Ninjutsu
From Karate, Kungfu, Wrestling, Mixed Fighting Information Source
Ninjutsu or Ninjitsu
There are many theories as to the beginnings of what we know as the art of Ninjutsu today. Each Japanese historian has his or her own set of facts and beliefs, and it is difficult pinpointing a specific place, person, time, or set of circumstances that would be acceptable to all as the birth of the art. In all truthfulness, Ninjutsu did not come into being as a specific well-defined art in the first place, and many centuries passed before Ninjutsu was established as an independent system of knowledge in its own right. The people who were later referred to as ninja did not originally use that label for themselves. They considered themselves practitioners of political, religious, and military strategies that were cultural opposites of the conventional outlooks of the times. Ninjutsu developed as a highly illegal counter culture to the ruling Samurai elite, and for this reason alone, the origins of the art were shrouded by centuries of mystery, concealment, and deliberate confusion of history.
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History
The ninja reportedly made their first notable appearance as spies with an employer of royal blood, Prince Regent Shotoku (A.D. 574-622) in the sixth century. They were frequently hired by the fighting monks of the mountains, the redoubtable Yamabushi, in their battles against both the imperial forces at the end of the Heian period and the forces of the rising military class (buke). Ninja guilds became firmly entrenched in Kyoto, and their schools proliferated until there were at least twenty-five major centers during the Kamakura period. Oda Nobunaga is reported to have employed forty-six thousand troops against Sandayu Ueno, destroying four thousand ninja in the process. The last impressive employment of these fighters on the battlefield seems to have been in the Shimbara war (1637), against forty thousand rebellious Christians on the island of Kyushu.
Disclosure of Ninjutsu secrets to unauthorized persons meant death at the hands from other ninja of the same group. This meant that few records exist to the actual participation of the ninja. Books and documents (torimaki) related to the heritage, arts, and techniques of Ninjutsu, therefore, were considered secret family treasures which it was the responsibility of each generation to preserve and transmit to the next. They contained instructions concerning those techniques of combat with which the ninja had to familiarize himself and master. Members of the Kukishin Ryu, a school of Ninjutsu, became noted for their unorthodox methods of using a bisento type weaopons. The Fudo Ryu, another school of Ninjutsu in feudal Japan, was considered vastly superior in the development of a particular kind of dexterity with blades. A skilled yogen (chemist) in his own right, the ninja often used poisoned darts, acid-spurting tubes, flash-powder grenades, smoke bombs, and so forth, cleverly adapted Chinese discoveries in chemistry and inventions in explosives to his particular requirements. It is a fact that after the arrival of the Portuguese, ninjas even used firearms. The ninja of the Gyokku Ryu, for example, were experts in the deadly use of the thumb and fingers against vital centers in the human body, method became known as yubijutsu. Furthermore ,the students of the Koto Ryu were particularly proficient in breaking bones, or koppo jutsu.
As late as 1759, ninjas were seen on the battlefield when troops lost the battle of Tensho Iga No Ran against massive ninja clans.
Ninjutsu Weaponry
It is imperative that every ninja utilize different array of weapons to help him/her become fatally stealthy, and escape any situation that might endanger his/her life. these weapons are usually made of wood and bamboo conjuned to a metal piece which is the main part of the weapon. Here are some familiar weapons that a ninja must have:
Shuriken
The Shuriken is the trade mark ninja weapon made famous by the movies and stories about the ninja. It is simply a flat piece of metal with sharpened points that were thrown at the enemy.
This weponwas not originally designed as a killing weapon. It was mostly used to distract or deter so the ninja could escape. While in the midst of a get-away, the Shuriken could be thrown at the samurai chasing the ninja, possibly making the samurai think twice about continuing the chase.
Although the Shuriken was not intended to kill, it was easily made lethal by dipping the edges in poison. This was effective, but sometimes it backfired when the ninja would accidentally cut himself while digging around for it, thus poisoning himself.
Shurikens were also designed to hit the opponent then bounce away out of sight. This way a ninja could fool an unsuspecting guard or sentry into believing he had been cut by an invisible swordsmen
Kunai
The Kunai was a small dagger-type tool that served primarily as a utility knife. It's secondary use was as a weapon, with a sharp point and short handle it was a great throwing weapon. It was also a great close combat weapon as it could be used in very tight situations.
Some other uses for the kunai include a climing device, a hammering tool, a make-shift spear tip just to name a few.
Makabishi
The Makabishi or Tetsu-bishi (also known as calthrops) are small metal weapons shaped so that one point is always up. They, like the shuriken, were a weapon used for distraction while fleeing. The ninja would scatter the calthrops behind them and anyone unlucky enough to step on them would not likely continue with the pursuit. They could also be thrown, and dipped in poison like the shuriken.
Ashiko
The Ashiko were spiked claws that were worn on the feet. This helped the Ninja climb faster and more efficiently on their missions. As well as a great climbing aid, it could also be used in combat to deliver deadly kicks.
Bo
The staff was one of the most important weapons in the ninja's arsenal. It was generally around 6 feet in length, made of hard wood or bamboo and was hollow. The reason for the hollow part was another trick of the ninja trade. By flicking the bow with great speed, the ninja could launch a poison tipped dart or small knife out of the open end of the staff, often catching the opponent off guard.
Chigiriki
This weapon is a 2 foot long straight stick, with a 2-1/2 chain attached to the top with a ball with spikes. This weapon is considered to be the japanese morning star. The chain could be fitted in side the stick like the Kusari-Gama/Kama, and used as a mace.
Fukiya
The fukiya, or blowgun, was a staple in the Ninja's arsenal since it was so versatile.
It was used to shoot darts (sometimes poisoned) at an enemy from a distance and, since it made almost no noise, the Ninja's hiding place wasn't threatened by using this weapon. Aside from launching darts, the blowgun could be used as a snorkel while the Ninja was underwater. Since the fukiya was made of bamboo, it blended in with the reeds in the water, therefore enabling the Ninja to stay submerged for hours, if necessary.
Kama
Kama are the basis of the kusari-gama. Kama is just the sickle on it's own. They are usually used in pairs and swung in various arcs, crescents etc.
All sorts of slashing motions combined with the forward momentum of the ninja they can cause some devastating damage. The blade of the Kama is roughly around 11-12 inches. The handle is slightly longer. Original sickles had a longer blade and shorter handle.
Kusari-gama
The Kusari-gama is a combination of a sickle (short scythe) and a long chain with a weight attached to the end of it. The sickle was used in a slashing or stabbing motion, as well as used to block and hook opponents weapons. By holding the chain portion of the weapon, the sickle could be swung around to get a greater reach with it.
The chain portion of the weapon was most often used for trapping an enemy or his weapon. Once tangled up with the chain, the ninja could finish him off with the sickle. This was a weapon the ninja invented from the farming tools they used.
Shobo
A shobo was a small weapon that was used for striking pressure points within the body, especially the neck. It was a ring fitted on the middle finger and a piece of sharp/dull wood attached, there are many variants of this weapon.
Tanto
The tanto, or knife, was an important weapon in the ninja's arsenal. The tanto was not made of the high quality steeel compared to the samurai's sword, but the ninja made up for this by using the tanto as a multi-purpose tool.
The tanto was used to pry open doors, dig holes or small ditches, or it could be thrown like a shuriken. Of course, the tanto was also used to cut and stab an opponent.
Manriki-gusari
The Manriki Gusari was a chain usually about 3 feet long, and weighted at both ends. It was developed as a self-defence weapon but was also a wicked offensive weapon in the hands of a ninja. It was small and easily concealed in the palm of the ninja's hand, or in a sash.
While holding one end of the chain, it could be swung around and used as a whip. The weighted end could cause a great deal of damage.
Nunchakus
Though not a primary weapon of the Ninja, nunchakus (also known as "nunchucks") were used because they could be adapted for many situations. Aside from being easy to carry, the nunchakus were used to defend against most any weapon from a bo to a sword. By trapping the blade of a sword with the chain between the two sticks, a Ninja could entangle and disarm a sword-weilding attacker.
The same concept applies to almost every other weapon. The nunchakus were not just used for defense, they could also be effectively employed against an enemy in an offensive way. The Ninja could strangle an opponent or even execute joint locks with the chain or cord between the two sticks.
Ninja Swords
The ninja sword (ninja-to) was different than that of the samurai. The long sword that the samurai carried was made of high-carbon steel, and took months to have made. They were hand made specially for each samurai, taking great care to make a very high quality sword. It was so sharp that it could easily cut a man in two, even through their armor. The length of the samurai swords averaged around 26 1/2 to 37 inches.
The ninja sword was considerably shorter, only 24 inches, and the quality of the swords was much poorer. The reason for the poorer quality was the way they used the sword as opposed to the way the samurai used theirs. Samurai would swing their sword, severing limbs and slashing at the opponent. Ninja, on the other hand, used the sword more in a stabbing motion. To use the blade of the ninja sword effectively you would have to use a sawing motion when the blade came in contact with the opponents flesh.
Styles
Training
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