From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Metsubushi (目潰し) - "eye closers", the name for variety of techniques used to temporarily or permanently blind or disorient the opponent.
Ninja would use these for self defense or to facilitate their escape. Later, they were also used by police, where they were blown into the target's face.
One kind is a powder made up of ashes, ground up pepper, mud, flour, dirt, for severe damage fine glass or salt, and other small powders. It was kept in hollowed-out eggs (happō), bamboo tubes or other small container and when confronted by an attacker, a person would throw metsubushi in the attacker's eyes, blinding him, while the victim ran off or hid themself.[1] This practice is thought to have brought about tales of ninja disappearing in a puff of smoke.
Other techniques would be blinding the opponent with light reflected off a mirror, or throwing any item at an opponent's head, making them instinctively close their eyes.
Flash and smoke bombs would also count as metsubushi.
On Spike TV's Deadliest Warrior, a happō filled with crushed glass was featured as one of the ninja's weapons in "Episode 3: Spartan vs. Ninja". It was called a "Black Egg" in the show.
