In Search of the Ninja: The Historical Truth of Ninjutsu

by Antony Cummins

Who were the real Ninja, what skills did they possess and how were they employed in warfare? Based upon new translations of the three most important ninja scrolls and other authentic documents, some never seen before. Lost in modern myth, false history, and general misinterpretation, the Ninja have been misrepresented for many years, but recently, a desire for a more historical view of the ninja has become a popular theme in the history/martial arts community. Providing a rare, accurate view of the Ninja, this book is based upon the Historical Ninjutsu Research Team's translations of the major ninja manuals and consists of genuinely new material. Little historical research has been done on the Ninja of Japan. Here for the first time the connection of the famous Hattori family warriors with the Ninja is explained, the Samurai versus Ninja myth is dispelled, and the realities of Ninja skills are analyzed. Such questions are answered as How did a Ninja work underwater when mining castle walls? and  How can a bird be used to set fire to the enemy's camp? The book explores newly discovered connections to ancient Chinese manuals, lost skills, and the " Zen philosophy that the Ninja followed.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Martial Arts, Japan

256 pages, Hardcover

First published February 29, 2012

Reviews

[Philip William · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well researched book on the history of the Ninja.

I borrowed this from the library and based on which pages were thumbed very few people read it to the end. As it follows truth rather than myth it tends to become less exciting than it might be.

My personal interest was comparing bits of the Japanese language and comparing them to the Chinese. I do not claim to be an expert in either but I found this of interest and it was worth me borrowing the book (but I never would have bought the book)

[Jake · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ninjas! Those historical figures dressed in black. Silent as the wind in the night. Deadlier than a cobra or a black widow. You never see them and then you're dead. Yes, ninjas were actual historical figures in japan. This book is a pretty good introduction to the historical analysis of ninjas. It felt a bit too "popularized for my taste but ye"

Read this if you want to learn about ninjas

[Boruto]

This is awesome 🔥 😍