the shadow warriors of japan

The Shadow Warriors of Japan

Vipin ShankarYang XiaojingZhang Beibei

Ninja and the Ninjutsu

• The art of stealth, the way of invisibility, and its practitioners the legendary spies and commandos of Feudal Japan.

• Flourished amid the civil turmoil of the 14th through the 17th centauries.

Ninja and the Ninjutsu…

• The art was refined through centuries into a deadly science incorporating– Sophisticated techniques for warfare– Intelligence gathering &– Spiritual development

Ninja and the Ninjutsu…

• The guiding philosophy was to choose the dark, quiet and subtle method over the bold, active and forceful.

• Its practitioners considered Ninjutsu to be a comprehensive art for the attainment of goals, ‘the art of winning’.

As we proceed…

• The Origin• The Golden Days• The Decline• An After Thought!

The Origin…

Who are the Ninja?

• Their goals: Do anything in order to win• Their ways:Espionage, Sabotage, Infiltration,

and Assassination, as well as Open Combat in certain situations.

• Their gender: Both males & females (kunoichi)• Their composition: largely farmers and jobless

people and other social outsiders.

Ninja: The Origin

• No documented evidence to support any one theory of the birth of ninja

• Legends talk of the ninja’s descent from the tengu; terrifying long-nosed demons said to be half man and half crow.

Ninja: The Origin…

• The First Ninja: The Japanese legend of Prince Yamato is often considered the first ninja story.

• Yamato did not adopt the black costume or stealthy tactics so often associated with ninja.

• Instead, he used deception, dressing as a woman to attract two barbarian chieftains.

• When the chieftains had been lulled into a false sense of security, Yamato drew a hidden sword and killed them both.

• His use of a disguise is a hallmark of ninja tactics, so Yamato is sometimes called "The First Ninja."


• The impact from China: From Chinese monks of Tang Dynasty, who brought the Chinese military philosophy to Japan

• Ideas from two military strategy text books– The Art of War (Sun Tsu) – Arthashastra (Chanakya)Formed the idea behind the evolution of the Ninja


• The need of samurai warrior class: The samurai had to balance the dual considerations of achieving his goal and maintaining the honor and prestige of the family name.

• But the ninja just needed money. For money or for living, they did anything.


• The need of wars: There were lots of wars between the 14th century and 18th century.

• In order to win these wars at the least cost, ninja became the right people for the job.


• Formal ninja schools (ninja ryu) was first developed by Daisuke Togakure.

• Daisuke, a Samurai, who lost his position in war, escaped to the mountains, south east of Kyoto.

• Met Kain Doshi (1162), a Chinese monk.• Daisuke’s descendants developed and refined

Ninjutsu.


• Most of the ryu were established in the mountains of south central Honshu.

• 2 important schools– Iga ryu• Momochi, Hattori, Fujibayasshi

– Koga ryu• 53 families• Mochizuki, Ukai, Nakai

The Golden Days…

The Golden Days

• The Ninja Training• The ninja at its peak of power• The wars that featured the Ninja impact

The Ninja Training

• Ninjutsu was a profession inherited at birth.• Infancy: Conditioned to be constantly aware of the

things around them; gradually educated in the secrets and traditions of the ryu.

• 5-6 years old: Play activities began to take the form of training exercises.

• 9 years old: Body conditioning for muscle-limberness and joint flexibility was stressed;

• Young ninja matured: Striking and kicking techniques were practiced against targets of bundled straw.

The Ninja Training…

• Early teen years: Learned to use the special weapons of their ryu.

• Late teen years: Learned to be actors and practical psychologists;

• The young ninja also learned how to prepare medicines and drugs……

“The art of the ninja is not to be employed for personal gain. The art of the ninja is to be employed, with a deep understanding of the essence

of Gyokko, for country, for lord, or in times of inescapable personal danger. If the art of the ninja is wilfully employed for personal gain, the art of our

forefathers will certainly be defeated.”

The Mommochi Decree

Ninja at its peak of power

• The Ninja Ranks

Genin

Jonin (high man)

Chunin (middle men) Chunin (middle men)

GeninGeninGeninGeninGenin

GeninGeninGeninGeninGeninGenin

Ninja at its peak of power…

• The ninja came into their own during the tumultuous era between 1336 and 1600.

• In an atmosphere of constant wars, ninja skills were essential for all sides.

The Nanbukucho Wars (1336-1392)

• For more than 50 years in the 14th century, Japan had two separate imperial courts, which fought for control of the country.

• The Northern Court was controlled by the shoguns. The Southern Court belonged to Emperor Go-Daigo, who wanted to rule in his own right.

The Nanbukucho Wars (1336-1392)…

• Ninja played an important role on both sides in this struggle, infiltrating castles as spies, and even burning down the South's Hachiman-yama Fortress.

• The Northern Court eventually won, and the puppet-Emperor system was retained.

The Onin War (1467-1477)

• About 70 years later, the Onin War broke out. Ninja featured heavily in this conflict, as well.

• The war began as a succession fight within the ruling Ashikaga clan, but soon devolved into a nation-wide civil war.

• Although the Onin War ended after 10 years, it ushered in a century of turmoil called the Sengoku Jidai, or "Warring States Period" (though it was actually samurai clans fighting, rather than states).

The Onin War (1467-1477)…

• Ninja served a number of purposes during the Sengoku Period (1467-1568). They acted as kancho (spies), koran (agitators), teisatsu (scouts), and kisho (surprise attackers). They were most effective in castle sieges, infiltrating and distracting the defenders inside while the main besieging army attacked from outside.

The Decline…

The decline

• Beginning of the end.• Rally to rejuvenate.• The final demise.

Beginning of the end

• General Nobunaga Oda – forceful and usually violent actions to attain his goals.

• Detested the mysterious and occult teachings of the ninja.

• Encouraged spread of Christianity.

Beginning of the end…

• Ordered his son, Katsuyori to attack the ninja stronghold.

• Battle of Tensho Iga no Ran (1579):– Katsuyori’s troops defeated by the ninja led by

Sandayu Momochi• Nobunaga led a second massive invasion

(1581)– The ninja were out numbered 10 to 1– Men, women and children of Iga were slaughtered

Rally to rejuvenate

• The few surviving ninja went into deeper hiding than before.

• Families Tarao, Hattori Togakure and Momochi started re-grouping in new mountain retreats.

Rally to rejuvenate …

• Nobunaga murdered (1582) in Honniji.• His ally Ieyasu Tokugawa had to move safely

from Sakai (Osaka) to Okazaki Castle (Nagoya)• Had to evade the Honniji territory• The only route : through the forests of Iga.

Rally to rejuvenate …

• Hanzo Hattori organized ninjas from Iga and Koga ryu and arranged safe passage .

• Ieyasu later became the shogun in 1603

The final demise

• Peace; not battle, gave the final blow.• The Tokugawa shoguns brought peace and

civil order.• Ninja had less opportunity for work.• Many struck out on their own, with no effect.• Some used their unique talents in police work

and some in the military.

The final demise…

• Many turned to crime.• Sasuke Sarutobi, Kirigakure and Goemon

Ishikawa: Robin Hood and Zorro of Japan.

The final demise…

• Shogun Ieyasu hired many ninja.• Hattori family – ‘secret police’ formed.• Security and comfort brought downfall of the

original ninja.• Glorified security guards.

The final demise…

• The few ninja families that remained in the mountains shrouded themselves in complete secrecy.

The last nail

• The Shimabara rebellion (1637-38)– Christian peasants revolted

near Nagasaki.– Shoguns back into action.– A group of 10 former Iga

Ninja (the oldest was 63), sent to gather intelligence.

– All they could do was steal food supplies for the government troops.

The last nail…

• Commodore Perry’s Black ships (1853)

• Ninja Yasusuke Sawamura sent to board the ship secretly to collect information.

The last nail…

• 2 documents; a letter and a Dutch sailor song; procured.

An After Thought!…

An After thought!

Ministry of State Security of The People's Republic of China中华人民共和国国家安全部中華人民共和國國家安全部

References

• Stephen K Hayes; The Ninja and their secret fighting art; Charles E Tuttle Co; First Edition

• Chris Spackman; An encyclopedia of Japanese History; www.openhistory.org/jhdp/encyclopedia

• http://www.illuminatedlantern.com/cinema/archives/ninja.php• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ninjutsu• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ninja• http://japanesemadeeasy2.webs.com/historyoftheninja.htm• http://www.realninjabook.com/tag/japan-warlords/

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