Ninjas began in the Muromachi period and were under the command of daimyo and lords in the Edo period. In war, they act as independent units for intelligence activities, sabotage activities, infiltration tactics (forming a strong minority, partial offensive tactics), strategizing (making the other side negligent and creating flaws), and being responsible for assassinations.
Famous ninjas in Japan include Iga ninjas and Koga ninjas. "Forbearance" means "hidden", and there is a Chinese word for "hidden forbearance", which is simply a special combat killer.
Ninjas are adept at clandestine operations, like what is called "intelligence officer" in modern times. The existence of spies has been confirmed since ancient times and has been described in myths and ancient texts around the world.
For example, the "Trojan horse" depicted in Greek mythology is famous all over the world. In addition, the ancient Chinese book of war, "Sun Tzu", records the law of separation as one of the laws of war, and the method of using people between enemies as double agents.
Since modern times, countries around the world have organized intelligence agencies and carried out espionage activities in various places. In English, spies are divided into two types: "Spy" and "Agent". "Spy" refers to the enemy's intelligence officer, and "agent" refers to the own intelligence officer.
In the Chinese, the enemy's spies are called spies, spies, and spies, and their own spies are called different names, and the staff and political instructors are all called differently.
The history of ninjas
So how did ninjas originate? There are many theories about the origin of ninjutsu, and the ancestors of the opening door are not as clear as other martial arts. There is a legend that the "Great Companion Ofs" (おとものほそ人), who served Prince Shengde, had excellent military skills and achieved various feats, and was awarded the title of "Zhi Neng Ben" by Prince Shengde. Therefore, the "Great Companion" is considered to be the original ninja.
Historically, the existence of ninjas has been confirmed by the evil parties (those who rebelled against the lords of the temples, nobles, and other manors) after the Nanboku Dynasty period.
At that time, ninjas, depending on the place, were also known as "chaotic waves", "through waves", "grass", "grab the mouth", "sickle", etc.
In the Muromachi period, as the power of the temples and shrines that operated the manors weakened, the activities of the so-called evil parties gradually decreased, but the "local servants" who inherited the blood of the evil party began to emerge.
Ninja attire
By the Sengoku period, they had become mercenaries of the Daimyo clans of the Ashikaga, Oda, and Tokugawa clans, and had traveled from the army to Kyoto, Nara, Shiga, and Wakayama. Tactics are mainly based on night raids and secret infiltration and set fires. Since then, the ground attendant has been known as the "ninja".
After Tokugawa Ieyasu entered Edo in 1590 (Tenshō 18), the ninjas lived under Edo Castle, and in addition to carrying out security and construction site duty (equivalent to overseers) at the Daio and no-one Daimyo mansions, they also organized the Koga Hundred and the Iga Hundred as rifle teams to guard the Ōto Sannomon gate in Edo Castle.
In the Edo period, with the advent of the era of peace, they had fewer and fewer opportunities to participate in battles, and their main task was to collect and protect intelligence.
After the transfer of power from the Edo shogunate to the new Meiji government, the Japanese Army, the Japanese Navy, and the Police Force were created. The ninja's mission is over. After losing the stage, they joined the Army and police-related professions or newly created professions in order to use their skills.
In the Meiji era, the choice of occupation became more liberal, so the number of people engaged in occupations completely different from their own skills increased, and the ninja profession disappeared from society ever since.
Another reason for the disappearance of ninjas is that from the Edo period onwards, ninjas are depicted as illusory images in novels and art. Ninjas in the early Edo period used ninjutsu to infiltrate enemy strongholds and steal important things. Famous in this way is the story of "Ishikawa Goemon".
Ishikawa Goemon
The ninjutsu mentioned here, in order to cater to the reader's curiosity, has become a gorgeous and incredible magic trick, which is fictional. For example, if you wrap your body in something, tie a mark, you will disappear, and you will use magic to transform into a ninja such as a toad.
In addition, in the late Edo period, the image depicted in works such as Kabuki and Ukiyo-e wearing a black costume and holding a short sword became the image of a ninja as modern people know it.
In the Taisho era, Tachikawa Bunko released Sasuke Sasuke, which set off a great variety of ninjutsu. Tachikawa Bunko is an easy-to-understand article of a lecture-like nature, with kanji all marked with kana, making it popular with apprentices, servants, teenagers, and elementary and junior high school students.
Later, he successively launched works depicting "ninjutsu celebrities" such as "Mist Hidden Talent Hidden" and "Hundred Lands Three Taifu". At the same time, the ninjutsu movie "Haojiereya" starring Matsunosuke Ogami was also very popular, and children imitated this movie, called ninjutsu, jumped from a high place and fractured, or stood in front of the moving train to stop the train, and even became a social problem for a while.
On the other hand, in the Taisho era, an atmosphere of clarifying the unthinkable from the perspective of "scientificity" gradually developed, so the academic community rationally explained ninjutsu. Its representative is Ito Ginzuki, who conducted research on ninjutsu from the perspective of how invisibility is used in modern society.
Later, his research on ninjutsu was inherited from the 14th Koga Ryu Ninjutsu of the Self-Reported Family, and he personally performed fujita's performances, and Oshigaira Shichirō, who was the mayor of Ueno.
Famous ninjas in history:
Hattori Hanzo
Movie, stills from Hattori Hanzo - Legion of Shadows
As one of the most famous and real ninjas, the first thing that comes to mind is hattori Hanzo, who serves Tokugawa Ieyasu.
Hattori Hanzo is actually a hereditary position that has been hereditary for 12 generations. Hattori Hanzo is widely known as the second-generation head of household, Hattori Masanari.
Hattori Masanari was 16 years old when he was awarded a gun by Tokugawa Ieyasu during a night raid on Mikawa Uto castle, and was entrusted with 150 Iga ninjas.
In 1582 (Tenshō 10), the Honnoji Rebellion occurred, at which time Tokugawa Ieyasu was cut off from retreat by the Wise Mitsuhide Army, but was successfully escorted by ninjas from Sakai (present-day Osaka Prefecture) to Okazaki Castle (Tokugawa Ieyasu's base camp).
Tokugawa Ieyasu spoke highly of the ninjas' exploits, and put 300 Iga ninjas into the "Iga Concentric" and allowed Hattori Masanari to be in charge. Later, in 1590 (Tenshō 18), Hattori Masanari fought in battles such as the Odawara Expedition and gained 8,000 stone territory in Toe Kingdom (now western Shizuoka Prefecture). The Hanzomon Gate of Edo Castle is named after hattori Masanari's mansion outside the gate.
Sasuke Ape
Although he is a fictional ninja, sasuke Sasuke is known for his fame in literature, criticism, and other fields.
At an early age, while practicing alone in the mountains of Shinano (present-day Nagano Prefecture), Sasuke was discovered by Tozawa Hakusai, the ancestor of Koga Ryu ninjutsu, and became his disciple.
Sasuke practiced ninjutsu for 3 years in Kakuma Gaya (the legendary ashram of sanada ninjas). Later, he discovered Sasuke Yukiyoshi in Sanada Yukimura and earned the name "Sanada Ten Warriors" and became the head of the "Sanada Ten Warriors".
Sasuke Sarcoboshi cartoon
Ninja Weapons:
Darts: There are various shapes, darts are very heavy, in fact, can only carry one, at most can only carry 3, 4 pieces.
Double-edged dagger: The Japanese name is kuchi, and the Japanese pronunciation means no pain.
Ninja knife: It is characterized by the fact that the body of the knife is straight, easy to carry, and powerful
Sickle: It is also a farming tool in Japan, so it is not suspicious to carry it with you
Saring: Scatter on the ground when you run away to block those who are chasing
Five-color rice: composed of red, yellow, purple, blue, black five colors, used to mark the companion, because of the color, so it will not be eaten by birds
As a special profession that really existed in history, ninjas can be said to have accomplished their mission brilliantly. A lot of merit has been achieved. It was deified due to excessive propaganda in literature and so on.
However, anime derived from ninjas (Naruto), movies (Hattori Hanzo), and even games (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) have all been well received. If you want to understand ninjas, it is recommended to watch these movies: "Chaos", Douban score 8.9; "Ninja French Sticker", Douban score of 8.7; there are also animated versions.
Ninja French Stickers