The jitte (十手, じって), also pronounced jittei (十手, じってい) or jutte (十手, じゅって), is a traditional Japanese weapon used primarily during the feudal period of Japanese history. It is similar to sai, but has only one "claw", unlike sai which has two.

It is one of the many weapons used by ninjas, but also by policemen; it allows to neutralize without killing, because it is not sharp and has no real "points" (although the blade is particularly sharp).

These weapons were often used in pairs, or accompanied by a weapon such as a sword or a knife.

Jitte's Usage

The jitte was used to pin and break an opponent's blade, or even to grab the enemy's weapon to gain the upper hand in a fight.

It was a weapon appreciated for its efficiency, although the sai was theoretically more efficient, since it was the "double" of a jitte with its two "claws".

Some jitte had, attached to the tip of their blades, chains with a wooden ball or a metal ball. They were then called kusari chigiriki.

This kind of weapon had a rather important diffusion among ninjas, especially at the time when they were more or less acting as police, in the time close to the revolution in Japan, in the middle of the 19th century, although it was not used as much as the ninja-tô, kyoketsu shoge or kusarigama.

Jitte In the popular culture

Television

• In the series San Ku Kai, the two heroes Ayato and Ryu use retractable jitte.

Manga and anime

• In One Piece, the vice-admiral Smoker uses a long jitte.
• In Cyber City Oedo 808, the cybercriminals hired by the Oedo police are equipped with a jitte as a service weapon and symbol of their official function.
• In Mew Mew Power, the character Dren uses these weapons to fight.

Video games

• In the Street Fighter series, the character of Sodom uses jitte as his favorite weapon.
• In Soul Calibur IV, the character of Taki can use jitte, depending on the costume he is assigned.