What kind of image do you have when you hear the word “ninja”? Some people might think of superhuman abilities like instantaneous movement or flying in the sky. In reality, they were covert agents in pre-modern Japan.
How were did actual ninjas develop? We will introduce a brief history of the ninja and 5 famous legends.
Contents
History of ninja in Japan
The main mission of ninjas included reconnaissance and espionage, and thus escape was more important than fighting throughout their history.
h3 Late 13th century (Kamakura period)
The origin of the ninja is believed to lie with the rogues who resisted the rule of the samurai.
14th century (Kamakura to Muromachi periods)
In a Japanese historical epic “Taiheiki” written in the Muromachi period (1336-1573), the word “ninja,” meaning something done in secret, first appears in a written document.
15th – 16th Centuries (Muromachi – Azuchi-Momoyama Period)
During the Muromachi period, as the power of the Muromachi shogunate, which then ruled Japan, weakened, the daimyo (feudal lords) of various provinces grew in power. In order to gain an advantage in battle, they needed to gather information on their enemies, and began to employ ninjas. This was the period in which the ninjas were most active.
17th century (Edo period)
Ieyasu Tokugawa ruled over all of Japan and founded the Edo shogunate. Unlike before, Japan no longer had feudal lords fighting each other. In such an environment, the role of the ninja shifted from being covert agents to being mainly security guards and bodyguards. At the end of the Edo period, the role of the ninja ended and they disappeared (at least officially).
Although real ninjas disappeared, fictional ninjas, on the other hand, began to be portrayed in novels and performing arts during the Edo period. Ninjutsu skills (ninja techniques) used by the ninjas depicted in these stories were more mysterious and magical than ones actually used by real ninjas. It was around this time that Hiko no Jutsu (flying technique) and Bunshin no Jutsu (clone technique) were created.
From the 20th century Onward (Meiji period onward)
More ninjas were depicted in various novels and other works. In particular, the publication of “Sarutobi Sasuke” in the Taisho period (1912-1926) triggered a major ninjutsu boom. Other famous works include “Owl’s Castle“ (1958-1959) by Ryotaro Shiba, “Shinobi no Mono“ (1960-1962) by Tomoyoshi Murayama, and “Ninpo Zenshu“ (1963) by Futaro Yamada. The movies “Shinobi no Mono“ (1962) and “Onmitsu Kenshi“ (1964) were also big hits. In children’s manga, “Ninja Hattori-kun,” (1964-1988), “Science Ninja Team Gatchaman“ (1972-1974) and “Nintama Rantaro” (1993-present) are well-known.
Overseas, ninjas also became popular in the 20th century, and a number of ninja movies have been produced mainly in the United States, including “Enter the Ninja” (1981) by Sho Kosugi. Comics and anime such as “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles“ (1984-present) and “Naruto” (1999-2014) also gained popularity among young people.
See also：The Truth About Ninja In Japan
5 Legendary Ninjas
Here are five famous ninjas. All of them are very famous.
Masanari Hanzo Hattori
It is no exaggeration to say that Hanzo Hattori is the most famous actual ninja in Japan. He was the chieftain of the ninja living in Iga area. Hattori Hanzo is a name that has been passed down from generation to generation in the Hattori family. The second-generation chief, Masanari, was a ninja in the service of Ieyasu Tokugawa.
Ieyasu Tokugawa was the future shogun from the Sengoku Period to the early Edo Period who created the Edo shogunate and ruled Japan. Masanari contributed to Ieyasu‘s rise to power and unification of the country, and at the age of 16 he is said to have led a group of Iga ninja to attack a castle in Mikawa Province (now eastern Aichi). He is counted as one of the “Sixteen Tokugawa Generals” and is still respected by many people today.
Kotaro Fuma
He is famous as a ninja of the Kanto region. The name “Kotaro Fuma” was passed down from generation to generation as the chieftain of the Fuma band. They were feared as a group of roughnecks and specialized in guerrilla warfare in mountainous areas. He served the Go-Hojo clan that ruled the Kanto region during the Sengoku period, but is said to have become a bandit after the fall of the clan.
In history books, Kotaro Fuma is described as having “muscular arms and legs, standing about 2.2 meters tall, with four fangs”.
Dojun Iganosaki
Dojun Iganosaki was one of the Iga ninja in the Sengoku period. Originally from Tateoka in Iga, he was also known as “Tateoka-no Dojun”. He served various warlords, including the future shogun Ieyasu Tokugawa.
When he was hired by the Rokkaku family, a feudal lord, to attack Sawayama Castle, he led a group of ninjas and launched a surprise attack utilizing ninjutsu methods.
Nobumasa Nezu
He served Yukitaka Sanada and his son Masayuki Sanada, and was the chieftain of the Sanada Ninja. The Sanada family was a famous feudal lord family of the Sengoku period. He is known for having founded Koyo-ryu ninjutsu.
Izumonokami Mochizuki
The Mochizuki family, the Koga Ninja, was a prestigious family of ninja, who excelled in Enjutsu (a type of ninjutsu using smoke). In 1487, when Yoshinao Ashikaga, the ninth shogun of the Muromachi Shogunate, attacked Takayori Rokkaku Sasaki, a feudal lord in the Omi region, the Koga Ninja, led by Izumonokami, helped Takayori with surprise attacks.
See also：6 Places Where You Can Meet Modern Ninjas in Japan
Summary
The long history of the ninja lies with battles over power and territory in Japan, and some legendary ninja families developed through these battles and struggles. Now part of entertainment in Japan, the ninjas’ popularity is even spreading around the world.
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