| tly Hollywood has jumped back on the ninja train | | | | scattered. In some places they were made most |
| and began making movies based on the ninja and | | | | welcome for obvious reasons. Many took shelter |
| it mysterious culture. One such movie just | | | | in the Kii Mountains. |
| released was a movie called, 'Ninja'. With this new | | | | In the 14th century there is reference to a highly |
| movie taking off in popularity we thought to write | | | | skilled ninja or shinobi who was credited to have |
| a basic article on the ninja while also focusing on | | | | eliminated a castle by fire. From the 15th century |
| the basics of training and the religion aspect called | | | | onwards spies were officially trained and the word |
| ninjitsu. | | | | shinobi defined a secretive group of spies. The |
| The ninja cult originated and is based on the | | | | strategy was taken up by the Chinese military |
| romance linked with the lives of spies and | | | | also. |
| assassins in historical Japan. Legend says that in | | | | In the 15th century ninjas were hired for |
| the 4th century a prince, Yamato Takeru | | | | purposes of raiding and raiding. They were |
| disguised as a beautiful maiden assassinated two | | | | terrorists and arsonists par excellence. In contrast |
| chieftains of the Kumaso tribe. | | | | the samurai of Japan fought open duels. But |
| A group of ninja is known as a clan. In the | | | | during troubled times of Sengoku period there |
| pre-modern ancient Iga Province there were two | | | | was great demand for ninjas and less importance |
| well known clans the Iga and the Koga. Within this | | | | was given to respectability. |
| geographic region common villagers were engaged | | | | In 1560 after the Battle of Okehazama, the |
| and asked to take on the ways if ninjitsu. It was | | | | warlord Oda Nobunaga emerged as the all |
| an ideal place for such activities because the | | | | powerful and begin emplying a clan of ninjas from |
| region was remote, inaccessible and encircled by | | | | the Koja clan numbering around 80. They stealthily |
| mountains. | | | | entered a castle of the enemy and set its towers |
| The Koga and the Iga clans where unlike many | | | | ablaze while killing the castellan or the governor of |
| other clans from these regions who were | | | | the castle. This clan became very well know and |
| engaged as mercenary spies. The Iga and Koga | | | | feared as they where relentless in their killings. |
| clans trained ninjas who were experts in a specific | | | | The ninjas became spies’, experts in |
| area if war and combat. These two clans were | | | | ambush attacks and spreading agitations. There |
| hired by the daimyo. | | | | were families of ninjas who formed big guilds each |
| The daimyos were powerful warlords in ancient | | | | having its own territory. Within them there was |
| times who ruled over the major parts of the | | | | ranking with the jonin being the upper man, the |
| country from their huge inherited land property. In | | | | chunin being the middle man and the assistants |
| the late 16th century Oda Nobunaga, aggressively | | | | being jonin. The lowest was the lower man or |
| conquered nearly a third of the other daimyos | | | | genin. The latter were recruited from the lower |
| and after invading Iga province exterminated the | | | | ranks and sent out to the forefront of trouble. |
| organized ninja clans. The survivors fled and were | | | | |