Japan has one, maybe two ninjas left

[garyw]

Makes it feel like something wonderful has gone extinct.

Japan's era of shoguns and samurai is long over, but the country does have one, or maybe two, surviving ninjas. Experts in the dark arts of espionage and silent assassination, ninjas passed skills from father to son - but today's say they will be the last.
Japan's ninjas were all about mystery. Hired by noble samurai warriors to spy, sabotage and kill, their dark outfits usually covered everything but their eyes, leaving them virtually invisible in shadow - until they struck.
Using weapons such as shuriken, a sharpened star-shaped projectile, and the fukiya blowpipe, they were silent but deadly.
Ninjas were also famed swordsmen. They used their weapons not just to kill but to help them climb stone walls, to sneak into a castle or observe their enemies.
Most of their missions were secret so there are very few official documents detailing their activities. Their tools and methods were passed down for generations by word of mouth.

Source and more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-20135674

 

[statickid]

wow. real ninjas will be put to mysterious legend... actually, i didn't know that any real ninjas still existed, so this is giving me confusing emotions :blink:

 

[Urwumpe]

The name for the sword is wrong, I don't remember the precise name, but the term ended with -Gatana, instead of Katana. Was a complete different kind of sword blade. Was also designed to act as climbing aid.

 

[garyw]

I was always told that a Ninja sword was a Ninjato.

 

[Urwumpe]

I was always told that a Ninja sword was a Ninjato.

The Ninjato is a modern invention, there is no evidence of such a sword existing before the 20th century.

I don't find the term again, but it was of katana blade length, but the blade had been designed differently, thus giving it a name of the form "prefix"-gatana. Would need to look into my library at home for that.

 

[Ghostrider]

Shinobi-gatana? AFAIR, the Ninja sword is intended purely as a functional weapon-tool, lacks a curved blade and any ornaments, and is manufactured to lower standards for production ease.

I don't really understand Kawakami-san's stance. Yes, we have firearms now but so did the ancient Ninjas - theirs however were primitive and unwieldy. What counts is the discipline, lore and mindset. I'm sure many SpecOps people would love a crash course in Ninjutsu - even if it only teaches them some philosophy and a couple of old tricks.

 

[Urwumpe]

Shinobi-gatana? AFAIR, the Ninja sword is intended purely as a functional weapon-tool, lacks a curved blade and any ornaments, and is manufactured to lower standards for production ease.

Yes, something like that, but still not sure on the name, will look it up. One difference was also that the blade wasn't sharp everywhere and was of course blackened.

I don't really understand Kawakami-san's stance. Yes, we have firearms now but so did the ancient Ninjas - theirs however were primitive and unwieldy. What counts is the discipline, lore and mindset. I'm sure many SpecOps people would love a crash course in Ninjutsu - even if it only teaches them some philosophy and a couple of old tricks.

Especially since many old tricks are timeless.

 

[Frogisis]

If there are only a few ninjas left, clearly it is because they were the strongest ones still standing.


Or they they are the worst ninjas, because the others are all hiding.

 

[jedidia]

Never fear, they're training tons of new ones... :lol:

 

[wehaveaproblem]

"Japan's ninjas were all about mystery."

Don't believe the propaganda, counting ninjas is like counting tigers... or something.

 

[C3PO]

One or two left?

They must be busy, because I get :ninja:'d on a regular basis. :lol: