Ninja:

The Ultimate Guide to The Secret History

Of The Ninja

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Contents
The History of Ninja
Humble beginnings
Chi-mon
Bajutsu
Hensojutsu
Bo-Ryaku
Bojutsu
Choho
Kenjutsu
Intonjutsu
Shinobi-iri
Tenmon
Taijutsu
Sui-ren
Shurikenjutsu
Yarijutsu
Naginatajutsu
Kayakujutsu
Kusarigamajutsu
Seishinteki kyoyo
Ninja Beliefs
The Ninja Reputation
They wore black:-
Ninjas were invisible:-
Shapeshifting:-
Ninjutsu is a martial art:-
Ninjas could fly
 Ninjas could walk on water
Ninjutsu
What makes the Ninja unique
Famous Ninja
Fuma Kotaro
Mochizuki Chiyome
Kato Danzo
Jinichi Kawakami
Ishikawa Goermon
Hattori Hanzou Masashige
Ninja Weapons and Tools
Explosives
Ropes and grappling hooks
The Mizugumo
The Kunai
The Ninjato
The Ninja Nunchaka
The Katana
The Shobo
Wakizashi
The Shuriken
The Kusarigama
Ninja Clothing
The Bansenshukai
Ninja women
World war two
Modern day Ninjas
Humble Beginnings

In Japan, the Ninja have become so entwined with myth and legend
that it can be difficult to extract facts from folklore. As a result, there
is a strong Western view which is based far less on the truth, and
instead focuses on the mystical and magical aspects of the Ninja.
Some of these aspects included bizarre abilities to become invisible,
walk on water and exert control of nature.

The details of how the Ninja were first formed is vague, much of it
deeply buried in legends such as the traditional Japanese fable
about a half demon, half man who descended from the clouds to
create the first ninja.

It has also been suggested that the origins of the Ninja came from
China, as there are many links between the Ninja’s code of tactics
and the strategies they deployed and a book called “The Art of War”,
written by Sun Tzu in fifth century China.

"The Art of War" is a guide for military commanders that goes into
great detail about studying the enemy’s weaknesses, and today it is
still considered essential reading for modern military officers as well
as businesspeople from both sides of the hemisphere. Some
historians claim that it was Chinese monks travelling through Japan
who brought over these messages, which Ninjas then built their
philosophies on.

At the end of the Nara period (710-784) the Yama-bushi, a cult of

men from a low caste of people who slept in the mountains, had an
increasing influence over the local population by what was
considered at the time to be superstitions and vulgar ideas. This cult
taught their version of Buddhism and Shinto on the mountains of Heij
and Koya. Their teachings included mystic hymns and secret
formulas. The cult would work in the villages for payment in return for
performing magical remedies using various potions on the sick. They
would also encourage local young men who would later be
indoctrinated into their secret sects, and therefore continue the line
of thought within the cult.
When local landlords and the government eventually turned against
them, the priests within the cult turned to a different type of warfare
which would later be known as Bujutsu in order to protect
themselves. Bujutsu was a mixture of eighteen martial arts and was
the basis of what would later be known as Ninjutsu. The eighteen
arts included were:-

Chi-mon
This is the training of Geography. The Ninja would be taught how to
use the features of the terrains they planned to either invade or
battle over, to their advantage.
Bajutsu
Bajutsu is horsemanship, and this deals with both mounted combat
skills and riding on horseback.
Hensojutsu
The Ninja ability to disguise and impersonate was essential to their
works in espionage. It was said there was far more to this than
simple impersonation - the Ninja would actually become the
character they were impersonating. The Ninja would think, act, walk
and talk in the distinctive way of the character they were trying to
emulate.
Bo-Ryaku
This art taught techniques for political manipulation, deception and
confusion. The Ninja, not seeking any unwanted attention, would use
external forces to influence and manipulate their enemies.
Bojutsu
This dealt with skills using the stick and was also practised by the
Samurai and pheasants. Shinobi-zue were specially constructed
ninja sticks disguised as walking sticks, but with darts, blades or
chains concealed within. The Togakure-ryu Ninja used a Senban
Shurikan, which was a four pointed throwing star made from steel
and easily hidden.
Choho
The Ninja were the spy experts of their time and Choho were the
methods used for espionage. These techniques also included
methods of ensuring more potential Ninjas could be recruited and
implementing secret message routes.
Kenjutsu
This was the art of the Ninja sword. The Ninja sword was their main
tool for combat and there were two main skills they would master-
the “fast draw” method which involved drawing the sword and slicing
all made in one movement, and the “fencing” skill which was the
technique taught for direct combat with their enemies.
Intonjutsu
Intonjutsu is the art of concealment and the Ninja were known
masters of using nature to ensure their escape. The five elements of
escape, known as the “Goton-Po” - wood, earth, water, fire and
metal - were used as part of their training.
Shinobi-iri
This art dealt with skills in entry and stealth. The Ninja were taught
how to move in silence and how to enter what were thought of as
impregnable fortresses. Everything from how they walked, covered
distance, broke into castles and slipped into shadows were part of
the training.
Tenmon
Tenmon taught skills in meteorology. It was considered essential that
the Ninja be well versed in forecasting changing weather conditions
so as to enable them to take full advantage before any battles took
place.
Taijutsu
This art dealt with tackling combat while unarmed. Techniques taught
included choking, grappling, kicking and blocking- basically anything
that could be used to ensure the Ninja were able to survive if
attacked unprepared.
Sui-ren
This art dealt with all things water related. Ninja were known for
using floatation devices and being able to swim in silence as they
snuck up on their enemies. Sui-ren also prepared them for combat
techniques used underwater.
Shurikenjutsu
Shurikenjutsu dealt with the art of throwing. The Togakure-ryu Ninja
used their pointed star to hit their target’s extremities, and its
spinning motion when thrown would result in a sawing action through
skin. Blades used for throwing would often be concealed in their
clothing.
Yarijutsu
This is the art of spear fighting, and standard Japanese spears were
used for mid-range combat weapons. They were taught to be used
for stabbing and not throwing.
Naginatajutsu
This art was used for Halberd fighting. The Halberd was a short,
sharpened blade mounted on a handle. It was a mid-range weapon
which Ninjas used for slashing their enemies. There was also a
version called the Bisen-to, which was based on a Chinese weapon
and was heavy enough to be used as a blunt force, knocking down
enemies.
Kayakujutsu
These were techniques using fire and explosives, with Ninjas taught
how to make and detonate bombs for escape, distraction or
confusion. Later, it is known that the Ninja used gunpowder and
eventually guns.
Kusarigamajutsu
Kusarigamjutsu was the art of using the ball and chain weapon
which had been adopted by the Togakure-rye Ninja. They were
taught how to stop and snare their enemies before killing them.
There was also the Kyoketsu-shoge used by the Togakure-rye Ninja
which was essentially a hand held knife with a second blade, which
extended from the hilt and would be attached to a fifteen foot rope
ending in a large steel ring.
Seishinteki kyoyo
Ninjas developed a deep and accurate awareness of themselves
and their own personal power. They needed to be clear on their own
intention and motivations. The Ninja were taught perspective and a
certain way of evaluating the things around them. The Togakure-ryu
Ninja were known as warrior philosophers, and would not fight for
power or money but for love and peace.
Historians do have evidence through historical documents
referencing the Shinobi-no-mono that the Ninja first came into being
sometime between the 12th and 15th centuries in Feudal Japan. The
word Ninja is derived from the Japanese word ‘Shinobi-no-mono’,
and rather cleverly phonetically pronounced as “ninjah,” meaning ‘a
concealed person’.

It is most likely that the Ninja was first established within these
mountain ascetic cults who lived in the hills of Nara and Kyoto,
during the time that Buddhism was first being established. Ninja
beliefs and practices were also influenced by Shinto, Buddhism and
Sun Tzu which led to a unique perspective for the time.

Ninjutsu training was first established in the Iga Province and in an

area known as Koga. Koga, located in the Omi Province bordering
Iga was situated on the main trading route between Kyoto in the
North and the Kii Peninsula, and is considered to be the birthplace of
the Ninja.
The Iga region was very isolated from the rest of Japan, and the
area was so impoverished during this period that infants, particularly
girls, were killed by their families as they were seen as another
mouth to feed. Adults that could perform hard manual labour on
farms were invaluable. Perhaps the sheer isolation and remoteness
of these mountainous areas laid some of the foundations to the
techniques used by the Ninja.
Hordes of bandits would prowl along these trading routes, terrorising
travellers and the many villagers that lived scattered across the
mountain ranges of the Kii Peninsula. Many clans ruled in these
areas and with the usual, overly complicated political issues such as
land and resource claims, this created an environment where
mercenary activities could only thrive.

It appears that amongst the farm hands, villagers and disgraced

Samurai living in these places, Ninjutsu first started to form as a
method of protecting themselves and their families.

The Ninja were not a warlike people but due to the constant
harassment by Japanese rulers and repeatedly being subjected to
unfair religious persecution and unfair taxation, the Ninja became
more effective at their self-defence techniques. They used their
superior knowledge of military techniques as passed down by earlier
generations as tools against the superior armies of Rulers. The Ninja
were known to deviously manipulate politics to create peace.

It was during the Sengoku period, (the 15th to the 17th centuries)
which was a time of tremendous conflict across the regions that the
Ninja came to the forefront. The Iga and Koga had between seventy
and eighty clans in operation during this time and had created highly
skilled Ninja who were hired by the Daimyo, the powerful lords who
ruled over most of the country during this period. However, they were
by no means simply assassins for hire. Samurai lords, constrained
by the rules of Bushido, struggled to win in open warfare. It was well
known that the Samurai would use the Ninja to gather much needed
information or to start rumours to cause confusion. and sometimes to
assassinate their enemies. This would ensure the Samurai were able
to retain their honour. As in many societies there were also Ninja
outcasts who would hire themselves out to perform more criminal
acts, but the everyday Ninja would work in combination with their
family and communities in achieving communal goals.
The Ninjas, often from very poor villages, would be well paid for
these tasks and in turn they increased the wealth of their clans. The
Samurai were very wary of the Ninja, knowing that the Ninja who had
few scruples could be hired by their enemies to assassinate them.

Following the unification of Japan, the Ninja clans broke up and have
since participated in little activity.
Ninja Beliefs
Like many Japanese at the time, the Ninja were a deeply spiritual
people and their belief system was a large part of Ninjutsu.
Japanese ancestors believed rovers, words, mountains, skies etc. to
have their own spirits and energy. Shinto, meaning “way of the
Kami,” was one of their main spiritual influences. In Japanese, Kami
is translated into “deity” or “god,” but suggests a feeling of the sacred
rather than a divine being.
The Mikkyo was another spiritual influence for the Ninja, which were
methods used of increasing personal power. These powers included
the use of covert symbols and words which were used to focus their
intentions and energy on reaching certain goals. A group of people
called the Shugenja also had an influence on the Ninja. The
Shugenja roamed the same areas and believed in self-discovery
through activities such as exposing themselves to severe weather
conditions, walking through fire, braving freezing waterfalls and
hanging over cliff edges so as to draw strength from the earth. Their
aim was to overcome personal fear and obtain the powers of nature.
The Ninja Reputation
There are some bizarre beliefs on what a Ninja was or wasn’t. They
were not magical beings but ordinary people from the mountains
who had a unique philosophical viewpoint. Their philosophies were a
fundamental part of their combat methods. Although many of their
values were shared with the more chivalrous Samurai, the Ninja way
evolved from a different cultural path.
The Ninja’s tactics were often seen as cowardly and disgusting, as
they were more cunning and secretive than their counterparts. The
Ninja had to approach combat very differently when dealing with
enemies that were far greater in numbers and who had superior
weaponry. Although it has been documented that many clans were
completely destroyed, the Ninja’s unusual approach to warfare was
often very successful. As their opponents had little understanding of
how the Ninja’s covert strategies and operations worked, they saw
the Ninja as somehow magical in their capabilities to attack.

The Ninja themselves would exaggerate their abilities to help

encourage the belief that they were wizards and witches which
would act as a deterrent against possible attackers. The fact that the
Ninja communities were so closed off and secretive, coupled with
their demonstrational prowess as warriors, produced an opportunity
for the Ninja to create myths and legends regarding their magical
qualities. The stories that have given us today’s image of the Ninja
as a bunch of criminals were written by historians who were
empathetic to the Samurai’s code. As the Ninja were not Bushi (the
Samurai’s code of ethics), they were seen as being uncivilised.
The Ninja’s philosophy was called “Ninpo, “with “po,” meaning ‘of
encompassing philosophy’ or ‘of higher order’. Ninpo is a physical,
spiritual and emotional set of methods for self-protection against the
dangers that challenged the warrior on the path to enlightenment.

There are dozens of myths that surround the Ninja, the more popular
ones being mentioned below.
They wore black:-
Ninja clothing was made to be light and roomy to allow maximum
movement. It’s believed they would usually wear a navy blue.
Ninjas were invisible:-
Ninjas were thought of as having the power is disappear, but it is
thought this is owed more to their skills with explosives. They could
disappear into a cloud of smoke as part of their escape plans or
surprise attacks.
Shapeshifting:-
Legends suggest the Ninja could split themselves into several
people or take the form of various animals. Nakagawa Shoshujin, the
17th century founder of Nakagawa-ryi, wrote that he himself had the
superhuman power to transform into animals.
Ninjutsu is a martial art:-
We know Ninjas were not a warlike people and would manipulate
situations towards peaceful resolutions. Ninjutsu, although a much
needed skill, was always deemed a lower act than that of using
intelligence to defeat.
Ninjas could fly:-
There are accounts of Ninjas using kites to fly over hostile territory.
Whilst it is known that kites were used in Japanese warfare to send
messages and signals over land, it is doubtful that anything
sophisticated enough as to actually lift a man into the air was
available at the time. It goes without saying that there is no evidence
of a Ninja flying, ever. They were able to move quickly and quietly
and as part of their training and they were highly skilled at controlling
their breathing so this is more than likely to be where the myth has
originated from.
Ninjas could walk on water
An episode of Mythbusters put this theory to the test a few years
ago, and quickly decided this was definitely a myth. Although we
know Ninjas had water shoes, it is doubtful that they were ever
successful at truly walking on water. It is more likely that these
wooden shoes had multiple uses and could be used as floats when
crossing over water.

The Ninja were said to gain magical powers through the Tengu, a
monstrous bird spirit that lived in the trees of Japan and were served
by the Ninja. Today, before a tree is chopped down, many people still
make an offering to appease the spirit bird.
Ninjutsu
Legend has it that Ninjutsu was developed by a Samurai called
Daisuke. In 1162 Daisuke had lost in a battle and forfeited his lands
and title, and had been wandering around the mountains of Honshu
when he met a Chinese warrior monk called Kain Doshi. Together,
these two developed a new type of guerrilla warfare they called
Ninjutsu. It was said that Daisuke’s children opened up the first
Ninjutsu schools to train local people in these arts.

On the plains of Iga, warfare tended to be done using stealth rather

than bloodshed. Mountain priests would teach family heads their
secret arts and these would be passed down the male lines in
families. Males would be indoctrinated into these arts in mountain
temples. Before the end of the Heian Period (794-1185), the first
book on Ninjutsu appeared after being written by the great Genji
Warrior, Yoshitsune Minamoto. He was a military genius and one of
the most well-known historical figures of the time. His book, aptly
named “Book of Eight Styles of Kurama,” emphasises the art of
flying. Yoshitsune was a great jumper and mastered these arts as a
young child in a training school for mountain ascetics.

Within the book, Ninjutsu was established as an art although still in

its infancy. There is more to Ninjutsu than wearing black pyjamas
whilst aiming sharp stars at enemies of the Ninja as they blend into
the wallpaper. It is not a typical martial art, but more of a type of
warfare which the area developed over many years and which is
typically divided into espionage and strategy.
Note- for those unfamiliar with the term espionage, it means to be
spying and collecting information on enemies that may be deemed
useful.
Intelligence would be gathered on their enemies’ capabilities and the
Ninja would develop a counter strategy to thwart them. Even in
Japan today, the Iga people are known to be crafty and devious.
There are three levels of Ninja. The high Ninja, also known as the
“Jonin,” had authority over the middle tier, known as the “Chunin,”
who were the middle class and who had authority over the lowest
class, the “Genin”.

As the reputation of the Ninja grew during the civil wars between the
fourteenth and sixteenth centuries, warring land owners asked the
Ninja for help. At this time in Iga there were two major families each
with three hundred Ninjas and in Koga, there were over fifty families
but with a smaller number of Ninjas available. Iga heads were Jonin
and in Koga, they were Chunin.

Like Yoshitsune Minamoto, Masashige Kusunoki who is known as

the father of advanced Ninjutsu, learned the basics of the arts from
mountain ascetics. Kusunoki had forty eight Ninjas working for him
whose duties included spying in Osaka, Kobe and Kyoto.

Among his many exploits, Kusunoki was famous for locating his
enemies supply route and after killing the porters, disguised his Ninja
using the porters own armour. When they were let into the gates of
what was thought of as being an impregnable castle, the Ninja
attacked by setting fire to and destroying the castle. Another exploit
he is famous for included his death. After failing at defending his own
castle from attack, Kusunoki’s enemy found him dead with his
personal Ninjas crying over his body. Whilst his enemy celebrated
their triumph, he arose and alongside his Ninjas crushed the party of
enemies.

Today there are several modern styles of Ninjutsu, however the roots
of their lineage still remain in dispute. Online there are countless
blogs and websites, all devoted to arguing their own version of
Ninjutsu as being authentic. Unlike many other modern martial arts,
Ninjutsu is not centralised so schools today are able to claim
themselves as being the one and only true successor to the original
art.
What makes the Ninja unique?
The Samurai code is called Bushido, which is the code of honour
and morals by which they lead their lives. When the noble Samurai
entered the battlefield in the name of their ruling Emperor and
wearing colourful armour to reflect their clan’s identity, they would
often call out the challenge to their opponent by announcing their
family heritage before actually getting on with the attack.

The Ninjutsu code was at the opposite end of the scale. They
appreciated the value of doing a good reconnaissance exercise long
before any plans for warfare were drawn up. Ninjutsu strategy dealt
with the skills required to reduce the opposing side’s fighting
capabilities. They used all forms of attacks including poisonings,
surprise, explosives, and occasionally women as honey traps. In a
nutshell, Ninjas used a type of two pronged attack to overcome their
enemies. The Samurai found these values repulsive, although
disgraced Samurai had no problem joining forces with the Ninja
when the need arose.

Very little in terms of historical facts can be found that lays out the
Ninja way, some of which could be attributed to the Ninja
themselves. Their training schools and philosophies were kept in the
most part a heavily guarded secret, as would be expected. This is
probably the main reason that whilst the Samurai are seen as the
loyal and honourable heroes of their time, the Ninja are not- their
deeds and names having made little mark on Japanese history.
Famous Ninja
Some accounts of Ninjas that did manage to make the history books
include the following:-

Fuma Kotaro
Although not from the prestigious clans of Koga and Iga, he fought
as leader of the Hojo clan against the Takeda clan using the
principles of Ninjutsu.
The Hojo clan were defeated in 1590 by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, a
general leading an army of Samurai. Kotaro, along with his ninjas,
turned to a life of crime. Legend suggests that Kotaro tricked Hattori
Hanzo, a famous Samurai / Ninja at the time (not the infamous
Samurai sword maker from Kill Bill) by luring him into a narrow
seaway. When the tide then came in, Kotaro poured oil into the water
and set it alight- burning Hanzo’s ships and small army.
For the crime, Kotaro was sentenced to death and in 1603 was
beheaded.

Mochizuki Chiyome
We had to find at least one famous Kunoichi (lady Ninja). Mochizuki
was a 16th century noblewoman who came from a long line of the
Koga Ninja and was left the widow of a Samurai at a young age. Left
in the care of their local Daimyo, Takeda Shingen, she was asked to
help him by assembling a ladies only Ninja club. These female
Ninjas would be used against Takeda Shingen’s enemies to gather
information and pass secret messages onto his allies.

Mochizuki Chiyome started a long campaign of recruitment, bringing

in orphans, the poor, war victims, widows and prostitutes. They were
taught everything from how to murder to how to dress up as
wandering priestess, enabling them to travel through the country
without question. It is believed that by the end, she led a successful
team of between two to three hundred Kunoichi, ensuring her
Daimyo, Takeda was always one step ahead of his enemies.
Following his mysterious death in 1573, Chiyome disappeared and
there is no historical account of what became of her or her Ninjas.

Kato Danzo
Some believe that Kato Danzo was the Ninja who ultimately
persuaded people that the Ninja were indeed superhuman beings.
He was a magician by trade and was so convincing that people
believed him to be the real thing. Researchers suggest he was
somehow able to cause mass hypnosis amongst spectators,
although there is no evidence of this. Among his many tricks he was
said to have swallowed a bull in front of a crowd, he was seen flying
around villages and upon throwing seeds to the ground, he made
flowers bloom immediately. Kato was nicknamed Tobi Kato, meaning
flying Kato.

Kato’s reputation as a real sorcerer eventually caught the attention of

Uesugi Kenshin who agreed to put Kato to the test. Kenshin
challenged Kato to steal a prized sword from Naoe Kanetsugu, one
of Kenshin’s vassals.

Kato agreed and was able to successfully enter the heavily guarded
castle, steal the sword and a take a servant girl at the same time.
Kenshin, suitably impressed by the deed, invited Kato into his
service but over time, Kato became unwelcome. Some suggest it
might have been because of Kenshin’s growing distrust of him, but
everything ended with Kato defecting to Kenshin’s rival, Takeda
Shingen.

Unfortunately for Kato, Takeda Shingen believed he was a double

agent still working for his old rival and ordered Kato’s head to be cut
off. Kato was beheaded in 1569.

Jinichi Kawakami
Jinichi came from the Iga clan and was known as the last Ninja. At
six, his studies in Ninjutsu began and he was also taught chemical
knowledge as handed down from the centuries. He took the sad
decision not to pass on his knowledge, recognising that in the
modern world there was little to practice murder and poisonings on.

Ishikawa Goermon
Ishikawa was born in 1558 and legend says he was a Genin (a Ninja
apprentice) with the Iga clans before becoming Nukenin (a runaway
Ninja). It is said that he was an outlaw who robbed from the rich and
gave to the poor, a Japanese version of Robin Hood. In Kensai, he
became the leader of a band of thieves who would steal from rich
merchants, clerics and feudal lords before redistributing the wealth
amongst the impoverished Japanese peasants. After a failed
assassination attempt on Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1594, Ishikawa was
captured and found guilty of many purported crimes. He was
publically boiled alive, and the story goes that he held his son over
his head during the cooking process. It is not known whether his son
survived the experience.

Hattori Hanzou Masashige

Some say Hattori was the most famous Ninja of all and, unlike his
fellow Ninja, his deeds are recorded in Japanese history books. Born
in 1541 in the Iga Province, his father was a vassal to the Shogun,
Tokugawa family. He trained in martial arts and became a Master of
the Spear. When Tokugawa went to war in 1570 against his enemy,
Uzichijo, the 29 year old Hattori showed brilliant fighting skills in the
ensuing battles and became known as the Great Lancer.

He teamed up with a Koga Ninja after the murder of Oda Nobunaga

when he needed to get his Shogun to safety. It is said that they used
the Goton-Jutsu to make their escape. The Goton-Jutsu used the 5
elements for escape which are wood, fire, earth, metal and water.
Hattori died aged 54 in a battle against the Fuma Ninja. Fuma
Kotaro, their leader, was an expert in causing damage to Tokugawa’s
installations. Tokugawa commanded Hattori to assassinate Fuma.
Knowing Fuma only had a few light boats, Hattori had large
gunboats built with heavy cannon fire. Once his fleet was complete,
Hattori searched along the coast for the Fuma Ninja.

He found a small group of Fuma Ninja boats just off the Suo coast
and had his gunboats move into range before pounding them with
cannon fire. All but two of the Fuma Ninja boats were destroyed in
the attack, having kept out of range during the battle. As Hattori’s
gunboats closed in on the surviving two, they could see that one was
on fire. The tide changed and forced his gunboats into a narrow
channel as they headed straight for the burning ship. Hattori tried to
turn back but the rudders on his gunboats had been destroyed by
underwater Fuma Ninjas during the attack.

Hattori and his Ninja noticed that the water they were in was slick
with oil, and seeing what was about to happen they tried to dump the
gunpowder their boats were carrying overboard but they ran out of
time.

Hattori’s gunboats collided with the empty, burning Fuma boat and it
is said that the ocean was turned into an explosive inferno. On the
one remaining Fuma Ninja boat, just out of the fire’s range, Fuma
Kotaro witnessed Hattori die.
Ninja Weapons and Tools
Although we know that the Ninja were a secretive organisation, there
are some known weapons that were either created or developed by
the Ninja which include the following:-

Explosives
The Ninja were experts in their use of explosive weapons which
were often used to distract or confuse their enemies during an attack
or an escape.
The Ninja had two types of explosives, hard and soft cased bombs.
The hard case, made from pottery, would be used in situations
where large amounts of damage were needed. Upon impact the
bomb would release deadly shrapnel. Soft cased bombs were made
from reeds or paper, and when released would cause heavy smoke
or toxic gases used for escape.
Ropes and grappling hooks
There is much evidence of the tools Ninjas used for spying and
espionage. Common among them are grappling hooks and various
ropes that were tied to their belts. In the Bansenshukai, a book
containing a collection of knowledge from the Iga and Koga clans, a
collapsible ladder with spikes at each end used to anchor in the
ladder is shown. The Ninja used climbing gear worn on the hands
including spikes and hooks which could be used as weapons later.
The usual tools such as hammers, picks and chisels were also tools
known to be used amongst the Ninja.
The Mizugumo
The word Mizugumo is the native Japanese name for water spider,
and this term was used for the wooden shoes which apparently
enabled the Ninja to walk on water. They had a wide surface area
which was supposed to distribute the Ninja’s weight over the water.
Experiments have proven these are not functional tools and
therefore more of a mythical belief.
The Kunai
The Kunai was a heavily pointed tool which originated from a
Japanese masonry trowel. Triangular in shape, it was mainly used to
dig out holes in walls which would be used as hand and footholds for
climbing.
The Ninjato
Shorter than the Katana, the Ninja’s traditional sword was the Ninjato
and was specifically designed for the style of the Ninja. It could be
carried around the torso or strapped to the back, which was useful
for when the Ninja needed full movement capabilities. These swords
were forged from steel, and could be laminated from different steel
strengths to increase performance, quality and strength.
The Ninja Nunchaka
The Nunchaka has been used in various other martial arts, however
as it was a weapon which could easily be hidden, it was a particular
favourite of the Ninja. The Ninja would usually fight within short
range of their enemies and the Nunchaka was an excellent weapon
for concealing. The Ninja Nunchaka was usually made from wood
and could have either spikes or rounded edges to ensure maximum
injury to their enemies. The Nunchaka came in various lengths, but
to determine the best length for an individual the length between
their wrist and forearm would be measured.
The Katana
The Katana was a traditional Japanese Sword often used by the
Samurai. The sword is curved and longer than the Ninjato, but the
Ninja adopted the weapon and became very skilled at using it. The
main issue for the Ninja was the length of the blade. Worn around
the hip, it would impede the Ninja’s athletic activities.
The Shobo
The Shobo is a short wooden stick with a leather strap around the
middle that would be tied to fingers. It could easily be concealed on
the Ninja’s body and would be very effective in close range combat.
Wakizashi
Smaller than the Ninjato, this sword was most effective in very close
range combat when the Ninja had limited space to move.
The Shuriken
Shuriken translated means “sword hidden by the hand”, and is the
name the Ninja gave to weapons that would be thrown. The Ninja
had several of these and most were produced from steel. Shurikens
were often used as a distraction rather than for killing or disabling
their enemies. The skilled Ninja would usually target the head, feet
or hands of their enemies when using these weapon types.
The Bo-Shuriken was a metal spike that could be used in many
situations. The Yari was five foot long with a metal tip that would be
used to target the stomachs of enemies. The Hira-Shuriken were the
“Ninja stars” often associated with the Ninja. Being made flat and
with sharpened edges, they were a good design for throwing. They
had a hole through the centre where they could be strung together
so many could be carried when going into combat.
The Kusarigama
This weapon was similar to the medieval flail; essentially it was a ball
and chain. The Kusarigama was attached to a Kama and had many
uses in battle. If used correctly, the Ninja would use it to snare in
their enemy, close the distance between them and kill them. Against
a sword, the chain would wrap itself round the blade and the Kama
end could inflict damage using blunt force.
Although it appears that the Ninja had a wide array of tools and
weapons to choose from, the Banenshukai warned the Ninja that
they should not be overloaded with equipment, stating “a successful
Ninja is one who uses but one tool for multiple tasks.”
Ninja Clothing
We often think of the Ninja as being sheathed head to toe in black as
they blended into the darkness, but there is no written evidence of
this. It was far more common for the Ninja to be dressed as
commoners or disguised as civilians when committing espionage.
It is believed the notion of the black costume stems from earlier
drawings of the Ninja, when they were depicted as invisible thieves.
Their clothes were similar to the Samurai but would have been fitted
more loosely to allow for more strenuous activities. Trousers were
secured with belts and the Tenugui, which was a cloth wrap that had
multiple uses – it could be anything from a face mask to an aid
during mountain climbing.
Historians indicate that whilst armour specifically used by the Ninja
cannot be confirmed, lighter pieces of armour worn by the Ninja have
been found. Chainmail type armour was often used by the Ninja as it
could easily be concealed. Arm and shin guards alongside hoods
reinforced with metal were considered to be part of the Ninja attire.
There was also Kurato, smaller armour plates which were believed
to be used by the Ninja. Jackets called Katabira were used which
had armour hidden between the layers of cloth.
The Bansenshukai
The Bansenshukai is the Japanese word meaning “Sea of Myriad
Rivers Merging,” which is a multi-volume collection of knowledge of
the Ninja Clans from the Koga and Iga areas. Devoted to the training
of Ninja, it was written by Fujibayashi Sabuji during the early years of
the Tokugawa shogunate period (the last feudal Japanese
Government with heads of Government known as the Shogun). The
Iga version of the book consisted of twenty six chapters bound
across sixteen volumes. The contents of these books consisted of a
questions and answers section, volumes on thought and philosophy,
volumes on Yo, several on leadership, two on astrology, five on
weapons and two volumes on In; essentially a huge collection of
everything a Ninja needed to know.
There was also a Koga version which consisted of twenty two
chapters over eleven volumes. This knowledge had been developed
during a time of constant conflict which lasted nearly 150 years,
ending with the Siege of Osaka. Writings on weapons, military
strategy and philosophical beliefs amongst other items were
contained within the book. Fujibayashi had been influenced by
Chinese thoughts and a clear connection between Chinese traditions
can be seen within his books which he presented as being the
ultimate collection of Ninjutsu knowledge.
After the World War these books were no longer published, and
today none are for sale and they can only be found in museums or
special collections. This book made up one part of the Ninja’s major
sources of information. The Shoninki and Ninpiden made up the
other major sources of directions for the Ninja.
Ninja women
There was also the Kunoichi, meaning the female of Ninjutsu. It
could also be translated as “nine plus one.” Women trained in the
same schools as their male counterparts, however they focused on
espionage skills which would often mean living amongst the enemy,
gaining their trust and sharing any intelligence they could collect.

Evidence of their existence can be found within the book of

Bansenshukai. They were often disguised as maids as they worked
amongst their enemies gathering intelligence. People were not
particularly cautious where women were concerned, which enabled
the Kunoichi to be very successful at their tasks. They would also
help in sneaking their male counterparts into the homes and castles
of their employers. It was written that lady Ninjas would also use
their womanly prowess to seduce certain targets and manipulate
them later to make certain political decisions. Very little else is
known of the Kunoichi other than they were not recorded as
participating in combat.
World War 2
During World War Two, a secret military spy school called the
Rikugun Nakano Gakko was set up by the Japanese Imperial Army.
Documents reveal that intelligence officers were taught Ninjutsu.
Intelligence officers were taught how to gather vital information, build
bombs, Ninjutsu, and sabotage, and it was believed that these
officers did serve behind enemy lines. The school was closed after
the war ended in 1945 but 2300 officers graduated during the time it
was open.

There is a famous story of one graduate, Hirro Onado, who was a

World War 2 Japanese Intelligence Officer and used his Ninja
training to survive twenty nine years evading what he considered to
still be the enemy. Onado graduated from the Nakano Spy School
after receiving training in Ninjutsu before being deployed to a
Philippine Island, where he was to sabotage airport and harbour
installations before the expected arrival of the Americans. For twenty
nine years, he used his Ninjutsu training to steal food and evade
search teams, all along refusing to believe the war had ended. He
got into many scuffles with the locals and became somewhat of a
legend amongst them. It wasn’t until his then retired Major who had
issued the original deployment orders went over to personally relieve
him of his duties in 1974 that Onada believed the war was indeed
over.
Modern day Ninjas
Although the era of the Shogun and Samurai has long since passed,
Japan does have one or two Ninjas still around today. It is claimed
however, that the tradition of passing down the skills of Ninja arts will
not be given to the next generation.
Hollywood has certainly had their fair share of capitalising on the
agents of darkness, with films such as Enter the Ninja and an
American Ninja where they are seen as superhuman beings. There
are dozens of comics and Ninja anime that still make good profits
today.

Japan’s last Ninja Grandmaster is Jinichi Kawakami, according to

the Iga-ryu Ninja museum. Today he works as an engineer for his
day job but he started learning the arts of Ninjutsu at age six from
Master Masazo Ishida. Today he is the 21st head of the Ban Family,
one of the 53 that make up today’s Koga clan. In an article with the
BBC, Kawakami said that when he was learning Ninjutsu, "I thought
we were just playing and didn't think I was learning Ninjutsu." He
was taught skills in being silent, and making potions and explosives.
Apparently, he is able to mix potions that make the victim appear as
though they have some sort of contagious disease. At the mere age
of eighteen, he inherited the clan’s ancient scrolls which were usually
handed down from father to son.

There is also another who claims to be the last Ninja in Japan.

Masaaki Hatsumi, an eighty year old man from the Chiba Prefecture,
claims the title for his leadership in another surviving Ninja clan, the
Togukare clan. He is also the founder of Bujinkan, an international
martial arts organisation with over 300,000 scholars worldwide. His
own dojo is full of students who see him as some sort of holy man.
Hatsumi has made a fortune from exploiting the arts of Ninjutsu,
including his role as a contributor to countless films as an advisor on
the art.
Although Hatsumi and Kawakami both claim the same title, they both
agree that they will not be passing on the title to another Ninja
Grandmaster, believing that in today’s world there is no need for
Ninja skills. Medicines are readily available and there is already
enough manipulation in politics for it to be of any use to the Ninja
during their time of relative peace.

Despite this, the Ninjas will not easily be forgotten as history has
shown after surviving for over a thousand years, and hopefully the
Ninja will continue to thrive in the film, anime and gaming industries
and in our own imaginations.