Ninjutsu (?) sometimes used interchangeably with the term ninp (?

)
[citation needed]

[citation needed]

is the martial

art , strategy, and tactics of unconventional warfare and guerrilla warfare as well as the art [1] of espionage purportedly practiced by the shinobi(commonly known outside of Japan as ninja). While there are several styles of modern ninjutsu, the historical lineage of these styles is disputed. Some schools and masters claim to be the only legitimate heir of the art, but ninjutsu is not centralized like modernized martial arts such as judo, karate or taekwondo.Togakure-ry claims to be [citation needed] the oldest recorded form of ninjutsu, and claims to date past the 1500s.
Contents
[hide]

1 History 2 The eighteen skills 3 Weapons and equipment 4 See also 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External links

[edit]History Main article: Ninja Spying in Japan dates as far back as Prince Shtoku (572622), although the origins of the Ninja date [3] much earlier. Ninjutsu was developed by groups of people mainly from the Iga Province and Kka, [citation needed] Shiga of Japan. Throughout history the shinobihave been seen as assassins, scouts and spies. They are mainly noted for their use of stealth and deception. Throughout history many different schools (ry) have taught their unique versions of ninjutsu. An example of these is the Togakure-ry. This ry was developed after a defeated samurai warrior called Daisuke Togakure escaped to the region of Iga. Later he came in contact with the warrior-monk Kain Doshi who taught him a new way [4] of viewing life and the means of survival (ninjutsu). Ninjutsu was developed as a collection of fundamental survivalist techniques in the warring state of feudal Japan. The ninja used their art to ensure their survival in a time of violent political turmoil. Ninjutsu included methods of gathering information, and techniques of non-detection, avoidance, and misdirection. Ninjutsu can also involve training in free [5] running, disguise, escape, concealment, archery, and medicine. Skills relating to espionage and assassination were highly useful to warring factions in feudal Japan. [6] These persons were literally called "non-humans" ( hinin?). At some point the skills of espionage became known collectively as ninjutsu, and the people who specialized in these tasks were called shinobi no mono. [edit]The

eighteen skills

According to Bujinkan members, Ninja Jhakkei ("the eighteen disciplines") were first stated in the [citation needed] [citation needed] scrolls of Togakure-ry. They became definitive for all ninjutsu schools.

Ninja jhakkei was often studied along with Bugei Jhappan (the "eighteen samurai fighting art skills"). Though some are used in the same way by both samurai and ninja, other techniques were used differently by the two groups. The 18 disciplines are:
[7]

Ninjutsu as depicted in a 19th century sketch

1. Seishinteki kyy spiritual refinement 2. Taijutsu unarmed combat 3. Kenjutsu sword techniques 4. Bjutsu stick and staff techniques 5. Sjutsu spear techniques 6. Naginatajutsu naginata techniques 7. Kusarigamajutsu kusarigama techniques 8. Shurikenjutsu throwing weapons techniques 9. Kayakujutsu pyrotechnics 10. Hensjutsu disguise and impersonation 11. Shinobi-iri stealth and entering methods 12. Bajutsu horsemanship 13. Sui-ren water training 14. Bryaku tactics 15. Chh espionage 16. Intonjutsu escaping and concealment 17. Tenmon meteorology 18. Chi-mon geography The name of the discipline of taijutsu (?), literally means "body skill" or "body art". Historically, the word taijutsu is often (in Japan) used interchangeably with jujutsu (as well as many other terms) to refer to a range of grappling skills. The term is also used in the martial art of aikido to distinguish the

unarmed fighting techniques from other (e.g. stick fighting) techniques. In ninjutsu, especially since the emergence of the ninja movie genre in the 80s, it is also used to avoid the undesired bravado of explicitly referring to ninja combat techniques. [edit]Weapons

and equipment
This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (January 2011)

The following tools may not be exclusive to the ninja, but they are commonly associated with the practice of ninjutsu. Composite and articulated weapons Kusarigama - kama linked to a weight, either by a long rope or chain Kyoketsu shoge - hooked rope-dart, featuring a metal ring on the opposite end Kusari-fundo, also known as manriki or manriki-gusari - a chain and weight weapon.

Fistload weapons Kakute - rings resembling modern wedding bands with concealed, often poison-tipped spines, typically worn by kunoichi and enabling ninja to quietly strangle enemies with the pointed ends against the neck or throat Shobo - a jabbing or piercing weapon, similar in shape to kubotan and yawara, but often featuring a center grip ring Shuriken - various small hand held weapons including "throwing stars" that could be used to stab, slash or they could be thrown Tekko - an earlier version of brass knuckles Tessen - a folding fan with an iron frame. it could be used to club, or cut and slash the enemy Jutte - A weapon similar to the Sai

Modified tool weapons Kunai - multi-purpose tool Shikoro - used as a tool for opening doors and stabbing or slashing

Projectile weapons Fukiya - Japanese blowgun, typically firing poison darts Makibishi/tetsubishi - the Japanese type of caltrop Shuriken - various small hand held weapons including throwing stars and throwing darts that could be used to stab, slash or they could be thrown Yumi and Ya - traditional Japanese bow and arrow Bo-hiya (Japanese fire arrow) - fire arrow Tekagi-shuko and Neko-te - hand "claw" weapons

Staffs and polearms Hanbo, b, j, and tambo - various sized staff weapons Yari - traditional Japanese spear that's similar to the naginata

Nagamaki - pole arm with roughly equal length blade and handle Naginata - traditional Japanese pole-arm used by women and samurai (example: women might protect their home with a naginata)

Swords Katana - a long curved and single-edged sword, more commonly used by samurai (or ninja disguised as samurai) Wakizashi - short sword that can be hidden on the ninja's body, also a backup weapon Ninjato - short-bladed straight sword, fictional ninja sword Tant - dagger Kaiken (dagger)- Similar to the tant Bokken - traditional wooden sword use in Japanese martial arts Shinai - used in kendo

Stealth tools Kaginawa or grappling hook - climbing and Hojojutsu composite tool that also functioned as a makeshift gaff hook weapon Shinobi shzoku - the reputed ninja clothing. Ono (weapon) - Japanese axe and hatchet

[edit]See Ninja

also

Kunoichi Neo-ninja Ninja in popular culture

[edit]References This article includes a list of references, but its sources remain unclear because it has insufficient inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (March 2012)

1.

^ Hayes, Stephen. The Ninja and Their Secret Fighting Art. ISBN 0-8048-1656-5, Tuttle Publishing, 1990

2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

^ Shinobi-kai.com ^ Szczepanski, Kallie. "History of the Ninja", About.com, accessed June 2, 2011. ^ Hayes, Stephen. The Ninja and Their Secret Fighting Art. 1981: 18-21 ^ Hatsumi, Masaaki. Ninjutsu: History and Tradition. June 1981 ^ Draeger, Donn F. (1973, 2007). Classical Bujutsu: The Martial Arts and Ways of Japani. Boston, Massachusetts: Weatherhill. pp. 8485. ISBN 978-0-8348-0233-9.

7.

^ Books.google.com

[edit]Further

reading

Hatsumi, Masaaki. Essence of Ninjutsu, 1988. ISBN 0-8092-4724-0 Callos, Tom. "Notable American Martial Artists", Black Belt Magazine, May 2007, pp. 7273. Hatsumi, Masaaki. Ninjutsu: History and Tradition, 1981. ISBN 0-86568-027-2 Hatsumi, Masaaki. Ninpo: Wisdom for Life, 1998. ISBN 1-58776-206-4, ISBN 0-9727738-0-0 Hayes, Stephen K. The Ninja and their Secret Fighting Art, 1990. ISBN 0-8048-1656-5 Dillon, Thomas. Wingspan: Culture-Society-People in Japan, Where Have All the Ninja Gone?, September 2007, No.459. Hiroshi, Kuroi. Historical group image editorial staff compilation, 2007. ISBN 978-4-05-604814-8 Toshitora, Yamashiro. Secret Guide to Making Ninja Weapons, Butokukai Press, 1986. ISBN 978-99942-913-1-1 DiMarzio, Daniel. A Story of Life, Fate, and Finding the Lost Art of Koka Ninjutsu in Japan, 2008. ISBN 978-1-4357-1208-9 Bertrand, John. "Techniques that made ninjas feared in 15th-century Japan still set the standard for covert ops", Military History 23(1), March 2006, pp. 1219. Retrieved on July 11, 2008 from Academic Search Premier database. Hayes, Stephen K. and Masaaki Hatsumi. Secrets from the Ninja Grandmaster (Rev. Ed.), 2003. Boulder, Colorado; Paladin Press. Zoughari, Kacem. The Ninja: Ancient Shadow Warriors of Japan, Tuttle Publishing, 2010. ISBN 08048-3927-1 Naruto is a Japanese Ninja anime

[edit]External

links