Kuroro Kagi / Kura no Kagi

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——- Images (Top Left) me with various Ninki (shinobi tools) in the Budo Ryu Hombu Dojo.  (Bottom Left) close up of the ninki that I am sitting by; taken from my personal collection. (Top Right)  This image was taken from the Ninpiden written in 1560 by Hattori Hanzo of the Kuroro Kagi with a description of its use.  (Bottom Right) Is a picture of various Kuroro Kagi that is displayed in the  Iga Ninja Museum; Japan.  ——-

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This tool is used to easily break in or simply enter in a storehouse or residence which is locked up tight.  With this Ninki (shinobi tool) you can easily unlatch or unlock the door.  However, there are various sizes of kuroro kagi and historically the kuroro kagi (also called kura no kagi) is nothing but a simple key, not a lock breaker.  This is why the Ninpiden says that you need to take many of these in different sizes on your mission so that you can simply open the door instead of breaking the lock.

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However; if you do not know the type of door, take a middle size tool, which should fit most locks and in fact, if you can get a smaller kuroro kagi in the lock, even if it does not fit exactly, with the simple shift in your body leverage, you can easily break the lock with the kuroro-kagi.  Any budoka highly trained in taijutsu will recognize this shift if they were in this position.

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The tool is made of iron, and the handle is made of cypress wood. Attach a string to the handle and carry it against your hip.

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The measurements of the kuroro kagi as written in the Ninpiden:

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* The iron L-shape it should be 1 Shaku, 2 Sun in total length. (approx: 36cm)

* It should be 2 Sun in width.  (approx: 6cm)

* 1 Bu and a half in thickness.  (approx: 4.55mm)

* The handle should be 5 Sun long.  (approx: 15 cm)

* The chord is 6 Sun 8 Bu long. (approx: 20.4cm)

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Anshu Christa Jacobson
21st Soke of the Tomo Ryu Tradition
Headmistress of the Budo Ryu – School of the Warrior Way
Founder of the Budo Ryu Online University
Owner of the Ninjutsu Super Store
Chief Editor of the Shinobi no Mono Magazine
Founder of the Ninjutsu International Federation
Professional Model and Artist

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Budo Ryu; School of the Warrior Way