我們從來沒聽說過的十件忍者祕密武器

In pop culture, ninjas tend to be portrayed as sword-wielding, shuriken-throwing, black-clad warriors. In actuality, ninjas favored knives over swords as they were easier to conceal. They did throw shurikens, but the stars were used as a distraction more often than they were used as weapons. And despite popular belief, ninjas wore dark blue—not black. Of course, the gap between the historical accuracy of ninjas and their modern portrayal can all be written off as artistic license. However, even on the rare occasions when they are accurately portrayed, there are a number of ninja tools and weapons that never seem to get airtime.

在大衆理念中，忍者傾向於被塑造爲帶着佩劍、投出飛鏢、一襲黑衣的勇士。事實上，忍者們更喜歡容易隱蔽的匕首而不是劍。他們確實會投擲飛鏢，但星形鏢更多是爲了分散敵人注意力而不是作爲武器發射。並且儘管大衆們相信他們穿着黑色裝束，而實際他們更喜歡深藍色。當然，歷史上真正的忍者們與現代文章中塑造出的形象具有一定差距。然而，即便有很少的機會能夠真正描繪出忍者們的形象，仍有很多忍者使用的工具和武器似乎從未在電影或電視中展示過。

1、Cat's Eyes

貓眼

Just like modern special forces and intelligences agents, timing was very important to ninjas. Although they didn't have the stopwatches that we have today, they had something just as good—and definitely more creative.

就像現代的特種部隊和特工一樣，對於忍者把握時間非常重要。雖然他們沒有現在的秒錶，但他們擁有精妙並更具創造性的工具。

Ninja's were trained in nekome-jutsu, which was the ability to tell time just by looking at a cat's eye very closely. Cats have very sensitive eyes, and their pupils adjust to the changing light throughout the day. In early morning, a cat's pupils are round and fully open to allow in as much light as possible. Between around 8:00 AM and noon, their pupils become more oval-shaped to block out the excess light as the Sun rises higher. A cat's pupils are narrowest at noon when the Sun is at its peak. With this knowledge, ninjas were able to accurately guess to within the hour what time it was. Whether they carried the cats around on their wrists, however, remains a mystery.

忍者們在nekome-jutsu接受訓練，學習通過密切觀察貓的眼睛判斷時間的能力。貓的視覺非常敏感，並且他們的瞳孔大小在一天之中隨着光線變化進行調整。清晨早些時候，貓的瞳孔成圓形，並且完全睜開以儘可能的收集光線。上午8點到中午之間，瞳孔變成橢圓，以阻擋隨着太陽升起釋放的過多強光。到了中午，日照達到頂峯時，貓的瞳孔則會變得最小。熟悉了這些知識，忍者們判斷時間的準確度能夠在一小時之內。然而，他們是否會將貓帶在左右仍是未解之謎。

2、Mizu-gomo

水雲

In the old days, whether in Asia or Europe, the best way to protect a fortress was a moat. Since most of a ninja's targets tended to be upper class, this was an obstacle they faced regularly. Most movies handle this by showing the silent warriors leaping across the moat in a single flip or running across the water. In reality, ninjas used a tool called a mizu-gumo, which translates to "water spider."The device was made of four curved planks of either wood or inflatable animal hide that were strung together with a fifth plank in the middle. To this day, historians are not completely sure how mizu-gumo were used. The obvious guess is that the fifth plank was worn on the foot and, with another one on the other foot, allowed the ninja to walk on water. Unfortunately, as Biblical as that sounds, such methods have been disproved. Another theory is that it was used as a raft, which is more plausible. Most likely, the mizu-gumo was used more for wading through swampy marshes than to stay afloat on top of the water

過去,無論是在亞洲還是歐洲,最好的保護城堡的方法是修建護城河。因爲大多數忍者的目標往往是上層階級,護城河是他們面臨的障礙。電影中，通常是這些安靜的武士們一個空翻就過了護城河或者直接踏水而過。在現實中,忍者通常使用工具是水雲,也就是“水蜘蛛“。這種裝置由五個彎曲的支架構成，支架由木頭或者是可充氣的獸皮製成，其中四個支架被位於中間的第五個支架綁在一起。直到今天,歷史學家並不完全確定水雲如何使用的。人們的猜測是忍者將第五個支架戴在腳上,這樣忍者便可以在水上行走。但是這種理論被證明是不可行的。另一個理論是,這是運用了筏的原理，這種理論更加的可信。最有可能的是，這種設備是用來幫助忍者渡過沼澤地，而非渡過水麪。

3、Saoto Hikigane

助聽筒

As spies, it was vital that ninjas had good hearing. Sometimes they were just hired to learn information. Other times, they listened to the guards making their rounds to learn their schedules. Bottom line: Eavesdropping was a large part of the ninja job description. To aid in that endeavor, ninjas used a listening tool called a saoto 's been nicknamed the “ear trumpet” because that's exactly what it looks like. Saoto hikigane were cone-shaped and were made of metal or sometimes wood. The size of the tool varied, with some being more concealable than others. The ninja would place the wide end to a wall so that the sound coming through was magnified and funneled into his or her ear. It worked the same way cupping our hand to our ear or placing a cup to a wall does.

作爲間諜，忍者們至關重要的是要擁有好的聽力。有時他們只是受僱於收集情報。另外的時候，他們需要聽到守衛們的聲音以確定守衛的計劃安排。最根本的是竊聽佔忍者們工作的很大部分。忍者們利用一種名爲助聽筒的工具來提供幫助。這種工具的綽號爲“喇叭耳”，因爲其的確像喇叭。助聽筒做成圓錐形狀，採用金屬材料製作，有時也用木材。助聽筒的大小各異，有些比其他的更便於隱藏。忍者將大口的一側壓到牆壁上，以便於放大牆壁另一側的聲音，使忍者能夠聽清。這與我們把手握成杯狀或將一隻茶杯放到牆壁上幫助聽聲一個道理。

4、Donohi

小火爐

Ninjas were expert fighters, but even they couldn't fight chilly temperatures without a little help. Ninjas often used body warmers named donohi to survive long stakeouts in cold weather. The body warmers were commonly made of bamboo, iron, or copper. They contained flammable materials such as gunpowder, alcohol, and cloth. A fire-starting tool called a tsuketake was usually attached to the donohi to set the fuel ablaze. Once lit, the fuel could burn for hours, even e so much of a ninja's job involved using their hands, the last thing they wanted was for their fingers to go numb from the cold or for them to get frostbitten. Donohi were very useful in protecting them from such dangers. Also, as a fast and portable source of fire, it could be used for anything from setting an enemy's home on fire to cooking food. It was a cigarette lighter: ninja style.

忍者是格鬥專家，但即使是這樣，在缺乏支援條件下他們也不可能在極低的氣溫下戰鬥。忍者通常會使用一種名爲小火爐的暖身器，以增強長時間處於寒冷氣候中的生存能力。暖身器通常用竹子、鐵或銅製作。裏面有一些可燃材料，例如：火藥、酒精或棉布。通常還要附帶有名爲火石的生火工具，便於忍者們點燃燃料。一旦點燃，這些燃料能夠燒上幾個小時，甚至幾天。由於很多忍者的工作需要動手完成，他們最不希望的便是嚴寒中手指被凍得麻木或是生了凍瘡。小火爐令他們避免了這些威脅。同時，作爲便攜式火源，小火爐還能被用於各個方面，從防火燒敵人的房子到加熱食物。圖中便是一個忍者風格的點火器。

5、Kanzashi

簪子

It is well documented that ninjas could turn just about anything into a weapon. Of course, having something long and sharp hidden in their hair didn't hurt, either. Enter the kanzashi. In feudal Japan, women often wore long, ornamental hairpins called kanzashi. The pins were not dangerous in and of themselves, but in the hands of a ninja, they could be used to attack vital points and nerve clusters. They could also be sharpened and used as knife-like weapons, either for defense or for an attack. Dipped in poison, the hairpins became an assassination ashi were ideal weapons for kunoichi (female ninjas), who favored small weapons that could be concealed in plain sight. Due to the popularity of the hairpins among women, kunoichi could carry them without anyone giving them a second look. This is proof that even a ninja's fashion accessories are dangerous.

有很多記錄都顯示忍者能夠利用任何東西作爲武器。當然，將有些長的並且尖銳的東西插在頭髮中，即插個簪子也並不會使自己受傷。封建時候的日本，婦女們總會佩戴長的裝飾用的名爲簪子的髮針。髮針從頭髮上插進插出並不會傷到自己。但在忍者手中，簪子便能用來攻擊敵人的致命點和神經積聚部位。簪子還能夠被磨尖並且成爲刀子一樣的武器，或是防衛或是進攻。沾上毒藥，簪子還成爲暗殺工具。簪子尤其是女忍者的理想武器，他們喜歡小巧的裝備能夠在平常裝束中隱藏。由於髮針在婦女中使用較爲普遍，簪子的恐怖足以令任何人不會再第二次見到它。這就驗證了即使忍者的裝扮用品也非常危險。

6、Pencil Cases

筆匣

It's said that the pen is mightier than the sword. Usually, that isn't meant to be taken literally—but in the hands of a ninja, a pen could be outright fatal. Ninjas tried not to go anywhere without a yatate. This was a small cylinder that was sometimes made from bamboo, although they were usually made out of metal. At one end was a small container to hold ink, while the rest of the cylinder was hollow to hold a small calligraphy use as a weapon aside, it is important to again remember that ninjas were spies. Yatate were vital to their ability to write down their observations of their targets and record information as they gathered it. In an attack, however, ninjas were able to conceal spikes, needles, and even poison in the yatate instead of a writing brush. Like the kanzashi, no one had reason to be suspicious of pencil cases that most people carried anyway.

古語說筆比劍更危險。通常這只是字面上的意思，但在忍者手中，筆可能完全具有致命性。忍者走到哪裏都帶着一種筆。這是一個的小圓柱形狀物品，通常用金屬製作，有時也用到竹子。筆一端有一個小空腔承裝墨水，其餘部分是空心的，裝着一個小的筆刷。不要忘了忍者還是間諜，筆除了用作武器， 對於間諜也是很重要的。至關重要的是這種筆能夠記錄下來目標們的一舉一動。然而，在實施攻擊時，忍者能夠將長釘、針甚至是毒藥代替筆刷藏在匣中。像簪子一樣，沒有人會懷疑人們攜帶的筆匣會成爲致命武器。

7、Neko-te

貓爪

Ninjas were tough as nails, so it comes as no surprise that even their fingernails would be weaponized. Metal fingernails called neko-te were a favorite among female ninjas. The nails were attached to the fingers in numerous ways. Sometimes, they were molded in a way similar to a thimble. Other times, they were attached by a band around the fingertips like a ring. The nails themselves were usually made of iron, but in a pinch ninjas would use thin pieces of bamboo. Even old hairpins and jewelry could be fashioned into razor-sharp weapon's name was inspired by the claw-like appearance of a cap being worn on each finger. “Neko” means “cat” in Japanese, and “te” translates to “hand.” It is important to note that this weapon was used exclusively by female ninjas. Kunoichi training stressed the use of lightweight and easily concealable weapons.

忍者們都要像釘子一樣堅韌，所以甚至是指甲釘用來當武器也並不稱奇。女忍者們喜歡一種名爲貓爪的金屬指甲釘。這種指甲釘安裝在手指上有很多方法。有時可以用模具像指箍一樣固定在手指上。有時可以用一根帶子像指環一樣纏繞在手指頭上。指甲釘本身通常用鐵打造，但必要時忍者們也會用細竹籤製作。甚至尖銳的指甲釘還可以包裝成古老的時尚髮針和首飾。這件武器的名字受到貓爪的啓發，佩戴在每個手指上。“Neko”在日語中代表“貓”的意思，而“te”則是指“爪子”。必須要注意的是，這種武器專屬於女忍者。女忍者們的訓練強調使用輕質和便於隱藏的武器。

8、Crickets

蟋蟀

Ninjas were masters of stealth and were trained to be able to approach enemies silently. However, there were times when a completely silent approach was impossible even for ninjas. Walking silently through a forest of dead leaves or crunchy snow was no easy feat. Even just stepping on a twig could reveal one's position and ruin an entire mission. For such occasions, ninjas often carried a small box or jar of crickets. The chirping of the insects disguised any stray sound the ninjas as had a special mixture of chemicals to make sure the crickets chirped when they needed them to. It also made sure they didn't chirp when the ninja needed silence. Given how common the sound of crickets chirping is, enemies had no reason for suspicion. As a matter of fact, the opposite was usually the case—insects and birds often stop chirping when a human or other predator is near. Even if they moved silently, ninjas carried crickets to keep the silence of nearby animals from announcing their presence.

忍者們是潛行大師，並且訓練能夠悄悄的接近敵人。然而，很多時候即使是忍者要想完全安靜的接近敵手也是很難。想悄悄的穿過充滿落葉的樹林或佈滿積雪地面都並非易事。甚至只要踩上樹葉也會暴露自己的位置，從而毀了整個任務。在這種情況下，忍者們通常會攜帶一小盒蟋蟀。蟋蟀的叫聲會掩蓋忍者們製造的所有聲音。忍者還使用一種特殊的化學物質，確保需要時蟋蟀能夠鳴叫。並且需要安靜時，蟋蟀不會發出聲音。蟋蟀的叫聲很常見，因此敵人們不會產生懷疑。事實上，通常的情況正相反，當有人或其他捕食者接近時，鳥類和昆蟲總會停止鳴叫。即使忍者們悄悄行動，他們攜帶蟋蟀也要避免干擾左近的動物暴露自己的行蹤。

9、Eggshells

蛋殼

As stealthy as they were, this was not the main reason ninjas were known for invisibility—it was because they used a wide array of blinding powders. Ninja were resourceful, never making anything that they could find ready-made. Therefore, their favorite containers for blinding powders were eggshells. Ninjas would use a needle to poke a hole in an eggshell without breaking it, then drain it contents. Once the eggshell was empty, ninjas would fill it with things such as iron filings, salt, powdered peppers, and so on. Anything that could bring tears to an average person's eyes was potentially an ingredient. In battle, ninjas would smash the loaded eggs in their opponent's eyes, blinding eyes weren't the ninjas' only targets—they also made sure to include substances that were sure to irritate the nose and respiratory system. Even if their opponent was only weakened for a moment, it gave the ninja the advantage and more than enough time to either press forward with an even stronger attack or escape easily.

儘管他們悄悄行動，但這並非衆所周知的忍者會隱形的主要原因，因爲他們還會利用各種致盲粉。忍者們足智多謀，從不會使用現成的東西。因此，他們喜歡用蛋殼來承裝致盲粉。忍者們用針在蛋殼上戳個小洞，而不打碎蛋殼，然後將裏面的蛋黃蛋清倒出來。倒空以後，忍者再裝進去鐵粉、鹽、花椒粉等。只要是能令一般敵手流淚的東西都是忍者們要用到的。戰鬥時，忍者會把蛋殼拍碎，打到敵人的眼睛上，令他們目不視物。眼睛並非唯一目標，忍者們還會使用一些刺激鼻子或呼吸系統的物質。只要對手們稍稍停頓一會，這就給了忍者們足夠的時間進一步實施打擊或輕鬆逃離。

10、Rice

米

That's right—rice. Leave it to ninjas to turn dinner into a top-secret tool. As spies and assassins for hire, the most important part of a ninja's job was secretly passing along information. Their best method for doing this was goshiki-mai, which means five-colored rice. The rice was painted red, blue, yellow, black, or purple and used to send codes. Ninjas would drop the rice by the side of the road or any other inconspicuous place. Their enemies and other regular people wouldn't notice the rice, but ninjas from the same clan would be on the lookout for such things. Based on the combination of colors they dropped or the number of grains, the ninjas could make over 100 different only was goshiki-mai a genius spy tool, it was safe from birds, too. The paint kept the birds from mistaking the grains from seeds and eating them.

對了，就是米，令忍者們將食物變成一種最重要的祕密工具。作爲間諜或刺客，忍者們最終腰帶工作是祕密的傳遞情報。他們最好的辦法是利用五色米。米被染成紅色、藍色、黃色、黑色和紫色，用來發送信號。忍者們會將米撒在路旁或其他不引人注意的地方。敵人和其他普通人不會注意到，但忍者的同伴們會留意這些。根據顏色的組合或米的多少，忍者們可以創造出100多種不同的暗號。五色米不僅是真正的間諜工具，而且還能防備鳥類。染色不會令鳥類將米與其他谷種混淆，把米吃掉。