Martial Arts Of The World - Webs

358 Ninjutsu
Nobunaga in Kyoto in 1582, Ieyasu avoided attack himself and escaped
from Sakai back to his home territory of Mikawa with the assistance of
Hattori Hanzô Masanari and a group of ninja. When he became shôgun,
Ieyasu called Hanzô to Edo, and employed him to lead Iga and Kôga ninja
to spy on potential enemies of the bakufu. Ninja assisted the Tokugawa at
the major engagements of Sekigahara, the sieges of Ôsaka Castle, and the
Shimabara Rebellion. Later, Iga and Kôga ninja were incorporated formally
into police and surveillance organizations of the regime.
Texts and Sources
Information about ninjutsu can be gleaned from a number of extant scrolls
and other texts from the Tokugawa period. Fujita Seiko identified thirtyone
texts transmitting ninjutsu teachings. One of the first was the Ninpiden
(Legends of Ninja Secrets), a collection of documents and techniques compiled
by Hattori Kiyonobu in 1655. The most important extant text is the
Bansen shûkai (Ten Thousand Rivers Flow into the Sea) of Fujibayashi Yasutake,
who completed it in 1675, after twelve years of work. Another important
text is the Shôninki (Record of True Ninjutsu) of Fujibayashi
Masatake (1681).
Ninjutsu texts appeared somewhat later than those describing the
techniques of other martial arts, breaking with a past tradition of secret
oral transmission from master to disciple. Martial arts ryûha sprang up
throughout Japan, heads of houses possessing knowledge became professional
instructors, and samurai were attracted to various schools to learn
martial arts as part of the bakufu’s emphasis upon the cultivation of Confucian
culture, which stresses a balance between martial and civil arts.
Scrolls recounting the history of the school, with appropriate connection
with various gods and historical figures, and presenting the techniques of
the tradition, became an important part of the teaching and ritual components
of the various schools, including ninjutsu.
Techniques and Weapons
Since ninja were first and foremost spies, completing one’s missions and returning
to report were of the essence. Ninjutsu can thus be seen as the art
of escape, and techniques were designed to ensure survival. “In ninjutsu
there are both overt and covert techniques. The former refer to techniques
utilized when one does not disguise his appearance and uses strategy and
ingenuity to penetrate enemy territory, while the latter refers to stealing
into the enemy camp using techniques of concealment, so as not to be seen
by others” (Bansen shûkai 1982, 481). Ninja were taught how to disguise
themselves to pass unnoticed and were trained in multiple forms of fleeing,
based on knowledge of animal behavior. Night provided an excellent cover