Ninjas are often depicted wearing black outfits using mystical tricks and carrying out assassinations in the dead of night. But in reality, they dressed like ordinary people to blend in with society.
Ninjas were spies. Their highly accurate intelligence work was the result of strict daily training.
Although famous, shuriken were more often used for training than in actual combat. When used as a weapon, they were sometimes dipped in aconite poison.
Beyond swords and shuriken, ninjas needed the skill to turn any everyday object into a weapon.
In Tokyo, you can learn the basics of the ninja arts from young ninjas trained in the ways of their ancestors.
A scene from a ninja show in Iga City, known for producing many famous ninjas.
Ninjas were also expertise in pharmacology. This sign belongs to a pharmacy once operated by ninja descendants.
The straight ninja sword, known for its seven functions, and the shikomizue—a cane that disguises a hidden blade.
The exterior of Iga Ueno Castle, located in the heart of Iga City. It was designed by a famous warlord and is known for being extremely difficult to attack.
Unlike samurai, historical records of ninjas are scarce. Their primary role was not assassination but espionage—gathering intelligence, relaying it to their lords, and sometimes spreading misinformation. With their exceptional physical abilities and knowledge of pharmacology, chemistry, and astronomy, ninjas carried out covert missions, making them the unsung heroes of history.
The origins of ninjas are shrouded in mystery, with various theories suggesting they descended from mountain ascetics, foreign immigrants, and even bandits. Their earliest recorded activity dates back to political upheavals in the 7th century. However, ninjas became most famous during the 16th-century Warring States period, when possessing skilled ninjas could decisively impact military outcomes.
While the shuriken (ninja star) is the most famous ninja weapon, historical accounts suggest it was rarely used in actual combat, serving more as a training tool. As ninjas rose to fame in entertainment media, the iconic shape of the shuriken became widely recognized. Ninjas were known for using any available object as a weapon—from swords, spears, and chain sickles to stones found nearby. Surprisingly, the primary weapon used by ninja units during a battle was the firearm.
Ninjas played a critical role in feudal Japan, primarily focusing on espionage. Skilled in gathering intelligence, they would spy on enemy movements, map strategic locations, and engage in sabotage when necessary. Unlike the samurai, ninjas preferred to avoid direct combat, instead relying on stealth and deception. During peacetime, they worked undercover as ordinary citizens, ensuring societal order and contributing to the stability of the state. Ninjas were essential to Japan’s covert operations and political strategy.
Ninjas came from diverse backgrounds, ranging from mountain ascetics to common thieves. The most renowned clans were Iga and Koga, both highly skilled in the art of espionage. Even Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate, recognized the importance of ninjas, elevating their status and utilizing their skills in intelligence to secure his rule. Although ninjas remained a mysterious and secretive group, their role in shaping Japan’s history was undeniably significant.
In Tokyo, there is a subway station called Hanzomon, named after the western gate of the former Edo Castle, where the residence of Hattori Hanzo, the famous ninja leader, was located. The name Hanzo appears in modern films like Kill Bill and video games such as Samurai Spirits.
Hattori Hanzo was the head of the ninjas and was given a residence near the shogun’s palace, with a direct escape route from Hanzomon to what is now Shinjuku to Kofu 130km away, in case of emergency. Even today, remnants of ninja-related place names and Hanzo's tomb can be found along this route.
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