Ninjutsu
History
The history of Ninjutsu is shrouded in mystery and the information that does exist can be deliberately misguiding. We do know that it came to be in one form or another in the 1100’s and the practitioners of the style became what we know today as ‘Ninja’ around 1400, operating out of the remote mountainous and lord-less regions in Iga or Koka (Koga). Although Ninjutsu was most definitely influenced by Chinese and Indian styles and teachings, as well as the works of Sonshi (Sun Tsu) and the ‘Art of War’, the art is a purely indigenous Japanese system.
What were Ninja?
The modern concept of the Ninja is that of a counter or foil to the Samurai, but this is simply not the case. In the same way that our Special Forces are still part of the Armed Forces today, and learn fundamental ‘soldiering’ skills first, the Ninja often were Samurai, though Samurai born into the role. Nearly all ‘Ninja weapons’ are also Samurai weapons and the Ninja fighting arts were also used by the Samurai. The changes were more subtle in application. For example, a Samurai killing his opponent would want to maintain exceptional form in his technique and his name known throughout the land or to die gloriously in battle with honour. If the Ninja killed anyone, it was firstly considered a failure as it meant the Ninja had been compromised (especially if the death did not look accidental), and would make future infiltrations harder. The Ninja would also not be as interested in form, and would be more focused on killing, incapacitating or escaping his opponent quickly and directly.
Far from shunning Ninja, every Daimyo (lord) would have his own team of Ninja used for information gathering and planning. These would all outwardly appear as Samurai (the black garb and straight sword were rarely used, and although existed was more a creation of theatre, like Draculas’ cape symbolised the vampire in early films). The Samurai themselves would not know the Ninja in their midst, even the ones on their side, but not understanding them or seeing them would naturally spread rumour and discourse about these ‘supermen in league with devils’. The adversarial image of the Samurai against the Ninja originates from the Iga no ran, or the subjugating of the Iga region. Here forces loyal to Oda Nobunaga mounted a massive offensive into the Ninja home territory, more likely for taxation and strategic purposes than oppression on the Ninja families. However, the result was the same, and the ‘golden age’ of the Ninja was over.
Modern History
The remaining schools and Ninjutsu lineages came together with Takamatsu Toshitsugu. These were Gyokko Ryu Koshijutsu, Koto Ryu Koppojutsu, Takagi Yoshin Ryu Jutaijutsu, Kuki Shinden Ryu Happo Bikenjutsu, Shinden Fudo Ryu Dakentaijutsu, Gikan Ryu Koppojutsu, Gyokoshin Ryu Ninjutsu, Kumogakure Ryu Ninjutsu and Togakure Ryu Ninpo. He taught his disciple, Hatsumi Masaaki, now 34th Grandmaster of the lineage.
All legitimate Ninjutsu today comes from Dr. Hatsumi Masaaki. He was the teacher who opened the art to the west upon his succession to Soké, or head of tradition, of the last surviving Ninjutsu lineages. His stated role was to introduce Ninjutsu to the west, and he has undoubtedly done his job well, as there are very few people on the planet who do not know what is a Ninja. Unfortunately, due to the secrecy of the art, and exaggerated exploits by poor Hollywood ‘B-movies’ In the 1980’s, the art of Ninjutsu has probably more unqualified, under-qualified and downright fake instructors and schools than any other Martial Art system.
Style
Ninjutsu can be said to be one of the only Martial Arts left, or not a Martial Art at all depending on your understanding of what a Martial Art is. As a system it encompasses more ‘arts of war’ than any mainstream system. Spear techniques (sojutsu), sword techniques (kenjutsu), stick and staff techniques (bojutsu) and unarmed combat (taijutsu) are all included, as well as halberd techniques (naginatajutsu), sickle and chain techniques (kusarigamajutsu), projectile techniques (shurikenjutsu), pyrotechnics (kayakujutsu), disguise and impersonation (hensojutsu), stealth and entering (shinobi-iri), water skills (sui-ren), tactics (boryaku), espionage (choho), escape and concealment (intonjutsu), meteorology (tenmon), geography (chimon), and spiritual refinement (seishinteki kyoyo),
Unarmed combat covers striking and kicking methods and grappling and throwing methods, combined in a flowing movement that can attack bones and structure, muscles and soft tissues or both.
Despite students studying 9 individual schools (koryu), Ninjutsu awards grades across the board, so what you learn in one class can differ to every other instructor. Despite being a koryu or old school (predates the sengoku jidai – warring states period of Japanese history) and thus not having a ranking system as such, the tradition has come to use the Judo system of junior (kyu) and senior (dan) ranking system. It differs in having junior grades wear one colour (green for males, red for females) as divisions in rank are not as important due to having no competition. It also differs in having no fixed times between rank promotions, whereas some systems you must wait 1 year between 1st and 2nddan, 2 years between 2nd and 3rddan, 3 years between 3rd and 4thdan etc. Although having 10 Dan grades, the 10thDan has been subdivided earth (chi), water (sui), fire (ka), wind (fu) and void (ku), so to the ignorant it can appear as if there are 15 Dan grades. Dr. Hatsumi will give out grades as gifts for visiting students, and has said that any grade above 5thDan should be viewed as honoury.
Dr Hatsumi’s school is the Bujinkan, divine warrior school, named after his teacher, Takamatsu Toshitsugu. Two of his students have split away. Tanemura Shoto, cousin to Hatsumi, split away and started his Genbukan Ninpo Renmei system, in the mid 1980’s, and has a much more rigid and identifiable curriculum, compared to the Bujinkan. One of Hatsumi’s top students, Manaka Usui, split off in the mid 1990’s to form his Jinenkan organisation, which teach each of the 9 schools individually. There are no other Ninjutsu schools left in existence.