makibishi

thumb|Japanese "makibishi" iron spikes, a type of caltrop A makibishi ( or ) is the Japanese version of the caltrop. The tool (igadama) is a sharp spiked object that was used in feudal Japan to slow down pursuers and also was used in the defense of samurai fortifications.

==Description== Makibishi was one of the items supposedly used by the ninja. It had six or eight pointed spikes. Iron makibishi were called tetsubishi while the makibishi made from the dried seed pod of the water caltrop formed a natural type of makibishi called tennenbishi. The term makibishi literally means "scattered water chestnut" in Japanese. Both types of makibishi could penetrate the thin soles of the shoes such as the waraji sandals that were commonly worn in feudal Japan when the makibishi was dropped on the ground or planted in advance.