Popular interest in ninja has driven local Japanese researchers to unearth more history than ever before on these mysterious men of magic and might. The Ninja Book compiles some of the latest research to share new facts on ninja culture and notorious historic figures. Ninja fans around the world will take great pleasure in this broader exploration of the origins of ninja in Japan. [Contents] 1. A Ninja's Work 2. The History of Ninja 1) History of Iga Ninja 2) History of Koka Ninja 3) Battle of Magari 4) Sengoku (Warring States) Period 5) Iga Sokoku Ikki 6) Tensho Iga Wars 7) Tokugawa Ieyasu's Passage through Iga 8) Before and After the Battle of Sekigahara 9) Tokugawa(Edo) Period 10) Chronology of Ninja History 3. Ninjutsu and Ningu 1) What is Ninjutsu? 2) Ninjutsu Documents 3) Yonin and Innin 4) The Six Tools of the Ninja 5) Shichihode (Seven Disguises of the Ninja) 6) Ninja Foods 7) Ninja Medicine 8) Koka Medicine and Yamabushi 4. Essays on Ninja (special supplement) 1)Shugen and Ninja 2)Naruto and One Piece Feature (1) Attacks on Oda Nobunaga Feature (2) Koka-ryu Ninjutsu House Feature (3) Was Matsuo Basho a Ninja? Feature (4) Tateoka no Dojun and his mastery of Bakemono-jutsu (ghost technique) Feature (5) Was Kan'ami a Ninja? [Supervisor] Yuji Yamada PhD Professor of history of ancient and medieval Japanese belief systems, Faculty of Humanities, Law and Economics, Mie University. His main publications include Sutokuin onryo no kenkyu (A study of the vengeful spirit of Sutokuin), Shibunkaku Shuppan, 2001; Bakkosuru onryo - tatari to chinkon no Nihonshi (Free-acting vengeful spirits: A Japanese history of curses and spiritual appeasement), Yoshikawa Kobunkan, 2007; Nihon shisoshi koza I kodai (Lectures on Japanese history of thought: ancient times, Volume 1), Perikansha, 2012, co-author.

This first complete translation of the Bansenshuka—the ‘bible’ of the ninja arts! Like The Art of War, the tenets of Japanese military strategy and tactics offer valuable lessons for success in everyday life. In 1676, a ninja named Fujibayashi collected and combined information from the ninja clans of Iga—regarded to be the homeland of the ninja—and compiled it into an authoritative book. Known as The Bansenhukai, Fujibayashi’s book has now been translated into English by the Historical Ninjutsu Research Team and is widely considered to be the ‘bible’ of ninjutsu, the arts of the ninja. The Book of Ninja begins with an in-depth introduction to the history of Fujibayashi’s scripture. Its teachings take into the secrets of guerrilla warfare and espionage—and reveals how the ninjas mastered: • Spycraft—including nighttime steal and concealment tactics • Weapon and tool building skills • Mission planning and warfare • Adopting the right mindset for tackling inner and outer demons • Capturing criminals and executing night raids • Making secret codes and signs • Predicting weather through an esoteric Buddhist divination An exciting and engaging tome of lost knowledge, The Book of Ninja is the final say in the world of the ninja and the ultimate classic for samurai and ninja enthusiasts alike.

Blowgun Techniques is a complete introduction to one of the world's oldest weapons. It provides detailed explanations and instructions on all aspects of the blowgun's use—from grips and stances, to targets and trajectories, to how to construct your own blowgun. While shooting the blowgun may seem effortless, it actually requires not only power, but also intelligence, focus and good technique. This unique combination—simplicity of design yet complexity of technique—has caused the blowgun to undergo a dramatic rise in popularity in the modern world. This popularity makes Blowgun Techniques a timely guide for hunting enthusiasts and those interested in archery–style sports competitions.

This first complete translation of the Bansenshuka—the ‘bible’ of the ninja arts! Like The Art of War, the tenets of Japanese military strategy and tactics offer valuable lessons for success in everyday life. In 1676, a ninja named Fujibayashi collected and combined information from the ninja clans of Iga—regarded to be the homeland of the ninja—and compiled it into an authoritative book. Known as The Bansenhukai, Fujibayashi’s book has now been translated into English by the Historical Ninjutsu Research Team and is widely considered to be the ‘bible’ of ninjutsu, the arts of the ninja. The Book of Ninja begins with an in-depth introduction to the history of Fujibayashi’s scripture. Its teachings take into the secrets of guerrilla warfare and espionage—and reveals how the ninjas mastered: • Spycraft—including nighttime steal and concealment tactics • Weapon and tool building skills • Mission planning and warfare • Adopting the right mindset for tackling inner and outer demons • Capturing criminals and executing night raids • Making secret codes and signs • Predicting weather through an esoteric Buddhist divination An exciting and engaging tome of lost knowledge, The Book of Ninja is the final say in the world of the ninja and the ultimate classic for samurai and ninja enthusiasts alike.

The ninja is a well-known phenomenon in Japanese military culture, a fighter who is widely regarded as the world's greatest exponent of secret warfare. He infiltrates castles, gathers vital intelligence and wields a deadly knife in the dark. His easily recognizable image is that of a secret agent or assassin who dresses all in black, possesses almost magical martial powers, and is capable of extraordinary feats of daring. He sells his skills on a mercenary basis and when in action his unique abilities include confusing his enemies by making mystical hand gestures or by sending sharp iron stars spinning towards them. That is the popular view, but it is much exaggerated, as this exciting new book explains. Ninja: Unmasking the Myth is a revealing, fascinating and authoritative study of Japan's famous secret warriors. Unlike all previous books on the subject the author, who is an expert in the subject, does not take the ninja for granted. Instead he examines the entire phenomenon in a critical manner, ranging from accounts of undercover operations during the age of Japan's civil wars to the modern emergence of the superman ninja as a comic book character. The popular ninja image is shown to be the result of several influences that were combined to create the world's greatest secret warrior. Many well-known features of the ninja tradition such as the black clothes and the iron stars are shown to be complete inventions. One important feature of the book is the use of original Japanese sources, many of which have never been translated before. As well as unknown accounts of castle attacks, assassinations and espionage they include the last great ninja manual, which reveals the spiritual and religious ideals that were believed to lie behind the ninja's arts. The book concludes with a detailed investigation of the ninja in popular culture up to the present day including movies, cartoons and theme parks.

True Path of the Ninja is the first authoritative translation in English of the Shoninki—the famous 17th-century ninjutsu manual. Authors Antony Cummins and Yoshie Minami worked closely with Dr. Nakashima Atsumi, author of the most comprehensive modern Japanese version of the Shoninki, thus making this English translation the closest to the original scrolls. The information and insights found in this translation are invaluable for understanding the skills, techniques and mentality of the historical shinobi. Whether it involved tips for surviving in the wild, advice on intelligence-gathering techniques, or methods for creating chaos in the enemy camp, this ninja book unveils secrets long lost. Along with its practical applications, this book is an important guide to the mental discipline that ninjas must have to ensure success in accomplishing their mission. True Path of the Ninja covers the following topics: What a ninja is and what equipment he needs The skills of infiltration and information gathering How to disrupt and distract the enemy How to be mentally prepared to carry out ninja missions In addition to the translation of the Shoninki, this book also includes the first written record of the oral tradition "Defense Against a Ninja" taught by Otake Risuke, the revered sensei of the legendary Katori Shinto Ryu school of swordsmanship. Sensei reveals for the first time these ancient and traditional teachings on how the samurai can protect himself from the cunning wiles of a ninja. About this new edition: This second edition contains a new introduction by the translator and has been thoroughly updated to reflect developments that shed new light on the original Japanese text.

A penetrating study of the inner life of the ninja, as essential to serious students as physical mastery.