Thanks to the Western media, we have a rather black-and-white view of samurais and ninjas (or shinobi), as they are portrayed in various media as being in opposing positions. In reality, samurais were merely warriors belonging to the noble caste (aristocracy) while ninjas were mercenaries serving the lower classes.
They had their differences regarding style of weaponry, combat, uniform, moral code and services rendered. However, both have worked together in certain wars and other political issues because while samurais were soldiers in the service of the Emperor, ninjas were mercenaries hired to carry out espionage and assassination services.
The battle tactics of both were utilized in conflicts within Japan itself, as the military capability of samurais in combat and the espionage and disguise skills of ninjas to gather information on enemies proved necessary to win a battle.
Because of myths, some even believe that ninjas did not really exist and are mythical legends. The art of Ninjas dates back over 800 years and encompasses a wide variety of curious facts. In this article, we will see some lies about the mercenaries of feudal Japan:
Were ninjas evil assassins?
Myth! Ninjas were not evil assassins who killed at will… However, this is one of the most widespread myths about ninjas. There is nothing unethical about the Ninja. Their fighting style ninjutsu boils down to: Try to escape if possible; otherwise, you must kill.
In movies, they are portrayed as evil mercenaries who attack unexpectedly to chop up the good guys. In reality, they were simple people from Japan who were systematically oppressed by the dominant samurai class. Most of them were simple farmers.
For self-defense, when outnumbered, they created a combat system called Ninjutsu. When short on money, they sold their skills, becoming mercenaries. The roles of the ninja included espionage, sabotage, infiltration, assassination, and guerrilla warfare as well as open combat in certain situations.
The ninja (忍者) are often referred to as shinobi (忍び) in Japan. The word shinobi literally means: One who gathers information, stealth, incognito traveler, theft, and furtive.
Were all ninjas men?
Myth! Most Westerners think of ninjas as men in black masks with swords who appear from the shadows and attack without warning. In fact, there are many women who practice the art of ninjutsu and served as spies.
The female ninjas were called Kunoichi. Occasionally, they wielded swords like men but were trained as spies and messengers to help gather information that would aid their clan. Kunoichis would lure their targets by pretending to be women in distress and then execute them. This was part of their tactics.
A male shinobi could take on the role of a samurai retainer or a craftsman, but these positions rarely allowed unrestricted access to their target. Women gained significant participation in missions where the goal was to reach the target.
When it came to infiltrating samurai strongholds, the kunoichi’s ability to adopt the role of a lover or servant had obvious advantages over the disguises a man could use.
Most female ninjas know how to use a sword, but they specialized in hand-to-hand combat and used more garrotes, poisons, and special items. A great curiosity is that the name kunoichi (くノ一) can form the ideogram for woman (女).
Is the Ninja uniform a black outfit and mask?
Myth! In fact, they dressed according to the mission given. When sneaking into an enemy den, they wore the uniforms of their adversaries to deceive them. On nighttime missions, they wore black to camouflage in the shadows. On winter missions, they wore white to camouflage in the snow.
Nowadays, ninjas would wear suits and modern clothing. So when do ninjas wear black clothes and masks? Perhaps 800 years ago, if they had to hide in trees. The big truth is that a mask and black clothing was never a Ninja uniform. It all depends on the environment and the need to hide.
Besides ninjas not always being dressed in black, they did not always use smoke bombs and disappear magically. They created distractions in the most practical way, using a shuriken or throwing sand in the opponent’s eyes. They run like any human being; they do not jump between walls and make 3-meter leaps.
Did ninjas only use shurikens and swords?
Shurikens and other bladed weapons were part of the shinobi’s arsenal. However, depending on the occasion, they also used household objects and anything else within reach for combat.
The word Ninjutsu means the art of discretion and perseverance. There are about 18 disciplines that are the basis of a ninja’s main training. They learn the art of each weapon they use or need to combat.
In addition to spiritual refinement, they need to learn hand-to-hand combat, unarmed fighting, with swords, shuriken, spear, naginata, kusarigama, and learn to use explosives, pyrotechnics, horseback riding, concealment, and the geography of the combat area. Being a ninja involves a wide range of techniques and dedication! The media does not show even 10% of what it really involves to be a ninja.
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