What is a ninja? Graduated from the Ministry of Agriculture of Kyoto University, but after inheriting the family business, he turned to ninja knowledge, and Japan's first master's degree in ninja studies, Genichi Mitsuhashi, has his own understanding of this issue.
The first person to have a "ninja degree"
The 45-year-old recently received a master's degree in ninja studies from Mie University, becoming the first person in Japanese history to have a "ninja degree." He said that the "ninja" he understands is to "improve his self-defense ability, take root in the earth and coexist with nature."
Pictured: Mitsuhashi Genichi farming in the countryside. GJ diagram
Born in Osaka, he studied at the Ministry of Agriculture of Kyoto University, and after graduation, he inherited the family building maintenance business... Genichi Mitsuhashi's life trajectory followed until 2018 until he chose to major in ninja studies at Mie University.
He moved to the Iga Mountains, bought a small two-story building, rebuilt a nearby warehouse, started farming practices, and opened a dojo and a homestay, "Rice is rice we grow ourselves, the water is well water, and the tableware used is porcelain produced locally in Iga." ”
What to learn in ninja studies
Located in the northwest of Japan's Mie Prefecture, Iga City is surrounded by mountains and has been a major transportation route since ancient times, making it the birthplace of the "Iga Ryu Ninja". Iga Ryu ninjas are known for their excellent ninjutsu and fighting power.
Mie University has opened the "International Institute of Ninja Studies" in Japan's "Ninja Country", what did Mitsuhashi learn at the only university in Japan that offers ninjutsu and ninja studies? Is it "How to Use a Shuriken" and "A Hundred Ways to Assassinate"?
Each week, Tsuyoshi Mitsuhashi completes a 90-minute lesson in each subject with three professors: reading and understanding three secret books about ninjas, examining the customs and historical background of the time, and learning about ninjutsu, measurement, feng shui, divination, and more. In addition, Genichi Mitsuhashi completes three ninjutsu practices in the mountains under the guidance of his teacher. In the "Izaku" which describes the living conditions of ninjas, it is recorded that he began to practice ninjutsu from the beginning of the day to the end of the day, and began to practice ninjutsu from time to time.
Photo: Genichi Mitsuhashi teaches ninjutsu. GJ diagram
For Mitsuhashi, who graduated from the Faculty of Agriculture, martial arts and labor have similar movements. In order to verify the state described in the book, he moved to the mountains of Iga and studied while working. "I enrolled at Mie University to learn about ninjas, but I was also studying rural sociology, rural geography, and sustainability."
Ninjutsu is facing a succession crisis
During his internships in Brazil and Africa, Mitsuhashi had a "life-in-the-box" experience, which made him determined to systematically learn ninjutsu to enhance his abilities. At the age of 26, he began to learn the Tokusatsu ninja system at the Martial Arts, and at the age of 30 became a teacher who taught ninjutsu.
"I live with nature in the countryside of Iga and Koga, and I only use ninjutsu when something happens. Therefore, I think we must know how to interact with the countryside and nature, and consider the relationship between rural life and ninjutsu. ”
In an era of Aging and Declining Birthrate, Ninjutsu, one of Japan's representative cultures, is also facing a crisis of inheritance, and Mitsuhashi wants to give back to the land that nurtured ninjas in the form of cultural inheritance.
"Nowadays, both nature and ninjutsu are facing a serious situation, and I hope to pass on ninjutsu to the next generation of Iga and Koga, so that ancient ninjutsu can be combined with modern technology." I don't think I'm a 'ninja', I just want to bring ninja culture to the next generation." ”
"In my opinion, the ninja will be reborn in the future in a way that is close to its original appearance and has a modern style." Mitsuhashi said.
"I think in modern society, we still have an ancient way of life engraved in our genes. In this sense, the image of the ninja as a self-preservation may be exactly the direction that Japanese society can look for in the future, using this as a portal to seek to take root in the earth and coexist with nature. Three bridges stressed.
Text/Liang Saiyu