Shuriken Shuriken, often referred to as Throwing Stars or Ninja Stars, are commonly associated with Ninjistu. Shuriken may be any easily concealable thrown weapon including the star shape, or Shaken, sharpened metal disks such as a coins or washers called Hira Shuriken, and Bo Shuriken, which are sharpened spikes sometimes designed to be concealed as hairpins or chopsticks. The basic concept of the Throwing Star is proposed to have originated in China. Chinese throwing stars are thought to have developed in the Mikkyo Buddhist tradition and are associated with Buddhist monasteries. Chinese throwing stars tend to be more ornate in shape, with a multitude of points, which may have developed out of wheel shaped Mikkyo religious objects called Horin. Traditionally, shuriken were not used as a primary weapon, but instead tactically to distract or disable an opponent so they could then be easily dispatched with a ninjato.
