This is something I wrote on a day where I was particularly bored. How many brownie points do you think this will score me in my World History class? ~~~ My babbling: about Ninjas People tell me it would be so cool if they had a ninja uniform and a katana and throwing stars and nunchaku, because then they could jump across buildings and get to be real ninjas. I don't believe they're seeing things properly. Back in the day of the ninja, not only was it an honor to die by the sword, but the combat it involved was also a form of art. How many soldiers nowadays do you see who move as swiftly and gracefully as the Japanese warriors of old? My guess is not very many. ~~~ In the old days of Japan, some stories say that Ninjas were originally Ronin (master-less Samurai) looking for a job, or revenge on their master's killer. While it is true that many Samurai became Ninjas in their time, that's not the whole story. China, during the Tang Dynasty, was preparing to drop into fifty years of chaotic decline. This realization prompted many of Tang's Generals to cross the seas to Japan, and with them came Chinese monks, both of whom brought with them their own tactics and religious beliefs, medicines, weaponry, and rules of engagement. Many more of the Ninja ideas were originated in India, and they traveled through Tibet and into Japan. A disgraced Samurai, Daisuke Tokagure, met a Chinese warrior-monk, renounced his Bushido ways, and helped create the first Shinobi Ryu, or Ninja school, where Japanese warrior-monks, better known as Yamabushi, trained to become the silent and deadly tactical assassins that we seem to know and love so well. As Ninjutsu gained popularity with Japan's people, it slowly became a counter-civilization to Bushido-following Samurai, who valued loyalty and honor above all other things, including life and death. Going into battle, a samurai would select a single opponent, announce his challenge, list his family pedigree, and then attack. Samurai wore bright colors on their armor to announce their clan identity. This was a noble tactic, yes, but not always the best one, as one side had to die, and the other would shortly follow if he wasn't careful. That is where Ninjutsu comes in: the ninja code valued accomplishing a mission by whatever means necessary. Sneak attacks, poison, seduction and spying were all shameful to the samurai, but fair play by the rules of the ninja. ~~~ Many Ninja leaders, or Jonin, were as Daisuke Tokagure: Disgraced Samurai who, instead of honorable death by Seppuku, fled to the safety of the Ninja clans. Most ordinary ninja were not from the nobility, though. They were villagers and farmers, who learned to fight by any means necessary for their own self-preservation. Women were also added to the mix as Ninja, just as they were Samurai. A female ninja, or Kunoichi, infiltrated enemy castles in the guise of dancers, concubines or servants. They were successful spies, and sometimes acted as assassins as well. The samurai lords could not always prevail in open warfare, but they were constrained by Bushido. So, they often hired ninja to do their dirty work. Secrets could be spied out, opponents assassinated, or misinformation planted... without sullying a samurai's honor. This system also transferred wealth to the lower classes, as ninja were paid handsomely for their work. Of course, a samurai's enemies could also hire ninja. As a result, the samurai needed, despised, and feared the ninja, in equal measure. The ninja "high man," or jonin, gave orders to the chunin, "middle man," who passed them on to the genin, ordinary ninja. ~~~ Though the comic books depict ninjas as all-black wearing agents of the night with only their eyes visible to the light, that is far from true. In night operations, ninjas were more fond of Navy Blue, but they also dressed to blend in with their surroundings, like any good and well-minded agent of espionage. Ninja tools and weapons included: shinobigatana, medium-length swords; the bo and naginata, war staves and pikes; and martial arts like karate. Ninja also developed special equipment like the shuko, an iron hand-crampon used for climbing, and the tessen, a sharpened metal fan. They did not use throwing stars. ~~~ Ninjutsu is practical; if a tactic is effective, then it is acceptable. The Eight Methods taught in many ryu were: Body skills, karate, spear fighting, staff fighting, blade-throwing, use of fire and water, fortification and strategy, and concealment. Many ninja weapons were modified from farm sickles, saws for wood cutting, pruning shears, etc. If discovered, these items would not give away a ninja's identity. Among the ninja were expert poisoners. Poison was added to food, or applied to a dart or blade. Some ninja disguised themselves as flute-playing mystics. The sturdy flute could be used as a club or blow-dart tube, but it would remain a flute to untrained eyes. ~~~ The ninja came into their own during the tumultuous era between 1336 and 1600. In an atmosphere of constant war, 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. 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). 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. Destruction of the Ninja Bases (1581) The ninja were an important tool during the Sengoku Period, but a destabilizing influence. When war-lord Oda Nobunaga emerged as the strongest daimyo and began to reunite Japan (1551-1582), he saw the ninja strongholds at Iga and Koga as a threat. Nobunaga's lightning-quick attack on Iga forced the ninja to fight open battles; they were defeated and scattered to nearby provinces or the mountains of Kii. While their power-base was destroyed, the ninja did not vanish entirely. Some went into the service of Tokugawa Ieyasu, who later became shogun in 1603. The much-reduced ninja continued to serve both sides in struggles. In one famous incident from 1600, a ninja sneaked through a group of Tokugawa's defenders at Hataya castle, and planted the flag of the besieging army high on the front gate! ~~~ The Edo Period (1603-1868) brought stability and peace to Japan, bringing the ninja story to a close. Ninja skills and legends survived, though, and were embellished to enliven the movies, games and comic books of today. In fact, they've become so popular with the world, that people have began comparing both Pirates and Ninjas in levels of "Awesomeness", and that fight still rages on today. Many people would love to be Ninjas... but not the actual kind. Rather, the kind they read of in books. This has been my babbling about Ninjas. Hope you enjoyed. ~~~ If you know some things about Ninjas I don't, do tell, the more facts, the better an argument I can make against people who think they know Ninjas (but only watched Naruto and played Ninja Gaiden as a reference).
