History

Ninja running The roots of Ninjutsu, the art of stealth, are woven deep into the fabric of Japan's turbulent history, and are directly related to the nation’s warrior history, clan conflicts, social segregation and military conditions. Many of the Ninjutsu schools were founded by former Samurai, wishing to follow a different path, with a unique understanding of man, nature and survival techniques. With influences coming from the continent in the form of fleeing Chinese military, warrior monks, political refugees, etc., from India, Tibet, Nepal, China and Korea, the art's beginnings were created as a new vision of life, including austere esoteric spiritual practices, mind and body fortification methods, the understanding of nature, the human condition and much, much more.

This new concept was protected and practiced in several small warrior villages in the ancient Japanese Iga and Koga regions of south central Japan, in the 11th and 12th centuries (though most of the Ninjutsu schools were solidified as we know them today later, in 15th century). With a self-governing attitude, and a strong geographical position, the Iga and Koga regions in the Kamakura period (1185-1333) became well known for their inhabitants awesome warriors' skills and abilities. Historians have identifyed more than 75 Ninjutsu families in Iga and approximate 53 families in Koga who were regularly employed by some of the Japan's leading casts. Organized in a hierarchical structure of Jonin (high level ninja) Chunin (middle level ninja) and Genin (low level ninja), the ninja families/clans varied in size from small family groups to large clans.

Ninja running Their military prowess in unconventional warfare, and the success of their operations created such popularity amongst the oppressed, and fear amongst the ruling warrior elite. They became such a respected military force in their own right (and possible allies, in some cases), that the particularly ruthless Samurai general, Oda Nobunaga was determined to begin an historical extermination campaign against Iga ninja and their villages, hoping to totally eradicate the warrior clans in 1581. Indeed, the notion of educated, enlightened “common men” was greatly feared by the Samurai caste, and therefore empowering spiritual teachings, and more specifically Buddhism was to be obliterated. The Iga ninja were greatly opposed to his murderous activities in his attempt to gain control of Japan. They ran many assassination missions to kill him, but all were unsuccessful, for the moment.

Ninjas in action The leader of the powerful Ninja clan of Iga for the most part was one man, Momochi Sandayu, and his most powerful trained ninja, Ishikawa Goemon, the famous bandit hero, who himself was at the center of Sandayu’s many great accomplishments. Momochi Sandayu trained many of the famous ninja of the time; Hattori Hanzo, Ishikawa Goemon, and countless others. He went by several mysterious names, usually keeping his true name shrouded in mystery. Indeed, most people thought every one of his names were several different people, which was one of Sandayu's greatest proficiencies at the time. The famous Koga ninja master, Fujibayashi Nagato, was also said to be Sandayu, and thus the ninja master is considered to have controlled both Iga and Koga.

Two Ningas fighting Though Nobunaga, or more accurately his son, eventually succeed to overwhelm and defeat the Iga Ninja warriors with an army numbering some 20’000 against Ninja families and operatives numbering below 4000 at the Battle of Iga. The Ninja survivors including the greatly feared Momochi Sandayu spread out far and wide to all four corners of Japan.

In 1582, the task was finally successful, Mitsuhide and Goemon assassinated Oda Nobunaga.

The scattered Ninja successfully directly and indirectly greatly influenced the direction of Japan. In their various groups they persevered with practicing, deepening, and transmitting through the generations their secret art and esoteric knowledge which survives to this very day.

The disparity between fact and belief concerning Japan’s shadow warriors and the Samurai has been used (and further greatly distorted) through Hollywood and various popular Asian, commercial media. However, in reality, throughout the Warring States Period in particular it was quite difficult, if not virtually impossible to make a clear distinction between the warrior casts and clans. They were all military trained, but it was the philosophical approach that made the difference. One of the more remarkable historical situations exhibiting this disparity was when Hanzo Hattori, a former bushi who went on to become a famous Ninja warrior in his own right. He and his people were actually hired as personal Tokugawa bodyguards after they successfully assured the then Daimyo’s protection during one military action.

But, in opposition with the Samurai's honorific code, Bushido, the Ninja greatly valued life and survival more than the death in honor. The means were not important providing the goal was accomplished. With such beliefs, it is understandable why the ninja were often secretly hired by different Daimyo (Japanese warlords) to accomplish necessary but undesirable missions in their military campaigns.

Following the demise of the Tokugawa shogunate, as the political and military situation became more stable, the ninja were effectively ‘unemployed’. Notwithstanding this, the knowledge was secretly transmitted within warrior families throughout the centuries up to a point today, where several of the ancient schools can be studied as part of Japanese history and culture.

Ninjutsu then effectively came out of the shadows in the 1970's, when our current Grandmaster, Masaaki Hatsumi founded the Bujinkan Dojo as the first public and official Ninjutsu organization. He strived to educate those interested in Budo, the Way of the enlightened Warrior, the truth about the Ninja, whilst righting the seriously perverse image of such warriors as perceived by both Asian and Western societies, and martial arts practitioners all around the world. He began to accept foreign (non-Japanese) students, most notably, Doron Navon of Israel, and Stephen K.Hayes of the USA, and soon after the first “Ninja-boom” of the 1980’s began in earnest. In due course, Hollywood did its utmost to muddy the waters with unfortunate, highly inaccurate, low quality films throughout the decade promoting an image of a mysterious, super-human, often devilish and murderous assassin. This happened through a lack of factual research of Ninjutsu on the part of the writers, etc, and simply because of the commercial opportunities the filmmakers identified and encouraged of cinema-goers at that time. This explosion of the ninja onto an unsuspecting audience the world over made it possible for many disgraceful “martial arts practitioners” attempting to obscure their sources with an aura of mysticism to corruptly invent themselves as “authentic Ninja masters” and suchlike to perpetuate and take advantage of the public foggyness of the real Ninja, whilst. They would go on for many years to hide behind this grossly distorted image, and take financial advantage of people wishing to learn real Ninjutsu whilst not knowing the difference between what real Ninjutsu actually was compared to the fraudulent concoctions.

One fights three Indeed, for many the search for authentic Ninpo instruction goes on. However, for those who have successfully identified a true source, and exhibit the necessary qualities of commitment, endurance, and “giving” required of Budo, a unique lifeway of extraordinary mental, physical, and spiritual discovery awaits. – “Gambatte!” Keep going!