Smoke bomb like a ninja. Cold fighting weapon of the ninja. Ninjas weren't assassins
There are six full-time positions open.
We've all heard of the ninja - some more, some less. Born and raised in the clans of assassins to fight against the eternal enemies of the samurai. Crouching like a shadow in the night, peasant warriors who are paid the highest price for special assignments.
But what if none of this is true? What if modern ideas about ancient ninjas are based on 20th century comics and fantasy? Historian Anthony Cummins and a team of like-minded people translated ancient Japanese scrolls to bring the truth about the ninja to his contemporaries.
Ninja used to be called differently
The hieroglyphs for the word "ninja" were read as "shinobi-no-mono" in the medieval period. "Ninja" is a Chinese tongue-in-cheek reading of these characters that became popular in the 20th century.
First mention of ninja
For the first time, ninja are mentioned in the Taiheiki chronicles "The Tale of the Great World", written around 1375. They indicate that the ninja were sent on a windy night in order to penetrate enemy territory and set fire to houses.
golden age of the ninja
The ninja flourished in the 15th and 16th centuries when wars were tearing Japan apart. After 1600, peace came to Japan, and the art of the ninja began to gradually fade away.
historical record
There are very few records of ninja during the war period; it wasn't until peace came in the 1600s that ninjas began to record their skills. The most famous source is the colossal "ninja bible" of the Bansenshukai, written in 1676. Currently, there are approximately 400-500 ninjutsu manuals in Japan, most of which are still kept secret.
Samurai were not the enemy of the ninja
Often in films, samurai and ninja are portrayed as enemies. In fact, the term "ninja" refers to a warrior of any class in the samurai army, and the position of a ninja was akin to modern forces special purpose attached to the main forces. Many samurai mastered the art of ninjutsu.
Ninjas weren't peasants
Films also often depict ninjas as coming from a peasant class. In fact, a ninja could be of any origin. Only after 1600, when peace came to Japan, did the official position of the ninja in the samurai clan decline to a new social position called "doshin" - "half-samurai". Over time, the status of the ninja fell, although they retained a higher position than most peasants.
Ninjutsu is not a martial art
Many consider ninjutsu to be a martial art, a system of martial arts that can still be learned today. However, the idea of a specific form of martial arts practiced by the ninja was introduced by a single person in Japan between 1950 and the 60s. This new combat system was introduced to America during the ninja boom in the 80s and became one of the most popular misconceptions about the ninja. So far, not a single medieval mention of this form of wrestling has been found.
shurikens
Shurikens have almost nothing to do with ninja. These specially shaped blades were used in many samurai schools as secret weapon, and only in the 20th century public opinion connected them with the ninja through comics and cartoons.
Ninja mask
There is not a single historical mention of a ninja wearing a mask. Surprisingly, according to ancient manuals, ninjas did not wear masks. They hid their faces behind long sleeve, if the enemy was close, and when they worked in a group, they wore white headbands, allowing them to see each other in the moonlight.
ninja costume
Ninjas are usually presented in canonical costume. In fact, the "suit" seems like a uniform only to the Western eye. It's just traditional Japanese clothing, complete with a mask. Black Japanese clothes can be compared to the black modern suit in London. In medieval Japan, people used to wear masks outside to hide their faces.
Ninjas didn't use straight swords
The popular ninja sword today is a sword with a straight blade and a square guard. The origin of this myth is difficult to trace. Almost straight swords (with a 1 mm curve) existed in medieval Japan, and square guards too, but they began to be associated with ninja in the 20th century. Ninjutsu manuals indicate the use of conventional swords.
Secret language of hands
Ninja are known for their secret sign language called kuji. However, he has no real connection to the ninja. The Kuji language most likely originated in India, and then found its way to China and Japan. This is a series of ritual gestures designed to ward off evil in certain situations, as if a Christian were using a crucifix. The association of these gestures with ninja again appeared in the 20th century.
Ninjas don't use smoke bombs.
The image of a ninja with a smoke bomb is universal. Although not completely wrong, it is misleading. Ninja manuals don't include descriptions of smoke bombs, but they do contain hundreds of other recipes, such as earth mines, hand grenades, torches that are not afraid of water, Greek fire, exploding and poisonous gas.
Nobody knows the identity of the ninja
This is only half true. Ninja agents were divided into those who could be seen (young ninja) and those who remained hidden (yen ninja). The identity of the hidden ninja was a mystery, and they could carry out missions incognito. On the other hand, a group of ninjas could be hired openly, they moved with the army, they had their own barracks, they were freed from daily camp activities and were well known among their own.
Ninjas have black magic
The image of a ninja killer is obscured by the image of a ninja wizard, a combat mage. In old Japanese films, ninjas are shown using magic to outwit their opponents. Curiously, ninja skills contain certain magical rituals, from a magical hairpin that helps to become invisible, to sacrificing a dog in order to gain the help of the gods. However, the standard skills of the samurai also contain an element of magic. At the time it was widespread.
Ninjas weren't assassins
Ninja didn't learn how to kill from a young age so they could be hired by other clans. Most ninja specialized in special operations, propaganda, espionage, infiltration, and explosive craft. The use of ninjas as assassins was secondary and ninja manuals rarely raise this issue.
Hattori Hanzo is a real historical figure
Hattori Hanzo gained fame from the movie Kill Bill, but he was a real samurai and a skilled ninja. He became a famous general and earned the nickname "Devil Hanzo". It is believed that in his youth he led a group of ninja and gained strength under the wing of the future ruler of Japan. There is a legend that he wrote or inherited one of the oldest ninja scrolls in the universe.
Most ninja misconceptions come from the 20th century
True ninja ended with the samurai period at the end of the 19th century, when Japan stepped onto the path of modernization. Although books on ninja existed as early as the Middle Ages, the first ninja boom in Japan occurred in the early 1900s, when information was scarce. Books on the subject became popular and between 1910 and 1970 many books filled with errors and speculation were published by amateurs and enthusiasts. All of these errors were translated into English during the ninja boom in the 1980s.
The ninja scrolls are encrypted
It is believed that the ninja scrolls are encrypted to keep their secret. It has to do with a misunderstanding of the Japanese way of writing down a list of skills. In Japan, there are often scrolls that simply list certain skills and abilities. For example, the expression "Fox Technique" or "Invisible Cloak Technique" means nothing without a proper explanation, but that does not mean that they are encrypted.
If the ninja fails the mission, he must kill himself.
This is a Hollywood myth. There are no documents indicating that the failure of the mission leads to suicide. In fact, manuals teach that it is better not to complete a task than to do it hastily and cause problems. Better wait for the next opportunity. There is historical evidence that a ninja could kill himself and burn the body to hide his identity if caught.
Superhuman strength
Some believe that ninjas have more physical strength than ordinary warriors. However, only a small number of ninja were trained in the fighting style of the Special Powers. Many ninja lived hidden lives in enemy territory, simply doing normal daily activities or traveling and spreading rumors. The recommended abilities for a ninja were: disease resistance, high intelligence, quick speech, and goofy appearance (because people usually ignore those who look stupid).
Real ninjas don't exist anymore
Some people in Japan call themselves masters of the ninja schools, dating back to the samurai times. However, they have yet to provide evidence for their claims. This means that there is not a single documented ninja left.
Real ninjas are cooler than fictional ones
While fictional ninjas have ruled people's hearts for over 100 years, the new historical truth turns out to be more interesting. With historical ninja manuals published in English, a more realistic and surprising picture is revealed to the world. Ninja can now be seen as part of the samurai fighting machine, each with a distinct set of skills in different areas such as espionage, covert operations, reconnaissance behind enemy lines, surveillance, explosions and destruction, and psychology. This new and improved image of the Japanese ninja is admired for the depth and complexity of the samurai martial arts.
by Notes of the Wild MistressNinja (literally - hiding, one who hides, endures, endures difficulties) - intelligence saboteur, spy, assassin or bodyguard in Japan of the Middle Ages. Ninjutsu (art of stealth) - Japanese martial arts. This type of Japanese hand-to-hand fighting and people who own it are surrounded by many historical and modern myths, and we would like to bring some clarity to this matter, concept, art, way of life.
The prevailing qualities of the ninja (those heroes that we so often see in the movies) were considered cunning, ingenuity and perseverance. Their main subjects were horseback riding, stick fighting, military strategy, the art of stealth and disguise, escape and disappearance, pyrotechnics and explosives, possession of a combat sword, kusarigama ( chain weapon, consisting of a 2.5 m chain with a weight on one end and a sickle on the other), spiritual purification, the art of penetration, spear, water training, unarmed combat, meteorology, espionage and geography.
MYTH #1: THE REAL NINJA IS A MYTH
This type of wrestling and its fighters began to appear in Japan 800 years ago. This means of defense was necessary for the peasants to defend themselves against samurai and other armed warriors. Ninjutsu is considered a unique and purely defensive martial art. Its main principle is to avoid battle if you can, and if you can't, kill the enemy. The ninja first tries to avoid any conflict: he throws sand into the eyes of the enemy to blind him, and hides. But if the battle started, then the ninjas are merciless. No wonder the Japanese emperors used them as bodyguards, spies and assassins.
MYTH #2: NINJA CAN PREVENT A SHARP SWORD WITH BARE HANDS
Ninjutsu master Hatsumi is the patriarch and founder of the Bujinkan school. He professed the Takamatsu school and served as the personal bodyguard of the last Chinese emperor. He shows his students the tricks and says: "Try to avoid any contact and fight." He shows them how to parry with a sword, though he basically just avoids them. And he does it very cleverly, sometimes using special means(metal claws).
Dexterity and ingenuity help the ninja to repel melee attacks. Everything happens at lightning speed, and therefore it seems that the ninja fight off a sharp sword with their bare hands.
MYTH #3: NINJA WEAR MASK AND BLACK CLOTHES
Modern ninja, serving as bodyguards, wear the most ordinary clothes and everyday costumes. And 800 years ago, ninja wore simple peasant dresses without black masks on their faces.
MYTH #4: NINJA CAN VAPORIZE IN THE AIR
This is a consequence of the main rule of the ninja: hide, run, disappear. At the slightest opportunity to avoid a fight, a real ninja will not miss it. He will do his best to evade war (fighting, fighting) using evasions, withdrawal, threatening (frightening) throwing of shurikens (thrown weapons in the form of a star with sharp ends). To hide from the enemy, they used smoke bombs or throwing sand into the opponent's eyes, confusing the opponent in order to disappear from sight.
MYTH #5: NINJA KILL WITH ONE HAND TOUCH
In the high school of ninja, there are techniques that allow fighters to block the arteries of the attacker with the touch of their fingers. There are blows to the temple that cause death in the ninja's arsenal, but such techniques are taught only to those students who will never use them.
Such techniques are studied more for theory than for practice. Although the main pain points for touching a ninja are studied at the very beginning of their studies (this is the basis). These points are located on the neck in the area eyeballs. Ninja use this knowledge only in extreme cases, when there is no other way out to neutralize the enemy.
MYTH #6: SHURIKEN IS A SPECIAL MURDER WEAPON
In fact, shurikens were used as a secondary weapon in order to inflict wounds on enemies, distracting them from the fight. Shurikens were of two types. Hira Shuriken - Item household peasants - its tips were sharpened and sharpened to inflict wounds. Bo-shuriken - advanced military weapon with sharp spikes up to 20 cm, but it was also created not to kill, but to intimidate rivals.
MYTH #7: NINJA ONLY USE ANCIENT JAPANESE WEAPON
The new ninjas adopted modern views weapons, but before they used only their own and not necessarily ancient. Instead of shurikens for throwing, for example, coins sharpened along the edges were used. Often they resorted to the help of gunpowder and various homemade bombs.
Ninja students had a special subject - kayakujutsu, where they studied various powder mixtures, taught how to make and install smoke and explosive bombs and bombs on the ground. Ninjas were among the first to use smoke screens and bomb explosions to distract enemies.
MYTH #8: NINJA SHOULD BE STRONG
Ninjutsu masters point out that this is not the main thing. Ninjutsu teaches a person to skillfully and effectively use his body, and it does not matter here whether you are fat or thin, tall or small. Such a quality as foreseeing the actions of an opponent and the ability to outwit him is necessary. Thanks to smooth and well-balanced movements, the fighter takes control over the actions of the opponent and over the course of the fight itself.
Ninjutsu teaches natural postures and the fluidity of all movements. Of paramount importance here are the movement and position of the legs (support of the whole body). The balance of your movements and the judicious use of techniques familiar to the fighter are important. A true master is always relaxed and focused. It takes a fraction of a second to perform a striking technique.
MYTH #9: A PIRATE (BANDIT) WILL DEFEAT THE NINJA
If we talk about a fair fight, then without a shadow of doubt, the ninja will win. But pirates and bandits are not used to obeying a code of honor. Using all available means and methods, they can outwit the ninjutsu master by using a pistol at the most unexpected moment. In this case, the ninja will be defeated. Thanks to the deceit and the lack of any noble canons of the pirate, the crook will outplay the naive and noble ninja.
Shuriken (literal translation: "blade hidden in the hand") - hidden japanese weapons, intended for throwing; although sometimes used for strikes
Unlike a pirate, a ninja will seek a peaceful solution to the problem to the last and cold-bloodedly use every oversight of an opponent. The pirate, of course, looks more menacing, but the ninja acts smarter.
Ninja (literally - hiding, one who hides, endures, endures difficulties) - intelligence saboteur, spy, assassin or bodyguard in Japan of the Middle Ages. Ninjutsu (the art of stealth) is a Japanese martial art. This type of Japanese hand-to-hand fighting and people who own it are surrounded by many historical and modern myths, and we would like to bring some clarity to this matter, concept, art, way of life.
The prevailing qualities of a ninja (those heroes that we so often see in anime) were considered cunning, ingenuity and perseverance. Their main subjects were horseback riding, stick fighting, military strategy, the art of stealth and disguise, escape and disappearance, pyrotechnics and explosives, possession of a combat sword, kusarigama (a chain weapon consisting of a 2.5 m chain with a load at one end and with a sickle on the other), spiritual purification, the art of penetration, the spear, water training, combat without weapons, meteorology, espionage and geography.
MYTH #1: THE REAL NINJA IS A MYTH
This type of wrestling and its fighters began to appear in Japan 800 years ago. This means of defense was necessary for the peasants to defend themselves against samurai and other armed warriors. Ninjutsu is considered a unique and purely defensive martial art. Its main principle is to avoid battle if you can, and if you can't, kill the enemy. The ninja first tries to avoid any conflict: he throws sand into the eyes of the enemy to blind him, and hides. But if the battle started, then the ninjas are merciless. No wonder the Japanese emperors used them as bodyguards, spies and assassins.
MYTH #2: NINJA CAN PREVENT A SHARP SWORD WITH BARE HANDS
Ninjutsu master Hatsumi is the patriarch and founder of the Bujinkan school. He professed the Takamatsu school and served as the personal bodyguard of the last Chinese emperor. He shows his students the tricks and says: "Try to avoid any contact and fight." He shows them how to parry with a sword, though he basically just avoids them. And he does it very cleverly, sometimes using special tools (metal claws).
Dexterity and ingenuity help the ninja to repel melee attacks. Everything happens at lightning speed, and therefore it seems that the ninja fight off a sharp sword with their bare hands.
MYTH #3: NINJA WEAR MASK AND BLACK CLOTHES
Modern ninja, serving as bodyguards, wear the most ordinary clothes and everyday costumes. And 800 years ago, ninja wore simple peasant dresses without black masks on their faces.
MYTH #4: NINJA CAN VAPORIZE IN THE AIR
This is a consequence of the main rule of the ninja: hide, run, disappear. At the slightest opportunity to avoid a fight, a real ninja will not miss it. He will do his best to evade war (fighting, fighting) using evasions, withdrawal, threatening (frightening) throwing of shurikens (thrown weapons in the form of a star with sharp ends). To hide from the enemy, they used smoke bombs or threw sand into the opponent's eyes, confusing the enemy in order to disappear from view.
MYTH #5: NINJA KILL WITH ONE HAND TOUCH
In the high school of ninja, there are techniques that allow fighters to block the arteries of the attacker with the touch of their fingers. There are blows to the temple that cause death in the ninja's arsenal, but such techniques are taught only to those students who will never use them.
Such techniques are studied more for theory than for practice. Although the main pain points for touching a ninja are studied at the very beginning of their studies (this is the basis). These points are located on the neck in the region of the eyeballs. Ninja use this knowledge only in extreme cases, when there is no other way out to neutralize the enemy.
MYTH #6: SHURIKEN IS A SPECIAL MURDER WEAPON
In fact, shurikens were used as a secondary weapon in order to inflict wounds on enemies, distracting them from the fight. Shurikens were of two types. Hira-shuriken - a household item of peasants - its tips were sharpened and sharpened to inflict wounds. Bo-shuriken is an improved military weapon with sharp spikes up to 20 cm, but it was also created not to kill, but to intimidate rivals.
MYTH #7: NINJA ONLY USE ANCIENT JAPANESE WEAPON
The new ninjas adopted modern types of weapons, but before they used only their own and not necessarily ancient ones. Instead of shurikens for throwing, for example, coins sharpened along the edges were used. Often they resorted to the help of gunpowder and various homemade bombs.
Ninja students had a special subject - kayakujutsu, where they studied various powder mixtures, taught how to make and install smoke and explosive bombs and bombs on the ground. Ninja were among the first to use smoke screens and bomb explosions to distract enemies.
MYTH #8: NINJA SHOULD BE STRONG
Ninjutsu masters point out that this is not the main thing. Ninjutsu teaches a person to skillfully and effectively use his body, and it does not matter here whether you are fat or thin, tall or small. Such a quality as foreseeing the actions of an opponent and the ability to outwit him is necessary. Thanks to smooth and well-balanced movements, the fighter takes control over the actions of the opponent and over the course of the fight itself.
Ninjutsu teaches natural postures and the fluidity of all movements. Of paramount importance here are the movement and position of the legs (support of the whole body). The balance of your movements and the judicious use of techniques familiar to the fighter are important. A true master is always relaxed and focused. It takes a fraction of a second to perform a striking technique.
MYTH #9: A PIRATE (BANDIT) WILL DEFEAT THE NINJA
If we talk about a fair fight, then without a shadow of doubt, the ninja will win. But pirates and bandits are not used to obeying a code of honor. Using all available means and methods, they can outwit the ninjutsu master by using a pistol at the most unexpected moment. In this case, the ninja will be defeated. Thanks to the deceit and the lack of any noble canons of the pirate, the crook will outplay the naive and noble ninja.
Shuriken (literal translation: "blade hidden in the hand") - a hidden Japanese weapon designed for throwing; although sometimes used for strikes
Unlike a pirate, a ninja will seek a peaceful solution to the problem to the last and cold-bloodedly use every oversight of an opponent. The pirate, of course, looks more menacing, but the ninja acts smarter.
Japanese wisdom:
1. If the problem can be solved, then you should not worry about it; if it cannot be solved, then it is useless to worry about it.
2. Having thought - make up your mind, and having decided - do not think.
3. Do not delay the departing, do not drive away the newcomer.
4. Fast is slow, but without interruptions.
5. It's better to be the enemy good man than another bad.
6. There are no great people without ordinary people.
7. Who strongly desires to go upstairs, he will invent a ladder.
8. A husband and wife should be like a hand and eyes: when the hand hurts, the eyes cry, and when the eyes cry, the hands wipe away the tears.
9. The sun does not know the right. The sun knows no wrong. The sun shines without the purpose of warming someone. The one who finds himself is like the sun.
10. The sea is large because it does not disdain small rivers.
11. And a long journey begins with a close one.
12. He who drinks does not know about the dangers of wine; who does not drink, he does not know about its benefits.
13. Even if the sword is needed once in a lifetime, it must always be worn.
14. Beautiful flowers do not bear good fruit.
15. Grief, like a torn dress, must be left at home.
16. When there is love, smallpox ulcers are as beautiful as dimples on the cheeks.
17. No one stumbles while lying in bed.
18. One good word can warm three winter months.
19. Make way for fools and lunatics.
20. When you draw a branch, you need to hear the breath of the wind.
21. Check seven times before you doubt a person.
22. Do your best and leave the rest to fate.
23. Excessive honesty borders on stupidity.
24. In a house where they laugh, happiness comes.
25. Victory goes to the one who endures half an hour more than his opponent.
26. It happens that a leaf sinks, and a stone floats.
27. Do not shoot an arrow into a smiling face.
28. Cold tea and cold rice are tolerable, but a cold look and a cold word are unbearable.
29. At ten years old - a miracle, at twenty - a genius, and after thirty - an ordinary person.
30. A woman wants to - she will pass through the rock.
31. To ask is ashamed for a minute, and not to know is a shame for life.
32. A perfect vase never left the hands of a bad master.
33. Do not be afraid to bend a little, straighten up straighter.
34. deep rivers flow silently.
35. If you set off on a journey of your own free will, then a thousand ri seems to be one.
In books devoted to the art of ninjutsu, one can see descriptions of a huge number of types of cold ninja combat weapons - all kinds of swords, sickles, halberds, pipes, shurikens, etc.
But from a historical point of view, the specific melee ninja weapons that were used only by the "warriors of the night" were only a couple of dozen types of military items that were invisible and were used covertly. The rest was equally used by samurai and bandits.
Types of edged shinobi weapons
Ninja sword (ninja - to, gatana) - a short curved sword with a metal handle, entangled with black stripes of leather. About the ninja sword under the influence of militants has developed a large number of delusions. Ninja-to was not straight, but slightly curved and did not rush behind his back, as shown in the films. To avoid drawing attention to the hired killer, the blade, scabbard and hilt were missing patterns, ornaments and jewelry. Often the scabbard of the sword (sai) was made longer than the blade and small things were placed in the empty space that could help the shinobi in difficult situation- shurikens, poison powders, documents.
Ashiko - sharp metal claws that were worn on the feet and helped with high speed climb trees and walls. They were also used as weapons - they could cause heavy damage.
Shuko - like ashiko, it was used for climbing trees and overcoming high fortifications.
Kakuta is the female ninja's weapon. It was a ring with pointed protrusions on which poison was applied.
Kama is a military weapon in the form of a sickle, with a handle 45 cm long and a curved blade fixed perpendicular to it. Often used as a pair of weapons.
Kusari-gama - kama, to which a chain with a load on the other end was attached. With the help of the chain, the enemy’s weapon was intercepted and the blade was thrown out to a distance of the length of the chain, followed by the return of the kama to the hands of the ninja.
Kaginawa - a cat on a rope or chain of great length. Used to overcome walls.
Kiyoketsu shoge is a rope with a knife tied at one end and a hoop-shaped handle at the other.
Naginata - Japanese halberd with a fifteen-centimeter blade. The naginata was often worn by sohei warrior monks, and was used by ninja if they wanted to disguise themselves as them.
Some - metal, sometimes poisoned claws that were worn on the fingers. Mostly used by women - shinobi kunoichi to damage the eyes of an opponent.
Sai is a Japanese trident, which is a sharp round or multifaceted sixty-centimeter rod with sharpened guards.
Shobo - a sharp metal rod that was attached to the middle finger with a special ring.
Shuriken is a thin sharpened metal plate that was used mainly to stop the enemy. Sometimes poison was applied to the ends of the shuriken, but a ninja with a poisoned shuriken could inadvertently injure himself and die from his own poison.
Throwing arrows - pointed rods 10-15 cm long, were worn secretly in a special quiver on the arm.
Tessen - a fan with sharpened metal knitting needles. Often used as a small shield.
Fukiya, fukibari - wind pipe 5-30 centimeters long. With it, the ninja could shoot poisoned needles.
Ninja weapon video
The video lists the most interesting items from the shinobi arsenal.
The prevailing qualities of the ninja (those heroes that we so often see in the anime http://alive-portal.ru/anime/) were considered cunning, ingenuity and perseverance. Their main subjects were horseback riding, stick fighting, military strategy, the art of stealth and disguise, escape and disappearance, pyrotechnics and explosives, possession of a combat sword, kusarigama (a chain weapon consisting of a 2.5 m chain with a load at one end and with a sickle on the other), spiritual purification, the art of penetration, the spear, water training, combat without weapons, meteorology, espionage and geography.
MYTH #1: THE REAL NINJA IS A MYTH
This type of wrestling and its fighters began to appear in Japan 800 years ago. This means of defense was necessary for the peasants to defend themselves against samurai and other armed warriors. Ninjutsu is considered a unique and purely defensive martial art. Its main principle is to avoid battle if you can, and if you can't, kill the enemy. The ninja first tries to avoid any conflict: he throws sand into the eyes of the enemy to blind him, and hides. But if the battle started, then the ninjas are merciless. No wonder the Japanese emperors used them as bodyguards, spies and assassins.
MYTH #2: NINJA CAN PREVENT A SHARP SWORD WITH BARE HANDS
Ninjutsu master Hatsumi is the patriarch and founder of the Bujinkan school. He professed the Takamatsu school and served as the personal bodyguard of the last Chinese emperor. He shows his students the tricks and says: "Try to avoid any contact and fight." He shows them how to parry with a sword, though he basically just avoids them. And he does it very cleverly, sometimes using special tools (metal claws).
Dexterity and ingenuity help the ninja to repel melee attacks. Everything happens at lightning speed, and therefore it seems that the ninja fight off a sharp sword with their bare hands.
MYTH #3: NINJA WEAR MASK AND BLACK CLOTHES
Modern ninja, serving as bodyguards, wear the most ordinary clothes and everyday costumes. And 800 years ago, ninja wore simple peasant dresses without black masks on their faces.
MYTH #4: NINJA CAN VAPORIZE IN THE AIR
This is a consequence of the main rule of the ninja: hide, run, disappear. At the slightest opportunity to avoid a fight, a real ninja will not miss it. He will do his best to evade the war (fight, fight) using dodges, withdrawal, threatening (frightening) throwing of shurikens (thrown weapons in the form stars with sharp ends). To hide from the enemy, they used smoke bombs or threw sand into the opponent's eyes, confusing the enemy in order to disappear from view.
MYTH #5: NINJA KILL WITH ONE HAND TOUCH
In the high school of ninja, there are techniques that allow fighters to block the arteries of the attacker with the touch of their fingers. There are blows to the temple that cause death in the ninja's arsenal, but such techniques are taught only to those students who will never use them.
Such techniques are studied more for theory than for practice. Although the main pain points for touching a ninja are studied at the very beginning of their studies (this is the basis). These points are located on the neck in the region of the eyeballs. Ninja use this knowledge only in extreme cases, when there is no other way out to neutralize the enemy.
MYTH #6: SHURIKEN IS A SPECIAL MURDER WEAPON
In fact, shurikens were used as a secondary weapon in order to inflict wounds on enemies, distracting them from the fight. Shurikens were of two types. Hira-shuriken - a household item of peasants - its tips were sharpened and sharpened to inflict wounds. Bo-shuriken is an improved military weapon with sharp spikes up to 20 cm, but it was also created not to kill, but to intimidate rivals.
MYTH #7: NINJA ONLY USE ANCIENT JAPANESE WEAPON
The new ninjas adopted modern types of weapons, but before they used only their own and not necessarily ancient ones. Instead of shurikens for throwing, for example, coins sharpened along the edges were used. Often they resorted to the help of gunpowder and various homemade bombs.
Ninja students had a special subject - kayakujutsu, where they studied various powder mixtures, taught how to make and install smoke and explosive bombs and bombs on the ground. Ninja were among the first to use smoke screens and bomb explosions to distract enemies.
MYTH #8: NINJA SHOULD BE STRONG
Ninjutsu masters point out that this is not the main thing. Ninjutsu teaches a person to skillfully and effectively use his body, and it does not matter here whether you are fat or thin, tall or small. Such a quality as foreseeing the actions of an opponent and the ability to outwit him is necessary. Thanks to smooth and well-balanced movements, the fighter takes control over the actions of the opponent and over the course of the fight itself.
Ninjutsu teaches natural postures and the fluidity of all movements. Of paramount importance here are the movement and position of the legs (support of the whole body). The balance of your movements and the judicious use of techniques familiar to the fighter are important. A true master is always relaxed and focused. It takes a fraction of a second to perform a striking technique.
MYTH #9: A PIRATE (BANDIT) WILL DEFEAT THE NINJA
If we talk about a fair fight, then without a shadow of doubt, the ninja will win. But pirates and bandits are not used to obeying a code of honor. Using all available means and methods, they can outwit the ninjutsu master by using a pistol at the most unexpected moment. In this case, the ninja will be defeated. Thanks to the deceit and the lack of any noble canons of the pirate, the crook will outplay the naive and noble ninja.
Shuriken (literal translation: "blade hidden in the hand") - a hidden Japanese weapon designed for throwing; although sometimes used for strikes
Unlike a pirate, a ninja will seek a peaceful solution to the problem to the last and cold-bloodedly use every oversight of an opponent. The pirate, of course, looks more menacing, but the ninja acts smarter.
