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25 little-known and fascinating facts about Japanese ninjas
25 little-known and fascinating facts about Japanese ninjas

Video: 25 little-known and fascinating facts about Japanese ninjas

Video: 25 little-known and fascinating facts about Japanese ninjas
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Ninja: myths and legends
Ninja: myths and legends

There are many myths and legends about Japanese ninjas. Today they are considered a clan of assassins who were brought up 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 roundup of little-known facts about the true history of the ninja.

1. Shinobi no mono

Ninja were actually called in a completely different way
Ninja were actually called in a completely different way

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

2. The first mention of the ninja

Saboteurs
Saboteurs

For the first time it became known about the ninja from the military chronicle "Taiheiki", written in 1375. It was told that ninja penetrated the enemy city at night and set fire to buildings.

3. The golden age of the ninja

Ninja in civil strife …
Ninja in civil strife …

Ninja flourished during the 15th and 16th centuries, when Japan was torn apart by civil wars. After 1600, peace reigned in Japan, after which the decline of the ninja began.

4. "Bansenshukai"

Ninjutsu Guide
Ninjutsu Guide

There are very few records of ninja during the war era, but after the onset of peace, they began to keep records of their skills. The most famous ninjutsu manual is the so-called "Ninja Bible" or "Bansenshukai", which was written in 1676. There are about 400-500 ninjutsu guides, many of which are still kept secret.

5. Special forces of the samurai army

The ninja were not the enemy of the samurai
The ninja were not the enemy of the samurai

Samurai and ninja are often portrayed by popular media today as sworn enemies. In fact, ninjas were something of a modern special forces in the samurai army. Many samurai were trained in ninjutsu.

6. Ninja "quinin"

Ninja were not peasants
Ninja were not peasants

Popular media also portrays the ninja as peasant. In truth, ninjas could come from any class, samurai as well as other people. Moreover, they were "quinine", that is, they were outside the structure of society. Over time (after the onset of peace), ninjas began to be considered lower in status, but they still held a higher social position than most peasants.

7. Ninjutsu is a specialized form of hand-to-hand combat

Misconceptions about ninjas
Misconceptions about ninjas

It is generally accepted that ninjutsu is a form of hand-to-hand combat, a martial arts system still taught around the world. However, the idea of a specialized form of hand-to-hand combat practiced by today's ninjas was invented by a Japanese in the 1950s and 1960s. This new combat system was brought to America during the ninja boom in the 1980s and has become one of the most popular misconceptions about ninjas.

8. Shurikens or shaken

Ninja throwing stars
Ninja throwing stars

Throwing stars (shurikens or shaken) do not have the slightest historical connection with the ninja. Throwing stars were a secret weapon used in many samurai schools. They began to be associated with ninja only in the 20th century thanks to comics and animated films.

9. Illustration of delusion

The ninja have no masks
The ninja have no masks

Ninjas are never depicted without masks, however, there is not the slightest mention of ninja wearing masks. In fact, they had to cover their faces with long sleeves when the enemy was near. When working in groups, they wore white headbands to see each other in the moonlight.

10. Ninja blended into the crowd

Gray, ordinary …
Gray, ordinary …

The popular ninja look is sure to include a black bodycon suit. In fact, in such a suit, they would look as appropriate as, for example, on the streets of modern Moscow. They wore traditional Japanese clothing.

11. Disguise clothing

Blue, black, white …
Blue, black, white …

Today, people believe that ninjas wore black clothes to make it easier for them to hide in the dark. Shoninki (The True Way of the Ninja), written in 1681, said that ninjas should wear blue clothing to blend in with the crowd, as this color was popular at the time. During night operations, they wore black robes (on a moonless night) or white (on a full moon).

12. Ninja did not use straight swords

Medieval special forces
Medieval special forces

Today's famous "ninja-to" or ninja swords with a straight blade and square handle did exist in medieval Japan, since they made square combat gloves, but the ninja began to ascribe them only in the 20th century. "Medieval Special Forces" used ordinary swords.

13. "Kuji"

Secret spells
Secret spells

Ninja are known for their spells, which they supposedly do with hand gestures. This art was called "kuji" and has nothing to do with ninja. Kuji originated in India and was later adopted in 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. Landmines, hand grenades, explosives, poisonous gas …

The ninja did not use smoke bombs
The ninja did not use smoke bombs

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: land mines, hand grenades, waterproof torches, varieties of Greek fire, fire arrows, explosives, and poison gas.

15. Yin Ninja and Yang Ninja

Nobody knew who the ninja were
Nobody knew who the ninja were

This is half true. There were two groups of ninja: those that could be seen (yang ninja) and those whose identity has always remained a secret (yin ninja).

16. Nija - black magicians

Warrior mage
Warrior mage

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-magician who defeated enemies with cunning. Interestingly, ninja skills did contain a certain amount of ritual magic, from magical hairpins that supposedly provide invisibility, to sacrificing dogs to get help from the gods. However, the standard skills of the samurai also contained an element of magic. This was common at the time.

17. The art of covert operations

Ninja were not your average assassin
Ninja were not your average assassin

To be more precise, they were indeed often hired to kill a victim, but most ninja were trained in the art of covert operations, propaganda, spy craft, making and using explosives, etc.

18. "Kill Bill"

Hattori Hanzo was a real person
Hattori Hanzo was a real person

Hattori Hanzo became famous for the movie Kill Bill. In fact, he was a famous historical figure - Hattori Hanzo was a real samurai and trained ninja. He became a famous general who was nicknamed "Devil Hanzo". It was he who, at the head of the ninja group, contributed to the fact that Tokugawa became the shogun of Japan.

19. Amateurs and enthusiasts

Most ninja myths originated in the 20th century
Most ninja myths originated in the 20th century

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 and 1970s, many books were written by amateurs and enthusiasts, which were simply replete with errors and falsifications. These mistakes were then translated into English during the ninja boom in the 1980s.

20. Ninja - cause for laughter

Scientific research about ninja
Scientific research about ninja

Studying the ninja has been a laughing matter in Japanese academia, and for decades, studying their history has been considered a bizarre fantasy. Serious research in Japan has only begun in the last 2-3 years.

21. Encrypted Ninja Scrolls

The texts have never been deciphered
The texts have never been deciphered

The ninja manuscripts are said to have been encrypted so that no outsider could read them. This misunderstanding arose from the Japanese way of writing the scrolls. Many Japanese scrolls simply list the skill names without properly decoding them. Although their true meanings have been lost, the texts have never been deciphered.

22. Hollywood myths

Ninja didn't commit suicide
Ninja didn't commit suicide

This is a Hollywood myth. There is no evidence that mission rejection resulted in suicide. In fact, some guides teach that it is better to abandon a mission than to rush things and cause problems.

23. Sleeping Agents

Superhuman strength
Superhuman strength

It is believed that ninjas were much more powerful than ordinary warriors, but such were only certain ninjas who were trained in a special style of warfare. Many ninja simply lived the lives of ordinary people in secret in enemy provinces, carried out normal daily activities, or traveled to spread rumors. Recommended abilities for ninjas were: disease resistance, high intelligence, quick speech, and stupid appearance (because people tend to ignore those who look stupid).

24. There is no clan, no clan …

Modern ninjas
Modern ninjas

There are a number of people in Japan who claim to be masters of ninja schools that trace their ancestry back to the days of the samurai. This issue is very controversial, since there is no proven fact that the ninja clan or clan has survived to this day.

25. Saboteur spies

Real ninjas are cooler than fictional ones
Real ninjas are cooler than fictional ones

While fictional ninjas have haunted people for the past 100 years, the historical truth is often much more impressive and interesting. Ninja were engaged in real espionage activities, conducted covert operations, worked behind enemy lines, were covert surveillance agents, etc.

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

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