Ninjutsu, or ‘the art of concealment,’ is a Japanese martial art developed by inhabitants of the mountainous regions in the former provinces of Iga (now Mie) and Koka (in Shiga) based on their knowledge of hunting and fighting techniques. Ninjitsu is a common misspelling. ‘Jitsu’ means ‘truth’ and has little to do with the subject in this context. Ninjutsu was developed as a response to the samurai, the nearly almighty warrior class in Japan who were only accountable to their lord, the shogun. Practitioners of ninjutsu were called ninja. However, most ninja were themselves samurai.
Origin of Ninjutsu
Ninjutsu emerged sometime between the 12th and 15th centuries. Special ninjutsu techniques include remaining hidden, evading, setting false trails, and gathering information. Training also included disguises, escapes, camouflage, medicine and poisons, explosives, and weapons, especially archery, sword fighting, and skill with the shuriken (also known as throwing stars). The techniques were practiced in secret. Only three secret manuscripts from the 16th and 17th centuries have survived: the Shoninki, Bansenshukai, and Ninpiden.
Ninjutsu Today
Ninjutsu is now also practiced as a self-defense and combat sport. There are various styles depending on the club. Some focus more on karate, others on jiu-jitsu. Naturally, certain skills are no longer taught (such as explosives, poisons, and so on). The length of training also varies from club to club and country to country. Being accountable to a single lord is, of course, no longer relevant today, and training in secret seems like something from another dimension. However, some clubs still maintain a kind of code of honor, and certain techniques are only revealed to advanced students.
Ninjutsu is especially well-known through the countless roles of ninja in films. They usually play the villains, with exceptions of course. The so-called Ninja Turtles were also avid practitioners of this Japanese martial art.
