Kanabō
The kanabō (金棒; lit. 'metal club') is a type of large, two-handed club used in Japan from the 12th to 16th centuries. The rod is cut into the shape of a hexagonal or octagonal prism, and the sides are reinforced with metal plates or embedded with sharp spikes for greater lethality.[1] Weighing 3.0 to 5.0 kg,[1] it is a tremendously heavy weapon that is capable of immense destruction.[2]
This weapon first appeared in the Genpei War (1180–1185) that established the military as Japan's governing institution. With the advent of samurai culture, the kanabō garnered prestige as a weapon signifying might and valour because only the physically strong could wield it.[1] It continued to see use into the conflicts of the Sengoku period,[1] where it was favoured by the African samurai Yasuke. His great strength allowed him to utilize it effectively in battle.[2]
Behind the scenes
The kanabō will be a weapon usable by the samurai protagonist Yasuke in the 2024 video game Assassin's Creed: Shadows.[2]
Appearances
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Ichikawa Sadaharu [市川定春]. (2023). "Bludgeons" [打擊]. In Dictionary of the Weapon [武器事典] (3rd ed.), translated by Lin Tsit-i [林哲逸] and Kao Yin-liang [高胤喨]. Taipei, Taiwan: Cite Publishing Ltd., pp. 167–202.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2
Assassin's Creed Shadows Explained – Samurai, Shinobi, and Feudal Japan on the Ubisoft YouTube channel