Ninjutsu..the art of invisibility

Ninjutsu (忍術?), Also known as shinobi-jutsu, and as ninpō (忍 法?), Is the Japanese martial art of espionage and guerrilla warfare.

This martial art is based on groups of techniques and tactics (classically considered 20, mentioned later) that ninja have supposedly used for centuries. The first data on the use of ninjas on the battlefield dates from the 5th century, which gives us an idea of ​​the antiquity of this fighting style, which was complemented by learning many useful espionage skills, such as the characterization or falsification of documents, as well as certain esoteric practices derived from the Mykkyo, esoteric Japanese spiritual system.

With the arrival of Oda Nobunaga, the ninja were chased in an attempt to stop their growing influence and power. Although this caused some ninja clans to spread throughout Japan by having to flee Iga. Already in the 17th century they were last used in a massive way in the Christian revolt of Kyushu in 1637. In the middle and end of the Edo period, the decline in the use of the shinobi begins, given the long period of peace established by the family Tokugawa. Between the 17th and 19th centuries, the use of ninja mercenaries was legally prohibited, which made them used clandestinely and on a small scale.

In the 20th century, Japan used ninjutsu as a form of training for its elite troops. [Citation needed] However, they were regular troops endowed with special training, without being considered true ninjas. The last real record on the use of ninja by the Japanese government dates from the Second World War (1939-1945).

The internationalization of Ninjutsu comes from the master Masaaki Hatsumi, heir to nine ancient martial traditions of Japan (Ryu), including three of ninja origin, and six of samurai origin.

Ninjutsu is currently limited to the use of blows, joint dislocations, throws, knockdowns, and the use of traditional weapons; seeking to train the individual, in a similar way to the set of modern traditional martial arts or current gendai budo (such as Judo, Aikido, karate-Do, Kendo, etc.) Although at the highest levels of this discipline, very exclusive seminars in Japan on its psychological, esoteric, and poison and explosive aspects.

In reality, ancient ninjutsu cannot be considered as just another traditional martial art; in the classic sense of the term, since the disciplines that the ninja had to know went far beyond fighting techniques or combat with and without weapons. As previously stated, the practice of the Ninpo Mikkyo, or esoteric practices, and the Kuji Kiri (nine-syllable cut, mystical positions with the fingers that channel energy), which legendarily provided the ninja with amazing powers, were a must for the ninja clans, who preferred terror and espionage tactics, much more subtle than the classic bujutsu or samurai martial art.

However, it is a frequent historical error to consider the combat techniques of the ninja and the samurai warrior conceptually separate, given that the former are an evolution or adaptation of these (according to certain authors). Perhaps due to the wrong cinematographic spectacle and documentaries, the ninja tends to be considered as the enemy of the samurai, when reality points to a possible symbiosis that would place them in closer communion. Let us note that many ninja leaders were both renowned samurai, who hid their clandestine status as tradition indicated; and even many ninja served as spies, assassins, and informants to different feudal clans.

Classic ninja training contemplates, at least historically, the learning of twenty disciplines .:

Taijutsu: Body Management; movements, displacements and unarmed combat.

Kenjutsu: saber fencing, including the ninjato or shinobigatana.

Bojutsu: fighting techniques with sticks of various types or sizes.

Hanbojutsu: art of fighting with a staff.

Shurikenjutsu: throwing, manipulation, and combat with sharps.

Kusarijutsu: Chain handling, the Kusarigama, a Japanese sickle with chain and counterweight at the end, or the Kusarifundo, an extremely long chain, used to be used.

Sôjutsu: spear handling.

Naginatajutsu: use of the Naginata, a kind of halberd in the form of a curved sword with a very long shaft.

Bajutsu: horse riding, fighting and horse techniques.

Kuji Kiri: Esoteric hand positions, which were said to endow the ninja with superhuman abilities.

Suijutsu: swim, fight, combat and techniques in the water.

Kayakujutsu: manufacture and use of powder and explosives.

Bo Ryaku / Kyojutsu Tenkan Ho: Deception strategy exchanging the true and the false.

Cho Ho: espionage.

Shinobi Iri: concealment and camouflage (in all kinds of climates and outdoor and indoor environments).

Inton Jutsu: infiltration.

Henso Jutsu: characterization, interpretation and costumes.

Ten Mon: meteorology.

Chi Mon: geography.

Seishin Teki Kyoyo: spiritual development.