What is a Ninja? A symbol of intelligence living in silence
What is a Ninja? —A symbol of intelligence living in silence
When you hear the word "ninja," what comes to mind?
The image of ninjas clad in black, wielding shuriken and disappearing with smoke bombs is widespread around the world. However, the real ninjas were not so flashy. They were information warfare professionals and behind-the-scenes heroes who survived the chaos of the Warring States period.
Ninjas are not just warriors, they are people who live the philosophy of "Shinobi" and are secret intelligence who have crossed the ages using information and silence as their weapons.
In this article, we will take a practical look at the definition of ninja, their lineage, training, way of life, and schools.
Definition of a Ninja
Ninjas were people with special skills who performed espionage, infiltration, destruction, messengers, and guard duties from the Sengoku to Edo periods. In historical documents, they were called "shinobi," "ranpa," and "sopa," but the term "ninja" became established after the Showa period.
Unlike samurai, they prioritized "surviving in order to accomplish their mission." They were ninjas who endured to preserve their lives, rather than risking their lives.
Do ninja children become ninjas?
In ninja groups such as Iga and Koga, the ninja position was often hereditary. Children born into ninja families learned the basics of ninjutsu from an early age and inherited the family business of "ninja."
• Duties are divided among family members (father infiltrates, mother prepares herbs, and children act as messengers, etc.)
• Everyday training (training night vision, walking quietly, disguise techniques, etc.)
• Education is based on oral tradition and practical experience
However, not all of them were of lineage; some were hired as mercenaries, and some were former samurai.
How to become a ninja
To become a ninja, the following training and qualities were required:
• Physical abilities: stealth, jumping, underwater diving, endurance, etc. • Knowledge: astronomy, geography, herbs, gunpowder, psychological manipulation • Skills: shuriken, disguise, fire, water, stealth • Spirituality: patience, observation, self-control, the aesthetics of non-violence
Training sometimes took place through living in the mountains or interacting with Shugendo practitioners, and so had a strong religious and philosophical aspect.
The Ninja's Way of Life
The ninja's way of life is different from bushido.
• Your mission is not to fight and die, but to live and report back. • Live in the shadows, without standing out or leaving a name behind. • Sometimes you serve the enemy, sometimes you deceive your allies.
They chose to "preserve" rather than "win" and continued to live on through the ages as cultural ninjas.
Ninja School
There were many ninja schools. There are 71 schools in the literature, and 31 of them are identifiable.
Representative styles:
• Iga-ryu: Skilled in fire and infiltration techniques, served Tokugawa Ieyasu. • Koga-ryu: Strong in herbal medicine, poisons, and psychological warfare. Also included were many female ninjas. • Fuma-ryu: Specialized in cavalry tactics and surprise attacks. Served the Hojo clan. • Saika-shu: Utilized firearms and naval forces. Good at group tactics. • Togakure-ryu: Strong in defensive techniques and magical elements.
Ninjas are still alive
Even today, ninjas are loved all over the world as "NINJA." However, what is important is the preservation of their spirituality.
• The power of silence • The aesthetics of wisdom and ingenuity • The philosophy of killing oneself for a purpose
These ideas are also reflected in WABISUKE's spatial design and product philosophy. Ninjas are not warriors of the past, but symbols of intelligence that quietly guide the future.