NINJA - JAPANESE "SPECIAL AGENTS"

In the dark of the night a shadowy figure moves silently, carefully they approach their intended target. Before the target realize, that someone stalk him, it's all over in a blink of an eye....

 

During the 15th until the 17th century, ninjas are in their "golden age". They work as covert agents and mercenary who specialized in unorthodox warfare. Their job include assasination, sabotage, and espionage mission. Unlike samurai who strongly hold honor in frontal combat, ninjas will use any means possible to accomplish their mission. Through the 20th century until now, ninjas have become such a legend. Peoples often describe them as the invisible warriors capable on doing superhuman abilities such walking on water, controlling natural elements, or capable on shapeshifting to escape their enemies. But how much does this true?

THE ORIGIN

Ninja or Shinobi (忍者 or 忍び) origins dates back to the 4th century, with the semi legendary prince Yamato Takeru whom with his ability to infilterate and disquise manage to do an assasination to the chief of Kumaso People. However it's thought that this might be not connected to the shinobi who appear much later.

The name "ninja" itself is actually less common in Japan. They more often refers these peoples as "shinobi" (meaning a person who walks in the shadow). While ninja is derived from the word "nin" (meaning "hidden" or people). The word ninja becomes more popular in the west due to the more easier way for western peoples to spell it.

Other version states that the ninja originate from the year 522 with the introduction of the art of "Nonuse" to Japan. The art of nonuse also known as the art of infilteration is a religious practice done by monks, which at the time work to give information to the governments. In time these monks perfects their martial art ability and improve their art of nonuse to protect themselves from the intimidation of government.

Around 794 - 1192, the life of Japan Society begin to improve and new social class appear which putting the rich aristocrats known as Daimyo (or feudal lords) at the top. These families of top class started to destroy each other to achieve their ambition to overthrow the emperor. And to do that, they began to hire mercenaries who are willing to do dangerous and sometime dirty mission assigned by those daimyo. It's the beginning of the "age of the ninja".

HOW TO BE A NINJA?

So what does it take to becomes a ninja here some of the nessecary requirement:

- >KNOW THE WAY

Samurai can have their infamous "way of the samurai" which put family honor and personal pride over everything. But the ninjas also have their own "way" known as the ninpou. It's practically consist of Ninjutsu (martial art), Taijutsu (bare handed fighting), Genjutsu (illusion technique), Saimonjutsu (hypnosis technique), Kenjutsu (sword technique), and Kajutsu (explosive and fire techinque).  

Ninja prefer to avoid direct combat unlike samurai. Their technique is too quickly immobilizing or killing their opponent from long range using weapons such shurikens or blade. But if forced they are also expert hand to hand combatant. While ninjutsu demand on physical ability it also require mental and spiritual ability to use it to it's fullest potency.

To become a true ninja one must master them all, and additionally they also have to master the ability to direct their ability through hand seals known as Kuji-Kiri. It's a believed when one master the kuji-kiri, that person obtain a superhuman ability which allows him to controlling elements, shapeshifts, and other magical ability.

- >THE RIGHT TOOLS!

THE WEAPONS OF NINJA (SOURCE : BBC)

Obviously you can't be a ninja unless you have the proper tools required to do your mission. You'll need weapons to fight your opponents. Ninjas usually use long swords known as katana as their main weapon, but they'll also use daggers and shorter swords. When fighting from long distances, darts, spikes, knives, and sharp, star-shaped discs that were known collectively as shuriken are used. They were an important part of the arsenal, where they could be thrown in any direction. Bows were used for sharpshooting, and some ninja's bows were intentionally made smaller than the traditional yumi (longbow) to make it easier for the user.  

The chain and sickle (kusarigama) was also used by the ninja. This weapon consisted of a weight on one end of a chain, and a sickle (kama) on the other. The weight was swung to injure or disable an opponent, and the sickle used to kill at close range. Simple gardening tools such as kunai and sickles were used as weaponry so that, if discovered, a ninja could claim they are his tools and not weapons, despite their ability to be used in battle.

- > CAMOUFLAGE

Unlike popular perception that ninjas always using black outfit that also cover the face, instead they more often use normal outfit to blend in with the peoples around. They often disquise themself as monk, priest, enternainers or merchants to allow them get as close as possible with the target or to collect the needed information. They also use kimono like outfit similar like samurai with a bit difference. They also use the tenugui, a piece of cloth also used in martial arts, had many functions. It could be used to cover the face, form a belt, or assist in climbing.

- > FEMALE NINJAS?

Who says they only males can be a ninja? Females also can do it, and they're equally deadly! (deadlier if you count the fact they're woman). Female ninjas are called Kunoichi, they do a bit different mission than the male ninja does. But kunoichi's prefer a more "feminime approach" tactic. Instead of physical combat they use physhcological warfare. They try to use their sex appeal and manipulation to play with their victim's emotion, before finishing them off. One advantage of being a kunoichi you can get closer to your target then if you are a male ninja. Kunoichi usually use close range weapon such as small blades, poison, ropes, etc. Not only it's more practice and easier, it also easier to hide.  So never think to underestimate these girls!   

- > THE END OF NINJAS AND THE LEGACY

The ninjas keep active until the Edo period around the year 1600-1868, however Japan once again change. Following the unification of Japan, under Shogun Tokugawa, Ninjas become less and less used, their position is slowly replaced by Oniwabanshu body of secret agents. The ninja may fade in history but their legacy lives on. In Japan itself, the ninja become a stuff of legend. People speak of their magical ability, about how they were once invisible warrior that walks in the shadow. In time the story of ninja also spread out to foreign country including the west, where ninja become such a popular stuff. Various work involving ninja as their main focus, is featured. Such as movies (Ninja Assasin, The last samurai, American Ninja), manga/japanese comics (Naruto, Hattori), western comic books (G.I Joe), and television shows. Novels and folktales about ninja and their brave oddysey also become popular in Japan after the Edo period.

This is my first article in english, i'm sorry for the bad grammar (my bad i'll try to improve it), Indonesian version of this article will released soon! Thanks for visiting.