More than one generation has grown up on Hollywood stories about ninja warriors. Born into a clan of assassins and raised by ruthless senseis, ninjas dedicated their existence to the ceaseless fight against the villainous samurai. Shadows in the night, ready to carry out the most disgusting order for the right price.
All this is a cheap selection of populist myths that appeared only at the beginning of the 20th century. Most of the stories about these Japanese warriors are based solely on the filmmakers' desire to create a vivid, marketable image. Today we will tell you a few amazing facts from a real ninja story: less romance, more truth.
The original Japanese name, which was used by the Japanese themselves, is shinobi no mono. The word "ninja" came from the Chinese reading of the same characters and became popular only in the twentieth century.
First appearance
For the first time, shinobi are described in military chronicles of 1375. The chronicler mentions a group of spies who managed to infiltrate the fortified castle and burn it to the ground.
Golden age
For two centuries - the XIV and XVI - the cause of the warriors of the night flourished. Japan was immersed in civil wars and shinobi were very popular. But after 1600, life on the islands became much calmer, and this began the decline of shinobi no mono.
Ninja Bible
There is very little documented information about this secret organization. The shinobi themselves began to chronicle their deeds only after 1600. The most famous work, written by an unknown sensei, dates back to 1676. The book is considered the real shinobi bible and is called the Bansenshukai.
Confrontation with the samurai
Modern culture clearly depicts ninjas as fierce opponents of samurai. There is not a grain of truth in this: ninjas were a kind of mercenary special forces unit and the samurai treated them with great respect. Moreover, many samurai tried to improve their fighting skills by studying ninjutsu.
Ninjutsu
There is an opinion that ninjutsu is a kind of martial art intended for an unarmed warrior, something like high-level karate. But there was no point in shinobi fighters devoting most of their time to practicing hand-to-hand combat. Original ninjutsu techniques are 75% intended for an armed person.
Shuriken ninja
In fact, it was samurai who used shurikens. The art of throwing a steel star was taught in special schools, but ninjas preferred to use much simpler and easier-to-handle blowguns. The stereotype about shurikens appeared only at the beginning of the 20th century.
Masked warrior
And, of course, a ninja should never appear without an ominous black hood on his head - otherwise who would be afraid of him! Shinobi actually used masks when necessary, but they could easily attack with their faces uncovered.
Sinister Assassins
In fact, most often employers used shinobi as spies. They could also be assigned political assassinations - rather, as an exception.
Victory or death
This is a Hollywood myth. There is no evidence at all that the failure of the mission cost the shinobi their lives. What's the point of this? Professional mercenaries preferred rationality to romance: it was better to retreat and strike again than to solemnly thrust a sword into one’s throat without any positive result.
Ninja (Japanese 忍者 “hiding; one who hides” from 忍ぶ “sinobu” - “to hide, hide); endure, endure” + “mono” - suffix of people and professions; another name is 忍び “shinobi” (short for 忍びの者 shinobi no mono)) - reconnaissance saboteur, spy, infiltrator and assassin in Medieval Japan.
Ninja in literal translation still means “infiltrator”. The root of the word nin (or, in another reading, shinobu) is “to sneak.” There is another shade of meaning - “to endure, to endure.” This is where the name of the most complex, most mysterious of all martial arts comes from.
Ninjutsu is the art of espionage that 20th century intelligence services could only dream of. Having undergone physical and mental training that was superhuman in difficulty, and perfectly mastering all the techniques of kempo without weapons and with weapons, ninjas easily overcame fortress walls and ditches, could stay under water for hours, knew how to walk on walls and ceilings, confuse pursuers, fight with insane courage, and if necessary, remain silent under torture and die with dignity.
Spies and saboteurs who sold their work to the highest bidder, ninjas obeyed an unwritten code of honor and often went to their death in the name of an idea. Declared people of the lowest class (hi-nin), pariahs, outlaws, they inspired involuntary respect among the samurai. Many clan leaders disputed the favor of experienced ninjas, many tried to instill ninjutsu experience in their warriors. And yet, military espionage for centuries remained the lot of the elite, the family trade of a narrow circle of irreplaceable specialists, a clan “craft.”
Ninjutsu, certainly associated with the esoteric practice of a number of Chinese schools of wushu, is fraught with many mysteries not only for historians, but also for doctors, biologists, chemists, physicists, and engineers. What we know is only the tip of the iceberg, the base of which goes into the dark depths of mysticism, into the cosmic abysses of parapsychology.
In all likelihood, the process of separating the ninja into a separate social stratum, into a closed caste, proceeded in parallel with the formation of the samurai class and in almost the same way. However, if samurai squads were initially formed on the northeastern borders from otkhodniks and runaway commoners, then some fugitives preferred to hide close to their homes. The increased power of the samurai subsequently allowed him to take an independent position in public life Japan and even come to power, while scattered groups of ninjas never represented and could not represent any significant military and political force.
A number of Japanese historians define ninja as warrior-farmers (ji-zamurai). And in fact, at the initial stage of development they had much in common with samurai. But already in the Heian era (8th-12th centuries), which was marked by the rule of the palace aristocracy, proud bushi considered hired spies to be a dangerous, declassed element. From time to time, local feudal lords and government troops staged real raids on ninjas, ravaging their camps and villages, killing old people and children.
Ninja strongholds were scattered throughout the country, but the wooded environs of Kyoto and the mountainous regions of Iga and Koga became the natural center of ninjutsu. Beginning with the Kamakura era (1192–1333), ninja camps were often replenished by ronin, serving samurai who had lost their overlord in bloody internecine strife. Over time, however, access to the mountain communities was almost eliminated, as the commonwealths of free mercenaries gradually developed into secret clan organizations, sealed by ties of blood relationship and oath of allegiance.
Each of these organizations became a unique school of martial arts and cultivated the original tradition of nin-jutsu, called, like the samurai schools of bu-jutsu, ryu. By the 17th century There were about seventy ninja clans. Of the twenty-five, the most influential were Iga-ryu and Koga-ryu. Each clan passed down its own tradition of martial arts from generation to generation.
Being excluded from state system feudal relations, ninjas developed their own hierarchical class structure that met the needs of this type of organization. The community was headed by the military-clerical elite (jonin). Sometimes jonin controlled the activities of two or even three adjacent ryu. Leadership was carried out through the middle level - tyunin, whose responsibilities included the transmission of orders, training and mobilization of ordinary performers, the lower level (genin).
History has preserved the names of some jounin from the late Middle Ages: Hattori Hanzo, Momochi Sandayu, Fujibayashi Nagato. The position of senior and middle management varied depending on the community. Thus, in the Koga clan, real power was concentrated in the hands of fifty chunin families, each of which had under its command from thirty to forty genin families. In the Iga clan, on the contrary, all the reins of power were concentrated in the hands of three jonin families.
The key to the well-being of the community was, of course, secrecy, so ordinary spies who performed the most difficult and thankless work received a minimum of information about the top of the hierarchical pyramid. Often they did not even know the names of their jounin, which served as the best guarantee of non-disclosure of secrets. If ninjas had to operate in several groups, communication between them was carried out through intermediaries, and no information about the composition of neighboring groups was provided.
Tyunin was in charge of organizing appearances, building shelters, recruiting informants, as well as tactical leadership of all operations. They also came into contact with employers - agents of large feudal lords. However, the agreement was concluded between the jonin and the daimyo himself. The remuneration received for services was also transferred to the head of the clan, who distributed the money at his own discretion.
The art of espionage gained great fame primarily from genin, mostly unknown performers of the most difficult assignments, overcoming dangers and pain, risking their lives at every step for a meager pay or simply “for the love of art.” If captured, Tyunin could still hope for salvation by promising a ransom or selling part of it for his life. important documents, but the fate of the ordinary ninja was decided - he gave up the ghost in terrible agony.
Samurai, faithful to the laws of knightly honor, did not torture prisoners of war of noble birth. They rarely humiliated themselves to the point of torturing a commoner, on whom they could only try the edge of a blade. Another thing is the ninja, pariahs among people, cunning and evil beasts who always strike on the sly, forest werewolves who master the devilish techniques of hand-to-hand combat and the witchcraft art of transformation. If one of these “ghosts” fell into the hands of the guards alive, which happened extremely rarely, he was interrogated with passion, showing sadistic sophistication.
Ninja training began from infancy. The parents had no choice, because the child’s career was dictated by belonging to the outcast caste and success in life, that is, promotion to the ranks of the tyunin, depended exclusively on the personal qualities of the fighter.
Physical training began from the cradle. In the house, a wicker cradle with a baby was usually hung in the corner. From time to time, parents rocked the cradle more than was necessary for rocking, so that its sides hit the walls. At first, the child was frightened by the shaking and cried, but gradually got used to it and instinctively shrank into a ball when pushed. After a few months, the exercise became more complicated: the child was taken out of the cradle and hung freely “on the reins.” Now, when hitting the wall, he had to not only concentrate, but also push off with his arm or leg.
Similar game exercises were also done in reverse order when a soft but rather heavy ball was rolled onto a child. Submitting to the instinct of self-preservation, the baby raised his hands to defend himself and “put up a block.” Over time, he began to find a taste for such a game and confidently dealt with the “enemy.” To develop the vestibular apparatus and muscles, the baby was periodically spun in different planes or, being picked up by the legs and lowered head down, they were forced to “stand up” on the palms of an adult. In a number of ryu, a young ninja began swimming at the age of six months and mastered swimming techniques earlier than walking. This developed the lungs and gave excellent coordination of movements. Having become accustomed to water, the child could remain on the surface for hours, dive to great depths, and hold his breath for two to three minutes or more.
For children from two years old, games were introduced to test the speed of reaction: “scratch-scratch” or “magpie-thief” - requiring the instant withdrawal of a hand or foot. At about three years of age, special strengthening massage and breathing control began. The latter was given decisive importance in all further training, which was reminiscent of the Chinese qizong system. As in Chinese kempo schools, all ninja training was carried out within the framework of the Heaven-Man-Earth trinity and was based on the principle of interaction of the five elements. As soon as the child gained stability on land and in the water, that is, he could walk, run, jump and swim well, the classes were transferred to “Sky”.
First, a log of medium thickness was strengthened horizontally above the very surface of the earth. On it the child learned several simple gymnastic exercises. Gradually, the log rose higher and higher above the ground, simultaneously decreasing in diameter, and the set of exercises became significantly more complicated: it included elements such as “splits,” jumps, flips, and back and forth somersaults. The log was then replaced by a thin pole, and eventually by a stretched or slack rope. After such training, the ninja could easily cross a chasm or a castle moat by throwing a rope with a hook to the opposite side.
They also practiced techniques for climbing trees with a bare trunk (with and without a rope loop around the trunk), jumping from branch to branch or from branch to vine. Special attention focused on high and high jumps. When jumping from a height, there was a slow, careful increase in difficulty, taking into account age characteristics body. There were also various ways shock absorption during a fall using the legs, arms and the whole body (in a coup). Jumping from a height of 8-12 m required special “softening” somersaults. The features of the relief were also taken into account: for example, it was possible to jump onto sand or peat from a higher height, and onto rocky ground - from a lower one. A favorable factor for “high-altitude” jumps were trees with a dense crown, which could spring back and make it possible to grab a branch.
Diving was a separate discipline. Ninja high jumps, about which there are many legends, were based mainly on regulating breathing and the ability to mobilize ki. However, in childhood, only the technique of movements was mastered. There were many ways to jump high, but preference was always given to jumping with a “roll”, arms forward, with or without a somersault, from acceleration or from a standstill. In such jumps, which served to overcome small obstacles - fences, carts, pack animals, and sometimes a chain of pursuers, it was important, upon landing, to immediately enter a fighting stance.
High jumps were usually practiced on a simple “simulator” - instead of a bar, the child had to jump over a bush of thorny bushes, but during the “exams” real weapons were also used, which, if unsuccessful, could cause serious injury. Pole vaulting was just as painstakingly practiced, allowing one to jump over walls several meters high in the blink of an eye. Long jumps over deep ditches and “wolf pits” were supposed to develop the ability not to be afraid of depth and the skill of landing not only on the legs, but also on the arms with pull-ups.
A special section was made up of “multi-stage” jumps. As a preparatory exercise for them, one should master running along a vertical wall. With a slight acceleration, the man ran diagonally upward for several steps, trying to maintain balance as much as possible due to the large angle to the surface of the earth. With the proper skill, a ninja could thus run up a three-meter cliff and stop on the ridge, or, with a sharp push from the support, jump down and unexpectedly attack the enemy. In Chinese quan-shu, this technique is called “tiger jumping onto a cliff.” Another option for a multi-stage jump was jumping onto a low (up to 2 m) object, which served as a springboard for the next, final jump on overall height up to 5 m. This technique, combined with the use of miniature portable springboards, often created the illusion of “flying through the air.”
Developing strength and endurance served as the basis of all ninja training. Here, one of the most popular exercises for children was “hanging” on a tree branch. Clinging to a thick branch with both hands (without the help of legs), the child had to hang for several minutes at a great height, and then independently climb onto the branch and descend down the trunk. Gradually the hanging time was increased to an hour. An adult ninja could thus hang on external wall the castle under the very noses of the sentries, so that, seizing an opportune moment, they could get into the room. Naturally, numerous push-ups, weight lifting, and walking on hands were practiced.
One of the mysteries of ninjutsu is walking on the ceiling. Let’s immediately make a reservation that not a single ninja could walk on an ordinary smooth ceiling. The secret was that the ceilings Japanese rooms decorated with exposed relief beams and rafters running a short distance from each other. By resting his hands and feet on parallel beams or by clinging to one beam with the help of “crampons”, hanging with his back to the floor, the ninja could move across the entire room. In the same manner, but by jumping, he could climb up, resting against the walls of houses on a narrow street or in the corridor of a castle. One of the interesting aspects of ninja training was running over different distances. Marathon running was the norm for any child aged 10-12 years: he covered several tens of kilometers per day almost without stopping. This kind of skill was required not only to evade pursuit, but also to convey important messages.
At very long distances the relay principle was used. In the sprint, an ordinary straw hat served as an indicator of “sufficient” speed. At the start, you had to press your hat to your chest, and if it remained there, pressed by the flow of oncoming air until the finish line, the test was considered passed. Steeplechase could take many different forms. They set up barriers, traps and snares along the route, stretched ropes in the grass, and dug “wolf pits.” The young ninja had to, without interrupting his movement, notice traces of a person’s presence while moving and go around an obstacle or jump over it.
In order to move around enemy territory, it was not enough to be able to run well—you had to learn to walk. Depending on the circumstances, a ninja could use one of the following walking methods; “creeping step” - soft, silent rolling from heel to toe; "sliding step" - the usual way moving in kempo with arched movements of the foot; “compacted step” - moving in a straight line, the toe pressed closely to the heel; “jump step” - powerful kicks, reminiscent of the “triple jump” technique; “one-sided step” - jumping on one leg; “big step” - normal wide step; “small step” - movement according to the principle of “race walking”; “cutting holes” - walking on toes or heels; “staggered walking” - zigzag movements; "normal step" “walking sideways” - moving with an “extra step” or with your back to prevent the pursuit from determining the direction of movement.
During group operations in areas where tracks were clearly visible, ninjas most often moved in single file, trail after trail, hiding the number of people in the squad. The main requirements when walking in any way were speed, economy of strength and control of breathing. An important addition to the art of walking was movement on high, light stilts made of bamboo - takueuma, which, if necessary, could be made in a few minutes.
Inhabitants of inaccessible mountain regions, ninjas were born climbers. From childhood, a child learned to climb rocks and scree, descend into crevasses, cross rapids and bottomless abysses. All these skills were subsequently supposed to help the spy climb the impregnable walls of castles and penetrate the inner chambers of monasteries.
The art of rock climbing (saka-nobori, or toheki-ztotsu) was one of the most difficult subjects in the ninja training program. Although there were some auxiliary tools to make climbing easier, it was believed that a true master should climb a sheer wall without resorting to anything other than own hands and legs. The secret was the ability to concentrate strength and vital energy ki in your fingertips. Thus, the slightest protrusion or bump on the surface of the wall became a reliable point of support. Having felt at least two or three ledges, the ninja could confidently continue his way upward. Mentally at this time he rushed “into the depths” of the wall, as if sticking his body to the stone massif. The castle walls, made of huge hewn blocks, could be considered impregnable due to their height and steepness, but for a trained scout it was not difficult to overcome such an obstacle with many cracks and cracks.
From about four to five years old, boys and girls in the ninja camp began to be taught how to fight without weapons and with weapons - according to the system of one of the jujutsu schools, but with the obligatory inclusion of acrobatic elements, which gave the fighter clear advantages in the fight. In addition, children were subjected to cruel and very painful procedures in order to achieve free dissection of the joints. As a result of many years of exercise, the joint capsule expanded and the ninja could, at his own discretion, “remove” the arm from the shoulder, “unfasten” the leg, turn the foot or hand over. These strange properties were invaluable in cases where the spy had to crawl through narrow openings or free himself from fetters imposed by some ingenious method.
Finding himself in the hands of his pursuers and having allowed himself to be tied, the ninja usually tensed all his muscles, then to loosen the rope with general relaxation, “pulling out” his hands so that the loops slipped off his shoulders. What happened next was a matter of technique. In the same manner, a ninja could free himself from a painful hold or lock. In fencing, the dissection of the joint made it possible to lengthen the arm by several centimeters when striking.
Some schools also sought to reduce sensitivity to pain. To do this, from an early age the body was treated with a special “painful” massage, which included tapping and strong blows, pinching, clapping, and later “rolling” the body, arms and legs with a faceted stick. Over time, a thin but durable muscle corset was formed, and the pain was significantly dulled.
Natural accompaniment of the entire complex physical education There was a general hardening of the body. Children were not only taught to walk almost naked in any weather, but also forced to sit for hours in the icy stream of a mountain river, spend the night in the snow, spend the day in the scorching sun, go for long periods without food and water, and get food in the forest.
The acuity of feelings was brought to the limit, because life depended on the correct and quick reaction. Vision was supposed to help ninjas not only find out the secrets of the enemy, but also safely avoid traps. Since reconnaissance operations were usually carried out at night, there was an urgent need to navigate in the dark. To develop night vision, the child was periodically placed for several days and even weeks in a cave, where daylight barely penetrated from outside, and was forced to go further and further from the light source. Sometimes candles and torches were used. Gradually, the intensity of the light was reduced to a minimum, and the child acquired the ability to see in pitch darkness. As a result of regular repetition of such training, this ability did not disappear, but, on the contrary, was strengthened.
Visual memory was developed through special attentiveness exercises. For example, a set of ten items covered with a scarf was laid out on a stone. For a few seconds, the scarf rose, and the young ninja had to list all the objects he saw without hesitation. Gradually the number of objects increased to several dozen, their composition varied, and the display time was reduced. After several years of such training, the intelligence officer could reconstruct from memory in every detail a complex tactical map and literally reproduce a dozen pages of text he had read once. The ninja's trained eye unmistakably determined and “photographed” the terrain, the location of the castle corridors, the slightest changes in the camouflage or behavior of the sentries.
Hearing was brought to such a degree of sophistication that the ninja not only distinguished all birds by their voices and guessed the partner’s conditioned signal in the bird chorus, but also “understood the language” of insects and reptiles. Thus, the silent chorus of frogs in the swamp spoke of the approach of the enemy. The loud buzzing of mosquitoes from the ceiling of the room indicated an ambush in the attic. Putting your ear to the ground, you could hear the tramp of cavalry at a great distance.
By the sound of a stone thrown from the wall, it was possible to determine the depth of the ditch and the water level with an accuracy of up to a meter. By the breathing of those sleeping behind the screen, one could accurately calculate their number, gender and age, by the clink of a weapon, one could determine its type, and by the whistling of an arrow, the distance to the archer. And not only that... Adapting to actions in the dark, ninja learned to see like a cat, but at the same time sought to compensate for vision at the expense of hearing, smell and touch. In addition, the training, designed for long-term blindness, was designed to develop and superbly developed extrasensory abilities.
Years of training gave the ninja's ear the sensitivity of a dog, but his behavior in the dark was associated with a whole complex of auditory, olfactory and tactile sensations. The ninja could blindly judge the proximity of fire by the degree of warmth, and the proximity of a person by sound and smell. The smallest changes in ventilation streams allowed him to distinguish a through passage from a dead end and large room from the closet. With long-term loss of vision, a person’s ability to navigate both in space and time quickly progressed. The ninja, who naturally did not have a watch, was operating in indoors, was deprived of the ability to calculate time by the stars. Nevertheless, based on his feelings, he determined what time it was, accurate to within a few minutes.
The most talented students, after several years of study, acted almost as freely with a blindfold as without it. Cultivating their ability to suggest, they sometimes established “telepathic contact” with an invisible enemy sitting in ambush, and delivered a pre-emptive strike right on target. IN Japanese houses with abundance sliding partitions from wax paper into a screen, where the eyes could not always tell about the whereabouts of the enemy - all other senses came to the rescue. The notorious “sixth sense”, or “extreme intelligence” (goku-i), which theorists of bu-jutsu loved to talk about, was essentially a derivative of the existing five, or rather three - hearing, touch and smell. With their help, it was possible to avoid a trap in time and even repel an attack from the rear without turning around.
The sense of smell also told the ninja about the presence of people or animals, and in addition, it helped to understand the location of the castle's chambers. The living room, bedroom, kitchen, not to mention the latrine, differed sharply in smell. In addition, the sense of smell, and equally taste, were indispensable in some pharmaceutical and chemical operations, which ninjas sometimes resorted to. The physical training of the ninja continued until the onset of maturity, which was marked by the rite of passage into members of the clan. Initiation usually took place, as in samurai families, at the age of fifteen, but sometimes earlier. Only after becoming full members of the community did boys and girls move from standard psychophysical training to knowledge of the hidden mysteries of the spirit contained in the teachings of the Yamabushi monks, in Zen and in sophisticated yoga techniques.
Despite the fact that all ninja clans provided universal espionage and sabotage education, the main thing for a qualified spy was to perfectly master the signature technique of his school. Thus, from generation to generation, Gyoku-ryu passed on the secrets of hitting pain points with the help of fingers (yubi-jutsu), Kotto-ryu specialized in painful grips, fractures and dislocations (konno), and also practiced the art of hypnosis (saimin-jutsu). In physical training according to the system of this school, the influence of Indian yoga was especially noticeable. Kyushin-ryu was famous for its masters of the spear, sword and javelin. The ninjas of Shinshu-ryu, nicknamed “transparent waves,” and their brothers from Joshu-ryu, “stormy waves,” from Rikuzen-ryu, “black windings,” from Koshu-ryu, “wild monkeys,” also had their secrets.
No one, even the most experienced ninja, experienced in the secrets of hypnosis and black magic, ever went on a mission without a “gentleman’s set” of weapons and technical equipment. Ninjas were, if not inventors, then at least active consumers and modernizers of all kinds of bladed weapons (primarily smaller and hidden types), as well as subversive mechanisms and military engineering devices.
Exercises with weapons began for ninjas, as in samurai families, from early childhood and went in parallel with general physical training. By the age of fifteen, boys and girls had to master, at least in general terms, up to twenty commonly used types of weapons. Two or three types, for example a dagger and a sickle or a club and a knife, were considered “profiling”. They were solemnly presented to the initiator at the ceremony of initiation into members of the clan. The ancient law of kempo was in force here, according to which any weapon, if wielded masterfully, can become reliable protection against a heavily armed enemy, including, of course, bare hands.
The ninja arsenal included three categories of weapons: weapons for hand-to-hand combat, projectiles and chemical substances, including explosive mixtures. For ninjas, a sickle with a long chain played the role of an alpenstock during ascents, a drawbridge and a lift.
However, the most curious thing in the entire complex of edged weapons was a specific ninja tool called kyoketsu-shoge. This ingenious device looked like a dagger with two blades, one of which was straight and double-edged, and the other curved like a beak. It could be used as a dagger, and the curved blade helped to catch the enemy’s sword in a fork and pull it out by turning it around its axis. It could be used both as a throwing knife and as a grappling hook for “dismounting” riders.
A pole (bo) and a club (jo) in the hands of a ninja worked wonders. Any stick that came to hand became a deadly weapon.
One of the most important aspects of a ninja's activity was defeating the enemy at a distance, so much attention was paid to the art of shooting and throwing small objects. Most often, scouts took with them on a mission a small, “half” bow (hankyu) no more than forty to fifty centimeters long. There were also arrows of the appropriate size, which were often rubbed with poison.
Fleeing from pursuit, the ninja sometimes threw at his pursuers, and more often scattered iron spikes (tetsubishi), an analogue of Russian and European “garlic,” along the road. The wounds from such a thorn were very painful and incapacitated a person for a long time.
Disguising himself as a wandering monk, peasant, priest or... circus performer, ninja daytime They wore a wide-brimmed conical hat made of rice straw (amigasa) - a very comfortable headdress that completely covered the face. However, besides camouflage, the hat could serve another purpose. A massive arc-shaped blade, attached from the inside “under the visor,” turned it into a giant shuriken. Launched with a skillful hand, the hat easily cut through a young tree and separated the man’s head from the body, like a guillotine.
To overcome open water spaces, especially castle moats, the ninja carried a breathing tube (mizutsu). In order not to attract attention with a special bamboo stick, an ordinary one was often used as mizutsu. smoking pipe with a long straight shank. With the help of a breathing tube it was possible for a long time swim, walk or sit (with a weight) underwater.
A more spectacular offensive and defensive weapon was the shuriken - a thin steel plate in the shape of a gear, cross or swastika with pointed edges. An accurate hit with a shurike ensured death. The purely psychological impact of these ominous metal plates in the form of magical symbols, which, in addition, sometimes whistled in flight. Let us add that the ninja also skillfully handled ordinary stones, sending them into the eye or temple of the enemy.
With the cessation of civil strife and the abolition of the samurai class after the “Meiji Restoration” in 1868, the traditions of ninjutsu seemed to be completely interrupted. Ninja mountain camps were largely eliminated under the Tokugawa era. The descendants of brave scouts and ruthless killers moved to the cities and took up peaceful trades. Some of the ninja's arsenal was adopted by military agents and detective police, and some of it moved into the field of jujutsu and combat karate. A unique complex of physical, mental, technical and philosophical-religious training, which was medieval art espionage, was revived only today on a commercial basis at the school of Hatsumi Masaaki.
And a few additional photos.
Ninja equipment (though for some reason heavy)
Shinobi Kusari-gama
Popular ninja gestures
Some basic ninja characters
They appeared out of nowhere. And they disappeared into nowhere. They were worshiped and hated. It was believed that no mortal could defeat them. Because they are demons. Demons of the night.
Fear settled in the fortress. The servants hid in their closets, afraid to show themselves to their masters again. Everyone was talking quietly, as if afraid to frighten off that unknown force that had made its way into the fortress. The provincial governor lay in his bed, soaked with blood. No one dared to approach the dead man; they were afraid to even look at him.
The guards were perplexed - the fortress was impregnable: the walls were high, the corridors were full of soldiers, and the entire courtyard was occupied by soldiers. Not a single living soul could penetrate here. But someone did it anyway. Who?
The servants whispered quietly among themselves: there was a flash of blinding light, and two guards on the North Tower were found dead; there were no wounds, only the lips turned blue and the eyes bulged as if at the last moment they had seen all the horrors of the world. The samurai suspected treason, but could not understand where to look for it. Who was at the governor's late dinner? Warlord. Yes, there were two more geishas from the nearby teahouse, but they visited the viceroy almost every night. The geisha left before midnight - the owner was still alive. Unexplained death. And none of them could know that there were not two geishas that night, but three. Meanwhile, the old woman, the owner of the teahouse, was counting the huge amount received at night and was silent. Silence was costly. His price is life. Time loves to reveal the past, but so far it has told very sparingly about the most unusual warriors of the Land of the Rising Sun - about the mysterious clans of professional spies and assassins, about the legendary ninjas. There are almost no written sources that shed light on their lives. According to legend, they passed on their secrets by inheritance in scrolls, and if the master did not find a worthy successor, the scroll was destroyed. Shadow warriors have always remained a mystery, the embodiment of another, dark world. Mikke temples and secret teachings, mountain cult and darkness worship. The ninja's amazing abilities to walk on fire, swim in icy water, control the weather, read the enemy's mind and stop time were usually attributed to dark forces. In the eyes of the samurai, ninjas were worthy of hatred and contempt. But all these feelings were generated by one thing - the fear that the “dark people” inspired in everyone in Japan - both superstitious commoners, and brave samurai, and sovereign princes.
Shinobi mono - a person who penetrates secretly
Surprisingly, in Japanese medieval chronicles there is no such thing as a ninja! The word "ninja" appeared only in the last century. It consists of two characters: Nin (sinobi) means to endure, hide and do something secretly; Dzya (mono) is a person. Those whom we now call ninja were called shinobi no mono in Japan - a person who penetrates secretly. This was a very accurate name, because the main occupation (and meaning of life) of ninjas was high-class professional espionage and masterly execution of contract killings.
Trap for Sarutobi
The official mention of the first professional spy in the history of the Land of the Rising Sun occurs at the end of the 6th century. His name was Otomo no Saijin, and he served Prince Shotoku Taishi, one of Japan's greatest figures. Saijin was a kind of connecting link between the people and the aristocracy. While changing clothes, he went outside the palace walls in the guise of a commoner, looked and listened, listened and looked. He knew everything: who stole what, who killed whom, and, most importantly, who was dissatisfied government policy. Saijin was the ears and eyes of the prince, for which he was awarded the honorary title of Shinobi (spies). This is where Shinobi-jutsu came from. True, some historians are inclined to think that Saijin was not a spy, but an ordinary policeman. However, this is not confirmed by sources.
The second famous spy was a certain Takoya, who served Emperor Tenmu in the 7th century. This servant was closer to modern concept"ninja" than Saijin. His task was sabotage. Making his way behind enemy lines at night, Takoya set fires. While the enemy was running around the camp in panic, the emperor's troops struck an unexpected blow. Both Saijin and Takoya may have been the forerunners of a powerful society of assassins and spies; the clan itself appeared in the 9th-10th centuries. In Iga, in the Ninjutsu Museum, a fragment of the 9th century chronicle of the ancient Togakura family is kept. In one of the battles, a representative of this family, a certain Daitsuke, was defeated and his possessions were seized. What could he do? Just run to the mountains to save your life. So he did. Hiding in the mountains, Daitsuke not only survived, but also began to gather strength for revenge. His teachers were the militant monks Ken Doshi. On the barren slopes of the province of Iga, Daitsuke persistently mastered the ancient art of completely subordinating the body to the dictates of will and mind. According to the chronicle, he created new type a warrior who moves as easily as the wind, unnoticeable to enemies; a warrior who knows how to win without a fight! Since then, many legends have been made about shadow warriors. Some of them were recorded in historical sources. Moreover, thorough comparative analysis conducted by researchers showed that much of these legends may well correspond to real facts. History mentions the legendary Sarutobi, who was one of the best ninjas. Sarutobi lived in trees; all day long he swung and hung on them, developing his dexterity. No one wanted to engage in hand-to-hand combat with him. And yet one day he was defeated. While spying on an influential shogun, Sarutobi tried to infiltrate his palace, but was spotted by sentries. This did not upset him at all, for more than once he easily escaped his pursuers. But this time luck turned against him. Jumping down from the wall surrounding the palace, he fell straight into a bear trap. One leg was firmly stuck in the trap. This could confuse anyone, but not an experienced shinobi. Sarutobi cut off his own leg, stopped the bleeding and tried to escape by jumping on one leg! And yet he did not manage to get far - the loss of blood was enormous and he began to lose consciousness. Realizing that he could not escape and that the samurai would soon overtake him, Sarutobi managed to fulfill the last duty of a ninja - he cut off his face...
But more often than not, ninjas emerged victorious even from the most hopeless situations. According to one legend, an experienced shinobi was ordered to kill his “colleague” Juzo. This was quite possible, because ninjas from rival clans did not spare each other (these guys had no corporate solidarity at all). Shinobi did not kill his “colleague”; live Juzo was more expensive. The prisoner was delivered alive to the customer shogun, and he, as a sign of respect, mercifully allowed the poor fellow to commit suicide. For hara-kiri, Juzo chose a short, blunt knife. Having plunged the knife into the stomach up to the hilt, the dying man stretched out on the floor. His breathing stopped, and all his clothes were soaked in blood. The corpse was thrown into a ditch near the castle. But this is precisely what should not have been done. The shogun paid for his mistake immediately - that same night his castle burned with fire! The arsonist was none other than the dead man, who had cut open his stomach a couple of hours earlier. The solution was simple - the cunning Juzo simply tucked the rat into his belt in advance, and then skillfully ripped open the belly not of himself, but of the unfortunate animal.
By the way, ninjas knew hundreds of similar tricks. And they not only knew, but also knew how to perform masterfully.
Yamabushi. Eagles are born only in the mountains
Historical documents clearly indicate the first school of spies - it was the so-called Iga school. It was founded by wandering monks who preached Buddhism. The authorities, and especially the official Shinto priests, persecuted these ascetic hermits. They retired far into the mountains and there they received everyone who was ready to share their faith and hard journey with them. Over time, these white monks began to be called yamabushi (mountain warriors), and it was they who became the first teachers in the Iga school. Yamabushi practiced medicine and enjoyed great respect among the population; they successfully treated many diseases, saved crops, could predict the weather and, as simple peasants believed, protect against evil spirits. The main goal of the Yamabushi was to search for the drink of immortality. The chronicles are silent about whether they succeeded in this or not, but over three centuries of persecution, the mountain warriors developed their own special art of murder and espionage. Yamabushi taught future ninja many military tricks, among which the most famous was the nine-syllable defense. It was she who turned ninjas into demons and invulnerable warriors. Here sits one of the “mountain warriors.” Swaying rhythmically, he makes monotonous sounds, now louder, now quieter. The fingers are folded into strange shapes. At all times, the art of Shugendo saved him from his pursuers. For 30 years he studied the language of nature, slept in the snow and talked with demons. The warrior stood up and leaned his whole body against the rock. His arms and legs went into the rock like tree roots. The head became like a mossy boulder. Now this is not a person, but only stones destroyed by wind and time. The pursuers run past, two steps from the rock. A lot, about two dozen. Their eyes carefully look around - nothing, no one... The Yamabushi owned a special technique that revealed the amazing abilities of the human body. They knew that if you rhythmically bite the tip of your tongue in a special way, you can completely get rid of thirst. They knew that if they simultaneously rhythmically press the index fingers of both hands on special points located on outside calves (closer to the knee), you can overcome your worst fear. They knew that if the tip thumb right hand press in rhythm with the pulse on a point located on the pad between the first and second phalanx of the little finger of the left hand, then in a few minutes you can relieve the fatigue that has accumulated over two sleepless nights or a day of hard hiking along mountain trails. They knew that when a person pronounces certain combinations of sounds, they cause a resonance in the larynx, which has a powerful effect on the subconscious. Some sounds give a person courage, others make him restless, and others help him enter a trance. They knew a lot. The mysterious nine syllable technique helped the Yamabushi and their ninja students to use hidden reserves the human body, and use it in such a way that everyone around was amazed. According to many sources, shinobi did amazing things. They could reach speeds of over 70 km/h, jump over 3-meter walls and even temporarily stop their own heart.
The most mysterious Japanese monastic order- yamabushi - brought rituals and ceremonies into the ninja world that allow you to master almost supernatural power. The Shadow Warriors remained faithful disciples of Yamabushi for centuries. Yamabushi taught the ninja such secrets that now, many centuries later, science is unable to explain many of them (although some were still unraveled). The monks passed on their secrets only orally. One of the most amazing secrets of Yamabushi was the method of protection with nine syllables, kuji no ho (Kuji Gosin Ho) - nine steps of power. Every ninja owned it. The defense included 9 spells (jumon), 9 corresponding finger configurations and 9 stages of concentration of consciousness. When pronouncing jumon, you should fold your fingers and concentrate your consciousness. For the ninja it was the right way gain energy for your supernatural actions (for example, jumping over a three-meter fence or becoming elusive).
Jumon
Modern science already knows: various combinations of sounds create a resonance in the larynx that affects the brain. Moreover, scientists have confirmed that the frequency of vibration determines the appearance of different feelings in people: joy, anxiety, etc. Thus, one of the first explanations for the amazing capabilities of the ninja was found. Until then, their ability to instantly change their mood and suppress feelings of fear remained a mystery. Everything was attributed to dark magic. Usually the spell (jumon) was recited 108 times. It had to come from the heart, respond in it like an echo, and fill the body and fingers with vibration. Yamabushi taught ninjas that finger configurations (mudra) affect the entire energy of the body. Each finger, like each hand, has its own energy. Some figures could calm the mind. Others gave strength and helped in critical situations. By folding your hands and fingers into certain shapes, you can control the flow of energy both entering and leaving the body. This helps to concentrate consciousness and use the body's hidden reserves. One of the calming mudras of Jumon should sound like “rin-hei-to-sha-kai-retsu-zai-zen.”
Concentrating consciousness through meditation helped ninjas get used to various images, for example a lion, a demon, a giant. It was trance that changed the consciousness of the warriors and allowed them to perform miracles. There is nothing supernatural about this. Psychiatrists and physiologists confirm: a person in a state of altered consciousness even changes physically - the so-called hidden reserves of the body awaken in him. Sometimes this can be observed even at the everyday level, for example, strong fear forces a person to develop a speed that he would never have achieved in a calm state. Rage also gives a person additional physical strength.
Another thing is that to an ordinary person It is very difficult to force yourself into a trance “on command.” Try lying peacefully on the sofa and create such rage in yourself that you can crush the glass with your hands and not feel pain. Ninjas knew how to artificially put themselves into different states and awaken unprecedented physical powers. Today, experts are confident that ninjas used self-hypnosis. Moreover, self-hypnosis is based on the so-called “anchor” technique, in which three anchors are used simultaneously: kinesthetic (interlacing of fingers), auditory (sound resonance) and visual (visual image). All this served as a trigger for entering a combat trance.
The practical results of the “nine syllable defense” were colossal - in combination with grueling training, it allowed the ninja to develop enormous speed, see in the dark and break through stone walls with a blow of the hand.
Death Touch. The art of slow death
The ninja mastered this terrible art. A light touch to the enemy's body - and after a while he unexpectedly died. Could have died right away. He could have died even in a year. But death was inevitable. The effect of the death touch was not caused by a blow at all - there was a release of energy at a certain point of the body, the energy of the body was disrupted. The art of slow death is the most mysterious part of the Yamabushi teachings. Any ninja who would reveal this secret to mere mortals was to be killed, and his soul was doomed to eternal damnation.
The technique of striking the most vulnerable points of the body formed the basis for the training of warriors of the night. The ninjas of Ikeoosaki succeeded most in it. Each of their blows strikes vitally important points, led to death. Science is not yet able to explain the mysterious “art of slow death”. However, even orthodox medicine today admits that through individual points on the body it is possible to influence internal organs person. A Chinese medicine has been successfully using “spot treatments” for centuries. Most likely, ninjas used similar techniques. The most amazing thing about the art of slow death is how the ninja managed to “postpone” death.
Here we can assume the following. Perhaps the ninja’s touches did not so much “kill” a person as disrupt the well-coordinated functioning of the body; This is how you can turn off a powerful and complex engine by throwing an ordinary nut at it. And after a physiological failure, a person died from his own diseases, depending on the predispositions of the body.
Unchildish childhood
All clan babies were awarded the honorary title of ninja immediately after birth. Child's career, i.e. promotion from genin to chunin depended solely on his personal qualities. From the first days of birth, a long journey of learning began. The cradle with the baby hit the walls when rocking. The push forced him to instinctively shrink - this was the first grouping. The one-year-old child already knew how to deftly walk on a log (later he was taught to move along a rope). Until the age of two, reaction training was the main focus. They did it for the kids special massage using strong painful blows and pinches - this is how future warriors got used to pain. Later, the body was “treated” with a faceted stick to get used to it.
Serious training began after eight years. Until this age, children learned to read, write, imitate sounds made by animals and birds, throw stones, and climb trees. The children of the clan had no choice. Since childhood, they played with real weapons, moreover, they were taught to turn everything that came into their hands into weapons. They were taught to endure the cold, walking in bad weather without clothes and sitting for hours in cold water. Trees and thorny bushes served as jumping trainers. By hanging little ninjas by their hands at a great height for more than an hour (!) they were instilled with endurance. Night vision was developed through many weeks of training in dark caves and a special diet of foods high in vitamin A. By the way, the sensitivity of ninja eyes was fantastic. In the pitch darkness they could even read.
Some exercises were particularly cruel. So, for example, to develop dexterity it was necessary to jump over a solid grapevine, covered with sharp spines. Each touch to the vine immediately tore the skin and caused severe bleeding. From infancy, children were taught to swim. In water they were like fish: they could silently cover long distances, fight in and under water, with or without weapons. Every year the exercises became more and more difficult, cruel and painful. The little ninja could turn his foot or hand in any direction - exercises for free dissection and supernatural mobility of joints began at the age of four. These were very painful exercises, but they were the ones that saved the lives of warriors more than once - by freely turning their foot and hand, the ninja easily freed themselves from the strongest bonds. Push-ups, pull-ups, weight lifting - everything was so commonplace that any child raised in a ninja clan could easily outperform a modern athlete. At 10 years old, the ninja child could easily run more than 20 km a day. His speed was tested quite in original ways, for example, a straw hat, pressed against the runner's chest by the oncoming air flow while running, should not have fallen. Or a strip of fabric about 10 meters long was tied around the ninja’s neck, freely falling to the ground. Speed was considered normal when a ten-meter strip of fabric fluttered in the wind while running and did not touch the ground!
What the children were taught seems incredible to modern people: by the sound of a stone thrown from a wall, they were supposed to be able to calculate the depth of the ditch and the water level with an accuracy of up to a meter! The breathing of those sleeping should indicate their number, gender and even age; the sound of weapons - their appearance; the whistle of an arrow - the distance to the enemy. They learned to feel the enemy with the back of their heads - how “telepathic contact” was established with an enemy sitting in ambush is impossible to explain. But adult warriors could actually deliver and repel blows without turning around. Their intuition always preceded reason. “The body itself knows how to move if we leave it alone,” great mentors taught.
More than one generation has grown up on Hollywood stories about ninja warriors. Born into a clan of assassins and raised by ruthless senseis, ninjas dedicated their existence to the ceaseless fight against the villainous samurai. Shadows in the night, ready to carry out the most disgusting order for the right price.
All this is a cheap selection of populist myths that appeared only at the beginning of the 20th century. Most of the stories about these Japanese warriors are based solely on the filmmakers' desire to create a vivid, marketable image.
Today we will tell you some amazing facts from the real history of the ninja: less romance, more truth.
Ninjas are not ninjas
The original Japanese name, which was used by the Japanese themselves, is shinobi no mono. The word "ninja" came from the Chinese reading of the same characters and became popular only in the twentieth century.
First appearance
For the first time, shinobi are described in military chronicles of 1375. The chronicler mentions a group of spies who managed to infiltrate the fortified castle and burn it to the ground.
Golden age
For two centuries - the XIV and XVI - the cause of the warriors of the night flourished. Japan was engulfed in civil wars and shinobi were very popular. But after 1600, life on the islands became much calmer, and this began the decline of shinobi no mono.
Ninja Bible
There is very little documented information about this secret organization. The shinobi themselves began to chronicle their deeds only after 1600.
The most famous work, written by an unknown sensei, dates back to 1676. The book is considered the real shinobi bible and is called the Bansenshukai.
Confrontation with the samurai
Modern culture clearly depicts ninjas as fierce opponents of samurai. There is not a grain of truth in this: ninjas were a kind of mercenary special forces unit and the samurai treated them with great respect. Moreover, many samurai tried to improve their fighting skills by studying ninjutsu.
Ninjutsu
There is an opinion that ninjutsu is a kind of martial art intended for an unarmed warrior, something like high-level karate. But there was no point in shinobi fighters devoting most of their time to practicing hand-to-hand combat.
Original ninjutsu techniques are 75% intended for an armed person.
Shuriken ninja
In fact, it was samurai who used shurikens. The art of throwing a steel star was taught in special schools, but ninjas preferred to use much simpler and easier-to-handle blowguns. The stereotype about shurikens appeared only at the beginning of the 20th century.
Masked warrior
And, of course, a ninja should never appear without an ominous black hood on his head - otherwise who would be afraid of him! Shinobi actually used masks when necessary, but they could easily attack with their faces uncovered.
Sinister Assassins
In fact, most often employers used shinobi as spies. They could also be assigned political assassinations - rather, as an exception.
Victory or death
This is a Hollywood myth. There is no evidence at all that the failure of the mission cost the shinobi their lives. What's the point of this?
Professional mercenaries preferred rationality to romance: it was better to retreat and strike again than to solemnly thrust a sword into one’s throat without any positive result.
Our knowledge of ancient Japanese ninja warriors is based mainly only on literary works, films and comics, which contain a lot of conflicting information. This post will introduce you to real facts about ninjas that will make you wonder.
Shinobi no mono
According to surviving documents, the correct name is "sinobi no mono". The word "ninja" is a Chinese reading of a Japanese ideogram that became popular in the 20th century.
First mention of ninja
For the first time, the ninja became known from the military chronicle “Taiheiki,” written in 1375. It said that ninjas entered an enemy city at night and set buildings on fire.
Golden age of the ninja
Ninjas flourished during the 15th and 16th centuries, when Japan was torn apart by internecine wars. After 1600, peace reigned in Japan, after which the decline of the ninja began.
"Bansenshukai"
There are very few records of ninjas during the era of wars, but after the onset of peace, they began to keep records of their skills. The most famous manual on ninjutsu is the so-called “Ninja Bible” or “Bansenshukai”, which was written in 1676. There are about 400 - 500 manuals on ninjutsu, many of which are still kept secret.
Samurai Army Special Forces
Today, popular media often portrays samurai and ninja as sworn enemies. In fact, ninjas were something like modern-day special forces in the samurai army. Many samurai trained in ninjutsu.
Ninja "quinine"
Popular media also portrays ninjas as being from the peasant class. In truth, ninjas could come from any class, samurai or otherwise. Moreover, they were “quinine”, that is, they were outside the structure of society. Over time (after peace) ninjas were considered lower in status, however they still held a higher social position than most peasants.
Ninjutsu is a specialized form of hand-to-hand combat
It is generally accepted that ninjutsu is a form of hand-to-hand combat, a system of martial arts that is still taught throughout the world. However, the idea of the specialized form of hand-to-hand combat practiced by today's ninja was invented by a Japanese man in the 1950s and 1960s. This new fighting system was brought to America during the boom in ninja popularity in the 1980s and became one of the most popular misconceptions about ninjas.
Shurikens or shakens
Throwing stars (shuriken or shaken) do not have the slightest historical connection with ninjas. Throwing stars were a secret weapon used in many samurai schools. They only began to be associated with ninjas in the 20th century thanks to comic books and animated films.
Illustration of a fallacy
Ninjas are never shown without masks, but there is no mention of ninjas wearing masks. In fact, they should have covered their faces long sleeves when the enemy was nearby. When working in groups, they wore white headbands so they could see each other in the moonlight.
Ninjas blended into the crowd
A popular ninja look always includes a black bodysuit. In fact, in such a suit they would look just as appropriate as, for example, on the streets of modern Moscow. They wore traditional Japanese clothes.
Clothing for camouflage
Today, people believe that ninjas wore black clothes to help them hide in the dark. The Shoninki (The True Way of the Ninja), written in 1681, stated that ninjas should wear blue robes to blend in with the crowd, as this color was popular at the time. During night operations, they wore black clothes (on a moonless night) or white clothes (on a full moon).
Ninjas did not use straight swords
The now famous "ninja-to" or ninja swords with a straight blade and a square hilt actually existed in medieval Japan, since square handguards were made then, but they began to be attributed to ninjas only in the 20th century. "Medieval special forces" used ordinary swords.
"Kudzi"
Ninjas are known for their spells, which they supposedly performed using hand gestures. This art was called "kuji" and it has nothing to do with ninja. Kuji originated in India and was later adopted by China and Japan. It is a series of gestures designed to ward off evil in certain situations or to ward off the evil eye.
Land mines, hand grenades, explosives, poisonous gas...
The image of a ninja using a smoke bomb is quite universal and common in modern world. Although medieval warriors did not have smoke bombs, they had hundreds of fire-related recipes: land mines, hand grenades, waterproof torches, varieties of Greek fire, fire arrows, explosives and poisonous gas.
Yin Ninja and Yang Ninja
This is half true. There were two groups of ninja: those who could be seen (yang ninja) and those whose identity always remained a secret (yin ninja).
Ninja - black magicians
In addition to the image of the ninja assassin, in old Japanese films one could often find the image of the ninja master, a warrior-mage who defeated enemies with cunning. Interestingly, ninja skills did contain a certain amount of ritual magic, from magical hairpins that supposedly provided invisibility to sacrificing dogs to gain the help of the gods. However, standard samurai skills also contained an element of magic. This was common for that time.
The Art of Covert Operations
To be more precise, they were indeed often hired to kill a victim, but most ninja were trained in the arts of covert operations, propaganda, espionage, making and using explosives, etc.
"Kill Bill"
Hattori Hanzo became famous thanks to the film Kill Bill. In fact, it was famous historical figure- Hattori Hanzo was a real samurai and trained ninjas. He became a famous general who received the nickname "Devil Hanzo". It was he who, at the head of a group of ninjas, contributed to Tokugawa becoming the shogun of Japan.
Hobbyists and Enthusiasts
The first major boom in modern ninja popularity came in Japan in the early 1900s, when very little was known about these medieval spy-assassins. In the 1910s - 1970s, many books were written by amateurs and enthusiasts, which were simply replete with errors and falsifications. These errors were then translated into English language during the boom in ninja popularity in the 1980s.
Ninja is a reason to laugh
The study of ninjas was a laughing matter in Japanese academic circles, and for many decades the study of their history was considered a whimsical fantasy. Serious research in Japan has only begun within the last 2–3 years.
Encrypted Ninja Scrolls
It is alleged that the ninja manuscripts were encrypted so that no outsider could read them. This misunderstanding arose due to the Japanese way of writing scrolls. Many Japanese scrolls simply listed lists of skill names without properly deciphering them. Although their true meanings have been lost, the texts have never been deciphered.
Hollywood myths
This is a Hollywood myth. There is no evidence that mission abandonment resulted in suicide. In fact, some manuals teach that it is better to abandon a mission than to rush things and cause problems.
Sleeping agents
It is believed that ninjas were much more powerful than ordinary warriors, but only certain ninjas who were trained in a special style of warfare were so. Many ninjas simply lived life in secret ordinary people in enemy provinces, carried out the usual daily activities or traveled to spread rumors. Recommended abilities for a ninja were: disease resistance, high intelligence, fast speech and stupid appearance(because people usually ignore those who look stupid).
There is no clan, no clan...
There are a number of people in Japan who claim to be masters of ninja schools that trace their lineage back to the times of the samurai. This issue is very controversial, since there is not a single proven fact that ninja families or clans have survived to this day.
Spy saboteurs
While fictional ninjas have haunted people for the past 100 years, historical truth often turns out to be much more impressive and interesting. Ninjas were engaged in real espionage activities, carried out covert operations, worked behind enemy lines, were hidden surveillance agents, etc.
