ... so on that point we agree ), but that it is a Civil Defense tool manufactured between 1930 and 1945 ( most probably 1940 - 1942 ) Could you please give me credit at least for knowing OLD HAND FORGED Iron from something manufactured long after hand forging was in general use, ... and could you at least give me credit for knowing rust patina after all the years experience you know I possess in the field of antique weaponry ? I assure you this item is much older than the Meiji period let alone the 1940's !

 

Your friend is correct in the sakura mon being brass, .... did they not have proper drills back in the 1940's as this pin hole is drilled/punched at about a 50 degree angle from the perpendicular ???

 

I have no idea whether your acquaintance/collector is Japanese or not, .... but I will challenge his expertise in this field from what I have just read any day of the week.

 

You are free to challenge my observations as you see fit, .... but please give me the benefit of seeing photographic example of what Civil Defense items carrying this type of emblem he is spouting on about. I have seen none ! Perhaps the sakura mon was a later addition but I doubt it very much. It irks me to be challenged on hearsay.

 

... Ron Watson

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I was reporting what was related to me. This is out of my comfort zone, but, I am relaying the info as explained. It seems from what has been explained and from pics of kaginawa that the main problem is the chain. The use for entanglement and hojojutsu is well documented on the web, even, going so far as to be on various ninpojutsu sites. It was also mentioned that the hand forging of tools in Japan has been and still is an ongoing trade. As to patina and attribution of age, me personally I have to defer to your analysis. I have no dog in that hunt. As I mentioned via PM, I have made grapnel, grappling irons/ hooks for the marine industry, and they are almost of identical pattern. There isn't much to innovate with these simple tools. When I made heavier ones, chain was used as a leader to prevent chafing of the rope or cable from the rocks, debris or salvage etc. on the bottom. That is the rub, the chain. What do you think, maybe?, possibly? or bugger off you're wrong? John

Oh, I just wanted to add being a sailor we had to toss weighted light lines to shore to pull cable to tie up to deadheads for mooring. These were weighted with a lead filled monkeys fist tied to a light line. Maybe at most 8 oz. plus line weight excluded and in good conditions 100 ft a good throw. In wind considerably less. Just something to consider, the weight being able to be tossed. J

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Kaginawa were regularly used during various sieges of miscellaneous castles. The nawa was attached to a ring on one end which could be used to hang it from a saddle

 

Ron, is there any contemporary source that would confirm the use of these Kaginawa for climbing the walls during the all out assault of a stone castle? (not to try a surprise attack during the night or something like that).

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Gentlemen,

 

besides your unnecessary 'wrestling' for more competence I enjoy the subject of this post which is educational.

 

I would like to add that most likely the KAGI was not forged of one piece of steel but usually three or four strands are forge-welded to form the main beam which is then bent into a ring on it's upper end. This way would be the easier one, but it is technically possible to cut open a thick iron bar into four strands. This would require a bigger fire and more hammer work.

 

If I remember correctly, there was a famous duel between MIYAMOTO MUSASHI and a KUSARIGAMA fighter the name of which just escapes me. In weapons, so it seems, using a very light chain made more sense than a rope. In climbing a wall, pulling down a burning house or for marine purposes, a short chain end plus a long rope appears to make more sense.

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The Kaginawa in this case was forged from one piece of iron.

 

Looks like a seam/join right down the middle of the pictured piece.

Probably two piece construction with the upper portion of each piece split into two and the hooks forged. Then each piece with two hooks forge welded together to produce the four hooks.

Interesting piece and story.

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It seems from what has been explained and from pics of kaginawa that the main problem is the chain.

 

I'm a rigger and have used grapples and climbed more rope than is good for you...or me, anyway, which is why my back is broken nowadays.

The short chain is no problem to throw whatsoever. It is fairly necessary to make a safe grapple.

You have almost zero control where the grapple places itself, so it is very unlikely to land on the outside lip of the wall which is the only safe place a chainless grapple could hold. Rope running over the edge of a wall is worn away very quickly under the erratic force of a climber: it's not a smooth force, it's jerking up and down and from side to side. Without a chain, hemp rope would part very quickly.

 

No offence to your 'expert', I like him, but if he wants to comment anonymously, he should change the background to his photos...

;)

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The short chain is no problem to throw whatsoever. It is fairly necessary to make a safe grapple.

You have almost zero control where the grapple places itself, so it is very unlikely to land on the outside lip of the wall which is the only safe place a chainless grapple could hold. Rope running over the edge of a wall is worn away very quickly under the erratic force of a climber: it's not a smooth force, it's jerking up and down and from side to side. Without a chain, hemp rope would part very quickly.

 

 

And that's only the "mechanical" part of the problem, so to speak. If using a grapple hook to climb the wall during a siege, the soldier doing it would be totally defenseless during the climb. On any wall higher then 30 feet or so, I'd say the chances to reach the top alive were next to zero if the walls were properly manned.

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Dear Jean C., Lee, John :

Jean and Lee, ... you two gentlemen are correct and I was incorrect when I earlier responded to Brian that my kaginawa was forged from one piece of iron. I believe it was Lee's sharp eye that picked up on a faint seam line. Upon close examination, I now see that this kaginawa was indeed forged from two pieces of iron expertly forged together. For someone who prides himself with noticing the smallest detail, ... I fully enjoy being corrected and in turn not only teaching but LEARNING !

 

Both Jean C. and Lee picked up on the fact that a short piece of chain for a scaling grapple not only aids in its handling but in its being able to handle the rigours of abrasion from the stone wall while being used to scale as opposed to only rope which would quickly separate.

 

Now, ... John, ... I just got back from the Post Office and the weight of the kaginawa including chain is 505 grams or 17.81 ounce ( barely over 1 pound ). I realized the weight would not be a problem in throwing the grapple, ... but I had the advantage of actually having it in hand. Even so, I was somewhat surprized at it only weighing just over 1 pound.

 

In conclusion, ... I hope we have all come to a consensus that this kaginawa was probably designed for scaling walls ( among other naval possibilities ).

 

I would also like to assure Jean C. that I have the upmost respect for John Stuart and value his input. If I make my points in debate rather strongly, I accept full responsibility for being perhaps too aggressive ... a flaw in my character. It should not be taken as a dislike or a put down in any way towards John or anyone else. I try to research before I write an article in hopes that I get it right. I am very happy that perhaps our debate has spurred an interest in an otherwise diminutive part of Samurai history.

 

... Ron Watson

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Yes, interesting in that this is not something that comes up in discussion every day. It gets the old neurons firing and it is appreciated for the chance to learn new things and hear about things people have done in their work-a-day lives. Rigger, blacksmith, etc. John

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I don't understand your point. We were discussing the chain, not the height of the walls or the speculated life or death of the climber...

 

The chain was a part of the discussion about the intended purpose of this item. I completely agree that, without a chain, the rope would be subject to abrasion if the grappling hook was used for scaling walls. What I don't understand is how someone was supposed to survive such an attempt if done during an assault, when the defenders would have ample opportunities to throw/shoot at him various things ranging from spears and arrows to plain boulders while he would have absolutely no chance do defend against these attacks or evade them in any way.

 

When it came to scale enemy walls during assaults, the ladders were the first and obvious choice. Sometimes the use of siege towers was required, against particularly stiff resistance, when not even the ladders allowed the attackers to climb the walls fast enough to stay alive.

 

I can understand using grappling hooks to scale walls during surprise attacks at night, probably wrapped in some sort of cloth to avoid making too much noise. But in such a scenario I guess that the chain wouldn't be used, they would go for the setup that John posted in a photo a few messages ago.

 

The grappling hook and chain combo makes perfect sense in naval warfare, where you don't want the rope to be instantly cut by the enemy while you try to drag the enemy boat's rigging.

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Dear Adrian,

Your concern for the Samurai or more probably Ashigaru climbing a wall using a grappling hook is commendable. Keep in mind that MANY grappling hooks were probably employed during a siege and if you have only one or two survivors inside a fortification they can wreck havoc. Otherwise the grappling hook if used singly would most likely have been employed by cover of darkness. Since when did those of authority not send men to sure death.

My Grandfather was a Captain during WWI and was ordered by his superiors to " go over the top " with his men. He advised me that upon hearing the whistle he climbed over the top of the trench and turned his head slightly to call his men onward when a bullet entered his left cheek and removed a goodly portion of his lower right jaw upon exiting. He survived, only to be wounded twice more later in the war and was also gassed. In war you do as you are told period !

 

Grappling hooks have been used by armies from medieval times right up to the famous use at Pointe du Hoc on D-Day to the Vietnam War. I have an example from the Vietnam War that was rocket fired and used the retrieval by hand pulling the rope to detonate trip wires on booby traps.

 

Your idea of war my friend is romanticised. There is nothing romantic about war.

 

... Ron Watson

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I can understand using grappling hooks to scale walls during surprise attacks at night, probably wrapped in some sort of cloth to avoid making too much noise. But in such a scenario I guess that the chain wouldn't be used, they would go for the setup that John posted in a photo a few messages ago.

 

The grappling hook and chain combo makes perfect sense in naval warfare, where you don't want the rope to be instantly cut by the enemy while you try to drag the enemy boat's rigging.

 

I see what you mean, now.

I'm not sure cloth wraps would cover much noise from a pound of steel hitting your roof or wall, especially as those points scrape across the surface before finding purchase.

 

I don't see why it couldn't be multi purpose. "Hey, Mr.Wall climbing/ship snaring Samurai - your house is on fire!"

;)

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Your idea of war my friend is romanticised. There is nothing romantic about war.

 

... Ron Watson

 

Ron,

There's nothing romantic in not sending your soldiers to certain death, particularly when the chances of achieving any result worth mentioning are non existent.

 

I know that WWI saw some of the most idiotic orders being carried out by vast number of soldiers but that has nothing to do with our little discussion. I don't doubt that many samurai would have followed order even when facing certain death, what I doubt is that the warlords would have issued such an order when they perfectly knew that there were virtually no chances of success.

 

 

Even using ladders only worked against depleted or insufficient garrisons. Using hooks and ropes would have been just suicide as long as the defenders had anything to throw at the attackers.

 

Anyway, I guess we could just try to find out if there are known contemporary sources that speak of (or depict) grapple hooks being used during assaults against stone castles in medieval Japan.

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Hi all

 

Well here is a subject I know a bit about :D

Kagenawa were used for a variety of uses within a number of bujutsu ryuha...mostly combat oriented but also such mundane uses as fishing nets and Anchors. Combat at sea was assisted in the application of using them as a grapple to "arrest" the other vessel. Castle sieges were also assisted by "sneaky" infiltrators as the kakenawa was a easy to manage implement.

Direct combat application of the kakenawa was used often in a grappling manner, sometimes in assistance to another weapon. From what I understand there is very few "true" schools that continue to practice classical techniques due to the difficulty in mastering them. I can say having had the privilege of experiencing some of the techniques that they can be quite cruel and painful......pic is of a three pronged variety.

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Dear Adrian,

Yes there are contemporary woodblock prints and/or drawings of the Kanigawa in use, ... but as I recall like virtually all woodblock prints are highly romanticised. I spent a couple of hours today going through several books page by page looking for an example for you but to no avail. Part of the problem being my library just on the Japanese must involve nearly a hundred books !

 

Your statement : " what I doubt is that the warlords would have issued such an order when they perfectly knew that there were virtually no chances of success. " What the hell are you talking about ?? WWI has nothing to do with the same subject you say ?? Exactly the same my friend sending men to their certain death in war whether a Samurai Warlord or a British General is the same. Read: The Battle of the Somme for goodness sake. It makes most Samurai campaigns look like a walk in the park !

 

... Ron Watson

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..what I doubt is that the warlords would have issued such an order when they perfectly knew that there were virtually no chances of success.

 

Even using ladders only worked against depleted or insufficient garrisons. Using hooks and ropes would have been just suicide as long as the defenders had anything to throw at the attackers.

 

How about sending 100 samurai at the front wall with ladders while slipping 10 men round the back with grapples?

 

Beeston castle, near my familys home, is situated on a large hill, one side of which is vertical rock face. The area above the rockface was not as well defended as the rest of the castle. In the English civil war, eight men scaled that rockface in the middle of the night and took the entire castle. Would you have given that order or led the assault?

War is war, not logic.

 

Kam seems to have the way of it. A multi use tool. Maybe some were made for a specific task, hard to say.

That Ron's piece is well made and 'customised' with a mon may just be down to individual taste - some of us use custom made knives while others are happy with production pieces.

 

Good topic, Ron.

Cheers.

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There is a fair bit of literature that makes mention of the use of kakenawa in castle sieges etc. I believe the historian Stephen Turnbull makes mention of them in his publications with historical references.

 

;)

 

A few pics I could quickly locate, the first 2 are prints showing the "kake" portion attached to poles as opposed to rope, emphasizing the multipurpose ability.

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