Kusarigama, a literal Japanese translation of ‘chain-sickle’, is a weapon with a five hundred year-long history. The wielding of kusarigama is known as the kusarigamajutsu practice. Kusarigama consist of a sickle connected to a heavy iron weight (attached by chain). There are generally three variations of this; the chain attached at the end of the sickle’s shaft, the chain attached at the base of the sickle blade, and a third with the chain attached at shaft of a straight bladed weapon. Kusarigama are unlikely to be used during mass combat as the swinging of a chain would risk injury to allies.