Reclaiming the Art of Ninja. Laying the Groundwork for a Serious, Practical, Holistic System.

When I was younger, I was ridiculed for my interest in martial arts. "You think you're a ninja or something" they'd heckle. I never claimed it, but let's analyze what a "ninja" really is and was. Historically, they were not actually the antithesis of samurai, but more a special military force much like our modern CIA and navy SEALs combined. The actual techniques or "jutsu" (a word literally meaning "great skill" roughly equivalent to the Chinese "kung-fu" which applies to many things, including performance arts or even cooking) were primarily about stealth and evasion. Less of a fighting art and more of a "getting away or avoiding a fight all together" kind of science is what ninjutsu really was. Most of the "ninja weapons" you see are just complete fantasy with no historical base whatsoever. Real ninja equipment consisted of tools for climbing, breaking locks, concealing tracks, that sort of thing. Real ninja weapons were mostly improvised from farming tools and mundane items which could be easily concealed or played off should they arouse suspicion. Even the kunai (second most associated weapon with the ninja, next to the shuriken, with the mythical "ninjato" sword coming in third) of popular media is not the dagger people think it is, but rather a blunt implement used for digging or masonry, basically a hand trowel. This could be used to help scale a wall, gouge a peep hole, or tied to a rope to be thrown into a tree and climb up, or whipped at an assailant like a "rope dart" of other martial disciplines. Actual ninja fighting method was about neutralizing the threat and getting away, not leaving a trail of bodies. This aspect, especially, is useful today as the law can get pretty hairy when it comes to self defense situations and "excessive force" can land you with serious jail time just for protecting yourself.

Today, "ninja" techniques are taught to many of our special forces. It is not the stuff of myth and legend, but real, practical skills. The fighting arts are quick and precise, designed for maximum efficeincy with minimum effort, but it's much more than that. Resourcefulness, adaptability, versatility, ingenuity and improvisation are the true ninja tools. Being able to persevere in adverse conditions with little or no equipment, to adapt to unexpected changes quickly and decisively are real ninja skills.

I am glad my son is interested in "ninja stuff" because it gives me a chance to teach him a real discipline, one that involves thinking outside the box and learning skills that will avail him his whole lifetime, and may even literally save his life, as they have mine on more than a few occasions. It's not just martial, it's medicine, toxicology, herbalism, wilderness skills... remember these were and still are the people who go behind enemy lines with no backup or extra equipment. I never claimed to be a ninja, but I learned a lot of what it is to be one out of necessity, and honed my skills through a lifetime of struggle. I improvised, I adapted, I persevered, like the ninjas of old Iga, and though it seemed an impossible battle, I won from it a legacy which I am proud to pass along to a new generation. So, while it may not derive from an unbroken lineage (which may not even exist as even Master Hatsumi's is disputed) the following is my take on what may form the basis of a modern ninja art.

Masaaki Hatsumi said that if the true art of the ninja is to be preserved, it must advance into the modern world. Unlike other martial arts traditions, ninjutsu has always been adaptive and dynamic. There are no set forms. In fact, there is a strict principle of formlessness not only of style but of mind built into the very foundations of ninpo (ninja way or philosophy). We learn to operate in the here-and-now, changing techniques with the individual situation rather than going through the steps of a prescribed dance as seen in kata competition. Real ninpo is practiced by embracing the fundamental principles and building on them. Here, then, are some of the most fundamental principles of ninpo as I see it;

Fundamentals of ninpo/ninjutsu

Stealth- not just being sneaky, much is hidden in plain sight. Concealing technique until the last moment, concealing weapons, concealing strength, deceiving your opponents into letting them think they have the upper hand then suddenly turning it against them, all these are forms of stealth or "shinobi iri".

Resourcefulness- knowing how to forage food and medicine, make tools and weapons from common objects, utilize environment and navigate terrain, all these too are part of ninjutsu.

Efficiency- packing light, using everything in the most versatile manner- even to the point of making your own custom tools (resourcefulness) to get the most uses out of a single implement. Also, efficiency of movement. This is called "taijutsu" or "body mastery-technique" and it is the physical art of the ninja.

Ninpo

"Po" refers to the philosophy and way of life. It is the spirit of, and wisdom behind the "jutsu" or technique/actions.

"Nin" is made up of two kanji. "Blade" and "heart". This can be taken two ways. "The blade that pierces the heart" or "the heart which is like a blade" and both are correct interpretations. A blade is not just simple steel. It undergoes a transformative process. First, pounded free of impurities, then shaped into an efficient form. Finally it is bathed in fire and in water to achieve a perfect balance of strength and resilience. A blade that is too hard will shatter under pressure. Too soft and it will be ineffective. So, "the heart that is like a blade", the heart of the ninja, purged of impurity, perfectly balanced, both hard and yielding. This is the meaning of "ninpo".