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Ninja Skills: The Authentic Ninja Training Manual
This is the world's only illustrated guide to the real ninja teachings of historic Japan. These original techniques are presented in a highly accessible 'how-to' format that combines easy-to-follow text with a fresh, contemporary design that includes step-by-step photographs.
This is the first book ever to present the authentic ninja techniques in a highly accessible, illustrated 'how to' format. The shadowy figure of the ninja – expert commando, secret agent, maverick who operates outside social norms – continues to exert fascination in the West, yet much of what is presented as ninja fact today is distorted or wrong. Drawing on the scrolls created by historical Japanese ninjas (or shinobi, as they were then known), this book offers the real ninja teachings in 150 easy-to-follow, illustrated lessons designed to draw contemporary students of ninja straight into the world of these skilled spy-commandos. The truth about the ninja is so much more complex and intriguing than the Hollywood clichés we know today. We may think, for example, of a ninja as being always garbed in black and fighting with 'throwing stars' but in fact, a ninja had clothes in different colours to serve as disguises for different times of day, and their arsenal of weaponry could include anything from poison, poison gas, pepper spray and fire-creating tools to swords, spears and knives (but no throwing stars). The 150 lessons in this book cover all the basics of ninja warcraft, including clever ideas for infiltrating an enemy compound (from wearing 'silent sandals' to faking passes and passwords), tactics for hiding and retreat (in the racoon dog retreat, a ninja will crouch low and halt, allowing the pursuer to collide with him at speed, whereupon the agent kills his enemy), and ways of crossing marshes and water (for example, with special shoes made of boards, or using a foldaway floating seat). The description is made all the more vivid by step-by-step photographs of the fighting techniques, diagrams outlining military tactics and beautiful samples of Japanese calligraphy.
This is the first book ever to present the authentic ninja techniques in a highly accessible, illustrated 'how to' format. The shadowy figure of the ninja – expert commando, secret agent, maverick who operates outside social norms – continues to exert fascination in the West, yet much of what is presented as ninja fact today is distorted or wrong. Drawing on the scrolls created by historical Japanese ninjas (or shinobi, as they were then known), this book offers the real ninja teachings in 150 easy-to-follow, illustrated lessons designed to draw contemporary students of ninja straight into the world of these skilled spy-commandos. The truth about the ninja is so much more complex and intriguing than the Hollywood clichés we know today. We may think, for example, of a ninja as being always garbed in black and fighting with 'throwing stars' but in fact, a ninja had clothes in different colours to serve as disguises for different times of day, and their arsenal of weaponry could include anything from poison, poison gas, pepper spray and fire-creating tools to swords, spears and knives (but no throwing stars). The 150 lessons in this book cover all the basics of ninja warcraft, including clever ideas for infiltrating an enemy compound (from wearing 'silent sandals' to faking passes and passwords), tactics for hiding and retreat (in the racoon dog retreat, a ninja will crouch low and halt, allowing the pursuer to collide with him at speed, whereupon the agent kills his enemy), and ways of crossing marshes and water (for example, with special shoes made of boards, or using a foldaway floating seat). The description is made all the more vivid by step-by-step photographs of the fighting techniques, diagrams outlining military tactics and beautiful samples of Japanese calligraphy.
- GenresMartial ArtsNonfiction
256 pages, Paperback
Published March 13, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
October 24, 2020
Surprisingly good book
I approached this book looking for a fun read and instead found a well researched, insightful, and useful book on espionage and counter-espionage techniques. I will recommend this book to military leaders as they employ and defend against HUMINT.
I approached this book looking for a fun read and instead found a well researched, insightful, and useful book on espionage and counter-espionage techniques. I will recommend this book to military leaders as they employ and defend against HUMINT.
March 26, 2018
An outstanding resource for those who are interested in authentic, historical ninjutsu teachings. Cummins has created something unique: an English compendium of ninja skills taken directly from the historical ninjutsu scrolls. Cummins categorizes the skills nicely, showing the wide range of knowledge the ninja were expected to have. If you think the historical ninja were only about sneaking around in the dark, climbing walls and killing people, think again!
There are two things to keep in mind with this book:
1) There is little detail provided about many of the skills. Cummins just describes them generally, without telling you how to actually do them. This may be the way the original scrolls were written, or he may have omitted the details. But if you're looking for a detailed instruction manual you will be disappointed.
2) Cummins is a scholar who is only interested in historical ninjutsu. Many of these skills make no sense in the modern world and are of little use. If you want to start some kind of ninja historical re-enactment group this is an essential book; if you're looking for things you can apply to shadow work today, there is a lot of filler.
There are two things to keep in mind with this book:
1) There is little detail provided about many of the skills. Cummins just describes them generally, without telling you how to actually do them. This may be the way the original scrolls were written, or he may have omitted the details. But if you're looking for a detailed instruction manual you will be disappointed.
2) Cummins is a scholar who is only interested in historical ninjutsu. Many of these skills make no sense in the modern world and are of little use. If you want to start some kind of ninja historical re-enactment group this is an essential book; if you're looking for things you can apply to shadow work today, there is a lot of filler.
April 19, 2018
There are many “How to be a ninja” videos on YouTube (my favourite by YouTuber TheMightyRoast, their channel conveniently linked from my Amazon reviewer profile). Also Lego Ninjago is popular. There is a lot of interest in “ninjas” and for these people this is a great book.
Initial impressions are great. It has a red and black design and is split into 150 bite-size lessons which makes it easy to read in bits. This also makes it easier to skip the boring chapters so that the aspiring student can move straight onto infiltration or climbing skills, for example. There are also lots of images along the way too making this visually very good.
As to whether it is kid-friendly or not I would leave this for the parent to judge. There is a lesson called “displaying decapitated heads” and there is an image along the way that shows people getting their heads cut off with lots of blood coming out (like Mortal Kombat with the blood code on).
The book is deadly serious being based on ancient shinobi scrolls, in particular one from 1676 by Fujibayashi-sensei (“the most descriptive shinobi scroll” there is), so those who want parody may prefer other things (aforementioned YouTube video for example) although this is great too.
And for those seeking a career change be warned: The path of a shinobi “is not a path for the weak. To venture into the dominion of the shinobi requires enormous self-control and a level of commitment and endurance that most people cannot attain.”
If you do take this all seriously then you will have earned the right to walk into (or infiltrate, maybe by climbing a wall) your place of work dressed in “kimono and hakama with an obi belt and with a long sword and a short sword”. But with the grappling hook being “a key part of the shinobi toolkit” you may well feel a bit ouch-y in your underpants area.
Initial impressions are great. It has a red and black design and is split into 150 bite-size lessons which makes it easy to read in bits. This also makes it easier to skip the boring chapters so that the aspiring student can move straight onto infiltration or climbing skills, for example. There are also lots of images along the way too making this visually very good.
As to whether it is kid-friendly or not I would leave this for the parent to judge. There is a lesson called “displaying decapitated heads” and there is an image along the way that shows people getting their heads cut off with lots of blood coming out (like Mortal Kombat with the blood code on).
The book is deadly serious being based on ancient shinobi scrolls, in particular one from 1676 by Fujibayashi-sensei (“the most descriptive shinobi scroll” there is), so those who want parody may prefer other things (aforementioned YouTube video for example) although this is great too.
And for those seeking a career change be warned: The path of a shinobi “is not a path for the weak. To venture into the dominion of the shinobi requires enormous self-control and a level of commitment and endurance that most people cannot attain.”
If you do take this all seriously then you will have earned the right to walk into (or infiltrate, maybe by climbing a wall) your place of work dressed in “kimono and hakama with an obi belt and with a long sword and a short sword”. But with the grappling hook being “a key part of the shinobi toolkit” you may well feel a bit ouch-y in your underpants area.
July 26, 2025
This book was a great read, and I learned a lot! There was great advice on how to sneak up on someone, how to scale walls (focused mostly on Japanese architecture unfortunately), different maneuvers, and various other things a shinobi (ninja) or a spy would need to know.
A few key things I learned (some of which I probably will never use, but are still interesting);
- When sneaking up on someone, make sure you're going against the wind so that your sounds and scents drift away from the person. Same goes if you're trying to listen to a conversation.
- When attacking with a spear, run to the right of the person. It's easier to thrust the spear to the left. When attacking with a sword, run to the left of the person, since it's easier to thrust a sword to the right. Opposite if you're left handed.
- There were other things as well, but I won't get into all of them.
It was a bit gory at times. There was also some superstitious and magic-based parts of the book--which I didn't care for--so I just skipped over those parts, but other than that it was a great book!
A few key things I learned (some of which I probably will never use, but are still interesting);
- When sneaking up on someone, make sure you're going against the wind so that your sounds and scents drift away from the person. Same goes if you're trying to listen to a conversation.
- When attacking with a spear, run to the right of the person. It's easier to thrust the spear to the left. When attacking with a sword, run to the left of the person, since it's easier to thrust a sword to the right. Opposite if you're left handed.
- There were other things as well, but I won't get into all of them.
It was a bit gory at times. There was also some superstitious and magic-based parts of the book--which I didn't care for--so I just skipped over those parts, but other than that it was a great book!
June 19, 2018
I love that this wasn't only about secret ninja skills, but encompassed everything a ninja might need to be versed in, or might already know.
April 12, 2018
It pretty much does what it says, but in the end, if you've read the authors other works, there's not much new here.
I do generally recommend his other publications.
I do generally recommend his other publications.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews