A tessen was a war fan, a metal ribbed fan that served both as a shield and to command as a signaling device. It was more often used as a signaling device than a weapon. Most tessen did not fold, and the only exceptions were known as Menhari-Gata. Most tessen were made of wood, but menhari-gata had tines of metal or hard wood capable of deflecting blows. The tessen did carry enough weight to bludgeon or lend weight to punches. On some menhari-gata, the tines were sharpened and used for…
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