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Ninjutsu
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ninjutsu (忍術), sometimes used interchangeably with the

Ninjutsu
modern term ninpō (忍法),[1] is the strategy and tactics of
unconventional warfare, guerrilla warfare and espionage
忍術
( )
purportedly practiced by the shinobi (commonly known outside
Japan as ninja).[2] Ninjutsu was a separate discipline in some
traditional Japanese schools, which integrated study of more
conventional martial arts (taijutsu) along with shurikenjutsu,
kenjutsu, sōjutsu, bōjutsu and others.[3]

While there is an international martial arts organization

representing several modern styles of ninjutsu, the historical
lineage of these styles is disputed.[4] Some schools claim to be
the only legitimate heir of the art, but ninjutsu is not centralized
like modernized martial arts such as judo or karate. Togakure­
ryū claims to be the oldest recorded form of ninjutsu, and claims
to have survived past the 16th century.

Contents
1 History
2 The eighteen skills
3 Weapons and equipment
The kanji for "ninja".
4 See also
5 References Also known as Ninpō, Shinobi­jutsu
6 Further reading Hardness Non­competitive
7 External links
Country of origin Japan
Parenthood Military tactics
History
Spying in Japan dates as far back as Prince Shōtoku (572–622), although the origins of the ninja date much
earlier.[5] According to Shōninki, the first open usage of ninjutsu during a military campaign was in the Genpei
War, when Minamoto no Kuro Yoshitsune chose warriors to serve as shinobi during a battle. This manuscript goes
on to say that during the Kenmu era, Kusunoki Masashige frequently used ninjutsu. According to footnotes in this
manuscript, the Genpei War lasted from 1180 to 1185, and the Kenmu Restoration occurred between 1333 and
1336.[6] Ninjutsu was developed by groups of people mainly from Kōka and the Iga Province of Japan.

Throughout history, the shinobi were assassins, scouts, and spies who were hired mostly by territorial lords known
as the daimyōs. They conducted operations that samurai were forbidden to partake in.[7] Shinobi are mainly noted
for their use of stealth and deception. Throughout history, many different schools (ryū) have taught their unique
versions of ninjutsu. An example of these is the Togakure­ryū, which was developed after a defeated samurai
warrior called Daisuke Togakure escaped to the region of Iga. He later came in contact with the warrior­monk Kain
Doshi, who taught him a new way of viewing life and the means of survival (ninjutsu).[2]:18­21

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Ninjutsu was developed as a collection of fundamental survivalist techniques in the warring state of feudal Japan.
The ninja used their art to ensure their survival in a time of violent political turmoil. Ninjutsu included methods of
gathering information and techniques of non­detection, avoidance, and misdirection. Ninjutsu involved training in
free running, disguise, escape, concealment, archery, and medicine.[8] Skills relating to espionage and assassination
were highly useful to warring factions in feudal Japan. At some point the skills of espionage became known
collectively as ninjutsu, and the people who specialized in these tasks were called shinobi no mono.

The eighteen skills

According to Bujinkan members, Ninja Jūhakkei ("the eighteen disciplines") were first stated in the scrolls of
Togakure­ryū and became definitive for all ninjutsu schools. Ninja jūhakkei was often studied along with Bugei
jūhappan (the "eighteen samurai fighting art skills").

The 18 disciplines are:[9]

1. Bajutsu – horsemanship
2. Bōjutsu – stick and staff techniques
3. Bōryaku – tactics
4. Chi­mon – geography
5. Chōhō – espionage
6. Hensōjutsu – disguise and impersonation
7. Intonjutsu – escaping and concealment
8. Kayakujutsu – pyrotechnics
9. Kenjutsu – sword techniques
10. Kusarigamajutsu – kusarigama (chain­sickle) techniques
11. Naginatajutsu – naginata (polearm) techniques
12. Seishinteki kyōyō – spiritual refinement
13. Shinobi­iri – stealth and infiltration
14. Shurikenjutsu – throwing weapons techniques
15. Sōjutsu – spear techniques
16. Sui­ren – water training
17. Taijutsu – unarmed combat
18. Tenmon – meteorology

Weapons and equipment Ninjutsu as depicted in a 19th century

sketch
The following tools may not be exclusive to the ninja, but they are
commonly associated with the practice of ninjutsu.

Composite and articulated weapons

Kusarigama – kama linked to a weight, either by a long rope or chain.

Kyoketsu­shoge ­ hooked rope­dart, featuring a metal ring on the opposite end.
Bō ­ 90 cm or 3 ft (Han Bō), 120 cm or 4 ft and 150 cm or 5 ft (Jō) and 180 cm or 6 ft (Rokushakubō)
wooden pole techniques.
Kusari­fundo, also known as manriki or manriki­gusari – a chain and weight weapon.

Fistload weapons

Kakute – rings resembling modern wedding bands with concealed and often poison­tipped spines, typically
worn by kunoichi (female ninja), and enabling ninja to quietly strangle enemies with the pointed ends against
the neck or throat.
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Shobo – a jabbing or piercing weapon, similar in shape to kubotan and yawara, but often featuring a center
grip ring.
Shuriken – various small hand­held weapons including throwing stars, darts and blades that could be used to
stab, slash or they could be thrown.
Kubotan or "hand stick" – used mainly for pressure points and subduing opponents.
Tekko – an early version of brass knuckles.
Tessen – a folding fan with an iron frame. It could be used to club or cut and slash the enemy.
Jitte – a weapon similar to the sai.

Modified tool weapons

Kunai – a multi­purpose tool.

Shikoro – used as a tool for opening doors and stabbing or slashing.

Projectile weapons

Fukiya – a Japanese blowgun, typically firing poison darts.

Makibishi/tetsubishi – the Japanese type of caltrop.
Shuriken – as listed above, these small hand­held weapons could be thrown.
Yumi and Ya – traditional Japanese bow and arrow.
Bo­hiya – a fire arrow.
Tekagi­shuko and Neko­te – hand "claw" weapons.
Chakram – disk­like projectiles used as throwing weapons or in hand­to­hand combat.

Staffs and polearms

Hanbō, bō, jō, and Tambō – various sized staff weapons.

Yari – traditional Japanese spear, similar to the naginata.
Nagamaki – pole arm with roughly equal­length blade and handle.
Naginata – traditional Japanese pole­arm used by women and samurai.

Swords

Katana – a long curved and single­edged sword, more commonly used by samurai or ninja who disguised
themselves as samurai.
Wakizashi – a short sword that can be hidden on the ninja's body, also a backup weapon.
Ninjatō – an edged weapon used by ninja as swords. Ninjato can be stolen katana from samurai or forged by
ninja themselves with varying lengths. There's some doubt as to whether or not ninja actually used such
swords.
Tantō – a dagger.
Kaiken – similar to the tantō.
Bokken – a traditional wooden sword used in Japanese martial arts, typically modeled off of katanas.
Shinai – a bamboo sword used in kendo.

Stealth tools

Kaginawa or grappling hook – climbing and Hojojutsu composite tool that also functioned as a makeshift
gaff hook weapon.
Shinobi shōzoku – the reputed ninja clothing.
Ono – Japanese axe and hatchet.

See also
Kunoichi
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Modern schools of ninjutsu

Ninja in popular culture

References
1. Green, Thomas A.; Svinth, Joseph R. (2011). Martial Arts of the World: An Encyclopedia of History and Innovation: An
Encyclopedia of History and Innovation. Santa Barbara, California: ABC­CLIO. p. 163. ISBN 9781598842449.
Retrieved 5 January 2016.
2. Hayes, Stephen K. (1990). The Ninja and Their Secret Fighting Art (17th ed.). Rutland, Vermont: Tuttle.
ISBN 0804816565.
3. Горбылев, Алексей (2013). Ниндзя: боевое искусство. Litres. p. 20. ISBN 9785457060074. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
4. Skoss, Diane. "Ninjutsu: is it koryu bujutsu?". Koryu.com. Koryu.com. Retrieved 30 April 2016.{
5. "History of the Ninja". Asianhistory.about.com. Retrieved 2015­06­22.
6. Masazumi, Natori; Mazuer, Axel; Graham, Jon E. (2010). Shoninki: The Secret Teachings of the Ninja: The 17th­Century
Manual on the Art of Concealment (1st ed.). Rochester, Vernmont: Destiny Books. ISBN 9781594776670.
7. Shinobi­Do Ninjutsu. "History of the Ninja | Martial Arts and Ninjutsu Classes in Macomb". 42.716876;­82.820974:
Michigan­ninjutsu.com. Archived from the original on February 13, 2015. Retrieved 2015­09­12.
8. Hatsumi, Masaaki (1981). Ninjutsu, History and Tradition. Hollywood, California: Unique Publications.
ISBN 9780865680272.
9. Hill, Robert (2010). World of Martial Arts !. Lulu.com. p. 62. ISBN 0557016630. Retrieved 5 January 2016.

Further reading
Hatsumi, Masaaki. Essence of Ninjutsu, 1988. ISBN 0­8092­4724­0
Callos, Tom. "Notable American Martial Artists", Black Belt Magazine, May 2007, pp. 72–73.
Hatsumi, Masaaki. Ninjutsu: History and Tradition, 1981. ISBN 0­86568­027­2
Hatsumi, Masaaki. Ninpo: Wisdom for Life, 1998. ISBN 1­58776­206­4, ISBN 0­9727738­0­0
Dillon, Thomas. Wingspan: Culture­Society­People in Japan, Where Have All the Ninja Gone?, September
2007, No.459.
Hiroshi, Kuroi. Historical group image editorial staff compilation, 2007. ISBN 978­4­05­604814­8
Toshitora, Yamashiro. Secret Guide to Making Ninja Weapons, Butokukai Press, 1986. ISBN 978­99942­
913­1­1
DiMarzio, Daniel. A Story of Life, Fate, and Finding the Lost Art of Koka Ninjutsu in Japan, 2008. ISBN
978­1­4357­1208­9
Bertrand, John (2006). "Techniques that made ninjas feared in 15th­century Japan still set the standard for
covert ops". Military History. 23 (1): 12–19.
Hayes, Stephen K. and Masaaki Hatsumi. Secrets from the Ninja Grandmaster (Rev. Ed.), 2003. Boulder,
Colorado; Paladin Press.
Zoughari, Kacem. The Ninja: Ancient Shadow Warriors of Japan, Tuttle Publishing, 2010. ISBN 0­8048­
3927­1
T.A. Green, J.R. Svinth. Martial arts of the world: An Encyclopedia of History and innovation. East Asia.
Japan:Ninpo (https://books.google.com/books?id=P­Nv_LUi6KgC&printsec=frontcover&dq=Martial+arts+
of+the+world:+An+Encyclopedia+of+History+and+innovation.&hl=ru&sa=X&ei=NXOdUpr7CIfi4wTxzI
D4CA&ved=0CCEQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=Martial%20arts%20of%20the%20world%3A%20An%20En
cyclopedia%20of%20History%20and%20innovation.&f=false)
Gorbylev, Alexey (2010), Ninja: martial art, Jauza, ISBN 978­5­457­06007­4
Горбылев, Алексей (2001), Когти Невидимок. Оружие и снаряжение ниндзя, Харвест, ISBN 985­13­
0621­5
Mol, Serge (2008). Invisible armor: An Introduction to the Esoteric Dimension of Japan’s Classical Warrior
Arts. Eibusha. pp. 1–160. ISBN 978­90­8133610­9.
Mol, Serge (2016). Takeda Shinobi Hiden: Unveiling Takeda Shingen's Secret Ninja Legacy. Eibusha. pp. 1–
192. ISBN 978­90­813361­3­0.

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External links
Ninjutsu techniques (http://www.akban.org/wiki/index.php/Portal:_Ninjutsu) – ninjutsu kata and techniques
in the AKBAN wiki
Ninjutsu history (http://www.shinobiexchange.com/the­history­of­ninjutsu­and­its­evolution) – history of
Ninjutsu and its evolution

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