The history of “NINJA”
In the 6 century, the root of the technique to act ninja was imported with Buddhism from China. Soga no Umako and Shoutoku Taisi were the first men to engage ninja. They used them for assassinating or getting information. Ninja are divided into two types, Iga ninja and Kouga ninja. In the Heian era, yamabusi, practicing in the mountain, advanced ninjutsu. After years, Hattori family gathered them and then they called themselves Iga ninja. In the Kamakura era, samurai, livingin Kouga, learned ninjutsu. In the 1579 and 1581, Iga ninja fought against the Oda family, but they lost and went away from iga. This war is called “war of Tenshou Iga.”(Tenshou is the name of the year when that war happened.) ?Kouga ninja had their ground taken away by Toyotoni Hideyosi, so they had to disperse. Tokugawa Ieyasu helped ninja’s difficulties. He employed many ninja. Hattori Hanzou is the most famous. He guarded the Edo castle and played an active part in the war of Sekigahara.(Sekigahara is the place that the war happened.) But in that war, he died. Now the area that he guarded is called Hanzo gate. Until the Edo era, ninja played an important part. But their social status was low. And after Ieyasu’s death, ninja became fewer and fewer, and finally disappeared from the public. Documents about ninja are very few, because they mainly played secret activities. So their substances aren’t known still now.
Hiroaki
Last updated 6-Dec-2001