We will talk about Japanese ninjas in our article. No, it’s not about the famous cartoon turtles and not about smart heroes flying in black clothes through the air and waving sparkling swords to the right and left. Our story is about real people who once existed.
Who is the ninja?
In medieval Japan, there were huge secret clans of mercenary warriors whose main function was espionage. They were called shinobi, or ninja. These words have several meanings:
- the one who is hiding is hiding;
- endure, bear;
- killer;
- scout, spy;
- forest demon;
- triple man.
From numerous legends, it is known that since childhood, ninjas were trained in mastery of weapons and hand-to-hand combat tactics. But first and foremost, they comprehended the art of extracting and finding out military information. These people were cruel, cunning, fearless and possessed truly supernatural dexterity and endurance.
Forest demons, hired killers had to be able to appear suddenly and just as suddenly disappear, possess medical knowledge, the secrets of acupuncture and herbal medicine. They were able to stay under water for long hours, breathing air through a straw; were able to climb steep rocks and navigate perfectly in any locality; possessed a subtle sense of smell, sensitive animal hearing and keen eyesight, allowing them to see even in the dark. They were not superhumans, no, all of these skills were achieved through hard, long training.
The vast majority of Sinobi came from peasant families. Outsiders could join the first ninja communities: warriors, hunters, and even bandits. Subsequently, in order to become a ninja, you had to be born in a particular clan. Shinobi community settlements were located in remote areas, often in highlands, and were carefully masked. These people could appear in any villages and cities under the guise of ordinary residents, and no one could suspect cruel killers in them.
In modern cinema, sinobi are often romanticized. But it should be remembered that ninjas are mercenaries who offered their services — murderers, terrorists, saboteurs, and spies — to the rulers of numerous feudal clans fighting among themselves. They carried out the orders of those who pay them more. By the way, contrary to popular belief, they still could not fly, which, of course, does not detract from their many other talents.
Battle tactics
Ninja martial arts are not their original invention. For fighting using weapons, these warriors used budo styles:
- co-jutsu;
- bo jutsu;
- ken-jutsu;
- shuriken-jutsu, etc.
In hand-to-hand combat, they preferred to use ju-jutsu techniques. These warriors adapted various battle styles that existed in Japan at that time.
However, they made a number of characteristic additions and changes to the classic samurai martial arts:
- Ninja emphasized surprise, stunning the enemy.
- Always practiced attacks from ambush, at night, from behind, etc.
- They emphasized strangulation techniques, as more silent.
- They preferred to fight in confined spaces (in small rooms, narrow corridors, among shrubs or bamboos).
- Used more blows than in the classic samurai ju-jutsu.
Clans and Ninja Schools
Absolutely all ninja spies were unsurpassed warriors with the skills to secretly get into any room, destroy the enemy and just as quietly disappear. However, each warrior belonged to a clan or ninja school, of which there were many:
- Iga. This clan was the most famous and had a great influence. He became famous including his weapons inventions. This community included schools: Momoti, Hattori and Fujibayashi.
- Koga. It was the second most influential clan after Iga. Its members specialized in the use of various explosives.
- Clan Kishu.
- The garden.
- Negoro. Clan of warrior monks from Negoro-ji monastery.
- Shinto.
- Saiga or Saika. Representatives of the clan specialized in weapons shooting.
- Sirai.
- Shinto.
- Popis.
- Hakuun. The founder of the school was the hermit Hakuun Doshi. Later, several more stood out from this school: Kishu-ryu, Ryumon-ryu, Gen-ryu, Genjitsu-ryu and Goton-juho-ryu.
Ninja clothes
In the view of modern man, a Japanese ninja is a warrior in a tight-fitting black suit. It is this image that has been popularized in popular films and fiction.
This has nothing to do with reality. Costumes of night spies and murderers were in dark gray, as well as brown tones of yellowish or reddish hues. It was these colors that helped to dissolve reliably in the darkness of the night, while absolutely black clothes did not give such a disguise.
The costumes of the soldiers were quite loose and had baggy outlines. In the daytime, the ninja wore normal clothes - this allowed them not to stand out in the crowd.
War armor
A special advantage of the shinobi was mobility and speed, which is probably why they never put on full armor. During bloody battles, fighters defended their body with light chain mail. In rare cases, a protective kit was used, which included the following ninja armor:
- Chain shirt.
- Arm sleeves (from elbow to hands).
- A helmet that protected not only the head, but also the neck area with the chin.
- Shield.
- A top uppappari jacket was usually worn over chain mail.
Fighters of the lowest rank were equipped with light tatami-gusoku armor, consisting of pieces of leather on which iron plates were sewn. Such uniforms protected the ninja only in front.
It is very interesting how the warriors used the tetsu no kame shields. They were held not only on the arm, but they were also thrown behind their backs, passing their hands under the bandages. When the ninja retreated, they could calmly expose the enemy’s back, which such a shield reliably covered. The thickness of the tetsu no kame was such that neither bullets nor arrows could penetrate it.
Another advantage of the ninja shield is its spherical shape. The warrior could lie down on the ground and, throwing a shield on his back, crawled to the positions of the enemy. Bullets ricocheted from the iron sphere, like from armor. Climbing into a hole or grouping, with legs bent under him, a fighter could turn into a kind of invulnerable live bunker.
Spy Warrior Equipment
Mandatory ninja equipment consisted of the following six items:
- Kaginawa (long rope with a hook). Using this device, the shinobi could climb a high wall or easily climb a fence. If necessary, this item could be used as an effective weapon.
- Amigasa (peasant wicker hat). Ninjas are invisible. Such a headgear made it possible to see everything that was happening around, and at the same time reliably covered his face from prying eyes.
- Sekihitsu (chalk, lead, pencil) and yatate (pencil case with ink and brush). With the help of the sekihitsu, the ninja could make a mark or write something down. For the same purposes, a brush and mascara were used. In addition, a weapon in the form of a small sharp blade could be hidden in the spy's pencil case.
- Kusuri (warrior's travel kit or a set of potions). Everything was placed in a small handbag, which the ninja tied to his belt.
- Sanjaku Tenugui (one meter towel). This item was used differently in different situations: in caustic smoke - as a protective mask, in the camp of the enemy - as a disguise mask, as a rope to bind an enemy, as a tourniquet during bleeding, etc.
- Utidake (tube-container made of bamboo). Ninja carried embers in it, so that if necessary it was possible to quickly produce fire. It can be called an analogue of a modern lighter.
Fighters and other items took with them. Which ones - depended on the task or situation. It could be a set of master keys for locks, ladders, boats and more.
Special Melee Weapons
Invisible warriors have developed a whole arsenal of different means to kill.
Melee Weapon Ninja:
- Shuriken. These small metal stars with spikes or sharp blades instead of rays were always present in the pockets of the ninja. They were used as throwing weapons.
- Kusarigama. A chain attached to the handle, at the end of which a scythe or sickle is fixed. A formidable and quite massive weapon that was very easy to disguise as an agricultural tool.
- Makibishi. Special spikes with which you could stop the foot or horse detachment.
Use of poisons
To achieve their goals, ruthless killers did not disdain anything. For example, they widely used various toxic substances to kill the enemy.
Ninja poisons were divided into 3 categories:
- Instant action.
- Acting through some small time period (lycoris, arsenic).
- With delayed action or slow acting. These poisons were usually made from specialty green tea or animal entrails.
One of the poisoning methods, which was often used by hired killers, is interesting: drops of poison rolled into the ear or mouth of a sleeping victim along a thread hung from above. Each clan had its own secrets for preparing poison.
Firearm possession
In Japan, firearms appeared only with the arrival of Europeans. For a long time it was too rare and very expensive - these are the features of medieval Japan. Only rich nobles could own such a luxury. Nevertheless, the ninja had no shortage of such weapons.
They were extremely skilled in mastering muskets and rifles and excelled in sniper shooting, hitting the target even from a distance of 600 m.
Thanks to their ingenuity, the Shinobi began to use gunpowder in a very interesting way: a shuriken, equipped with a powder charge, threw itself onto a thatched roof, a fire started, which forced the guards to switch from chasing the ninja to putting out the fire.
Female ninja
There is a legend that women could not be ninjas. This is not true. The weaker sex also found a place in the ranks of spy warriors. Ninja girls were called kunoichi. Their training was carried out according to a different program than the training of men.
The activity of the ladies was more associated with the use of poisons, as well as with the use of male weaknesses of enemies. Although it was impossible to escape from close combat, kunoichi could also fight. Female ninjas are always wonderful actresses who have been able to play certain roles for many years: geishas, prostitutes or maids.
In the Middle Ages, geishas in Japan were held in high esteem and respect. They were entrances to the houses of most noble nobles. Ninja girls who pretended to be geishas sometimes used a needle from their hair or a ring with a secret poisonous spike as a murder weapon.
Names remaining in history
Japanese ninjas did not try to become famous, their task was exactly the opposite: to hide and remain unrecognized. However, history has retained the names of some of them. Here they are:
- Otomo no Saizin - This person is considered one of the first ninjas. He served as an eavesdropper for his master, Prince Setoku Taishi.
- Takoya. He lived in the 7th century. His main specialization was terrorist attacks.
- Unifune Dzinnay. This ninja, very small in stature, once entered the enemy’s courtyard through the sewers and waited for the enemy, sitting in a cesspool, for several days. As soon as someone came in, he hid headlong into impurities. When the owner of the palace returned, Unifune Dinnay pierced him with a spear and escaped pursuit through the same sewer channel.
Modern culture and ninja
Stories about the silent brave spy warriors have become one of the favorite plots of modern cinema. The first Shinobi film was shot in Japan back in 1915. It was a silent movie called “The Legend of the Monstrous Mouse,” then a movie was released on the screens dedicated to one of the most famous fighters, whose name is preserved in history: “The Phantom Hero Ninjutsu-Goro”. Since then, filmmakers and screenwriters have constantly returned to this topic.
It’s impossible for modern people to forget about the ninja. In today's culture, their images have taken root and flicker not only in movies, but also in cartoons ("Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles"), computer games, novels and novels. In addition, young people play role-playing games, trying on the roles of fighters, and young children are happy to wear ninja costumes, which are sold in stores.
Conclusion
Nowadays, there is a real ninja-themed fashion. It remains to be rejoiced that the main aspect of this hobby is the admiration for the dexterity, strength and courage of the Shinobi, and not their infinite cruelty and the ability to kill.