Ninja Gear

We’ve all heard some fascinating stories about ninjas and their abilities. When reading and hearing some such stories I often wonder where is the line between reality and myth.
If you asked yourself the same question, you will be pleased to know that there is a new book available which discovers the truth and brings a new light to the ninja history.

Dr. Hirohisa Oda dedicated a part of his life studying the ninja history, collecting and analyzing all the available facts and rare historical materials, and finally writing his discoveries in a book called Real Ninja – The AMAZING Truth About Japan’s Masters of Espionage and Ninjutsu.

Here is a nice review of this book from Amazon:

“Real Ninja” is a historical account of ninjutsu. The book begins with a discussion of the ninja clans, their employment by the Shogunate, and famous individual ninja such as `Fuuma’ and `Tobikatoo’. We also get to read of associated groups such as the `Oniwaban’ – Garden Security Samurai, and the `Negoru Group’ – the Matchlock Gunner Group.

Dr. Hirohisa Oda then reviews various ninja tools. We learn of the `Rokugu’ or the six items always carried by a ninja whenever he stepped out of his house. Of course we read of weapons such as the ninja sword and the shuriken, but careful reading also reveals tips such as employing `metsubushi’ (Blinding Powder) by rolling it in a narrow strip of cloth and then snapping that cloth toward the enemy’s face to cast the metsubushi into his eyes.

Reading about the `ninja arts’ we learn about `yamabiko’ (employment of double agents), ninja codes (angoo), and various poisons such as trychnos, balloon fish, and moonlight mushroom.

A brief explanation of the ninja nine signs of concentration is given with photographs showing each hand position.

Next we get a description of ninja houses and the secrets that were built into them, along with a list of still-existing ninja houses in Japan.

Although we tend to see the ninja as spies and assassins in the popular press, Dr, Hirohisa Oda shows us how the ninja were often associated with physicians, and how physicians became ninja.

Finally we see modern day ninja, such as the Nakano School, established in 1938, and used to train the Japanese military in ninjutsu techniques.

The student of ninjutsu should have an understanding of the history of the ninja, and that is just what one gets with `Real Ninja”. I recommend this book for any serious student of ninjutsu.

To conclude, I will say that this book is definitely a must for those interested in the Ninja Arts, Ninjutsu, Ninja Secret Service, Ninja weaponry, and all the different devices they’ve used. Contents and illustrations are based on rare historical materials originally recorded in Japanese.

This book is currently not available on Amazon but you can download the book from here.

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