The ninja, also known as shinobi, was a mercenary agent of Japan during the feudal ages. The ninjas specialized in unorthodox methods of warfare. The ninja had many functions dealing with, spying, infiltrating, sabotaging and assassinating. They were well known for their precision, skill, and use of weapons. In its original form, the art was geared to the needs of the assassin, with an emphasis on concealment, infiltration, and spying. This art specialized in the concealment in the dark of the night with the black ninja uniforms being one of the more important gears of the ninja. Ninja weapons were also used as a typically weapons that easily carried and concealed, allowing the ninja to stealthily target and attack an opponent.
The ninja with it’s under cover strategy was the opposite of the bold samurai who were very careful about their above board reputation. Military historian Hanawa Hokioichi wrote that the ninjas disguised themselves while entering enemy territory to gauge opponent’s strength. They would blend in with the adversary to find the lapses and often sneak into castles to set them on fire. Arriving secretly they carried out assassinations.
It is guessed that the ninja group originated around 14th century. After many years of obscurity they came into prominence during 17th and 18th centuries. Ninjutsu came to be connected with many practices of the ninja – a mixture of philosophy and religion being applied to the art of war including spying.
The imagination of Japan has always romanticized on the mysterious character of the ninjas. Later this has spread to other parts of the world. Ninja figures dominate folk tales and myths – making it difficult to separate it from history. There are legends about the ninja becoming invisible, walking on water and having full control over the elements.
Thus ninja cult originated and is based on the romance linked with the lives of spies and assassins in historical Japan. Legend says that in the 4th century a prince, Yamato Takeru disguised as a beautiful maiden assassinated two chieftains of the Kumaso tribe. In the 14th century there is reference to a highly skilled ninja or shinobi who was credited to have destroyed a castle by fire. From the 15th century onwards spies were officially trained and the word shinobi defined a secretive group of spies. The strategy was taken up by the Chinese military also.
In the 15th century ninjas were hired for purposes of raiding. They were terrorists and arsonists par excellence. In contrast the samurai of Japan fought open duels. But during troubled times of Sengoku period there was great demand for ninjas and less importance was given to respectability. The ninjas became spies, experts in ambush attacks and spreading agitations. There were families of ninjas who formed big guilds each having its own territory. Within them there was ranking with the jonin being the upper man, the chunin being the middle man and the assistants being jonin. The lowest was the lower man or genin. The latter were recruited from the lower ranks and sent out to the forefront of trouble.
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