In the description of the kyoketsu shoge, it says that "the rope and circlet can be whipped around and swung at opponents as a bludgeoning reach weapon." Does this function like a whip insofar as using it provokes an AO as if using a ranged weapon?
(I checked out other threads and couldn't find an answer to this... or any definitive answers about this weapon's jumble of special properties. There's too much rationalizing and not enough rule citing.)
It shouldn't, you can grasp the the ring and use it as a bludgeoning weapon.