Metsubishi
A Japanese weapon designed to blind an enemy, used by ninja and law officers who might want to take a prisoner alive, the Metsubishi was a small square or round box which was hollow and could be opened and filled with various powders from pepper to ground glass depending on what effect was desired. The box was then fitted with a mouthpiece and a short tube to allow the powers to be blown into the face of a victim. It was a very small and easily concealed weapon, which had little effect if the victim wasn’t surprised.
How to cite this article: Dugdale-Pointon, TDP. (19 April 2004), Metsubishi, http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/weapons_metsubishi.html