History of the Ninja By Kallie Szczepanski, About.

com Guide Origins of the Ninja:

It is difficult to pin down the emergence of the first ninja, more properly call ed < shinobi >. After all, people around the world have always used spies and assassins. Japanese folklore states that the ninja descended from a demon that was half man and half crow. However, it seems more likely that the ninja slowly evolved as an opposing force to their upper-class contemporaries, the samurai, in early feudal Japan. Most sources indicate that the skills that became < ninjutsu >, the ninja's art of stealth, began to develop between 600-900 A.D. < Prince Shotoku >, (574-622), is said to have employed < Otomono S ahito > as a shinobi spy. Mainland Influences on the Early Ninja:

By the year 850, the < Tang Dynasty > in China was in decline. It would fall in 907, plunging China into 50 years of chaos; the collapse prompted some Tang generals to escape over the sea to Japan. These commanders brought new battle tactics and philosophies of war with them. Chinese monks also began to arrive in Japan in the 1020s, bringing new medicines and fighting philosophies of their own. < Many of the ideas originated in India >, and made their way across Tibet and C hina before turning up in Japan. The monks taught their methods to Japan's warrior-monks, or < yamabushi >, as we ll as to members of the first ninja clans. The First Known Ninja School:

For a century or more, the blend of Chinese and native tactics that would become < ninjutsu developed as a counter-culture, without rules. > It was first formalized by < Daisuke Togakure > and < Kain Doshi >. Daisuke had been a samurai, but he was on the losing side in a regional battle. He lost his lands and his samurai title. In 1162, Daisuke was wandering the mountains of southwest Honshu when he met Kai n Doshi, a Chinese warrior-monk. < Daisuke renounced his bushido code, and together the two developed a new theory of guerr

illa warfare called ninjutsu. > < Daisuke's descendants created the first ninja ryu, or school, the Togakureryu. > Ninjutsu versus Bushido:

< Ninjutsu developed as an opposing force to the samurai code of bushido. > Samurai valued loyalty and honor above all else. Going into battle, a samurai would select a single opponent, announce his challe nge, list his family pedigree, and then attack. Samurai wore bright colors on their armor to announce their clan identit y. Bushido was very noble, but it couldn't always get the job done. That is where ninjutsu came in: < the ninja code valued accomplishing a mission by whatever means necessary. > Sneak attacks, poison, seduction and spying were all shameful to the samurai, but fair play by the rules of the ninja. Who Were the Ninja?:

Some of the < ninja leaders, or jonin > , were disgraced samurai like Daisuke To gakure. They had lost in battle or had been renounced by their daimyo, but fled rather than committing < seppuku >. < Most ordinary ninja were not from the nobility, though. They were villagers an d farmers, who learned to fight by any means necessary for their own self-preservation. > The most famous ninja strongholds were the < Iga and Koga Provinces >. < Women also served in ninja combat. Female ninja, or kunoichi, infiltrated enem y castles in the guise of dancers, concubines or servants. They were successful spies, and sometimes acted as assassins as wel l. > Samurai Use of the Ninja:

< The samurai lords could not always prevail in open warfare, but they were cons trained by bushido. So, they often hired ninja to do their dirty work. > Secrets could be spied out, opponents assassinated, or misinformation planted... without sullying a samurai's honor. < This system also transferred wealth to the lower classes, as ninja were paid h andsomely for their work. >

< Of course, a samurai's enemies could also hire ninja. As a result, the samurai needed, despised, and feared the ninja, in equal measure. > < The ninja "high man," or jonin, gave orders to the chunin, "middle man," who p assed them on to the genin, ordinary ninja. > Ninja Clothing, Tools and Weapons:

In modern movies and comic books, ninjas are portrayed in all-black clothing, wi th only their eyes showing. < This costume, however, comes from the kabuki theater. > Actual < ninjas wore navy blue for night operations >. Usually, however, < they dressed to blend in with their targets - as any sensible espionage agent would do. > Ninja tools and weapons included: < shinobigatana, medium-length swords; the bo and naginata, war staves and pikes; > and martial arts like karate. Ninja also < developed special equipment like the shuko, an iron hand-crampon us ed for climbing, and the tessen, a sharpened metal fan >. Ninja Techniques:

Ninjutsu is practical; < if a tactic is effective, then it is acceptable. > < The Eight Methods taught in many ryu were: Body skills, karate, spear fighting , staff fighting, blade-throwing, use of fire and water, fortification and strategy, and concealment. > < Many ninja weapons were modified from farm sickles, saws for wood cutting, pru ning shears, etc. If discovered, these items would not give away a ninja's identity. > Among the < ninja were expert poisoners >. < Poison was added to food, or applie d to a dart or blade. > Some ninja disguised themselves as flute-playing mystics. < The sturdy flute cou ld be used as a club or blow-dart tube. > The Rise and Fall of the Ninja:

The ninja came into their own during the tumultuous era between < 1336 and 1600 >. In an atmosphere of constant war, ninja skills were essential for all sides.

The Nanbukucho Wars (1336-1392):

For more than 50 years in the < 14th century, Japan had two separate imperial co urts >, which fought for control of the country. < The Northern Court was controlled by the shoguns >. < The Southern Court belon ged to Emperor Go-Daigo >, who wanted to rule in his own right. < Ninja played an important role on both sides in this struggle >, infiltrating castles as spies, and even burning down the South's Hachiman-yama Fortress. < The Northern Court eventually won, and the puppet-Emperor system was retained. > The Onin War (1467-1477):

About < 70 years later >, the < Onin War broke out. Ninja featured heavily in th is conflict, as well >. < The war began as a succession fight within the ruling Ashikaga clan, but soon devolved into a nation-wide civil war. > Although the < Onin War ended after 10 years >, <it ushered in a century of turm oil called the Sengoku Jidai >, or < "Warring States Period" (though it was actually samurai clans fighting, rather than state s) >. < Ninja served a number of purposes during the Sengoku Period (1467-1568) . > Th ey acted as < kancho (spies) >, < koran (agitators) >, < teisatsu (scouts) >, and < kisho (surprise attackers) >. < They were most effective in castle sieges, infiltrating and distracting the defenders inside while the main besieging army attacked from outside. > Destruction of the Ninja Bases (1581):

The ninja were an < mportant tool during the Sengoku Period >, but a destabilizi ng influence. When < war-lord Oda Nobunaga > emerged as the strongest < daimyo > and began to < reunite Japan (1551-1582) >, he saw the ninja strongholds at Iga and Koga as a threat. < Nobunaga's lightning-quick attack on Iga forced the ninja to fight open battle s; they were defeated and scattered to nearby provinces or the mountains of Kii. > While their power-base was destroyed, < the ninja did not vanish entirely >. Som e went into the < service of Tokugawa Ieyasu, who later became shogun in 1603 >.

The much-reduced ninja continued to serve both sides in struggles. < In one famo us incident from 1600, a ninja sneaked through a group of Tokugawa's defenders at Hataya castle, and planted the flag o f the besieging army high on the front gate! > Edo and the End:

< The Edo Period (1603-1868) brought stability and peace to Japan, > bringing th e ninja story to a close. Ninja skills and legends survived, though, and were embellished to enliven the movies, games and comic books of today.

http://iganinja.jp/en/ What are Ninjutsu and Ninja? A person who uses Ninjutsu is a ninja. Ninjutsu is not a martial art. Ninjutsu i s an independent art of warfare that developed mainly in the regions of Iga in Mie Prefecture, and Koka in Shiga Pref ecture, Japan. So, do you know what kind of job ninja were doing? Most people imagine that ninjas flew through the sky and disappeared, like Super man, waving ninja swords around, sneaking into the enemy ranks and assassinating generals... This is a mistaken image of t he ninja introduced by movies and comic books. The jobs of a ninja are divided into the two main categories of performing espio nage and strategy. The methodology for performing espionage and strategy is Ninjutsu. Espionage is similar to the job o f modern spies, wherein one carefully gathers intelligence about the enemy and analyzes its military strength. Strategic activities are skills that reduce the enemys military power. Ninja did not fight strong enemies by themselves. Ninja fought enemies after they had reduced the enemies military power. In times of peace, Ninjutsu was called an art of entering from afar, while in times of war, Ninjutsu was called an art of entering f rom nearby, wherein ninja would constantly gather intelligence concerning the enemy, thinking of ways to beat th e enemy, but not fighting the enemy directly. Ninja who thought rationally thought of war by intellect as great, and war by mi litary strength (weapons) as foolish. Therefore, ninja who swing their ninja swords about can be called the lowest of the ninja. The Ninjutsu of Iga-ryu and Koga-ryu stem from the same source, and are said to be the highest of the Ninjutsu. Origins of Iga-ryu Ninjutsu and the history if Iga From when did Ninja, who worked in the world of shadows, exist? Those roots are found in the art of warfare that began around 4000 B.C. in Indian culture, was passed to the Chinese mainland, and arou nd the 6th century, passed through the

Korean peninsula and crossed over to Japan. In that period, a man name Otomono Sahito, who was used by ruler Shotoku Taishi, is said to be the root of the Ninja. Have you ever heard something like this? "Shotoku Taishi could hear the words of ten people at once." Actually, there is also a theory that he used ninja to obtain intelligence beforehand. However, it is still amazing that Shotoku Taishi could remember all that intelligence... The continental military strategy that was brought from China was developed in c onjunction with shugendo, a practice involving mountain training, and adapted to Japans extremely hilly, narrow geogra phy, becoming unique Japanese strategy. From this body of strategy emerged Ninjutsu. There were shugen studios in the Ig a and Koka regions. Also, the houses of Todaiji and Kofukuji in the Iga region had most of the countrys warriors, and the lords of these houses adopted guerilla-like tactics, and kept the peace by containing one another. From this, Ninjutsu was developed. Iga Ninja Republic, Iga Sokoku Ikki In Iga of the manorial system period, rulers and lords (guardians) did not last long. Because the people of Iga created living areas by manor in units of clans, formed an organized party of landowning farmers, and did not defer to the control of central regimes, an important 12-member council (representatives) was chosen from among the 50-60 members of the party in Iga, and they maintained safety in Iga by cooperation. This is called the Iga Sokoku Ikki. The Tensei Iga War that crippled the ninja In the 6th year of Tensei (1578), the ruler of Ise, Kitabatake Nobukatsu (the se cond son of Oda Nobunaga was adopted by Kitabatake and inherited the reins of the family) planned to attack Iga with Mar uyama Castle as base, but retreated in the face of an attack from the troops of Iga. In the 7th year of Tensei (1579), Kita batake Nobukatsu regrouped and again attacked Iga, but was defeated by the resistance of Igas troops. Upon hearing of this (the First Tensei Iga War), Oda Nobunaga was sorely angry, and decided to go to battle himself. In the 9th year of Tensei (1581), he led his 50,000 troops to Iga, burning all of its lands and repeatedly slaughtering adults and children alike. The Iga troops resisted to the end, but a compromise was made, and they submitted. This is the only war in which the Iga region was crippled by attack, and the 800-year manorial system of Iga region was finished, and the ninja were scattere d among all lands thereafter (Second Tensei Iga War). The three Iga Ninja Grandmasters (Hattori Hanzo, Momochi Tambanokami, Fujibayash i Nagatonokami) The most famous group of Iga ninja is Hattori, Momochi, and Fujibayashi. Hattori Hanzo, Momochi Tambanokami, and Fujibayashi Nagatonokami are the three Iga Ninja Grandmasters. Hattori controlled western Iga. There is a famous person who supported Tokugawa Ieyasu, named Hattori Hanzo Masanari. The Hanzo name was inherited. Momochi controlled southern Iga. The Oe party had originally prospered in the so uth, and Momochi was one of the supporting families to it, but joining forces with Hattori and riding its wave of strength, Momochi was able to keep its position until

the Edo period. Fujibayashi controlled northeastern Iga. Fujibayashi Yasutake, the author of tra ditional Ninjutsu text Mansen Shukai was of this group. The Three Great Books of Ninjutsu

Among existing traditional Ninjutsu books, Mansen Shukai, Shoninki, and Shinobi Hiden are called the Three Great Books of Ninjutsu. Many traditional books were written in the Edo Period, and before that tradition s were oral. It is assumed that they were written to pass on traditions and commit them to record. The are traditional tex ts in which the words there is an oral tradition stand out, and this may indicate that oral tradition was of greater imp ortance. Mansen Shukai, by Fujibayashi Yasutake, integrated Iga and Koka Ninjutsu, an d a few types of copies are passed down in both Iga and Koka. Shoninki, by Fujibayashi Masatake, is a traditional text of the Kishu-ryu. Shinobi Hiden, by Hattori Hanzo is a traditional text of Iga and Koka. How Ninja are Called We now use the unified term ninja, but did you know that they were not called ninja in the past? Depending on the era and region, there were many different ways to call them. Lets introduce some of t hose here. The era Asuka Era - Shinobi Nara Era - kami Sengoku Era - Kanja : Rappa Edo Era - Onmitsu Taisho Era - Ninjyutsusha : Ninsya The region Kyoto / Nara : Suppa - Ukami - Dakkou Yamanashi : Suppa - Suppa - Mitsu-no-mono - Suppa Niigata / Toyama : Nokizaru - Kanshi - Kikimonoyaku Miyagi : Kurohabaki Aomori : Hayamichi-no-mono - Shinobi Kanagawa : Kusa - Monomi - Rappa Fukui : Shinobi There are many other names in the different regions, but the above are the most representative. There are various ways to call ninja, depending on their relation to being secre tive, the jobs they performed, and the reading of the Chinese characters with which their names are written.