When Japanophiles hear “Osaka,” they immediately think about Dotonbori, the Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen museum, and Kansai-ben (the dialect of Osaka that became popular throughout Japan through slapstick comedy skits).

But, long before Osaka became a sprawling metropolitan area, it was a hotspot for battles (during the Sengoku era). Many great men rose and fell in skirmishes there. But one name resonated more than the rest — Sanada Yukimura.

Cultural Differences Among Osaka, Nagoya and Tokyo

Before we go back in time, comparing present-day Osaka to both Nagoya and Tokyo is important.

If you’ve never been to any other place in Japan aside from Tokyo, Osaka will come as a surprise. And, not just for international tourists either. I lost count of how many confused Tokyoites I saw on the escalators…

In Tokyo, you stand on the left; in Osaka, you stand on the right.

Standing on the left on roadways and staircases was a habit formed during the time of the samurai. Since samurai wore their katana on the left, it made sense to keep it away from passersby (moving in the opposite direction).

I later found out the reason for this difference. Where Tokyo had numerous samurai, Osaka had more merchants. Crossing swords was not an issue.

The Ancient International Trade Hub

In fact, the history of Osaka [1] is rather unique. Around the 5th century, Osaka was the cultural and political epicenter of Japan. This was long before Nara, Kyoto, and Tokyo thereafter. Influences from Korea and China poured into Japan through Osaka.

After the unification of Japan in 1583 (by Toyotomi Hideyoshi), Osaka once again became a pivotal location. This time it was due to the construction of Osaka Castle.

During the 17th to 19th centuries, when Edo was the capital of Japan, Osaka was a budding international hub of trade [1].

At that time, the region obtained its nickname, “Nation’s Kitchen”. Private schools for various trades flourished. People believe this entrepreneurial practice brought about Osaka’s friendliness, individualism, and thriftiness.

Nowadays, a common greeting in Osaka is not “How are you?” (お元気ですか。) but “Are you making any money?” (もっかりまっか。).

Of course, the other common practice in Osaka is the eat away your paycheck. In Tokyo (and Nagoya to a lesser extent), people would rather go without food to afford clothing. Or engage in something they enjoy—like overworking!

So why am I mentioning these things?

Knowing how history inter-meshes with the present helps with cultural understanding.

Japan as a whole is so proud of where they come from. That’s why historical sites are more revered, and customs continued to be practiced so fastidiously.

It is also the reason people carry on the arts of the samurai and ninja. And, also, devote endless stories to their past exploits through anime and performances.

I mean, when was the last time you heard about Europe or America making an animation or best-selling novel about ancient civilizations? Western films aside, it rarely happens.

Walking Through Osaka to the Castle

So, as I took a walk through Osaka in the early morning hours, the sun peeked through the thick clouds. I thought about the hidden shrines and temples down the alleyways, and the castle that awaited beyond the high-rise buildings. The air was scented with miso and oil, and the sigh of car tires over damp pavement was at every turn.

About the time I reached Osaka Castle park, rain began to patter against the asphalt.

Christmas Carol & Tailing Chinese Tourists

Over the speakers surrounding the fountain, I heard Christmas carols. Though I did not get a picture of it, the tour train for children (or small adults) was decorated with wreaths. The driver was dressed up as a very slim Santa Claus. With the uppermost reaches of Osaka Castle poking through the trees, it was quite a surreal sight.

I tailed a group of Chinese tourists up the steep pathway to the outer court of the castle, through the pine and cherry tree orchard. Remains of the castle walls bordered the moats. As I came around one corner, the tour group went straight, and I moved towards the Hohoku-jinja.

Because it was so quiet, I crept towards the front of the building. Then, I crossed the yard to the Shudokan — a training hall for marital arts.

Before the Sakuramon Gate, there were several flags printed with the kanji characters for Sanada Yukimura. Moving beneath the massive gate, I took a moment to shake off the rain that was now soaking through my jacket. And, I scanned the pathway leading to the courtyard.

Planned Performance – Siege of Osaka Castle of 1614

Despite the inclement weather, there was going to be an event of some sort. That evening, in the Nishinomaru Garden, a performance called Sengoku: The Real at Osaka Castle.

I’d have loved to stick around, but I had a plane to catch. I do think that choreographed samurai battles are quite a spectacle, though.

When I walked around the courtyard, there were pictures posted on a wall-blocked area under construction. It detailed the battle around the castle as well as the growth of Osaka.

Turns out, there was quite a bit about Sanada Yukimura, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Osaka Castle that I was unaware of.

The Crimson Demon of War – Sanada Yukimura

Many people think of Oda Nobunaga and Hattori Hanzo as demons of the battlefield. Yet there was another. The life of Sanada Yukimura, one of Japan’s most popular samurai. He depicted what it meant to be a warrior of the Sengoku period.

In 1567, Yukimura was born as the second son of Sanada Masayuki. He was a samurai who was among the few men Tokugawa Ieyasu actually feared [2].

Around the time Masayuki joined Uesugi Kagekatsu.

Yukimura Held Captive & the Sanada clan’s Loyalty

In 1585, Yukimura is sent to Kaizu Castle and Kasugayama Castle as an Uesugi captive. During the Battle of Ueda, Yukimura was pitted against the Tokugawa and Hojo and wins.

There is then much debate about how the Sanada clan moved around from daimyo to daimyo. Though for a time Masayuki, Yukimura, and his older brother, Nobuyuki, all served Tokugawa.

Yet, in 1600, during the Battle of Sekigahara, Yukimura and his father joined the western forces under Uesugi. Nobuyuki joined Ieyasu instead.

Yukimura and his father returned to Ueda Castle, and held up with only 2000 men against Tokugawa Hidetada’s much larger force. After the battle, Yukimura and Masayuki were exiled to Koya-san on the Kii Peninsula.

There he stayed for 14 years.

History of Osaka Castle (大阪城)

In 1583, after Oda Nobunaga had passed away, Toyotomi Hideyoshi realized the plans of the Oda. And, he unified the nation of Japan under a single name.

Toyotomi wanted to build a castle that modeled Oda Nobunaga’s residence. But, Osaka Castle’s blueprints proved to be much more intricate than any other castle of that era. Over time, Toyotomi expanded the base of the castle, making it more and more defensible.

In 1597, construction finally completed but Hideyoshi had already died. So, the possession of the castle transferred to his son, Toyotomi Hideyori.

Bakufu Attempts to Overthrow Hideyori’s Rule in Osaka

After the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, Tokugawa Ieyasu built his own bakufu (shogunate) in Edo. And, he sought to overthrow Hideyori’s rule in Osaka.

In the winter of 1614, the Tokugawa forces marched upon Osaka with an army of 200,000 men [3][4]. Upon hearing that his nemesis would attack Toyotomi, Yukimura left exile.

He realized that Tokugawa would target the southern side of the castle, where defenses were lacking. So, he built a barbican (outer defence) called Sanada Maru.

Though Toyotomi’s men were outnumbered, Yukimura tactfully used the castle defenses to deliver a crushing blow.

Peace Pact & Battle Breaks Out Again

A pact of peace was made when Tokugawa told Toyotomi to destroy the outer moat to the castle. Despite the accord only concerning the outer moat, the Tokugawa forces dismantled the inner moat as well. But, it only took a few months before Hideyori attempted to reconstruct the protective walls of his castle.

In 1615, the infuriated Tokugawa Ieyasu attacks once again in the Battle of Tennoji. While there was a separate siege on Osaka Castle, Hideyori planned a counterattack.

Yukimura was supposed to meet up with Akashi Morishige (another samurai) after retreating from the Battle of Doumyouji.

Sanada attempted to attack the backside of Ieyasu’s army, cutting down hundreds of men. But, he was eventually injured during the battle.

There are many stories speculating who took his head, or where he was decapitated. But his final message continues to echo throughout history: “I am tired and must rest. Go on and take my head” [5].

How to get to Osaka Castle?

Final Thoughts

So as I stood on the hallowed ground before the impressive Osaka Castle, I thought about the thousands of lives that died to protect that earth.

I tried to picture the hundreds of tents set up, the clangor of weapons, and the voices raised in eagerness for battle. The area was surreally quiet, save for the custodian singing old fishermen songs as he raked leaves from the gravel.

I realized that I cannot even wrap my mind around the past. I can only view it and continue to experience what evidence remains.

Osaka, like the rest of Japan, is packed with interesting historical nooks and crannies. If you seek out the experiences, they are everywhere.

Unfortunately, due to time and season restrictions, many outdoor sites I wanted to visit would be difficult to get to (or were closed).

My recommendation for fellow travelers is to visit Japan in the autumn or spring. That’s when the temperatures are perfect and the landscape is awash in vibrant hues.

Osaka Walking Tour with River Cruise and
Osaka Castle from Kyoto

Follow an expert guide on foot to principal landmarks in Osaka during a full-day walking tour, departing from Kyoto. Visit Shogun exhibits at Osaka Castle and look as far as the eye can see from the Umeda Sky Building’s Floating Garden Observatory. Then join your guide on a 1-hour river cruise on the Aqua Liner, coasting past the Twin Towers and City Hall of Nakanoshima lsle. Lunch and round-trip transport
from Kyoto are included.

Book Via Viator

The post Osaka Castle & Historical Samurai Battles – Japan Travel appeared first on Way Of Ninja.

Back in December 2016, I once again found myself stepping off a plane at Narita International Airport in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. Winter in Japan does not really get into full swing until January or so. But the air was damp and biting.

It may come as a surprise, but Japan was ensnared by Christmas illuminations, Christmas carols, and elegantly ornamented trees. More so than the usually lit metropolitan streets, the country had taken on a new kind of shimmer.

Of course, the cold did not stop me from seeking out historical attractions scattered throughout the countryside. Wherever a samurai or ninja once stood, I too hope to be in that place someday. Unfortunately, a week in Japan rarely does Tokyo justice, let alone the three major historical cities on my to-do list:

• Nagoya
• Osaka
• Nara

Also, several outdoor attractions I wanted to visit were closed due to inclement winter weather, it being the weekend, or a combination of both.

Heading Towards Nagoya

I took the Shinkansen (the bullet train) from Tokyo to Nagoya. The total trip was a little under 2 hours; and the train zipped by Mount Fuji, giving me incredible views of the mountain’s glorious symmetry and snowy peak. When I had climbed Fuji-san in August 2016, hardly any snow had remained, save for the top.

If you ever find yourself in Japan, I recommend either climbing Mount Fuji or checking out Kofu (the capital of Yamaguchi Prefecture, which encompasses the mountain).

Kofu was the dwelling of Takeda Shingen, and his influence remains even today in a plethora of shrines and temples. There is even a Shingen Matsuri, where people don masks and dance around in his honour. But my focus was not Takeda Shingen this time around.

About Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture

The city of Nagoya has developed into a well-known international destination for its central location and pivotal historical roles. Nagoya is also famous for being the birthplace of three notable samurai.

Those men were Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Tokugawa Ieyasu.

For more than 1900 years, archives and other records mentioned Nagoya. The region has existed since the establishment of Atsuta Jingu. However, the area wasn’t named Nagoya around the time of the Kojiki (Japan’s oldest historical text).

Yet, Nagoya become most prominent when Tokugawa Ieyasu came out victorious during the Battle of Sekigahara [3] in 1600. With that triumph, Tokugawa Ieyasu heralded in the Edo period, which was to last for 300 years, by constructing Nagoya Castle. An entire town named Kiyosu was uprooted from its original location. It then resettled around the castle in 1614. This exodus was called “Kiyosu-goe.”

Though Tokugawa Ieyasu moved on from Nagoya Castle, the first true lord, Tokugawa Yoshinao and other members of the Owari Tokugawa family worked tirelessly to promote growth in Nagoya. Arts like tea ceremony, Noh, and Kyogen, and traditional handicrafts flourished during the family’s reign.

But if I ended the history there, I would be doing Kiyosu, Nagoya, and the three famous retainers a huge disservice.

Yes, if I merely pointed to the exploits of the Owari Tokugawa hegemony, you’d overlook a gigantic portion of what makes Nagoya so fascinating.

History of Nagoya – Oda Nobunaga & The Battle of Okehazama

Oda Nobunaga & his oddities

Oda Nobunaga (織田 信長), you see, was born in Kiyosu on June 23rd, 1534, long before Tokugawa Ieyasu relocated the town. However, there is an ongoing myth—despite evidence and all notions of time—about Oda Nobunaga being born in Nagoya Castle.

The other interesting facet of Oda Nobunaga’s life is the years prior to those most people know about. Before Oda ever became the ruthless, tactical mastermind that conquered many throughout the Sengoku period, people knew him by another name. Despite his prowess on the battlefield, the people of his hometown called him Owari no Outsuke (尾張の大うつけ), which translates into the “The Big Fool of Owari.”

Strange Things about Oda Nobunaga

In case you are wondering just how weird he was, let me put it this way…

Oda Nobunaga did not behave according to customs, which is the exact opposite of your typical samurai. When his father died in 1551, Oda Nobunaga reportedly attended the funeral ceremony late, threw incense the altar, then stalked off. One of his mentors was so ashamed he committed seppuku.

There is actually an anime, Nobunaga the Fool, that outlines some of this behaviour. The anime itself is far from being historically accurate though. A strategy game called “Nobunaga’s Ambition: Sphere of Influence” also goes into detail about his father’s death and the events thereafter.

Due to his brash behaviour causing a schism through the Oda clan, many sided with Nobunaga’s younger and mild-mannered brother, Nobuyuki. Or even his father’s brother Nobutomo.

When Nobunaga learned there was a proposed overthrowing of his hereditary ascension, he slew Nobutomo and those involved. He then took control of Kiyosu Castle.

Uniting the Provinces around Kiyosu Castle

For several years, Nobunaga worked to unite provinces around Kiyosu Castle, including Owari Province. Things seemed to be going well until 1556, when Nobuyuki and trusted retainers, Shibata Katsuie and Hayashi Hidesada, planned to usurp control from Nobunaga. Though Nobunaga swiftly defeated them, he pardoned everyone after his birth mother Tsuchida Gozen stepped in.

A few months later, despite the pardon, Nobunaga killed his younger brother. By 1559, Oda united the Owari Province under his banners.

The Battle of Okehazama – Imagawa Yoshimoto & Toyotomi Hideyoshi

The Battle of Okehazama [1] unfolded in 1560 on the outskirts of what is now Nagoya and has been preserved for tourists to visit.

There is not much to see at the actual site in Toyoake [2]; and I unfortunately did not have the time to travel there to witness it for myself. One day, though, I hope to get there. This was where the tide of the Sengoku period in Japan changed forever.

It was the day forces realized that Oda Nobunaga was no fool. He was a military genius.

1560

In 1560, Imagawa Yoshimoto (今川 義元), who as formerly under Oda banners, accrued an army of close to 25,000 men and began marching towards Kyoto. The Matsudaira clan (predecessors of the Tokugawa clan) of Mikawa province, which had also been allied to Oda, joined Imagawa. When Oda Nobunaga left Kiyosu Castle despite the advisors telling him to defend within the castle walls, he had a mere 200 soldiers following him.

More warriors came to aid him after stopping to pray for victory at Atsuta Jingu. Mori Ranmaru’s father, Mori Yoshinari, appeared with around 120 men. This added to the 80 men under Shibata Katsuie, the 300 riders under Sassa Narimasa, and the 30 men under Toyotomi Hideyoshi (豊臣 秀吉).

Despite the scouts reporting that Imagawa had amassed a force of 40,000 men, Oda Nobunaga refused to believe that amount. He rode out with his patchwork army to Okehazama, finding that Imagawa’s army had stopped for lunch. A storm broke out, and in the deluge, Nobunaga and his small troop ambushed Yoshimoto’s men. It took no longer than 2 hours for Oda Nobunaga to obtain Yoshimoto’s head (the typical trophy of that time [1] and return to Kiyosu Castle.

1561 and beyond

As a result in 1561, the Matsudaira and Oda clan forged an alliance. Through the marriage of one of his daughters Oda also created an alliance with Takeda Shingen. This alliance broke in 1572 during the Battle of Anegawa.

His sister, Oichi, also created a bond with Azai Nagamasa of Omi Province. This signalled the beginning of a unified Japan. Although Oda Nobunaga would perish at Honnou-ji in 1582 during the betrayal of Akechi Mitsuhide, Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu carried on his legacy.

Visiting Nagoya Castle

With all that in mind, I went to Nagoya to see some of the remnants of history for myself. 

Upon arriving, Nagoya station – connected to the airport and several other waystations – was so packed with travellers that every single locker was taken. I had no choice but to lug my two heavy bags from the station all the way to the castle, which is approximately 2.8 km away. If it was not for nearly 30 kg (70 lbs) of luggage, the 30-40 minute walk would have been delightful.

Nagoya is beautiful, with an atmosphere similar to that of Tokyo.

Reaching the castle

When I got to the castle, I grabbed a freshly baked adzuki bean stuffed taiyaki (fish-shaped pastry) for 100 yen to eat outside of the entrance gate. I watched the endless stream of international tourists and Japanese visitors moving around the outer yard.

Someone mentioned a ninja show, and I perked right up. Did they just say what I think they did?

Scarfing down the last of my taiyaki, I purchased a ticket to the castle grounds then headed inside. Immediately, I went to the information building and stumbled inside with my luggage.

The staff greeted me with an enthusiastic “Hello” in English accompanied by “Do you need any help?” in Japanese.

Not going to lie here. After hauling my luggage through gravel, I looked like I had fallen down a mountainside. Giving a slight bow, I asked them for some aid then inquired about the special events.

The guides gave me several pamphlets on the samurai and ninja shows happening at the castle, both in English and Japanese once I told them I was a travel writer. My luck and timing could not have been any better.

Samurai & Ninja Performance Groups at the Castle

There were two ninja clans present at Nagoya castle that day: the Hattori Hanzo group and the Tokugawa group.

The Hanzo Group

The first ones I encountered was the trio calling themselves Hanzo.

Compared to other ninja displays, I found myself laughing at these three more than being intrigued. However, I did enjoy their “quiz time,” where they asked the audience about common ninja-related myths before stating factual information.

My favourite was the discussion on how ninja move silently.

Technique to Walk Silently

As you can see in the picture, ninja would sometimes put their hands beneath their shoes when creeping about to detract from the pressure on floor or ceiling boards. Though slow, it allowed them to sneak about undetected.

After doing some stunts to wow the crowd one more time, the ninja departed to make way for the samurai show.

Samurai Show

Once everyone in the crowd was situated, the showed began.

Two infantrymen clamoured out into the open, stabbing at one another with their swords. Then two actors portraying Maeda Toshiie and Maeda Keiji took to the field to fight invisible opponents. In the past, the two served beneath Oda Nobunaga, long before the construction of Nagoya Castle. However, Maeda Keiji later went to serve amongst the ranks of Uesugi Kenshin’s army.

When the actor playing Nobunaga made his appearance, he was clad in a mix of Western and Eastern armour. To me, he channelled the composure of Oda Nobunaga perfectly. He commanded the attention of the audience as he spoke about his ambitions for unifying Japan. With the crows circling overhead and stark beauty of the castle in the background, the display was truly entertaining.

With the samurai show complete within 25 minutes, I made my way back through the eastern entrance towards the inner courtyard of the castle.

Tokugawa Ninja Group – Shuriken Facts

There, another ninja demonstration was taking place. These Tokugawa ninja were a bit more into the theatrics than the others. They took to popping balloons, climbing each other’s shoulders, and other acrobatics.

Still, like every other honest display I have seen, they too sought to deliver some information that dispels “ninja myth”. The leader went into detail about shuriken—the weight, the use, and the throwing technique.

Shuriken were actually only carried in pairs. since they were made of heavier metal. For that reason, ninja used shuriken as diversion and rarely as weaponry. And as this ninja group shows us, shuriken never got much bigger than the palm of your hand.

Sorry, Naruto fans. Those windmill-sized shuriken are bogus.

Nagoya Castle’s Outer Ring

After the show, I soon found myself walking the outer ring of the castle. Reading the plaques along the walkway, I learned that the walls of the moat slanted and smoothed for a reason. Climbing up those partitions would be impossible, especially with slick shoes.

Honestly, I cannot even begin to adequately describe the beauty of Nagoya Castle. There is something so stunning about the design, despite the simplicity of it all. The grounds are quite large.

Yet, due to the season, the staff closed off some of the areas, like the gardens.

Other Places in Nagoya

Leaving the castle, I worked my way down along the river with the hope of getting back to the station. Although I had no clue about the historical road, I somehow stumbled upon it. This is one of the reasons I love Japan—the desire to hold onto relics and valuable pieces of history is so strong within the culture. You can find evidence of the past, and a love of tradition, wherever you look.

I cannot give this advice enough: when in Japan, travel the back alleys as much as possible. Treasures are everywhere.

Experiencing Nagoya Castle and other sites for yourself

Want to tour Nagoya Castle with a helpful guide who speaks in English? 

For half-day and full-day tours, check out the following:

• Half Day Cherry Blossom Viewing and Nagoya Castle Tour (4 hours)
• Cherry Blossom Viewing by Bicycle including a Picnic in Nagoya (4 hours)
• Private Full-day Nagoya City Tour (6 hours)

All of them include Nagoya Castle in the packages.

Getting to Nagoya Castle

Nagoya Castle (名古屋城)

1-1 Honmaru, Naka Ward, Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture 460-0031, Japan

Opens 9am to 4.30pm daily

The post Nagoya Castle with Samurai & Ninja Re-Enactments – Japan Travel appeared first on Way Of Ninja.

When I heard about the Samurai Museum in Shinjuku, you could only imagine the excitement a Japanese history nerd like myself felt. I was, honestly, stoked.

The ratings on Trip Advisor were what sold me, and the fact that it’s in Kabukicho of all places is pretty exciting. Because the surroundings are so modern and wild, you would think finding anything educational would be impossible. But the Samurai Museum is a delightful sanctuary for those who want to delve into the history of our favorite Japanese warriors, from beginning to end.

The outside of the museum is relatively nondescript, save for the samurai kanji on the facade of the building over the doorway. If you aren’t looking for it, you won’t find it, so I recommend bringing along a handy-dandy GPS for the journey. Getting lost in Kabukicho is only fun for a short while.

Beginning the tour at the Samurai Museum in Tokyo

Once you are inside, you are greeted by a truly friendly group of people who speak English and Japanese. The tour guides are really welcoming and know all about the artifacts on display in the museum. Now, it’s not a large museum, and for that reason, the little that they do have holds great value. You are allowed to take photographs of everything but paintings from the Battle of Sekigahara. Filming is never allowed.

The beginning of the tour starts you out in front of a collection of samurai armor from various eras of Japanese history. The various colors and materials are explained at length. For example, how the samurai didn’t wear a lot of metal in the beginning. Many components of the armor were fabricated from lacquered wood or animal hide. This includes sword scabbards.

Battle of Sekigahara

When you are done looking at the first row of armor, your attention is guided to one of the two paintings about the Battle of Sekigahara. In a total of 6 hours, thousands of samurai rushed in for their honorable deaths. At the first sign of impending doom, the generals began to commit seppuku.

At this point in the tour, a man asked, “Why do some of the banners have the Christian cross on them?”

The tour guide answered with how missionaries from Europe and China were bringing in Christianity during that period, and so a lot of people had converted over to Christianity. Currently, Japan has a blend of Buddhist and Shintoism beliefs. Should you ask a Japanese person about their religion, however, they will say they aren’t very religious at all. To an outsider, the fact that they pray to shrine spirits might come off as religious. To the Japanese, it’s purely cultural.

Anyway, the Battle of Sekigahara was not about religion but about the establishment of a new era. And a new capital. Though the war was fought in Kansai, the new capital was made in the Tokyo region. The ushering in of a new government brought about some changes to how samurai fought and why, as well as the development of specialized weapons.

Young samurai’s armor & the attempted Mongol Invasion

With the first floor explained, we moved up toward the second floor. Here you must remove your shoes. In the first room, there is a small boy’s armor, which used to be presented to young warriors in the hope that they would grow up strong and brave. The same space also featured relics from when Mongolians tried to invade Japan in the 1200s. When the Mongolian ships attempted to cross the sea of Japan, they were overwhelmed by a typhoon.

This typhoon was one of first instances where “kamikaze” or “divine wind” was used.

One could only imagine how different Japan would be had the Mongolians succeeded in their invasion.

Samurai weapons & differences in sword make

Another room has some weapons regularly used by samurai during the early warring ages. I found this intriguing. The first sword is over 800 years old. Let that sink in. It was also fairly different in construction than some of the more modern ones. Slightly flatter blade, less of a curve. As you go done the line to the 200 year old sword, which was by far the longest and most slender, you see how knowledge of warfare influenced sword construction. One thing I learned was that a samurai sword could only kill a maximum of 3 people per battle. After that, it would be far too dull to cut anything. Obviously, during war, you can’t just whip out a whetstone to sharpen your own sword. So, the samurai were forced to kill enemies and pick up a new sword to keep fighting.

There were also two spears. One had a pretty fascinating hook that, when it met the blade of a sword, could be twisted to break the metal. Another sword looked akin to a scimitar. It was explained that such a blade was not used for people very often but for cutting horses’ legs while they ran.

The following exhibit housed another interesting element to samurai history: the unique designs chosen by some warriors for their kabuto, or helmets. I think it’s intriguing how the rabbit looked like a jack-a-lope, the demon looked like a cow, and the butterfly looked like…fish scales and fins.

On the quiver for arrows is a dragonfly. The tour guide explained that dragonflies came to symbolize the samurai spirit. A dragonfly can only fly forward or side to side, never backward. So in the way a dragonfly can keep progressing, so to do the samurai. In other words, never look back. Never falter.

Special Samurai Swordsmanship Demonstration

At this time, while we should have moved onto another room, the group I was in was told that there was a special sword demonstration taking place. So we moved to the small event space, which also has the final pieces of the museum’s collection. There, a samurai appeared. He moved to the center of the room proudly, gave a humble bow, then took a moment to meditate.

In the quiet, someone started questioning what he was doing. But then the samurai picked up his sword and began to shift into a whirlwind of kendo kata straight out of Rurouni Kenshin. I loved it. The display was epic. Every twist, turn and strike was clear and precise. You could visualize the invisible enemies surrounding the demonstrator clearly. Then he broke down each movement and explained what the name was and how it would be used in battle (offensively or defensively).

Afterwards, one of the fellow tour members confessed, “I wouldn’t have sat front row and center if I knew the sword would be coming at my face the entire time.” Of course, it wasn’t a sharpened blade. Certainly shined like one though!

At the end of the demonstration, there was a short Q&A session for the demonstrator. He told us that he was not actually a full-time samurai but an actor for samurai dramas and films. A lot of what he’d shown us was actually movie choreography. Secondly, he had studied kendo for some time during middle school but only got into kendo for work. Recent studies provided him with a more in depth understanding of swordsmanship.

The tour then continued.

Famous samurai and use of firearms

The second to final room was about firearms. Nobunaga Oda was one of the first to employ various guns in combat. On display were short and long range firearms. My favorite was the one that could be used to rain molten lead down on castle walls.

Lastly, you enter the room where the demonstrations take place. Here you are introduced to pictures of Uesugi Kenshin and Takeda Shingen, whose 12 year war ended in a stalemate. The last battle between them was said to be the last real battle of the samurai, for no guns had been used.

The armors of Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu are lined up. Our tour guide didn’t say much about who these gentlemen were, so if you didn’t already know much about them or read the plaques, you’d be a bit lost.

Upon sighting the black armor Oda had sported, the little boy in the group pointed at it with his toy sword and exclaimed, “It’s Darth Vader. He’s my enemy!”

Fun fact: Darth Vader’s outfit was indeed inspired by samurai. Especially his helmet.

I always find the humongous golden rays of Toyotomi’s helm rather impressive. One has to ponder how he ever kept his posture when sporting that thing. And how he wasn’t an easy target. Same with Tokugawa’s golden armor. Since gold is a weaker metal, it’s fascinating that someone would want it for protecting their life.

Meiji Restoration – The Last Samurai

In the same room are artifacts from Sakamoto Ryouma. A recreation of the western styled boots he’d sport–and the small caliber pistol tucked inside–was on exhibition. There was also a brief mention of the Shinsengumi prior to the Meiji Restoration. As many know, when the Emperor Meiji imported influences from America and Europe, the use of samurai dwindled drastically. Soon the samurai faded out, leaving the relics of hard fought wars and a warrior spirit seared deep into Japanese culture.

Final Thoughts – Classes at the Samurai Museum

The museum features classes that you can take throughout the week, like calligraphy and sword handling. On specific days, you can also have a professional photo shoot while dressed up in armor or a kimono. There’s even child-sized clothing. Optionally, you can visit the souvenir shop. The katana in sale are breathtaking. Better than those found on Nakamise-dori in Asakusa. You can also pick up some ninja-related trinkets, including foldable ninja socks.

If you are looking for an easy to view museum in the middle of a major tourist point, then head to the Samurai Museum. Though there is not a lot on display, the armor and weapons are rare finds. The information is detailed, but slightly scattered, in my opinion. There doesn’t seem to be a set order to how the history is explained. It’s befuddling if you don’t have some basic knowledge on samurai and the eras throughout Japanese history, but the museum does what it sets out to do: to enlighten those curious about the samurai.

Getting to the Samurai Museum

Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo Kabukicho 2-25-6

Tel: 03-6457-6411 | Official website

Opening hours: 10.30am to 9.00pm (last admission at 8.30pm)

Book your tickets to the Samurai Museum

Book Your Tickets Now!

The post Samurai Museum in Tokyo – One of the best experiences! [Travel Report] appeared first on Way Of Ninja.

On August 27th, the Japan Ninja Council brought together ninja clans from across Japan. This epic performance for the Ninja Festival at Skytree was the first of its kind. And sponsors, participants and hopeful viewers of the event had high expectations.
In the end, Mother Nature dampened what promised to be a wonderful display of ninjutsu. In spite of this, the rain did nothing to dilute the spirit of Japan, and the show went off without a hitch.

Because of the rain (coming and going), the crowd was not as grand as it could have been. However, those who remained to see the Ninja Festival were dazzled by the show. Show segments like:

• Weapon and martial art displays
• Interactive sections
• Songs sung by an idol group (who were, as the Japanese would say, meccha kawaii)
• Dancing
• Instrumental improvisations
• Story-telling aspects of all those performances combined

The effort of the performers, representatives and council came together with such harmony, that it was hard to take my eyes away.

Purpose of the Ninja Festival at Tokyo Skytree

There has been a lot of ninja-related happenings lately around Japan. Events include the Miraikan exhibition and ninja experience classes popping up throughout Japan. The country has as much love for the ninja as the rest as the world does.

Recent revelations in ninja history and the strong association of ninja clans has allowed for great discoveries in who the ninja really were and what kind of work they actually did. The Ninja Festival at Skytree was a blend of both fantasy and reality.

In the past, ninja were multi-taskers. The skills they employed were based widely on a sense of selflessness and preserving the safety of their communities. The loyalty to their leaders and samurai lords was second to none, as was their level of skill in espionage. However, they were something else. Many were intelligent, cunning and able to connect to the world on a deeper level.

This is the front of the ninja-related myths Western culture eats up like Pocky.

By bringing several groups together—all active in preserving ninja history—the effort to wipe away the mythology is very obvious. Because Skytree is a high traffic area, it makes sense that it would be used as a platform to reach as many people as possible. A speaker from the Japan Ninja Council explained to the audience this very fact.

Performances by various ninja groups in Japan

What I was pleased with was getting to the festival in time to see the Musashi clan, from the Jidai Academy experience that I’d recently went on, put in their well-rehearsed show for the festival. From what I gathered, the amount of planning and preparation for them as the main event was tremendous. I mean, their piece alone lasted almost half an hour.

Musashi Clan Translated Performance & Explanation

The story they told in their performance was explained by Vanessa, the 86th Musashi Clan representative, as such:

“A young Musashi Shinobi on his way to Shizugatake to condole the souls of the dead, has a dream of the past battle after hearing a sound of a string.

Two ghosts appear. An ancestor shinobi wielding a fire arm and an armored warrior of the enemy clan. The improvisations by violin player represent the paths to “Ku”. The warriors feel the essence of sympathetic resonance of the youth. The state of Ku (no-self). Peace and harmony.

What is ninjutsu?

What is Shinobi?

Definitely, martial arts are only a part of ninjutsu. Shinobi is a person who walks the way to Ku and gathers information unnoticed, for the sake of peace keeping. There were a lot of shinobi whose expertise were not martial arts.
In our clan, clan heads headhunted people with skills throughout the country. Traditionally, in a So Shinobi Yoriai Reunion, a shinobi, after taking a vow of shinobi, is recognized as full-fledged. Martial art training is not essential. People with missions given from the Shinobi Order that can move people and lead people with psychological techniques are our shinobis.

We think shows are the means to interact with the general public, and a good way to train our people. In our clan, all categories of shinobi work together and endeavor together to attain ‘Kyomei Mizukagami’ (sympathetic resonance).”

To clear any confusion, the “armored warrior” is the guy in yellow. For those who are interested in watching the video, here it is.

Highlights of the Musashi Clan’s performance

What I loved about the Musashi performance was the blend of theatrics, martial arts, music and dance. As a dancer, I was wholly enamored with the stunts done in sync to the spellbinding strings and drums. I left the festival with an inspired energy to apply what I have learned through various interactions with Ninja throughout Japan and fuse it with Modern dance technique.

That takedown scene left my jaw on the ground.

And here’s some shots from earlier sections of the Musashi performance:

The skills of the Musashi clan can’t be underestimated. You can’t just pick up crescent blades and start swinging unless you know what you’re doing. And the samurai general was definitely emanating the spirt of Edo with is long sword and naginata halberd.

Other Ninja Groups in Japan

The other groups to perform included:

• The Tokugawa Ieyasu and Hanzo Hattori Ninja Group
• The Hizen Yume Kaido Hagakure Clan from Saga Prefecture in Kyushu
• Kawakami Jinichi and Kiyomoto Yasushi from Mie Prefecture

For those who don’t know, an appearance by the latter two is a big deal. Kawakami Jinichi is the current head of the Banke Shinobi no Den, honorary director of the Iga-ryu Ninja Museum, and the surviving representative of the Koga Ban family. Kiyomoto Yasushi belongs to the Iga ninja. Meanwhile, many will know the name Hizen Yume Kaido as the name of a theme park. The Ninja Village found in the amusement zone is based off of Edo period Ureshino. The much talked about “Apple Ninja” from the Saga Ninja Village made a special appearance at the Skytree Festival too.

Ninja Information Stalls – for events around Japan

There were also stalls set up with information about different ninja experiences and cultural events around Japan. I was very happy to see a stall for the Iga Ninja representatives there.

When I inquired about different places to train as an Iga ninja, for those with limited understanding of Japanese, I was told about the Iga City Ninja Museum and the Sato Village Forest excursion. Both of these are located in Mie Prefecture, a little farther than I am capable of going for right now. However, both of these are about 3 hours and extremely hands-on. Plus, they’re outside and deal with movement through obstacle courses. Definitely sounds like the ultimate one day learning experience. For those who are curious, Iga usually has its own Ninja Festival in the springtime.

Joining the Japan Ninja Council

I enlisted as a member of the Japan Ninja Council as well on the 27th, receiving a Katayaki and a pamphlet detailing ninja history.

A Katayaki, which translated into “hard bake,” is a rock hard ration that ninja would carry with them on long missions. The biscuit was so dense that the advice before attempting to eat it was to smash it with a hammer. When I heard that, my first thought was that, were I a ninja, I’d smash it over someone’s head first.

When the rain stopped, there were shuriken and blow gun demonstrations for the kids and some history for the adults. After that, there was a brief Q&A session that enabled the performers and clan heads to discuss topics about what the ninja did in the past and how they behave in today’s society.

Final Thoughts about Ninja Festival 2016 at Tokyo Skytree

All around, despite the rain, I think it was a marvelous way for the ninja clans to interact with the public. Believe it or not, these groups came from all over Japan to prove a point: that if you know where to look, the ninja are very much alive and still very active. I don’t know how many of them continue with espionage, but the creed that developed ninjutsu and the onmitsu continues to thrive.

Looking to find out about more Japan Ninja Council festivals? Check out the website.

Editor’s Note: This is a travel report to the Ninja Festival at Skytree organised by the Japan Ninja Council (a predominantly tourism-related organisation). Hence, the use of “ninja”, “ninjutsu” and “samurai” does not necessarily correspond to the historical use of these words.

Also, Musashi clan has no relation to Miyamoto Musashi (famous samurai). The name of their clan corresponds to the geographic province of Musashi, feudal Japan.

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Where did the ninja live? What were their houses like? When you consider what kind of people the ninja were and how they functioned in society, one has to wonder if there were special set-ups in their homes to protect their secrets. While pondering these things, I was fortunate enough to be introduced to a newly created Ninja Trick House in Shinjuku, which is operated by Tomoyuki-san, a friend of Rikiya-sensei from Ninja Club Shinjuku Gym.

The Ninja Trick House is a hidden gem in Kabukicho, within walking distance of the Robot Restaurant, the Samurai Museum, and the Ninja Club Shinjuku Gym. You will have to look for it, because the sign out front isn’t going to attract much attention. But after you find it, there’s a short ascension up three flights of steps to a hallway decorated in torii gates. At the end is a small mural dedicated to ninja.

You will find the reception area to be small and full of Naruto artwork. Do not let this display fool you into thinking this is not going to be a serious 20 minute tour. The aim of the ninja house is to be both simultaneously amusing but educational.

Differences in the role of ninja and samurai

A quick turn about in the reception room shows you to be beginning, where a movie–that runs in a variety of languages. Here, the goal is to explain in a succinct manner how the ninja are different from samurai.

Some of those differences are:

• Samurai fought for honor; ninja did not seek out battle.
• Samurai used swords and practiced martial arts. Ninja didn’t necessarily need physical conditioning.
• Ninja didn’t have a code during battle. Survival was prized. So if that meant attacking someone from behind or throwing sand in an opponent’s eyes, they would take that chance.
• Ninja were minimalists and functionalists. For example, where a samurai’s scabbard has a rounded end, the ninja scabbard is pointed. You may immediately think, “Oh, that’s to poke people, right?” No! The pointed end meant they could prop up the scabbard against a wall, step on the hilt, and climb to wherever they needed to go.
• Even the sword shape was different. A samurai sword is slightly arced to maximize the damage. On the other hand, the ninja sword is straight and a little heavier. We can attributed this to the need for lodging the blade into trees and buildings for scaling heights and general defensive postures.

Of course, you don’t discover all of these things immediately.

Finding the hidden facets of the ninja

You wander around the first room, which has four hidden facets related to ninja. These are totally not obvious. Seriously, I’m usually a whiz at finding things that are out of place… but man, it was a challenge. Not going to give a lot of details here and ruin the fun for you.

I first opened up a small cupboard only to have a dummy head meet me. I jumped back in shock, which gave Rikiya-sensei and Tomoyuki-san a good laugh. Next, I found a box of golden plates underneath a panel. Then there was a tatami mat that flips up to protect from flying objects. Finally, the hidden sword in a rather incongruous addition to the room. As you find these things, Tomoyuki or the ninja guiding you through the tour explains what these things meant and how they are historically important to ninja.

You then head into a secret passageway that opens up into a dojo. There’s a dummy dressed like a samurai, some swords, and wall covered in targets. This is where swords and how the ninja used them are explained. At this point, you can do some sword practice. I was allowed to practice the unsheathing and attack flow a couple of times. Feel free to really get into socking it to the punching bag too.

Shuriken Training while kneeling

The final piece of the tour is all about shuriken. Unlike previous experiences, you are made to kneel. Back in the day, the ceilings in Japanese buildings were much lower. This meant that ninja might not be standing when they fought back against enemies. I thought for sure this would harder, but I somehow hit each target. I even managed to get one shuriken between two bamboo reeds and into the back wall… to which Rikiya-sensei commented, “That alone takes some skill.”

When you are about ready to finish, you run through a quick ninja meditation. Tomoyuki showed me one of the gestures where the right hand is in the sword shape, and the left forms the sheath. However, the pointer and thumb come together over the right middle finger.

With that, the tour is finalized. For me, I got a chance to chat with Tomoyuki-san a little and then was given all of the shuriken baskets for throwing. It was great fun.

Thoughts

Short, simple, yet somehow incredibly informative! The Ninja Trick House is a great delight in Shinjuku for children (over 3) and older folks alike. You don’t need a whole lot of time, and the interactive activities are entertaining. I loved how learning is mixed with amusements, especially the puzzle room. You can take loads of pictures too, making for awesome memories.

No matter what you seek when it comes to ninja–the myth, the reality, or the in between–you can learn all about a ninja’s bag of tricks at the Ninja Trick House in Shinjuku, Tokyo.

Getting to the Ninja Trick House in Tokyo

Ninja Trick House in Tokyo (手裏剣道場 新宿忍者からくり屋敷)

Daiichi Wako Bld. 4F 2-28-13 Kabuki-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-0021

Opening hours: 10am to 9pm (last visitors at 8.30pm)

Website | Facebook | Check Voyagin for “Ninja Trick House” booking

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The Ninja Gym in Shinjuku is tucked away in the alleyways of Kabukicho. The quiet is an unexpected turn from the roaring excitement of Golden Gai and brilliance of Kabukicho.

I found the location rather easily though, as there are several signs out from written in both English and Katakana about a kickboxing gym. On Google Maps, you will find it listed as a late night gym. Don’t let the opening time dissuade you, as the owner holds the Ninja Taiken Training from 5 to 6pm every day.

Personal Goal – To use what I learned about ninja previously

I went to the gym with a goal in mind: to employ what I have learned about ninja and samurai up until this point. Those points were:

• Low, grounded movement
• Continuous movement
• Mindfulness of ones surroundings
• Relaxed breath
• No resistance. In other words, instead of fighting back, creating the space and opportunity to survive
• Katana wielding
• The art of the bo-shuriken. The motion is not like a regular throwing star but more of a semi-circular swipe downward that lets the needle move vertically in the air until the tip is guided by gravity into the target. It shouldn’t spin.
• Escape techniques

Some of these are, of course, pieces that come together to form the face of ninjutsu. Others are purely personal pursuits.

The Choice of 3 – What you want to train in

When it comes to what you want to train in, you are left a lot of room to choose. This flexibility in the program means you can work with any existing experience you have had or try something completely out of left field.

Regardless, Sensei is happy to oblige. I found it nice that he was willing to say when something wasn’t his specialty… Though he looked like a master regardless.

So what were my choices?

• Taijutsu for escaping
• Katana practice
• and my all-time favorite – shuriken

Taijutsu – unarmed combat

We started off with some warm-up movements of rolling and weight shifting. As a dancer with a lot of ballet influence, I’m always thinking up. The Japanese focus on down. For this reason, I always have a little impedance when trying to get low… But once I quiet the mind, it gets easier.

If you’re not entirely flexible or not comfortable with doing somersaults, don’t hesitate to tell Sensei. He is understanding and patient. Besides, not all ninja rolled and crawled around – although that is the popularized component of ninjutsu mostly known worldwide.

Next, I learned several techniques for using a person’s own body against them to escape. My main focus was “as a woman, what should I do in the event of _____?”

Rikiya-sensei was quick to reinforce what Narashino-sensei from the Musashi clan had explained. Instead of trying to fight back, go soft. Look for weaknesses in how the opponent is standing or holding on to you.

For example, if someone has a hold of your shirt, you can easily reach up and joint-lock their thumb by curling it inward. The average person won’t like the feeling very much and will release you immediately.

Next, let’s say someone has your wrist. Push against them once, then quickly bring your arm towards yourself (hinge joint). As you lengthen the enemy’s arm, twist your arm just enough to break through the point where fingertips meet the thumb.

We also practiced pivot steps mixed with kicks to the knees and jabs at the eyes.

Weaponry – Katana Training

So, katana first.

It’s been awhile since I had an actual full tang blade in my hand. Get too used to swinging a bokken (wooden practice sword) and you quickly forget how to respect the real thing. I explained to Rikiya-sensei that I have prior experience with Kendo. However, I must confess, when sheathing the darned thing, I would’ve committed hara-kiri accidentally…

I got it down after practicing several times though.

Several thrust techniques, paired with blocking and disarming were thrown at me. I love how movements sequence together. Rikiya-sensei explained these kata and kamae movements as something of building blocks, where you master the basics then, like video game combo moves, gain the ability to move more fluidly through various strikes and defends.

Because we started diving too deep into the bushido aspect of sword-wielding, I broached the question of how ninja would use and move around swords. First, because houses in Japan back then had low ceilings, and because ninja moved about in very tight spaces, swords were considered cumbersome.

Yet, when it came to stopping an oncoming sword attack, ninja would sweep in, grab the space on the hilt between the samurai’s hands then use the same twist technique from that Taijutsu section to redirect the blade to the samurai’s throat. Rikiya-sensei did this to me and I was momentarily stunned by the precision.

Weaponry – Shuriken Throwing

Last, I was handed some shuriken. Throwing stars, my specialty, came first. I need to practice more with bo-shuriken, the needle ones. So I did. I got the needles to fly through the air properly, but I couldn’t get them to stick. One that sunk into the cardboard though was actually backwards.

While practicing the motions, I asked Rikiya-sensei a little bit about his history with martial arts and ninjutsu. As someone who has practiced martial arts for some time, his expertise, he explained, lies not in swords and weaponry, but in hand-to-hand combat. Musashi clan ninjutsu and the like is actually rather new to him. In that light, the accessibility of ninjutsu to anyone, even the inexperienced, is seen.

Final Thoughts on Ninja Club Shinjuku Gym

In conclusion, I think anyone who wants to really, really wants to concentrate on a specific weapon or combat technique would greatly enjoy the Ninja Club Shinjuku Gym. Although it is only about 1 hour in length, Rikiya-sensei is very knowledgeable, extremely welcoming, and no pressure. That creates an ideal environment to training the mind and body. You can really pick up on the nuances of movement that the ninja held so dear.

You can visit Rikiya-sensei’s blog and learn all about the Ninja Club Shinjuku Gym. There are videos that have been uploaded (not with my maladroit butt, thank goodness) featuring some of the things that you can learn.

Getting there

You must make a special reservation either via email or phone (see below). You can now make a booking at his gym via Voyagin (US$37.15). Also, don’t be afraid of a language barrier. Rikiya-sensei is well versed in English. Or bring a Japanese friend for interpretation.

The cost breakdown is as follows:

• 3000￥ per person for the ninja experience. The preferred group size is anywhere from 2-10 people.
• 5000￥ for 60 minutes of personal fitness training. I would recommend this for people with previous martial arts training or for active practitioners.

Tokyo, Shinjuku-ku, Kabuki-cho 2-2-10, B1 floor.

Tel: 070-4217-3915 (Call between 3pm and midnight – Tokyo Time)

Experience the Ninja Gym in Shinjuku

Book Your Training Now!

Editor’s note: The terms ninjutsu and ninja are used in their loose definitions, which include modern interpretations of the shinobi (i.e. not strictly historical).

The post Training At The Ninja Club Shinjuku Gym [Travel Experience] appeared first on Way Of Ninja.

When you look for it, Japan seems rife with “ninja experience” programs and attractions that merely belabour what it truly meant to be a ninja during the country’s warring eras. Those who have researched ninja and ninpo know that ninja are not the mystical beings media and the entertainment industry has made them out to be.

However, throughout the world—Japan included—there are groups who cater to the fictional images of ninja, and then there’s those who seek to inform the masses of the truth. Fortunately, a true ninja clan, Musashi is the latter, and so my experience at the Musashi Ninja Clan’s Jidai Dojo taught me more about the ninja than I’d expected.

History of the Musashi Clan

Prior to talking about the experience, I think it’s necessary to assert that the Musashi clan is as authentic as the Iga are. The group has survived since Tokugawa Ieyasu ruled the country. An intense history unfolded from the moment that leaders, the Shibata family, became retainers to the shogun.

We can assume that before the Shibata family relocated to Edo with Tokugawa in 1590 that they had been studying ninjutsu prior to that. Mentioned in the family’s biography is that that third generation beneath Tokugawa rule were granted roles outside of jounin and chuunin. That is, they were raised to levels of higher executive status, such as magistrate. The fact that the Shibata family held both samurai and ninja status was extremely rare.

Hanzo Hattori is one of the few to also have been placed in this important position. However, where the third generation Hanzo laid down his weapons to build a temple, the Shibata clan performed their duties devoutly until the late 1800s.

Shibata Sadataro – Emisary for Japan (under the Shogunate)

Around 1860, Shibata Sadataro Takenaka was the commissioner of foreign affairs for the Tokugawa shogunate. The diplomatic role afforded him the ability to create peace between nations. He also played a role in espionage while traveling abroad.

For example, Shibata Sadataro and his relative, Nakagawa Tadamichi, the then Lord of Bicchu, went to Paris to meet with Napoleon III in 1867. When he returned to Japan, he was made the magistrate of Osaka and Kobe and worked fervently with his 12 onmitsu to keep Japan’s ports open to allied nations.

The Tokugawa shogunate collapsed in 1868, but the Meiji government approached Sadataro for work. Though all good lives must end, Sadataro’s will for peace lived on through his family. The Shibata clan upheld leadership over the shinobi in Tokyo until about 80 years ago, when the grandfather of the current Shibata clan leader decided to leave the ninja way of life to be an officer for the Salvation Army. Because of the great amount of volatile information the Shibata clan had dealt with for hundreds of years, the family decided to keep quiet about their ancestry for some time.

Present Representative of the Musashi Clan

However, the family continued to teach their unique form of martial arts. The present weaponsmith of the clan trained under Kenpu Matsuo, the founder of Kuroda-ryu Ninjutsu. Many of the weapons on display and for use in the dojo were handcrafted by the Shibata clan weapon master. Many are also on sale.

So why did the current Musashi clan decide to start reaching out to the masses? What made the 18th generation clan leader, an amazing woman named Shibata Kiyomi Vanessa (also known as the ninja Suzak), take this route? Like many of us, she was completely in the dark about the ninja activities of her family for a long while.

She wanted to keep up the legacy of fabricating international friendships and bring to light the true nature of ninja.

I’d say she’s doing an amazing job.

The Program – Certification Training (120 minutes)

Because I was gung-ho and wanted to get the most immersive experience possible, I chose the longer of the two programs—either 90- or 120-minutes—offered at the dojo. The 120 minute program is also called the “certification” route. A rough outline of how the course runs is also follows:

• Opening meditation
• Enbu dedication to the Musashi clan ancestors
• Change into the ninja outfit
• Weaponry and tool introduction
• Movement practice
• Stealth practice
• Sword practice
• Ninja star throwing
• Blowgun practice
• Meditation
• Kujikiri (Well-wishing)

Do note that the group offers interpreters if you don’t understand Japanese. However, because I’m fluent in Japanese, it was very much a private lesson. Since my ninja instructor didn’t have to take extra time waiting for interpretations, we delved a bit deeper into several of the listed sections.

The opening meditation is purely a show of respect set in a dark room—the traditional atmosphere of ninja houses. Once you bow and exchange greetings with the ninja instructor, you will be lead upstairs for raiment fitting. Here I learned something new. According to my instructor, male shinobi would cover their faces, but kunoichi, on the other hand, rarely did so.

You are invited to look around at the small shop where weapons, historical photographs and various souvenirs are on display. It was at this time that we conversed about the history of the Shibata clan.

The Tools and Weapons

Westerners have an image in our minds that shinobi were supernatural assassins or the stylized video game reincarnations of Hanzo Hattori. Recent exhibitions like “Ninja: Who Were They?” at Japan’s Miraikan museum are opting to inform the masses that ninja were not what media has made them out to be. When the Musashi ninja instructor pulled out a veritable toy box of ninja tools, he firmly stated that while most of the items look like weapons, they originally had other purposes.

Of course, one thing the ninja were masters of was multi-tasking and creativity. We talked at length about how certain tools have been used exclusively as weapons in anime and movie adaptations.

Take the kunai blade, for example. Anime like Naruto will lead someone to believe that kunai is a knife. My instructor, though, explained that this was not the real intention.

It’s a shovel. Carving, climbing, inscribing, lock-picking, digging and cooking were the main uses of the kunai. Not stabbing.

I was handed several tools that looked like they would cause serious pain but had other uses. The weapons featured a kokeshi doll with a head that popped off to reveal a poison-soaked needle, a weighted chain that mimicked prayer beads, caltrops, shuriken and a short scythe.

The element of surprise

Because ninja were not solely employed to infiltrate manors but to spy on enemy villages, map out unknown towns prior to invasion or communicate messages to other onmitsu nearby, they only carried what was suitable for the mission. So if they were walking down a road in the daytime, their hands would be in their sleeves, holding onto a handful of caltrops or two shuriken. Should they be discovered, they would rarely engage their foe. Rather, a ninja would throw hindrances then flee.

The element of surprise was a ninja’s ultimate weapon.

Disguise was another method of gathering information. Women excelled at this better than the men, but both genders engaged in “performances” and other jobs, like acting as a monk on pilgrimage, to blend in with the surroundings while simultaneously garnering as much information as possible. So when other research evidence has proven that ninjas were originally mountain monks and wanderers, I would say this cements that proof. Even the Shibata family operated in careers outside of direct espionage for over 200 years.

The Base (of Movement)

With the basics of ninja tools covered, and the purpose of ninja discussed, we moved onto the “base”, written as 土 on the chart of the components to the training. The others are 水 (water)、火 (fire)、風 (wind)、and 空 (emptiness).

The “base” refers to the body’s connectedness to the earth. In the past, before the German military training found root in Japan, the way Japanese walked was different. So how did Edo period warriors stand?

• Feet apart, toes turned slightly outward
• Knees slightly bent
• Hands resting at the crease between the hips and thigh
• Spine long, chest open
• Shoulders back and down

This groundedness was surprisingly pleasant. It’s amazing how well you can breathe when the body is centered, the feet are connected to the earth, and your spine is lengthened. Completely opposite to how most people move, all slouched over their phones. Even during movement, this crouched position made for quick, energetic movement that didn’t tire the body. Some of this had been touched on at Miraikan, but now to experience the effectiveness meant increasing my understanding.

I’m sold, honestly. I might start walking around like a ninja more often. Stepping, too, became airy and quiet. Everything moves beneath your center. You switch feet, swivel the torso to the side, and keep both knees bent. The sideways stance of the torso paired with wide feet means the ability to absorb shock.

The silent & defensive nature of movement

The instructor even gave me a light tackle to essay just how well these movements acted defensively. “From the front,” he said, “humans are relatively weak.” To prove this, he sent my backwards with a poke. Sideways, though, was a different story.

Since I had down the basic steps, Sensei introduced jumping. The hurdle was small, so getting over it was no issue. Doing it silently was the goal.

“Written in many ninja texts is to watch animals and learn of their movements,” Sensei told me. “An example would be when ninja would learn how to bark like a dog to dissuade security guards from getting too close to where a ninja was hiding.” On that note, it was explained that ninjas were interested in how cat’s leap.

Thus did I come to understand how to move like a ninja and land on the balls of my feet noiselessly. I was even challenged with twists and going for it at a run.

The Flow (of a Sword)

The water symbol is affiliated with learning how to move endlessly through action. To demonstrate the meaning of this training module, I was handed a wooden sword. Having participated in kendo previously, I knew what the instructor was talking about and how to do the footwork from the beginning. Though swordplay can be broken down in waza, or single movement, a true master moves through each motion fluidly. Each step is matched with the purposeful motion.

We went through the reasons for hand placement, where to aim the blade at the enemy, and how to react when the adversary would feint. I think Sensei was testing me at this point. Some of his feints were fast, and it took a lot of willpower to the flinch at the wooden blade coming straight at my throat. Of course, this is part of the training: how calm and collected can you be to bring the blade back to the center?

Then we broken down the waza. Step-by-step, slice-by-slice. Where was the blade supposed to cut? What was the meaning behind each stance?

Experiencing the samurai mindset

I knew that samurai and ninja believe in being able to communicate their emotions when crossing blades, but this experience definitely gave me unique insight. Though following Sensei’s instructions, I went through the waza, parrying and countering, staring into his eyes, and sensed a glimmer of what would be going through a true warrior’s mind.

The instructor told it like this: Every crossing of blades asks a question. Why are you attacking me? What are you feeling? Are there others nearby? Is anyone in danger?

And so the flow of the sword is not just the movement, it is the link you have to the world around you. Like water, you move with the energy of the universe, use the stream of stimuli to gain information, and maintain a flow of communication with both allies and enemies.

The Fires (of Chance)

People are not usually risk-takers. People panic. Unless you are connected to your mind and body, there are certain things that happen when working as a ninja that cause serious moments of terror. Naturally, the Jidai Academy’s experience doesn’t aim to give you PTSD, so they make this reaction training as fun as possible.

That’s when shuriken throwing came into play. Stars and needles were introduced as the eptiome of “chance.” You need a good amount of reaction time to not only throw the stars, which maxed out at two on hand during any given mission, but to hit the target and keep moving.

For whatever reason I’m pretty good at throwing stars. I learned that back at the Hanayashiki experience. So Sensei decided to becoming a moving target in a roleplay scenario. I had to hit him once with an overhead throw, switch footing, then do a throw from the hip. Once he moved behind revolving door, I needed to collect my shuriken then escape before he returned with his sword.

Throwing Shuriken

The first few times when Sensei behaved more like a cardboard cutout were easiest. Afterwards, he ramped up the challenge by climbing the walls, leaping, and bringing a sword.

I managed to hit him almost every time, but then he met my gaze and lifted his sword. My heart stopped. Though I was only throwing rubber, the thought went through my head, “But what if I hurt him?”

This emotion was explained afterwards as the “fire,” the “chance” that all ninja trained themselves to take regardless of what instinct demanded that you do.

Throwing Chopsticks

I was also allowed to try something fun. Because my shuriken-throwing skills were decent, Sensei handed me chopsticks. Yes, the ones you eat with. He told me with a laugh that chopsticks aren’t normal ninja weapons because of how light they are. The technique for throwing needles is different the stars, more of a circular swipe of the hand that releases the needle at a certain point in the air for gravity to take over. Chopsticks required even more speed to make them stick.

After a few throws, Sensei turned to me, bowed and said in English (though we’d be speaking in Japanese up until then), “I have nothing left to teach you.”

But Sensei! There’s more!

The Wind (of Freedom)

The last physical segment of the training had to do with the 風 kanji for “wind.” It was time for the blowgun. Starting from the basic standing position I’d learned in the earth segment, paired with a calm mind and easy breath, I had to take a chance and shoot a tiny dart at the bull’s eye. Then I had to flee for freedom. Free movement, free breath, and the goal to stay free is what revolved around the blowgun.

At this point I was given a mission. I needed to sneak in through a rotating trick panel—making sure not to leave it open—then do a cat jump over an obstacle, locate the dart, pop a ballon, hit the target, then escape before the guard could capture me. Easier said than done. I thought for sure I’d mess up somehow. I did everything quietly, shot the balloon, hit the bull’s eye then scurried out of sight before the instructor could catch me. Where did I fail? I forgot to close the door all the way.

So he stuck his sword through the gap and said, “I can see you! Shut the door!”

The Emptiness (of Oneself)

Zen Buddhism has no doubt influenced some of the philosophies behind ninjutsu. The final symbol of the training, 空, has two readings: sky and empty. Rather than thinking of empty being “devoid of things,” the idea behind this is to empty onself of fear, apprehension and other negative emotions. Though the Hanayashiki ninja dojo and the Miraikan exhibition had discussed this somewhat, the actual feeling of meditation had been left out.

I loved this part about Kujikiri. The Musashi clan has done a wonderful job of explaining why ninja used hand positions so extensively.

Kuji Kiri

First, I was introduced to the meaning behind the familiar “jutsu” pose seen below:

The left hand (on the top) is the scabbard of your sword, which is your right hand. Sensei explaining that when you hold the right hand in front of you as you would a sword, the line from your pointer and middle finger activates the muscles of your back. A fist, however, shortens the muscles and recruits the chest.

When drawing the 十 kanji in the air and saying:

• (臨) Rin
• (兵) Hyo/Pyo
• (闘) Toh
• (者) Sha
• (皆) Kai
• (陣) Jin
• (列) Retsu
• (在) Zai
• (前) Zen

You are actually making the grid-like roadways of Kyoto. On these roads, you cut through the darkness and uncertainty. Reading the symbols as their various meanings, a story unfolds that speaks of conquering your personal fears to take on whatever is in your way. Pretend that you stand amongst an army of thousands, and in doing so you will gain the power needed to survive. It’s written on the certificate too.

About the Instructor

The man that was charge of my lesson today was incredible. He wasn’t an actor or a detachment employee. No, he is a real-life ninja with years of martial arts and ninpo training. The essence of the shinobi philosophy—to care for community, to protect those who can’t protect themselves, to treat oneself with kindness—emanated from him.

I asked him how long he had been training in ninjutsu. For 8 years he’s worked as a director for the Musashi ninja clan. Beyond giving lessons at the dojo, he teaches martial arts and does various ninjutsu-related workshops throughout Japan. Having studied philosophy in college, he works to blend mind-and-body practices and aims to enlighten people to the healing benefits of a mindful lifestyle. I found this extremely inspiring.

Better yet, if you ever had any doubts about ninja training being less about physical strength and more about the mind, here’s proof. Sensei divulged that in high school and college he was big into MMA and had done years of Judo and Karate. However, he wore himself out with the constant aggression of these disciplines and sought something more restorative. Thus did he find himself learning Musashi-ryu, the style of the dojo. It helped him heal.

Final Thoughts

So if you want to be a modern day ninja, you don’t need a sword and poison-tipped darts. What you need is a grounded stance, verbal and non-verbal communication skills, the desire to never give up, and the will to be free. Seek to be of service, but remember to care for yourself as well. Seek balance but accept that there is no absolute balance. That is what the Musashi ninja clan aims to instill in you by the end of the program.

The training is not necessarily tiring, but it does make you think about ninja in another way. The extensive information you are offered about how ninja lived and moved is undoubtedly real, because you are receiving this knowledge from genuine shinobi. Explanations are informative, the physical challenges are fun and creative, and you are treated with the utmost respect by the entire group. Overall, I definitely recommend the Musashi Ninja Clan experience for anyone with a firm interest in what it means to be a ninja.

Access Jidai Academy Dojo in Tokyo

Entry Level Ninja Experience
Entry

$105+

– Minimum 2 person
– $105 onwards

Check Availability

Ninja Hands-on Experience
Full

$130+

– Minimum 2 person
– $130 onwards

Check Availability

Jidai Academy Dojo
Address: Tokyo, Kita-ku, Tabata-shi 6-35
Phone: (+81) 90-3691-8165

Editor’s note:

This report uses the terms ninjutsu and ninja loosely, in a non-historical context. It regards the ninja training as a cultural travel experience, with a family whose history is linked to Tokugawa onmitsu (spies for the Tokugawa government during Edo period). 

The post Musashi Clan Ninja Experience in Japan – Edo Period Onmitsu appeared first on Way Of Ninja.

Most people will know this name when you ask them about real life ninja. A name immortalized by history books, video games and movies. No doubt, you have heard of Hattori Hanzo (服部半蔵), master of the Iga ninja clan, at least once.

However, much like the ninja legends, the name Hattori Hanzo is an inscrutable cloud of legend interwoven with truth. There’s even some doubt about just how many individuals carried the “Hattori Hanzo” name. The Iga Ninja Hattori Hanzo Masanari was a warrior who served 3 generations of Tokugawa samurai. He created a legacy that has echoed through the ages, still admired today.

Was Hattori Hanzo  a real person? – Samurai & Ninja History

Masanari is the first name of the Iga ninja known as Oni Hanzo (Demon Hanzo). This is a name many people are familiar with. Yet, there is some historical evidence that proves he was not the only Hattori Hanzo.

More than one Hattori Hanzo

Another, his father, Yasunaga, served during the Muromachi reign (1333-1573) and under the Ashikaga shogunate. Eventually, the Matsudaira clan, predecessors of the Tokugawa clan, took in Yasunaga and other Iga ninja. Historical documents confirms that the other Hattori ninja exists.

The fact there were reportedly up to five different men given the ultimate title “Hattori Hanzo” only furthers the confusion.

Head of Hattori family & others

According to Cummins’ research, the head of the Hattori family holds the title of Hanzo.  This accounted for at least four of the Hanzos. Changing names several times in their lifetime is a norm for Japanese samurai.

Hattori Yasunaga was the first Hanzo.  The second was. his son, Masanari. The three other Hanzo Hattori were the grandsons of the first and sons of the second (refer to the chart for details).

Of course, “Hattori” is a surname that did not just belong to Iga ninja. This also adds an element of mystery to the tales of Hattori Hanzo and everything accomplished.

Which Hattori Hanzo was a ninja? And exploits of Demon Hanzo

A ninja is a wartime covert operative, defined by their achieved level of skill. Unlike samurai, which was something one was born into, even a lower born person could train as a shinobi — an “umbrella term for all those who deal with ninjutsu.”

With that in mind, Yasunaga was indeed a ninja, because he appears in records as the leader of the Iga ninja clan. Also, he was one of the main authors of the Ninpiden (shinobi-hiden), a confidential ninjutsu manual. He later passed it to his son Masanari, also known as the Demon Hanzo.

Hattori Hanzo II (aka. Masanari the Elder / Oni Hanzo / Demon Hanzo)

When Yasunaga died, Masanari the Elder replaced him as Hanzo. Being that Masanari was something of a progeny, he quickly earned the nickname “Oni,” which means “demon.” How did he achieve such an awesome nickname?

Hanzo II reportedly trained from a very young age in swordplay, concealment and psychological warfare while traversing between Mikawa and Iga lands. Because of the legends surrounding ninjas in general, separating fact from fiction, like how Hanzo had superhuman abilities, is quite challenging. Was Hanzo the Sengoku period version of Marvel’s Deadpool? Or was he just a man doing his wartime duty?

Masanari the Elder, Yasunaga’s son with a Mikawa woman, was actually born into samurai ranking. History books often acknowledge him as a samurai, and not a shinobi. But when looking at the facts surrounding Hattori Hanzo II—his training, nickname, miraculous feats and leadership of Iga and Koka shinobi—we can assume he was indeed a ninja.

What is certain are the pivotal roles he played in several battles around ancient Japan. Such accomplishments afford him the title of “ninja.”

The deeds of Hanzo II

At only 16 years old, Hanzo successfully led a group of Iga ninjas during a dangerous mission, getting him recognition from his superiors. In 1569, he besieged Kakegawa castle, and shortly after, in 1570 at the Battle of Anegawa, Hanzo and his ninjas aided in the combined forces of Tokugawa Ieyasu and Oda Nobunaga. There are some myths surrounding this battle about how Hattori Hanzo consulted with superior strategists then reported to Oda to explain the tactics.

Another notable battle, where one can see evidence of ninja handy work, is the Battle of Mikatagahara in January 1573. For most of the battle, Tokugawa Ieyasu was on the verge of losing. His rival, a renowned strategist, the daimyo Takeda Shingen, demolished Tokugawa’s forces.

Forced to retreat back to Hamamatsu Fortress, Tokugawa used the “empty fort strategy” to fluster Takeda’s men. The enemy made camp for the night, because they did not know if Tokugawa was being deceptive or not. Stopping for the night was indeed a trap. During the night, a small unit of Tokugawa warriors attacked the Takeda encampment, forcing them into a ravine. Takeda withdrew his forces the next morning. The group that infiltrated the enemy camp was indeed a band of ninja.

In 1582, were it not for the intelligence gathering techniques of Hattori Hanzo II and his Iga ninja, Ieyasu would have most likely perished during his escape to Mikawa after the assassination of Oda Nobunaga at Honnoji. Forever loyal to the Tokugawa, Hanzo protected Ieyasu during the passage through the mountains. The reward was handsome. Hanzo gained land, a group 200 Iga warriors and the ultimate task of defending the gate of Edo castle, now renamed as Hanzomon (半蔵門).

The Hanzomon Gate Gifted

But history that has left yet another point unclarified.

Hattori Hanzo II (Masanari the Elder) may not have received the Hanzomon Gate post. Instead, Hanzo III may have been first gifted the post. The succession proceeded on to Hanzo II’s second son, Masashige (the fourth to receive the Hanzo title after Masanari’s death in 1596). Cummins’ book states that Hanzo III and 200 Iga ninjas were in charge of Hanzomon in 1603.

However, research done by the Genbukan Tokyo Shibu, a ninpo organization in Japan, states that it was indeed Masanari the Elder, the second Hattori, who received the role first.

Finding Hattori Hanzo in Tokyo

Hanzomon Gate at Imperial Palace & Hanzomon Station

You can visit Hanzomon at the west entrance to the Imperial Palace. Unfortunately, you cannot pass through it. Also, because the original was destroyed during WWII (along with dozens of other relics), it was rebuilt. There is also a Tokyo Metro line with the same name.

Sainenji Temple & Graveyard

One of the only remaining locations where you can see a physical connection to the past is where the Oni Hattori is buried in Wakaba, Yotsuya. It was once called “Iga-cho” or Iga Town, because many ninja lived there during Edo-period peace time. Sainenji (西念寺) is a Jodo Buddhist temple located in this district. Hattori Hanzo built it in 1590 to honor the first son of Tokugawa Ieyasu. The present location of the temple is not the original site, as it moved in 1634.

Sainenji Temple (西念寺)

160-0011
Tokyo-to, Shinjuku-ku, Wakaba 2-9

Accessible from Yotsuya Station via the Tokyo Marunouchi Line or the JR Chuo Line.

Entrance Plaque of the Sainenji (西念寺)

At the gate, you’ll find a short explanation of Sainenji. There is nothing much written about Hanzo here. Simply put, it lists when he lived, died, and why the temple was built. The purpose behind the construction was not merely for the Oni to be laid to rest.

Interestingly, Cummins states that Hattori Hanzo II died in 1590, but it is even written on the placard that Masanari the Elder simply withdrew from military service at this time. He passed away six years later, in the midst of the temple’s construction.

According to the plaques at the front entrance of the temple and by Hanzo’s grave, Matsudaira Nobuyasu (松平信康) —written as 長男信康 on the inscription — was forced by Oda Nobunaga, his father in law, to commit seppuku after having gone against orders during a battle in Mikawa.

Many Japanese aren’t even clear on the exact reasoning behind the command, and there’s a lot of speculation about what truly happened, even in the history books. Hattori Hanzo Masanari, however, was ordered to finalize the act of seppuku by cutting off Nobuyasu’s head (known as kaishaku). He couldn’t do it. Not only was Oni Hanzo connected by blood to the Matsudaira clan, he was extremely loyal to the Tokugawa shogunate.

Afterward this terrible event, Hattori Hanzo II became a monk and built Sainenji Temple to respectfully bury Matsudaira Nobuyasu. When Masanari the Elder passed away at only 55 years of age, he and his beloved spear were also laid to rest at the temple bearing his Jodo Buddhist name.

At the temple and graveyard

If you’re expecting a highly trafficked temple, Sainenji isn’t it. There’s no crowds, no flair, just the temple and rows upon rows of headstones. When I arrived, the graveyard was quiet. The temple doors were tightly sealed shut. There was no sign of life other than a few black butterflies fluttering to and from the bouquets marking graves.

Like many Buddhist graveyards, there is an astounding sense of stillness despite the bustling atmosphere of Tokyo. I took a stroll through the cluster of stylized stones, appreciating both the streamlined beauty of each one, as well as the cleanliness.

Hanzo II was also a master at wielding a 槍 (やり) or spear. Not what you’d expect from a ninja, right?

Sainenji Temple received the spear as a gift after Masanari the Elder died. You can see the real spear on days when the temple is not holding services. Sadly, I arrived during one of these moments and could not enter. The spear, already battered from years of use on the battlefield, was later damaged in a WWII fire-bombing. Back when it was in one piece, the total length of the spear was around 4.4 meters (around 14 feet) in length.

Advice on finding the grave

Unless you previously looked up the whereabouts of Oni Hanzo’s grave, you could very well miss it during your stroll through the area. I found it outside of the main collection of plots, across from a gathering of Buddha. The gravestone was unassuming and decorated with some flowers and a few cans of cheap sake. Some of the engravings on the bottom stone where the bouquets stood were worn away and barely legible. But standing there, there was a strange sense of something else.

That was when a black butterfly passed in front of me. Like many cultures, a black butterfly in Japan symbolises death and the souls of the recently departed. I thought that was a pretty fitting way to conclude my trip to a graveyard. Even the historical sites of ninja like Hattori Hanzo II are veiled in mystery.

The post Finding Hattori Hanzo’s Grave in Tokyo – Iga Ninja Legend appeared first on Way Of Ninja.

Ninjas are beings shrouded by smoke and mirrors. Most people know the basics about these elusive warriors from Japan: that they did assassinations, worked with samurai, and threw shuriken.

Unfortunately, anime series like Naruto and the show Ninja Warrior haven’t done much to demystify what it means to train like a ninja would. That was when this fanatic stumbled upon the Hanayashiki Ninja Challenge in Asakusa, Tokyo, Japan and decided to investigate.

Asakusa is one of the few places in Japan where you can still see glimpses of the Edo period. Not only is the area famous for the Kaminarimon, also known as Thunder Gate, Nakamise Shopping Street, and the glorious Senso-ji Temple, Asakusa is also home to Japan’s oldest amusement park, Hanayashiki, which has been around since 1853. Though Hanayashiki is tiny in comparison to Fuji Q, for example, it has quite a few unique attractions. One of those is the “Ninja Taiken Dojo.”

History of Asakusa & the Ninja Taiken Dojo

Before I reserved my training session, I researched the history of Asakusa. During the Kamakura period (1185-1333), Shogun Yoritomo Minamoto dwelled in the area. Asakusa was mainly a bartering market until the 1600s, when a tea house was built and street performances were commonplace. Asakusa quickly became the epicentre of theatre in Edo-period Japan, but now only a few of those playhouses remain open for business.

One can only imagine how many samurai and ninja traversed the area throughout the years. But as for ninja operations in the area? There is not much.

In fact, one might be lead to think that the Hanayashiki Ninja Dojo has some back history. Sadly, that’s not the case. But I didn’t let that get in the way of an amazingly fun time.

Hanayashiki Ninja Taiken Dojo

The Ninja Taiken Dojo is located on the outside of the amusement park. Though there is a group entry point near the entrance to Hanayashiki, you are asked to report to the ninja store a little farther down the road. You can’t miss it. There are signs everywhere. Not very ninja-like, eh?

I had set my reservation for 1:00 PM and was certain it was going to be a one-on-one lesson, though up to 20 people can take the class together. Arriving slightly early, I was greeted by the cashier and a man clad in traditional ninja garb. I greeted them enthusiastically in Japanese and continued to say that I had made a reservation to take class. Though you can indeed take the Ninja Experience in English, when the ninja master realized I knew English, he was overjoyed. Apparently, the English version is rather rehearsed.

I was handed a nametag and a headband (hachimaki) to wear. The male ninja then told me that because I know Japanese, he was going to have the kunoichi sensei (female teacher) conduct my lesson. Then after a short wait, I was introduced the my teacher, who was dressed identically to the previous ninja. Both of them asked to be called Hanayashiki Ninzo-sensei, which is part of the roleplay as a ninja master.

You enter the “classroom” after a quick walk down a narrow hallway. Immediately I noticed the targets for shuriken-throwing practice, a row of seats, and a stage. There was also a huge mirrored wall. Before starting the actual presentation, my teacher asked what I knew about ninja. I reported that I know quite a bit of ninja history from studying the Sengoku and Edo periods then offered up the name “Mochizuki Chiyome.”

“Mochizuki? I’m not sure I ever heard of Mochizuki ninja,” confessed Sensei.

I told her the details about Mochizuki Chiyome, who supposedly created an all-female spy unit during the 16th century under the guidance of the Takeda clan. Impressed, my teacher said that most people who come to the attraction usually only know ninja from two sources: anime and movies. And so it became evident that the Hanayashiki Ninja Experience does not aim to exactly dissolve the myths surrounding ninja.

Techniques taught at Hanayashiki Ninja Taiken Dojo

The contents of the presentation included an introduction to calming the mind, swordplay, concealment techniques and shuriken-throwing.

Mind technique

We started the lesson by calming our minds. Sensei gave a detailed explanation about the hand gestures and words used in the mantra for relaxation.

First, either standing or kneeling, you imagine your less dominant hand as the sheath of your “heart-blade,” or your writing hand (pointer and middle finger extended like a sword). You draw your sword and hold it front of you. Then, drawing the kanji for 10 (十), you strongly saying, “Rin, pyou, tou, sha, kai, jin, retsu, zai, zen!” With a deep inhale and exhale, you take a moment to focus on your center. From there, you’re ready for whatever task your warlord has asked you to accomplish.

Swordplay

Next, Sensei introduced me to swordplay. Using wooden swords, we took to the stage and faced the mirror. We practiced holding the wakizashi (short sword), drawing the blade, taking a すり足 (suriashi) or slide-step, then sheathing the blade. Though I exceled at the draw and step, not looking at the blade while stowing it was more difficult than expected. Sensei even laughed and said, “If you did that during battle, you’d die, you know.”

Illusion Techniques – Bamboo-printed Curtain

From there, I was shown the illusionary techniques of the ninja. We turned to a bamboo-printed curtain that connected to a wall painted to mimic a castle partition. I was handed a reversible fabric identical to, you guessed it, the bamboo and castle images. Because Sensei wanted to challenge me, she handed me a cloth much shorter than my actual height and said, “I don’t want to see your feet or your head.” Easier said than done! Switching from the bamboo side to the castle side required a simultaneously movement of swivelling your hands and back swiftly, without revealing yourself. Somehow I managed to do this all in a crouch and arrived at the “escape door,” where I had to drop the curtain and strike a ninja pose.

Shuriken-throwing

Last was shuriken throwing. There was a short introduction to different shuriken shapes and throwing techniques. The coordination of a step and flick of the wrist took a little practice, but we gradually increased the distance to 600 meters. We “duelled” one another to see who could hit the target more. Somehow, I won. Sensei told me that she’s not especially skilled with shuriken-throwing and recommended the Iga Ninja School in Mie, where you can use several types of shuriken and go beyond 600 meters.

Thoughts about Hanayashiki

At the end of the training, you are presented with a certificate. You are also granted a 10% discount on merchandise at the ninja shop. Because we had some time before the end of the class time, I was allowed to play with an unsharpened katana. My inner geek was super giddy.

Overall, are you going to walk away feeling like a super ninja warrior? No. The Hanayashiki Ninja Challenge is more for the entertainment value rather than a rigorous physically and mentally experience.

I totally recommend it, especially for children. For the price of the attraction, it is definitely worth a go.

On the other hand, if you are seeking a true challenge, you might feel slightly disappointed. If you want a look into the secrets of ninjutsu, you won’t find them here. The Hanayashiki Ninja Dojo is an amusement park creation, after all.

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