Ninpo History For Fun.....

[DOCBROWN1705]

Just a brief history for fun.....

For today'a Ninpo, or Ninjutsu pratitioner, the term represents a set of unarmed, and weapon techniques. These techniques come from a number of ryuha (IE: Koto ryu, Ginka Ryu, Togakure ryu, etc..) The teachings, and skills include various fighting methods, leaping, running methods, hidin/evasion, as well as various sword, and weapons training. The training also focuses on special body and mind utilization.

The first Ninja were called Shinobi Komu, or Shinobi iri (Meaning Infiltration Incognito). There are very few written records, on the history of Ninpo/Ninjutsu, most of the teaching, and information were passed down through the clans during the 18th and 19th century. The Shinobi were said to be experts in the art of stealth, and infiltration. They're skills were that of legend, and mystery. Using there skills not only for the defense of there clans, but for personal gain.... they were the only formidable defense against the emperors warriors.

The teaching of the Ninja, and the history are clouded in mystery.... The ninpo are said to base there techniques on a set of 18 skills......

Bujinkan members say, the eighteen disciplines were first stated in the scrolls of Togakure-ryū and they became definitive for all ninjutsu schools, providing a complete training of the warrior in various fighting arts and complementary disciplines.
Ninja jūhakkei was often studied along with Bugei Jūhappan (the "18 samurai fighting art skills"). Though some of them are the same, the techniques of each discipline were used with different approaches by both samurai and ninja.

The 18 disciplines are:
1.Seishin-teki kyōyō (spiritual refinement)
2.Taijutsu (unarmed combat, using one's body as the only weapon)
3.Kenjutsu (sword fighting)
4.Bōjutsu (stick and staff fighting)
5.Shurikenjutsu (throwing shuriken)
6.Sōjutsu (spear fighting)
7.Naginatajutsu (naginata fighting)
8.Kusarigamajutsu (kusarigama fighting)
9.Kayakujutsu (pyrotechnics and explosives)
10.Hensōjutsu (disguise and impersonation)
11.Shinobi-iri (stealth and entering methods)
12.Bajutsu (horsemanship)
13.Sui-ren (water training)
14.Bōryaku (military strategy)
15.Chōhō (espionage)
16.Intonjutsu (escaping and concealment - “Ninja Magic”)
17.Tenmon (meteorology)
18.Chi-mon (geography)

............... to be continued.....................

[DOCBROWN1705]

Even though history classified them as assassins, most if not all of the ninja were warriors in all senses. Those who ended up recording the history of the ninja were almost always those within positions of power in the military, students of history need to realize that the history of the ninja was recorded by observers writing about their activities from the outside.

"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. Ninjutsu developed as a highly illegal counter culture to the samurai, because of this, the origins of the art were hidden, and surrounded by mystery for many generations............

[tntma12]

Very interesting thread. Thanks Doc for the history lesson!!