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By Billy Lavery. The Origin Of The Ninja. Everything you know is wrong. Ninja’s aren't what you think… They used espionage, spying, and assassination. They were mercenaries, and worked for whoever paid them the most.
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By Billy Lavery The Origin Of The Ninja
Everything you know is wrong • Ninja’s aren't what you think… They used espionage, spying, and assassination. • They were mercenaries, and worked for whoever paid them the most. • For most of their missions they were disguised as farmers, merchants, priests, and even women. Not in black like the movies.
The first recorded ninja • Was the Japanese Legend Prince Yamato. • To carry out his assassination he was disguised. • He dressed up has a women to gain two military officer’s trust and then he killed them.
Another famous ninja story • 13 year old Kumawaka • His father was dying • A monk denied him access to see his father • His father died • Kumawaka wanted revenge • He faked an illness and was let in the monks home. He would sneak around at night knowing where guards patrolled and people slept. One night he went into the monks room, covered the lights and murdered him. He escaped out the window and got away by the river.
Birth place of Ninja • The original ninja clans are the Iga and Koga. These are actual towns in Japan. • When a Daimyo/king wants to hire a quality ninja, they go to the Iga and Koga clan. • A ninja may attack a daimyo, and a couple years later he is working for him. This un loyal practice of the ninja was a trademark.
Main Role of ninjas • The main role of a ninja was to assassinate for money. • Ninjas were some of the most feared warriors in Japan and to Daimyos. • Some Daimyos took extreme precaution to avoid ninjas. They would have body guards with them at all times and purposely had squeaky floors.
Other roles • Some ninja were hired by daimyo’s as personal body guards, castle guards, and spies. • These groups of ninjas were very elite. • Ninjas were helpful with castle sieges both on offense and defense.
Supernatural powers? • Over many years the ninja became so scary and feared that they were thought to be supernatural. Historical figures and legends in Japan were said to have ninja like powers. • Ninjas were said to be 7 feet tall, could fly, turn invisible, walk through walls, were shape shifters, had three heads, and were ghosts.
The weaponry of the ninja • The famous ninja amour is called the ninja-yorioi. The ninja didn’t always where this. Most of the time they wore regular clothes or looked like priests, dancers, farmers, or merchants. • The weaponry of the ninja varies from short swords, to little spikes they would throw at the ground. The had throwing knives, stars and grappling hooks.
The Rise of the ninja • The ninja era was around 1336-1600. • The Nanbukuchowar was from 1336-1392. The ninjas played an important role, acting as spies and infiltrating the enemy’s castle. • The Onin war was from 1467-1477. In this war the ninja acted as spies, agitators, scouts, surprise attackers, castle sieges, and diversions.
The fall of the ninja • In 1581 the strongest daimyo OdaNobunaga saw the Iga and Koga clans as a threat so he decided to destroy them. The Koga clan was easy to destroy but, he had some trouble with the Iga clan. But when they attacked with 40,000 men the Iga forces lost. • The Edo period 1603-1868: was a very peaceful period so there was no need for ninjas and they slowly came to an end.
Works Cited • Grabianowski, Ed. "How Ninja Work." HowStuffWorks. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Aug. 2013. • Szczepanski, Kallie. "History of the Ninja." About.com Asian History. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Aug. 2013.