Be a Ninja!

By Kosaiji Ikunen & Lawrence Lein

Ninja is attractive and mysterious, but the facts about Ninja are misunderstood seriously even by Japanese people. We interviewed real Ninjas, and they taught us how a real Ninja should be. Costumes, weapons, chant are slightly different from our common images. Collaborating with Iga-school Ninja Museum at Mie prefecture in Japan, we discover what a true Ninja should be and break through the commonly held images of Ninja.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Office Fukunaga inc.
• Release date: Apr 20, 2014
• ISBN: 9781311435019

Kosaiji Ikunen & Lawrence Lein

Kosaiji Ikunen; was born in the old Buddhism temple in Japan. But, she believed in Christianity in her youth. So she went to the Christian university majoring in English literature. After graduation from university, she started her career as an editor at Japanese publishing company and acquired the skills of editing & writing. Now she works as a book director at Office Fukunaga Inc,. At the same time, she studies and practices as a monk of Buddhism temple in Tokyo. Lawrence Lein, Ph.D. Brown University, Bachelor degree in Chemistry Waseda University, Master degree in International Relations Keio University, Ph.D. degree in Applied Medicine

Book preview

Be a Ninja!

By Kosaiji Ikunen & Lawrence Lein

translated by Shoko Kamimura

edited by Kazutaka Hayakawa

Published by OFFICE FUKUNAGA INC. at Smashwords

Copyright 2014 Office Fukunaga Inc.

Special Thanks to

Museum of Igaryu Ninja

Igaueno Tourist Association GIA.

Produced by Office Fukunaga Inc.

Before fighting, Ninja prays

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Ninja Force comes

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Preface

Know today as almost cartoon or even mythical characters with gravity defying balletic leaps through the air, the Ninjas have become a part of modern mythology. But the real story of the Ninja is fundamentally different from what we see in feature or animated films and TV shows.

Ninjas were professional spies. The history of Ninja goes back to the twelfth century. Today we might compare them to Navy Seals, commandos or even James Bond. When the wars increased in the fourteenth century, spying activities against enemy forces became necessary, and Ninjas played an active role in these clandestine adventures. Ninjas were summoned by warlords to collect information, steal the enemy's belongings, and assassinate the enemy. Ninjas were trained strictly and were given missions. Ninjas became inactive in the early Edo period (1603-1868), due to the restoration of social order by