Ninjas are super spies of medieval Japan. Who are ninjas (shinobi)

Ninja, unlike samurai, did not obey the feudal system: they lived in their own parallel world, which they controlled powerful clans. During the heyday of the ninja, which occurred in the Middle Ages (approximately XII-XV centuries), there were about 70 clans in Japan. The profession was inherited: from father to son or daughter. Yes, female ninjas also existed, their names were kunoichi.

Ninja training began from the cradle - in the most literal sense. The basket with the child was hung in the corner, the parents periodically came up and swung it so that it began to hit the walls. The baby ninja cried, but gradually got used to it and soon was grouped into a ball, barely feeling the push. The vestibular apparatus also developed from childhood: the baby was twisted and turned upside down and at different angles, and then suddenly released, teaching him to land deftly and not break anything.

The training of future ninjas was based on everyday physical exercise. For example, running. At the start, the young ninja clutched a straw hat to his chest, and as soon as he started, he let it go. If the hat, under the influence of the air flow, remained pressed to the chest until the finish, the test was passed.

Much attention was paid to training to develop night vision, because ninjas carried out most of their tasks at night. The little ninja was placed in a cave for several days, where the only source of light was a burning torch. Then the torch was replaced with a candle. So the light intensity gradually decreased, and the eyes got used to the darkness.

Ninjas were very well educated: they had to know hieroglyphs in order to read military maps and other documents. In addition, ninjas were trained in theatrical skills, because sometimes they had to pretend to be merchants or monks to obtain information.

In addition to the sword, spear and halberd, the ninja's arsenal included projectiles and chemical substances. Ninjas constantly modernized and improved their weapons. For example, in the arsenal there was a specific dagger with a handle of about 15 cm and two blades (one straight, the other curved). Attached to the handle was a long, thin and light rope made of horsehair or a metal chain with a loop at the end. Such a superweapon was used both as a grappling hook and as a throwing knife.

Japanese ninja warriors, quiet, merciless killers dressed from head to toe in black, are known throughout the world. But no one really knows the whole truth about their characteristic outfits. But the truth is that there is no reason to believe that these legendary mercenaries really dressed the way we were shown from childhood in cheap action movies of the 80s and 90s.

Ninjas actually existed in Japan during its more turbulent times. historical periods, but today historians agree that there is no reliable documentation to support the fact that they dressed all in black and covered their faces. This legend has a completely different (much more interesting) source.

Let's take another look at the "classic" ninja costume: this spacious clothes, soft boots, and, of course, a face mask.

Of course, it's all black. The usual explanation is that ninjas attacked their victims at night, and wore all black in order to blend into the darkness and be invisible. However, historical ninjas, who were most active in the 15th - 17th centuries in feudal Japan, often operated during the day, when, in order to avoid being noticed, they dressed like ordinary peasants.

Influential feudal lords of those times often hired ninja warriors to eliminate their enemies and rivals. But with the rise to power of the Tokugawa regime in the early 1600s, political competition in the country was mothballed, and the time of the ninja became a thing of the past.

But the legends remain. It was in the West that the image of a killer in black became popular only at the end of the 20th century. And in Japan, these dark warriors have appeared in folk art, art and theater for many centuries. It is believed that the modern ninja “bow” came from the theater.

In Japanese theater there are special special effects people. They are dressed in black so as not to distract the audience, and may carry actors or props to create the effect of flying. Perhaps you have seen them modern work in a video about table tennis:

The Japanese public is accustomed to not noticing the presence of such people on stage, so as not to spoil their enjoyment of the theater. This is precisely what producers of plays that dramatically interpreted Japanese history began to use. When, according to the script, one of the heroes was supposed to kill a ninja, this was done by one of the invisible “extra” people on the stage. This emphasized how invisible this warrior-killer was.

The public, accustomed to the canons of the genre, did not expect that one of the black porters could play such key role in the play, and this created a very effective element of surprise.

TO 19th century The image of the “men in black” was assigned to the ninja. Moreover, by this time they had ceased to exist for almost two centuries. This is exactly how the famous Japanese artist Hokusai depicted the ninja (the great classic painted everything from , to ):

At the same time, the style of Japanese fencing was formed! I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a mixture of samurai style with ninja legends...

Today, the image of a ninja in a black mask is firmly entrenched in world pop culture; this is one of the many contributions of the Japanese to the global fund of characters and stereotypes. But it is important to remember: no reliable drawings of ninjas made by contemporaries have reached us, and there is not a single reason to trust the reliability of the popular image.

Well, while we are on the topic of ninjas, I’ll tell you that there is now a serious shortage of them in Japan. Or rather, not in all of Japan, but in the town of Iga, Mie Prefecture. About 100,000 people live here. The city is considered the birthplace of ninja traditions, and the authorities are trying to attract tourists on this basis: there is a ninja museum here (now being expanded), and an annual festival with this theme is held.

But the authorities have a problem - there are not enough performers in the city willing to portray ninjas at the festival. Despite the fairly high salaries for Japan (you can earn up to $85,000 a year!) too few people come to work.

The reason for this is very low Japanese unemployment - only 2.5% of the working-age population is unemployed, and few people want to go to work in such a remote place as Iga.

Maybe there are those among you who are interested? Not a bad option

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 are about these Japanese warriors is based solely on the desire of filmmakers to create a bright, marketable image.

Today we will tell you a few amazing facts from real story ninja: less romance, more truth.

Ninjas are not ninjas

Original Japanese name, which the Japanese themselves used - 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 karate-do high level. But there was no point in dedicating it to shinobi fighters most time to practice 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, 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. Many people know about them, and many people like them. Raised and trained in the complex art of ninjutsu from childhood, they fought with their main rivals - the samurai. Moving like shadows in the night, these brave warriors were hired at the highest price to carry out their dirty business, which samurai are not capable of.

But what if all this is completely untrue? What if the modern image of ancient ninjas was based entirely on 20th century comic books and fantasy literature?

Today we will reveal to you 25 exciting facts about real ninjas that existed in the past, and you will learn the whole truth about them. Read on and enjoy a more accurate and attractive portrayal of these Japanese warriors.

25. Ninjas weren't called "ninjas"

According to the documents, the ideograms for this word are in medieval period correctly read as "Shinobi no Mono". The very word “ninja”, which means the same ideograms pronounced in Chinese reading, became popular already in the 20th century.

24. First mention of ninja


The first historical record of ninjas appeared in the military chronicle of Taiheiki, written around 1375. It says that one night ninjas were sent behind enemy lines to set fire to enemy structures.

23. Golden Age of Ninja


The heyday of the ninja occurred in the 15th-16th centuries, when Japan was engulfed in internecine wars. After 1600, when peace came to the country, the decline of the ninja began.

22. Historical records


There are negligible records of ninjas from the war period, and it was only after peace in the 1600s that some ninjas began writing manuals about their skills.

The most famous of them is the manual martial art ninjutsu, which was a kind of ninja bible and was called “Bansenshukai”. It was written in 1676.

There are approximately 400-500 ninja manuals throughout Japan, many of which are still kept secret.

21. The enemies of the samurai were not ninjas


In popular media mass media ninjas and samurai are often depicted as enemies. In fact, the term "ninja" often refers to warriors of any class in the samurai army, and the ninjas themselves were something of a special forces force when compared to modern army. Many samurai were trained in ninjutsu, a complex art mastered by ninjas, and their masters kept them close to them.

20. Ninjas weren't peasants


In popular media, ninjas are also portrayed as members of the peasant class. In fact, representatives of any class - both lower and upper class - could become ninjas.

It was only after 1600, when peace reigned in Japan, that the official position of ninja within the clan was demoted from samurai to a new social class called "doshin" - a low-ranking samurai, "half-samurai". Over time, ninjas became lower in status, but they still occupied a higher social status compared to most peasants.

19. Ninjutsu is not a form hand-to-hand combat


It is widely believed that ninjutsu is a type of hand-to-hand combat, a set of martial arts that is still taught all over the world.

However, the idea of ​​a specialized form of hand-to-hand combat practiced by ninjas was conceived by a Japanese man during the 1950-60s. This new one combat system became popular in America in the 1980s during the ninja boom, becoming one of the most popular misconceptions about ninjas.

To date, not a single mention of such a form of martial art has been found in ancient manuscripts.

18. "Ninja Stars"


Throwing "ninja stars" have virtually no historical connection with ninjas. Shurikens (that's what they're called) throwing weapon concealed carrying, manufactured in the form various items: stars, coins, etc.) were secret weapon in many samurai schools, and only in the 20th century they began to be associated with ninjas thanks to comics, films and anime.

17. Ninja mask


"You'll never see a ninja without a mask." In fact, there is not a single mention of ninjas wearing masks. Surprisingly, according to the ancient ninja manuals, they did not wear masks. When the enemy was close, they had to cover their faces with their long sleeves, and when ninjas worked in groups, they wore white headbands so they could see each other in the moonlight.

16. Ninja costume

The popular image of a ninja cannot be imagined without the iconic costume. This is a misnomer, since the ninja "suit" seems to be a uniform only for residents Western countries. It's actually just traditional Japanese clothing along with a mask.

Black Japanese clothing can be compared to the black suit in modern London. Residents of medieval Japan could wear masks on the street to remain unrecognized. So such an image looks inappropriate and stands out only in modern world.

15. Black or blue?


A popular argument today is that ninjas didn't wear black because then in the dark they wouldn't be able to see each other at all, so they actually wore blue clothes. This is a misconception that originated from a ninja manual called Shoninki (True Path of the Ninja), written in 1861.

It states that ninjas might wear blue to blend in with the crowd since it was a popular color, implying that ninjas would not stand out among the people in the city. They were also required to wear black on a moonless night and white on a full moon.

14. Ninja-to, or ninja sword


The famous "ninja-to" or traditional ninja sword is a straight-bladed sword with a square tsuba (guard). Modern ninjas most often have a straight blade, but the original swords were slightly curved.

Swords that were almost straight (they were curved only a few millimeters) existed in medieval Japan and had a square tsuba, but they began to be associated with ninjas only in the 20th century. Ninja manuals prescribed the use of ordinary swords.

13. Secret ninja gestures

Ninjas are known for their secret hand gestures. This special hand position technique called "kuji-kiri" has no real connection with the ninja.

The kuji-kiri technique, as it was called in Japan, has its roots in Taoism and Hinduism. It was brought from India to Japan by Buddhist monks, so many mistakenly perceive it as a method of causing damage.

In fact, it is a series of gestures that was used in meditation, during rituals and in Japanese martial arts. Again, they began to associate kuji-kiri with ninjas only in the 20th century.

12. Ninjas didn't use smoke bombs


The image of a ninja using a smoke bomb is a very common one. However, while completely erroneous, it is misleading.

The ninja manuals don't actually mention smoke bombs, but they do have hundreds of instructions for making "fire" weapons: landmines, hand grenades, waterproof torches, Greek fire, fire arrows, explosive shells, and poison gas.

11. Nobody knew who ninjas really were


This is a half-truth. Ninjas were divided into yang ninjas, who could be seen, and yin ninjas, invisible ninjas whose identity was always kept secret.

Since no one had ever seen a Yin Ninja, they could take part in missions without fear of being recognized by anyone. On the other hand, a group of ninja could be recruited openly: they moved with the army, they had their own barracks, they were relieved of duty during rest periods, and they were well known among their peers.

10. Ninjas are black sorcerers

Before the image of the ninja assassin, the image of the ninja sorcerer and warrior-caster was popular. In old Japanese films Ninjas use magic to deceive their enemies.

Interestingly, among the ninja's skills and abilities there was indeed a certain amount of ritual magic: from magical hairpins that made them invisible, to sacrificing a dog to gain God's help. However, ordinary samurai skills also contained elements of magic. This was common practice at that time.

9. Ninjas weren't killers


This is more of a semantic argument. Simply put, a ninja from the very early age were not taught the art of killing so that they could be hired by other clans.

Most ninjas were trained in covert operations, espionage skills, the ability to obtain information, penetrate behind enemy lines, handle explosives, and much more. Ninjas were hired as assassins only as a last resort. Ninja manuals rarely talk about this topic. Murder was not their main profile.

8. Hattori Hanzo - a real person

Hattori Hanzo became famous thanks to the films "Kill Bill" (a master gunsmith who created the best japanese swords in the world), but in reality he was a samurai and the head of a ninja clan. He became a famous commander, earning the nickname "Devil Hanzo" for his ferocity in battle.

He is believed to have written or inherited one of the oldest ninja manuscripts in existence.

7. Most of the false claims about ninjas appeared in the 20th century.


The era of the ninja ended in late XIX century, when Japan embarked on the path of modernization. Although speculation and fantasies about ninjas existed even during the time of the ninja, the first big boom in the popularity of ninjas in Japan began in the very early 1900s, when not much was known about historical spies and intelligence officers.

Books about ninjas were popular between 1910 and 1970, and since many of them were written by amateurs and enthusiasts, they were full of erroneous statements and falsifications, which were later translated into English language.

6. Scientific study ninja

The subject of ninjas was a laughing stock in Japanese academic circles, and for decades the study of their techniques and teachings was frowned upon as fanciful fantasy.

Dr. Stephen Turnbull of the University of Leeds (England) published several books on ninjas in the 1990s, but in a recent article he admitted that the research was flawed and he is now studying the topic in depth with the sole purpose of publishing the truth about ninjas.

Only over the last 2-3 years have serious research begun in Japan. Associate Professor Yuji Yamada leads a team of scientists from Mie Universit conducting research on ninjas.

5. Ninja manuscripts are encrypted


As stated, the ninja manuscripts were coded to remain secret. In fact, this is a misconception about the Japanese way of listing skills. Many scrolls in Japan, according to different topics These are just lists of skills.

For example, "Fox Mastery" or "Invisible Cloak Skill" were passed down from generation to generation without proper training, so over time their true meanings were lost, but they were never encrypted.

4. If the ninja fails the mission, he will commit suicide


In fact, this is just a Hollywood myth. There is no evidence that mission failure leads to suicide.

In fact, some manuals teach that it is better to fail a mission than to rush through it and create problems. It is better to wait for another, more suitable opportunity.

There is historical evidence that ninja could kill themselves and burn themselves alive if captured by the enemy - in order to hide their identity.

3. Superhuman strength


Ninjas are believed to have much greater physical strength than regular warriors, but in reality there were only a certain number of ninjas who trained and trained as special forces.
Many ninjas led double life, pretending to be ordinary residents in the provinces of the enemy: they were engaged in everyday ordinary affairs, trading or traveling, which contributed to the spread of “necessary” rumors about them.

Ninjas had to be resistant to disease, have high intelligence, be able to talk quickly, and have a stupid appearance (because people ignore those who look stupid).

Fun fact: One ninja retired due to back pain.

2. Ninja no longer exists


In Japan there are people who call themselves school masters, whose origins go back to the times of the samurai. This issue is very controversial and sensitive. To date, all those who call themselves real ninjas have not provided any evidence to convince them that they are right.

This means that there are no real ninjas left. Although the world is still waiting for proof...

1. Real ninjas are much cooler than fictional ones


While fictional ninjas have captivated people's hearts for nearly 100 years, a pop-up historical truth turns out to be much more impressive and interesting.

With the advent of historical ninja manuals now being published in English, a more realistic and unexpected image of them is emerging. Ninjas can now be seen as part of the samurai war machine, each with a specific set of skills and abilities, trained in areas such as espionage, secret operations, solo activity behind enemy lines, surveillance, explosives and demolition specialists, psychological specialists.

This new and improved take on the Japanese ninja commands greater respect for the depth and complexity of samurai warfare.

There are many myths and legends about Japanese ninjas. Today they are considered a clan of killers who were raised in special secret ways and fought against their eternal rivals, the samurai. But the modern image of ancient ninjas is based on 20th century comics and fantasy literature. In our review little known facts about the real story of the ninja.

1. Shinobi no mono

According to surviving documents, correct name is "sinobi no mono". The word "ninja" is a Chinese interpretation of a Japanese ideogram that became popular in the 20th century.

2. First mention of ninja

Ninjas first became known from military chronicle"Taiheiki", written in 1375. It said that ninjas entered an enemy city at night and set buildings on fire.

3. The 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.

4. "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.

5. Special forces of the samurai army

Today, popular media often portrays samurai and ninja as sworn enemies. In fact, ninjas were something like modern special forces in the samurai army. Many samurai trained in ninjutsu.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. Illustration of a fallacy

Ninjas are never shown without masks, but there is no mention of ninjas wearing masks. In fact, they were required to cover their faces with long sleeves when the enemy was nearby. When working in groups, they wore white headbands so they could see each other in the moonlight.

10. 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.

11. 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 robes of blue color 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).

12. Ninjas didn't use straight swords

The now famous "ninja-to" or straight-bladed, square-hilted ninja swords did exist in medieval Japan, as square handguards were made back then, but they only began to be attributed to ninjas in the 20th century. "Medieval special forces" used ordinary swords.

13. "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.

14. Land mines, hand grenades, explosives, poisonous gas...

The image of a ninja using a smoke bomb is quite universal and common in the modern world. Although medieval warriors did not have smoke bombs, they had hundreds of fire-related recipes: landmines, hand grenades, waterproof torches, varieties of Greek fire, fire arrows, explosives and poisonous gas.

15. 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).

16. 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.

17. 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.

18. "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.

19. 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 during the ninja boom in popularity in the 1980s.

20. 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.

21. 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.

22. 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.

23. Sleeper 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).

24. 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.

25. Spy-saboteurs

While fictional ninjas have haunted people for the last 100 years, the historical truth is often 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.

Japan is a country with a special culture that is quite difficult for Europeans to understand. One of the incredible pages Japanese history- who not only defended their home and family, but mutilated their enemies beyond recognition.

Based on materials from list25.com