Bokken: The bokken is a wooden sword, built to represent the real thing. It
is primarily used in training, but Miyamoto Musashi killed at least one person
using a bokken.
Katana: The katana is a single edged, slightly curved sword. The total length of the sword is about three foot, there are many variations. The katana is forged from two steels; one soft, one hard. These two metals are heated and folded many times, the making of a katana is an art in it self. When well made the katana is light, well balanced, strong, flexible, and resilient. The
quality of the forging allows the blade to be razor sharp.
Ninja-to:
This is the famous sword of the ninja. It has a straight blade approximately 19 inches long. The tsuba or sword guard is usually square in design, and the end of the saya or scabbard is usually pointed. By
this design the ninja could stick his sword in the ground and use the handle
as a step to climb up to something out of reach, then the ninja would pull
up his sword with a string or rope previously attached. No-Dachi: The No-Dachi is a great sword, usually five to seven feet in length. It has similar construction as the katana. It
was best used on horse back.
Ko-Dachi: Built exactly
like the traditional Katana, but the blade is shorter, and thicker, but not
as short as the Wakizashi.
Wakizashi: The wakizashi is the samurai's short sword. Wakizashi blades are usually around two feet in length. They were often carried together, a matched pair of katana and wakizashi are called a daisho. It
is constructed in the same manor as the katana.
Knives
Aikuchi: The Aikuchi is a short dagger with a cutting edge of
about 9 inches that was carried by samurai. It has no tsuba or hilt guard.
Tanto: The tanto is a knife, the blade is constructed much like that of a katana. It has varying lengths usually the blade is under seven inches.
Pole-arms and Staves
Bo: A bo is a six foot staff usually constructed of wood.
Cane: A cane is basically a walking stick, preferably one with a hook at the end.
Hanbo:
A hanbo is a three foot staff made of wood and is sometimes wielded in
pairs. A
variation of the hanbo are called escrima or kali sticks, which are sometimes
used in pairs.
Jo: A jo is a four foot staff usually made of wood.
Konsaibo: The konsaibo is a hardwood staff reinforced with metal
strips and often had heavy iron nubs along its upper portion, it was a lighter
version of the tetsubo.
Magari-Yari: Similar in appearance to the trident, the side blades are set at right angles to the central blade, points turning slightly inward.
Nagemaki: Type of naginata with a heavy very long blade mounted on a shorter, sturdy staff.
Tetsubo: One
of the early weapons transferred from the Asian continent to Japan. The tetsubo, or iron staff, came in various shapes and lengths, with circular or hexagonal, or octagonal cross-sections. Only the strongest warriors could be proficient in its use as it was very heavy.
Naginata: A naginata is usually six to eight foot staff with a curved sword-like blade at one end.
Shinobi-Zue: A ninja staff weapon with a chain hidden in one
end with a lead weight attached to it.
Sode-garami: This
was used to catch the sleeves of a swordsman. Click on the picture
for a close up of the barbs.
Miscellaneous Weapons
Chigiriki: This deadly weapon consists of a chain 3 to 10 feet in length with a lead or cast iron weight at one end. The other end is attached to a staff which varied in length. It
was used to ensnare a sword or to entangle the opponents legs or arms, or hit
the opponent with the metal weight at the end
Fukiya: Poisoned pins or darts shot through blow guns, used by the ninja.
Jitte: A jitte is a metal fork of sorts, used to catch and disarm swords.
Kama:
Kamas or sickle were originally and still are farmers tools. They were made into weapons by ninja. They
are usually wielded in pairs.
Kanzashi: These are sharp pointed ornamental hair pins used
by the women of feudal japan for self-protection. The sides were
spoon-shaped and usually contained deadly poison.
Kusari-Gama:
The kusari-gama is basically a kama with a three foot chain attached to
the base of the handle. The chain usually has a weight at the end. This
is also a ninja weapon.
Kyoketsu Shogei: This is what the real "Ninja Grappling Hook" was. It
had a pointed metal hook attached by an 17 foot rope to a metal ring.
Metsubishi: This was blinding powder used by the ninja to blind an opponent momentarily allowing the ninja to escape.
Manriki: This
is a chain weapon about two and a half feet long with one metal weight
on each end. The above picture is of kusari fundo, there is also another type called manriki gusari witch have smaller weights. An
interesting note about the Manriki was that it was especially popular with
the palace guard of Japan, because it was sacrilege to spill blood on palace
grounds, but the chain could strike, strangle and entrap without wounding.
Nage teppo: An early hand grenade usually thrown into enemy encampments to cause damage and confusion.
Nunchaku:
This was originally intended to be a wheat flail. It has two 2 foot
hardwood pole attached by a foot long chain or rope.
Ono: The ono is a pole axe about six foot in total length, with a very large axe head, it was used mostly by the yamabushi or warrior monks of japan.
Sai: The sai is a two pronged knife used to catch weapons and pull them out of their wielder's grip. It
is usually not sharpened and a more defensive weapon.
Shuko:
Shuko or "Ninja claws" are nasty weapons used to cause nasty lacerations on your opponent. Against
popular belief climbing was only a secondary use.
Shuriken:
Shuriken a.k.a. the ninja star or Chinese star, was the throwing weapon
of the ninja there are many variations and usually there was a "clan shuriken" that was kind of like a signature or trademark of a particular clan. Shuriken
were usually dipped in various poison by the ninja.
Tessen: The
tessen is a metal fan, there are two types one which is solid metal, and
the other witch has metal strips, with canvas or fabric in between that
folds out into a fan. The folding ones sometimes had razors lining the outer edge so it could be used to cut. They
were also used by samurai to signal commands during battle.
Tetsubishi: Tetsubishi are the caltrops of the ninja, they
were used to aid in the ninja's escape or cause a distraction.
Tonfa: The tonfa was originally a handle to a grinding wheel, now it is used by police forces everywhere. The tonfa is your standard billy club or night stick.
Torinoko: Firecrakers shaped like eggs, used by the ninja to surprise the enemy with a loud noise.
Bows
Dai-kyu: The Japanese long bow, about 7 feet long it is designed to be fired from horseback.
Yumi: The average Japanese bow to be fired from standing, much smaller than the Dai-kyu.
Ya: Ya is the Japanese arrow, made of wood and having many different
kinds of arrowheads.
Japanese Armor
Japanese Armor is composed of 6 different components called hei (tsuwamono)-no-rokugu, or just rokugu. These components were the chest protector (yoroi), the helmet (kabuto), the mask (ho-ate or mempo), the armored sleeves (kote), the shin guards (sune-ate), and the loin guards (koshi-ate). Later the term gusoku described the whole set of armor. Below are some pictures of Japanese armor.
Below is a Kabuto, the helmet worn by the samurai, usually the fancier the kabuto the higher rank the samurai.
This is a top view of a Jingasa, this was usually worn by the peasant conscripts
or low ranking samurai.
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Katana: The katana is a single edged, slightly curved sword. The total length of the sword is about three foot, there are many variations. The katana is forged from two steels; one soft, one hard. These two metals are heated and folded many times, the making of a katana is an art in it self. When well made the katana is light, well balanced, strong, flexible, and resilient. The
quality of the forging allows the blade to be razor sharp. 
Ninja-to:
This is the famous sword of the ninja. It has a straight blade approximately 19 inches long. The tsuba or sword guard is usually square in design, and the end of the saya or scabbard is usually pointed. By
this design the ninja could stick his sword in the ground and use the handle
as a step to climb up to something out of reach, then the ninja would pull
up his sword with a string or rope previously attached. 
No-Dachi: The No-Dachi is a great sword, usually five to seven feet in length. It has similar construction as the katana. It
was best used on horse back.
Ko-Dachi: Built exactly
like the traditional Katana, but the blade is shorter, and thicker, but not
as short as the Wakizashi.
Wakizashi: The wakizashi is the samurai's short sword. Wakizashi blades are usually around two feet in length. They were often carried together, a matched pair of katana and wakizashi are called a daisho. It
is constructed in the same manor as the katana. 
Tanto: The tanto is a knife, the blade is constructed much like that of a katana. It has varying lengths usually the blade is under seven inches. 
Hanbo:
A hanbo is a three foot staff made of wood and is sometimes wielded in
pairs. A
variation of the hanbo are called escrima or kali sticks, which are sometimes
used in pairs. 
Magari-Yari: Similar in appearance to the trident, the side blades are set at right angles to the central blade, points turning slightly inward.
Tetsubo: One
of the early weapons transferred from the Asian continent to Japan. The tetsubo, or iron staff, came in various shapes and lengths, with circular or hexagonal, or octagonal cross-sections. Only the strongest warriors could be proficient in its use as it was very heavy.
Jitte: A jitte is a metal fork of sorts, used to catch and disarm swords.
Kama:
Kamas or sickle were originally and still are farmers tools. They were made into weapons by ninja. They
are usually wielded in pairs.
Kusari-Gama:
The kusari-gama is basically a kama with a three foot chain attached to
the base of the handle. The chain usually has a weight at the end. This
is also a ninja weapon.
Manriki: This
is a chain weapon about two and a half feet long with one metal weight
on each end. The above picture is of kusari fundo, there is also another type called manriki gusari witch have smaller weights. An
interesting note about the Manriki was that it was especially popular with
the palace guard of Japan, because it was sacrilege to spill blood on palace
grounds, but the chain could strike, strangle and entrap without wounding.
Nunchaku:
This was originally intended to be a wheat flail. It has two 2 foot
hardwood pole attached by a foot long chain or rope.
Sai: The sai is a two pronged knife used to catch weapons and pull them out of their wielder's grip. It
is usually not sharpened and a more defensive weapon.
Shuko:
Shuko or "Ninja claws" are nasty weapons used to cause nasty lacerations on your opponent. Against
popular belief climbing was only a secondary use.
Shuriken:
Shuriken a.k.a. the ninja star or Chinese star, was the throwing weapon
of the ninja there are many variations and usually there was a "clan shuriken" that was kind of like a signature or trademark of a particular clan. Shuriken
were usually dipped in various poison by the ninja.
Tessen: The
tessen is a metal fan, there are two types one which is solid metal, and
the other witch has metal strips, with canvas or fabric in between that
folds out into a fan. The folding ones sometimes had razors lining the outer edge so it could be used to cut. They
were also used by samurai to signal commands during battle.
Tonfa: The tonfa was originally a handle to a grinding wheel, now it is used by police forces everywhere. The tonfa is your standard billy club or night stick.
