Ninja - mysterious ghosts hiding in the shadows. They are able to get into the most protected stronghold to inflict a mortal blow to the enemy. The skills of these elusive mercenaries instilled fear and awe in people, gave them the image of terrifying demons of the night. Today everyone knows about silent killers - children play ninjas, hundreds of films are made about them, animated films are created. The image of a man in dark clothes, throwing shurikens and running along the walls, is firmly entrenched in public consciousness. Therefore, today it is difficult to say what the ninja really were, what is true and what is just a beautiful story.
Yamabushi
The appearance of the first ninjas the world owes to the hermit monks who lived in the mountains. They professed the Shingon branch of Buddhism and were called Yamabushi. These people possessed exceptional knowledge of man and nature. They were masters of herbal medicine and the manufacture of poisons, they could both heal diseases and kill. Yamabushi was also an expert in acupuncture and possessed abilities that far exceeded the capabilities of an ordinary person.
Yamabushi tempered themselves with grueling training, as they believed that the body was an excellent tool for nurturing the spirit. The peasants loved and respected these mysterious hermits, since they could heal the diseases of people and animals, save crops and, as legend says, even controlled the weather. The knowledge of Yamabushi in the natural sciences was significantly ahead of its time - they were well versed in astronomy, chemistry, botany, medicine, which only strengthened the belief in their superhuman abilities.
The emergence of the first ninja
Over time, the merciless training of the hermits began to bear fruit - they learned to masterfully control their body and mind. Yamabushi could consciously control not only their breathing, but also their pulse. Settlements of monks began to attract people who did not find a place in society. Among them were also ronins, skillfully wielding a sword and other weapons. They contributed to the practices of the hermits.
The fact that these people lived in the wild, made them masters of disguise, and also gave them the ability to wait. After all, in the mountains there was no rush and fuss, so usual for the rest of the world. This gave the predecessors of the ninja boundless patience and qualities of character, inaccessible to the average layman. They could confidently survive in the wild and instantly hide in the natural landscape. Such outstanding achievements attracted those in power to Yamabushi who wanted to use their unique skills for their own purposes.
Ninja classes
What did the legendary shadow warriors do? Often their classes were much more prosaic than shown in films and books. Ninja techniques allowed them to play any role. It was almost impossible to meet one of them in classic black clothes hiding his face. The ninja always corresponded to the environment in which he had to work. If he was in the company of samurai, then he behaved like a samurai and was dressed accordingly. Among the peasants and the poor, he was dressed in rags. The acting of such a scout was so skillful that she could deceive even the most cunning enemy. Often the work of the ninja was carried out so quietly and smoothly that it was impossible even to find out that he was here.
Contrary to stereotypical opinion, these geniuses of disguise rarely participated in contract killings. They were mainly engaged in reconnaissance, the extraction of secret information and sabotage in the enemy’s camp. That is, the ninjas were an analogue of James Bond, and not ruthless hired killers, although, apparently, they were also involved in such activities, since they perfectly mastered the techniques of hand-to-hand combat.
Who were the ninjas
To be a skilled mercenary, the ninja had to rebuild his whole life. Therefore, they did not occupy a specific place in the Japanese hierarchy, but were outside it. In the ranks of the ninja, one could meet representatives of any class. Movies often show the confrontation of samurai and scouts dressed in dark clothes. But in fact, the main customers of the ninja were the samurai who constantly fought among themselves. Moreover, if one of them went bankrupt, he often turned into one of the ninja clans, where the samurai fighting technique was very useful.
Met in such clans and commoners. However, there is no evidence that they stood up for the peasants and protected them from the samurai. Most likely, these are just beautiful legends that romanticize the image of a ninja. It is important to understand that the night warriors were mercenaries and performed any work for which they were willing to pay. That is, the decisive factor in the life of their clans was money, not moral values and beliefs. Those who pay more will help them. Therefore, the methods of the ninja were aimed more at espionage and obtaining secret information than at eliminating the enemy.
Ninja Times
It is believed that the ninja clans finally formed around the X century of our era. In those days, nobles used their services to resolve their conflicts. Ninja Secret Tricks were ideally suited to gaining an edge in the struggle for power. Shinobi services were especially popular during the reunification of Japan. This happened around the years 1460-1600. Then all parties to the conflict used the services of a ninja to get at least some advantage in this monstrous war.
However, in subsequent years, the Tokugawa shogun decided it was too dangerous to leave freedom-loving clans. Moreover, since the ninjas were mercenaries who served the one who pays well, their services could be used against him, which was not at all part of the plans of the ambitious shogun. As a result, he pitted between himself the two largest clans - Iga and Koga. The bloody confrontation between them ended with the fact that most of the ninjas were destroyed. The survivors were weak and fragmented, which made them swear allegiance to Tokugawa.
Shinobi and war
Films often show how hordes of ninjas storm a fortress or cut with samurai. However, participating in a direct confrontation was illogical for the night warriors. Ninja fighting techniques were designed to quietly eliminate the target or conduct a guerrilla war, but certainly not to confront the enemy in the open field. Of course, a direct clash left no chance for mysterious saboteurs. But they were competent strategists and did not allow warfare according to the rules of the enemy. But their help could have a decisive influence on the outcome of the war, since a ninja, penetrating the enemy’s fortress, could make a lot of noise, arrange sabotage and demoralize the enemy.
Masters of disguise could infiltrate the camp of the enemy both in peacetime and during large-scale hostilities. Their goal was military leaders or strategic targets. Also, the information obtained by these fearless scouts could provide their employer with a decisive advantage, turning the tide of the war.
Ninja tricks
To date, all kinds of schools for teaching the art of night warriors have climbed like mushrooms after rain. In them, fans of ninja films pretend to be skilled killers and scouts. However, these people, for the most part, are devising ninjutsu techniques to receive money from gullible students. In general, it is difficult to say that the art of shinobi was as structured and understandable as, for example, karate or judo. There is no evidence that they all used any one technique to achieve their goals. Rather, these were general principles and methods of survival in extreme conditions.
Ninja training resembled the training of a special forces soldier, not the martial arts of Japan. But there are still thousands of enthusiasts throwing shurikens and performing complex acrobatic stunts in stylized black suits. An entire industry has grown around this occupation. Everyone who has firmly decided to become a modern ninja can go to the store and purchase a suit, shurikens and all kinds of chains. By accessing the Internet, you can easily purchase a “ninja sword” and become the coolest in the area. How did the night warriors really train?
Clan structure
Over time, the ninja clans became clearly structured and fully formed structures. It was almost impossible for an outsider to get into such a clan. Knowledge was passed from father to son and carefully guarded from prying eyes. Scrolls with ninjutsu techniques were especially zealously stored; training an outsider was punishable by death. Each clan specialized in special techniques unique to it. Some of them were specialists in carrying out sabotage, some preferred poisons, and some were fed with insidious ambushes.
Within the Shinobi clans there was a clear hierarchy. Verkhushka was engaged in concluding contracts, signing contracts, joining unions, and withdrawing from them. There was also a middle layer, the purpose of which was control over the execution of orders from above. At the bottom of the hierarchical ladder were ordinary performers. That is, the ninja clans were serious organizations with harsh discipline and a pronounced hierarchy.
Ninja costume
The usual black costumes by which everyone can recognize a ninja are more a product of cinema than a reflection of the real situation. Black color is not the best for masking, as it is extremely rare in nature. Therefore, most often different shades of brown and gray were used. It was they who allowed to merge with the outside world most fully. The notorious sword of the ninja was also not a favorite weapon of elusive scouts. They preferred chains, plows, retractable spears, shurikens, and other tools that were easy to hide or pass off as tools of peasant labor.
A shinobi camouflage suit was used infrequently, since in most cases the night warriors disguised themselves as an environment in order to get to the target in the simplest and most effective way. The ninja costume had many pockets in which medicinal herbs, poisons, needles and shurikens were placed, as well as other weapons of battle.
Specialized Tools
In the ninja’s arsenal were not only hand-to-hand combat techniques and melee weapons. They also skillfully used hooks, stairs, ropes and other things with which you could get into the palace chambers or overcome the fortress wall. Even the synobes knew a lot about the use of explosives, which helped to sow panic in the camp of the enemy or to breach a wall. Ninja shoes were also adapted to carry out their tasks.
Often they carried special breathing tubes with them. Ninja techniques allowed them to be under water for a long time, breathing through a thin tube. But the most powerful weapon of these treacherous scouts was their knowledge of psychology. They could play any social role, rub themselves into the trust in the right person. Ninjas knew how to control their own consciousness, which allowed them to endure the most difficult trials without experiencing discomfort.
Nobunagi Oda
No matter how the ninja tried to refrain from direct participation in the war, they did not succeed. Nobunagi Oda, a tough military leader who wanted to unite the country, managed to destroy the Iga clan, the strongest Shinobi organization. He left no stone unturned in the area where this powerful clan settled and as a result of fierce confrontation managed to defeat his enemies. The surviving representatives of the clan scattered throughout the country. However, this victory was not easy for the brave samurai. Many thousands of soldiers died at the hands of the ninja.
Ninjutsu today
Modern ninjas hardly learn the martial arts of Japan. They do not run on walls and do not throw needles. Intelligence agencies have significantly changed their working methods over the past centuries. Of course, the training methods used by the ancient scouts are relevant to this day. For example, in special units that need to be able to survive in the wild and fight in the forest. But the videos titled “Ninja Tricks for Beginners” or the various “Ninjutsu for Dummies” manuals are just a literate commercial move and have nothing to do with the mysterious night warriors. However, Shinobi and their unique way of life are a valuable cultural heritage that should not be lost.