Sun Tzu was a military specialist who lived during the sixth century BCE His work The Art of War is widely considered a masterpiece on the topic of warfare 10
THE HISTORY OF NINJAS manuals address the Chinese origins of their methods and beliefs Ninjutsu manuals often mention tactics first recorded by Chi nese general Sun Tzu’s classic essay on warfare The Art of War Sun Tzu’s five types of spies are often mirrored in ninja manuals There’s more proof that many ninja strategies were first used in ancient China These range from espionage and warfare tactics to specialized weaponry and incendiary devices IGA AND KOKA Before the era dominated by warring clans and power-hungry war lords the ninjas were established in a wild rocky area near Kyoto This area was made up of the provinces of Iga now part of Mie Prefecture and Koka now part of Shiga Prefecture This rugged country became a hiding place for criminals and soldiers who had lost in battle It was here that ninjutsu has its beginning Some stories and records say that Chinese soldiers fled to Iga and Koka long ago bringing ancient knowledge with them Over the years the ninjas of Iga and Koka trained in secret per fecting their many techniques and methods In time they devel oped the art of ninjutsu fostering the skills and passing them on to new generations References to ninjas became more common in records from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries This era is known as the Sengoku period or the Warring States period At this time many clans fought for power and territory Warlords known as daimyo waged constant 11
This painting depicts the beautiful yet rugged Iga province where the Hanzo clan originated 12
THE HISTORY OF NINJAS war on neighboring clans hoping to conquer them all This era was also dominated by internal conflicts and a daimyo had to watch out for enemies in their own ranks Warriors from Iga and Koka continually impressed daimyo with their ferocity in battle and also with their creativity and stealth Daimyos began employ ing ninjas as spies and saboteurs Eventually shinobi became an official although secretive position in many Japanese armies THE HANZO CLAN Much of what we know about ninjas come from family records often in the form of scrolls Recorded by famous warriors samurai and shinobi they often describe the family history as well as essen tial tactics in war and espionage Military and government records mention many of the same ninjas mentioned in the scrolls Perhaps the most commonly known ninja from history is Hattori Hanzo Hanzo was a well-known samurai and shinobi and possibly the main author of the Shinobi Hiden although it may also have been his father Hanzo was just one individual in a long line of famous shinobi The Hanzo clan in the Iga province had long been known as fierce warriors and dedicated ninjas Of all the historical ninjas Hattori Hanzo’s name may be most recognizable for Westerners due to its use in popular media Char acters with the name Hattori Hanzo have appeared in numerous movies In 2003 a character with that name appeared in Kill Bill a film by direc tor and kung fu movie fan Quentin Tarantino In this case Hattori 13
