Ninja

Ninja (忍者) were said to be agents of espionage and assassination in feudal Japan in legend and popular fiction. Some modern practitioners of budo ninjutsu argue that ninja were used primarily as spies, not assassins. It is popularly believed that the ancient ninja were peasants, forbidden under law from studying the samurai swordplay techniques because of feudal Japan's caste structure. Outside of the modern schools teaching ninjutsu, there is little verifiable evidence that ninja existed as such in feudal times, at least in the form known from modern movies, videogaming and popular fiction.

Ninja are said to have made use of weapons that could be easily concealed or disguised as common tools. Weapons commonly attributed to them included shuriken and bo. In popular folklore, ninja also used special short swords called ninja-ken (or ninja-to see below for explanation). Ninja-ken are smaller than katana but larger than wakizashi. The ninja-to was more of a utilitarian tool than a weapon. Another version of the ninja sword was the shikoro ken (saw sword). The shikoro ken was said to be used to gain entry into fortresses. The shikoro ken supposedly could also be used to cut (or saw) through opponents.

For references to ninja in popular Western culture, including film and comic appearances and the recent spate of websites devoted to neo-ninja and other ninja-centric parody, see Ninja in fiction, below.

Etymology

Ninja is a Sino-Japanese compound derived from the two kanji (Japanese characters of Chinese origin) used to write shinobi-no-mono (忍の者), one of the native Japanese words for people who practice ninjutsu (sometimes erroneously called ninjitsu). Ninja and shinobi-no-mono, along with shinobi, another variant, became popular in the post-World War II period through the works of authors like Tomoyoshi Murayama, Sampei Shirato, and Ryotaro Shiba; before the war, the expressions ninjutsu-zukai and yōjutsu-zukai were more common. The word shinobi itself, written phonetically with the kanji 志能備, has been traced as far back as Japan's Asuka period, when Prince Shotoku is alleged to have employed one of his retainers as a ninja.

The underlying connotation of shinobi (忍, pronounced nin in Sino-Japanese compounds) is "to do quietly" or "to do so as not to be perceived by others" and—by extension—"to forebear," hence its association with stealth and invisibility. Mono (者, likewise pronounced sha or ja) means "person." The nin of ninjutsu is the same as that in ninja, whereas jutsu (術) means skill or art, so ninjutsu means "the skill of going unperceived" or "the art of stealth"; hence, ninja and shinobi-no-mono (as well as shinobi) may be translated as "one skilled in the art of stealth." Similarly, the pre-war word ninjutsu-zukai means "one who uses the art of remaining unperceived."

History

Because ninja rarely left anything in writing or boasted of their achievements, the history of the ninja is mostly apocryphal and blatantly legendary, so the great majority of stories circulating about them are difficult to prove.

Historical examples of ninja are said to include Minamoto no Yoshitsune, who employed surprise as a major weapon in his victories. He is said in a popular folktale to have been educated by a tengu to learn tactics and became a ninja.

One of the earliest roots of ninja, Togakure Ryū, reportedly originated in the late Heian Period. Iga and Kōga are two of the most famous ninja styles, and are often pitted against each other in fiction. Some also say that they were allies and worked together in mutual defense pacts. Both of these claim that they originated in the Heian period.

Only a few records remain from the Kamakura period. Kusunoki Masashige used tactics against enemies that remotely resemble ninja tactics. From the Muromachi period there are even fewer records. Both of these times were generally peaceful, and many battles had tournament-like aspects that prevented surprise attacks. Somewhere in these time periods, bushido began to form as the proper and honorable way a samurai must follow. It would be well into the Edo period that bushido was finally formalized.

In the Sengoku Period, also known as the Warring States period, ninja supposedly flourished. Almost all famous daimyō are said by modern ninja schools to have had ninja, or a ninja-like group under his control and they served as eyes and ears. Some daimyō were reportedly ninja themselves. The clan of Sanada, the most famous member being Sanada Yukimura, was reportedly a ninja clan. This is attributed to the successful defense of their castle with approximately 3,000 soldiers against an overwhelming force of 50,000 led by Tokugawa Hidetada. Their tactics, which are said to have included splitting their house in two, one each supporting Toyotomi and Tokugawa in order to survive no matter which side finally won, has been the subject of much legendary discussion. Later, they would come to be called Sanada Jū Yushi, lit. Ten heroes under Sanada, in tales where they used ninja skills to defeat everything but their jealous wives (who were, of course, ninja themselves).

Tokugawa Ieyasu was claimed to have used ninja, controlling both Iga and Koga in unifying Japan and ultimately rising to the rank of Shogun. In his dramatic escape through the mountainous landscape of Nara after Oda's assassination, Iga ninja led by Hattori Hanzō allegedly helped Ieyasu escape, gaining his favor. The last battle where ninja reportedly fought is in the Siege of Shimabara under the Tokugawa shogunate. As the shogunate became stable, ninja were effectively unemployed. Some were said to have become Oniwabanshū, a semi-secret group of bodyguards and intelligence officers who worked tending gardens of the Edo castle and eavesdropping on the daimyō. A purported ninja master Fujibayashi Sabuji wrote Bansenshukai (万川集海) as a collection of ninja knowledge. Yet the stories go that most knowledge was still passed on through oral tradition and training, as most ninja believed that their services would soon be needed again. The peace of the Edo period continued for over 200 years.

In the Edo period, ninja became popular heroes in books and plays. Many mythical ninja powers such as becoming invisible, jumping over tall fences, casting spells and calling up a giant toad larger than a human were all invented in these fictitious accounts of ninja. Ninja did not correct these misconceptions and some may have even written these stories themselves to increase their value should their services be needed. One of the lesser known contributions made by ninja is their involvement in furthering the research of fireworks as a result of their development of pyrotechnic weaponry.

Some say ninja were a tribe of assassins below the samurai caste. Others say the Ninja were an elite group of Samurai trained for Assassination and spying missions. The latter is more likely as there are records of samurai who knew Ninjutsu although this contradicts the traditional code of honour. Ninjas were not known for holding a high code of honour.

In the 1900s, the Yamabushi monks knew some ancient secrets and were believed to be ninjas.

Fujita Seiko

A Japanese young man in the 1900s named Fujita Seiko demonstrated extraordinary feats like walking on glass and walking on his hands. He claimed that he was the last master of Koga ryu Ninjutsu and that his grandfather had trained him.

Culture of Ninja

A ninja organization was said to be headed by a jōnin (上忍), literally "high ninja". Under jōnin would be several chūnin (中忍, "middle ninja"). Under chūnin would be several genin (下忍, "low ninja"). Upon receiving a mission from daimyō, the jōnin would use the chūnin to select necessary personnel from among the genin. Some ninja groups would be smaller and may have been less structured. Other groups may have been structured more like an army and the leader may instead have been called shō or "general".

While ninja are often depicted as male, females were supposedly ninja as well. A female ninja may be called kunoichi (くノ一); the characters are supposedly derived from the strokes that make up the kanji for woman (女). They were sometimes depicted as experienced prostitutes who learned the secrets of an enemy by seduction.

The nimpō (忍法), literally "methods of ninja", refers to various skills used by ninja, but mostly supernatural and fictional. Ninja are said to have actively encouraged such superstitions about their abilities to inspire fear in potential enemies.

Ninja were said to have had many rules, and the most important rule was of keeping the secret of ninja themselves and of the daimyo who gave them the order. Stories say that the most severe crime was leaving a ninja family without authorization, with no intention of returning. He would be called nukenin (抜け忍) and his family members would be tasked to bring him back, dead or alive.

Disguises, tools and weapons

Disguises were selected on the basis of their unobtrusiveness in a given environment.

Contrary to popular belief, there is no evidence that the ninjas dressed in all black suits. The classic black ninja outfit (shinobi shokuzu) is said to have come from the Noh theater. Prop handlers would dress in black and move props around. The audience would obviously see the prop handlers but would pretend they were invisible. Another idea supporting the absence of a ninja outfit and any specific weaponry is that, if caught or seen, they would have been identified as enemies. This would only result in capture, torture, and probably a very slow and painful execution. Thus, these spies and assassins were far more likely to be disguised as samurai, priests, or peasants or when situation dictates, dark green, blue or dark red outfit which offers better camouflage to its surroundings.

Ninja allegedly used several special weapons against their enemies, the shuriken (throwing blades) and handclaws (shuko, tekagi) probably being the most famous. Kunai (a gardening tool) were also a popular weapon as they could be hidden easily or carried if the ninja was disguised as a gardener. It was the equivelent of a utility knife, often used to pry or cut rather than fight. The makibishi, a type of caltrop made of iron spikes, is also famous. It could be thrown on the ground to injure a pursuer's feet or thrown out on an enemy's escape path so that the targets could be cut down or shot down with bows and arrows while they looked for another escape route, but it could also be covered with poison so the victim would die slowly. Occasionally, makibishi would be loaded with gunpowder to explode upon impact, further damaging a pursuer's foot.

Some ninjas were said to have disguised themselves as Fuke monks and used the traditional flute of the zen sect, the Shakuhachi, as a powerful blunt weapon. Many government agents and ninja disguised themselves as komusō, since one could travel about in complete anonymity and gather information. There were even short pieces that were supposed to be played by one komusō greeting another. These suizen melodies tended to be very difficult to outsiders of the sect. If the second komusō did not respond, the first would know that the other was probably a spy.

Ninja also employed a variety of weapons and tricks using gunpowder. They used timed fuses to delay explosions. Ōzutsu (cannons) they constructed could be used to launch fiery sparks as well as projectiles at a target. Even land mines were constructed that used a mechanical fuse or a lit, oil-soaked string. Secrets of making desirable mixes of gunpowder were strictly guarded in many ninja clans.

Many ninja tools were everyday tools that would not be conspicuous even when confiscated. One known tool used by ninja is irogome (literally, "colored rice"). Irogome was uncooked rice seeds colored in five or six different colors: red, black, white, yellow, blue, and sometimes brown. They would be placed on the ground or handed to a ninja from a ninja. Each combination carried certain meanings like "all clear" or "an enemy check point is ahead".

Contrary to popular belief, there is no evidence that the nunchaku were used by the ninja, although it is possible, as the nunchaku was another common and inconspicious farming tool. Karate, judo, kendo, and most other martial arts were never practiced as well, as they were mostly formalized in late Edo period to Meiji period. Ninja practiced a variant of jujutsu and kenjutsu that could be summed up as ninjutsu.

On assassination missions, ninja were more likely to use cheaper weapons. There was always the possibility that weapons would need to be disposed of if something went wrong, so expensive swords were naturally poor choices. Ninja techniques extended to the use of ordinary objects as lethal weapons.

Myths of Ninja

There are many myths and legends concerning ninja, who were most prevalent during Japan's feudal era and often served daimyo, or feudal lords, for secret missions. Their special abilities are also often exaggerated, such as becoming invisible, turning into animals, jumping over buildings, and the ability to fly and foresee the future. These myths were caused by the secretive nature of ninja, and confusion with Tengu and yamabushi. The ninja often encouraged rumors to make people believe they had magical powers. At least one ninja was recorded to have faked his own death so people would think he was a ghost and therefore immortal.

Ninja in fiction

Ninja appear in both Japanese and Western fiction. Depictions range from realistic to the fantastically exaggerated.

Ninja have long been a popular subject in tokusatsu, anime and manga, such as the manga/anime series Naruto. The series keeps historical truths, such as weaponry, but allows itself many artistic liberaties. The Japanese novelist, Ryotaro Shiba wrote a novel and a collection of short stories, based on ninja, Fukuro no Shiro and Saigo no Igamono. Fukuro no Shiro was made into a hit movie, as was Shinobi no Mono.

Ninja-based films and books became a popular culture craze in Japan during the 1950s and early 1960s and as a result a TV series called The Samurai was created in 1962 to cash in on the fad. Although only seen in Japan and a few other countries, the series was notably screened in Australia in 1964-65. It was the first Japanese TV show ever broadcast there, and The Samurai rapidly became one of most popular programs ever screened on Australian TV, gaining a huge audience among pre-teen children; its success even led to star Ose Koichi and a troupe of performers touring there in a specially-produced show in 1966. The series introduced the ninja concept to Australian audiences and the ninja soon became a cult favourite, with children dressing up as ninjas and making their own toy ninja weapons, notably the shuriken or "throwing stars". Several american ninja movies starring Sho Kosugi were released in the 1980s as well.

Western popular culture generally depicts the ninja as supremely well-trained martial artists and assassins, clad in a head-to-toe black or dark blue suit, using many kinds of exotic equipment and skills to accomplish their missions. The idea of a Westerner being granted entry to the secret ranks of the ninja has long been a subject of fascination for Western writers. The Ninja (1980) series of thriller books by Eric Van Lustbader features a half-Japanese, half-Caucasian character who received ninjutsu training in his youth. In the movie Batman Begins (2005), Bruce Wayne also receives ninja training.

The James Bond novel and movie You Only Live Twice both depicted ninja.

Perhaps the first cinematic mixing of two martial arts 'worlds' occurs in the Hong Kong movie "Ninja in the Dragon's Den" a young Ninja flees to China - both to evade the revenge of the clan he's betrayed and to seek one of the men he believes responsible for his father's death - and encounters a young Kung fu fighter in combat.

When G.I. Joe, a traditional American series of military action figures, was relaunched in the 1980s, the collection included a few ninja characters such as Snake Eyes, a Vietnam war veteran who studied the ninja arts after the death of his family. The massive popularity of the ninja characters completely overtook the more conventional army characters, and creator Larry Hama was pressured by Hasbro to create more ninja for the series.

In fighting games, ninja are typically quick to strike but lacking in power or defense. One of the most succesful games ever on the Commodore 64 computer was The Last Ninja. In the Nintendo Entertainment System and Xbox games titled Ninja Gaiden, the player takes the role of Ryu Hayabusa, a ninja whose clan has been savagely murdered. Mortal Kombat, one of the most popular fighting games ever created, included several ninja-like characters with supernatural powers which seem to have been exaggerated from ninjutsu-related techniques or literature.

The Tenchu series of games on the PlayStation, PS2, and Xbox also feature ninja characters. The games' developer, Activision, used Sho Koshugi and his son, Kane Koshugi, as ninjutsuka references, claiming that Tenchu was the most realistic ninja series. The explosives and exaggerated violence of the games, however, would lead to exposure for any ninja who used them, and therefore a likely defeat.

The ninja appeared in the first Final Fantasy as an upgrade from the Thief character class, adept at using an array of weapons and armor and casting black magic. The character's speciality was the ability to use two weapons simultaneously and throw weapons at the enemy, inflicting great damage at the cost of extremely low defense. Shadow, Edge, and Yuffie Kisaragi are the only dedicated ninja characters in the series.

The Wizardry series also included ninja characters. The ninja class had the abilities of a Thief as well as the ability to use Fighter and some Samurai weapons, but the ninja characters also had the ability to snap enemy necks and dodge physical attacks outright, abilities that were hampered by equipping any weapons or armor, respectively.

The word ninja is also used colloquially in multiplayer online role-playing games's (MMORPG) to describe a player who unfairly takes items from the corpses of dead enemies without allowing other players a chance to take the equipment. These "ninja looters" loot items swiftly and with minimal attention being drawn to themselves (hence the name) and are generally shunned by other characters for their nefarious deeds.

There have been many spoofs of the ninja, such as Surf Ninjas, Beverly Hills Ninja, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, 3 Ninjas, and two websites: Real Ultimate Power (which includes a subsequent book), and Ninja Burger (which was made into an RPG, Card Game and book).

List of ninjutsu styles (ryū)

The following list of ninjutsu styles practiced by ninja, known as ryū, is sorted by current prefectures in which the styles originated and their teaching is or was historically centered. In this context, the ordering may not be totally accurate as some historical and current boundaries do not coincide. Note also that some styles may no longer be practiced.

• Aichi - Matsuba-ryū, Ichizen-ryū
• Aomori - Nakagawa-ryū
• Fukuoka - Kuroda-ryū
• Gifu - Mino-ryū
• Ibaraki - Matsuda-ryū
• Kagoshima - Satsuma-ninpō
• Kanagawa - Fuma-ninpō
• Kyōto - Hatano-ryū
• Mie - Hattori-ryū, Momochi-ryū, Togakure-ryū, Iga-ryū
• Nagano - Kōyō-ryū, Togakure-ryū, Aoki-ryū, Itō-ryū, Akutagawa-ryū
• Nagasaki - Nanban-ryū (see also the Nanban period)
• Nara - Kusunoki-ryū
• Niigata - Uesugi-ryū, Kaji-ryū
• Okayama - Bizen-ryū
• Shiga - Tarao-ryū, Rigyoku-ryū, Kōga-ryū
• Shimane - Fukushima-ryū
• Tochigi - Matsumoto-ryū
• Tokyo (Akihabara) - Akiba-ryū
• Toyama - Echizen-ryū
• Wakayama - Kishu-ryū, Negoro-ryū, Saika-ryū
• Yamagata - Haguro-ryū
• Yamanashi - Takeda-ryū, Ninkō-ryū