But, how true is this portrayal? Who were the ninja and how did their art begin, but most importantly, why?

Hatsumi Soke Photo © Detroit Bujinkan Dojo

One theory states that a fugitive Chinese princess, living in exile in Japan, developed the art as a means of self-defense. Some people believe that the ninja were influenced in their art by a group of mystics known as Shugenja. And since records have been lost or destroyed over the years, no clear time in history has been defined as the birth date of ninjutsu.

People will agree, however, Daisuke Nishina started a school of ninjutsu, Togakure Ryu, over eight hundred years ago, which would eventually evolve into a modern form of ninjutsu: Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu.

Today’s Grand Master of Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu, Hatsumi Masaaki Sensei is the 34th Soke to hold the title in the Togakure Ryu. Hatsumi Sensei invited the world to discover ninjutsu when he opened his dojo’s doors to all nationalities; a first in an art which was only taught to native Japanese.

The “how” of the ninja equation can go much deeper, and for in depth answers as to “who” and “why”, I turned to someone who’s been training in the art for 15 years: Patrick Lee.

Patrick agreed to answer a few questions about common ninja misconceptions. He also shared his personal experiences with ninjutsu and what he’s gained from the art.

Interview

Rachel: Why did you get into ninjutsu? Why that and not karate, judo or any of the other martial arts?
Patrick: Well, I’ve done other arts before and there seems to be many limitations with the ones I took. There’s always something that is missing – there are gaps.

Rachel: So what drew you into the art was how it fills in the gaps that were missing in the other arts?
Patrick: In this art there’s more than just real fighting that it posses. There’s a deep history of spirituality in it; a way of life, of how people just want to live peacefully.

Rachel: What are some popular misconceptions about ninja?
Patrick: Well, the most popular are that ninja can disappear, they can be in multiple places at one time, walk on water, climb on walls…

Shuriken Photo © Ed Green

Rachel: What did ninja really look like?
Patrick: They were like everybody. But they practiced medicine, chemistry, meteorology, etc., which at that time was really ahead of the their times.

Rachel: What kinds of weapons did they use?
Patrick: They should be able to use anything. The weapon is an extension of one’s self. The ninja sword was used at a certain period due to its cost, but any sword can be one (ninja sword). There were certain situations in the old days where in narrow quarters it was impossible to draw the long sword, but the short sword was able to be brought in.

Shurikens are popularly associated with the ninja, but many samurai learned throwing stars and spikes. Shuriken are not throwing stars – they are hand blades/spikes. Throwing stars are called “Senban”. That’s another misconception.

Rachel: Did samurai really hate ninja?
Patrick: That is a doing of the silver screen. Samurai were the army, while ninja were the equivalent of special forces. Sometimes samurai were ninja too, if they were called into a special op.

Rachel: Can ninja be samurai?
Patrick: The famous Hattori Hanzo’s family were samurai and have ties to Iga, which were the birthplace of the ninja. So here’s the perfect example.

Rachel Most samurai had a very well rounded education. What can you say about the ninja’s education?
Patrick: It would be equivalent – perhaps even more intense. There were more weapons, philosophy, medicine to learn.

Rachel How do the Japanese view ninjutsu versus the Western view?
Patrick: Very ‘mythic’…like Batman. It’s not understood and sometimes laughed at.

Rachel What are some day-to-day ninjutsu activities?
Patrick: Like any good citizen. As a practitioner, I look at in not as a way to fight or take down an enemy but it transcends it. It’s about problem solving, it’s about living. It’s, ‘How do I change a situation that is dangerous to be better?’ This can be in a relationship, job or at play.

Rachel: What’s the difference between nin, shinobi, etc?
Patrick: The word ‘nin-ja’ can be pronounced as ‘ninja’ or it can be pronounced as ’shinobi’. Both are the same word with different pronunciations. The shinobi is a lower-level practitioner of the art. In order to be a ninja, you have to be elevated to a higher level of understanding the art; the way of life and the way you contribute to life.

Senban Photo © Jinenkan Seigi Dojo

Rachel: In movies, sometimes ninja run away. Was that part of that ‘getting the job done’?
Patrick: Yes, but the most important code – especially in the Iga school – at all cost, you must not kill unnecessarily. By running away, you would avoid killing. Their skill levels were very high in order to survive. Blinding powder and all of that were used to buy time in order to get away. They usually have several planned escape routes.

Rachel: This art used to be called ‘ninjutsu‘ and now it’s called ‘Budo Taijutsu‘. Why the name change?
Patrick: The name changed because in the 1980’s anyone with a mask, clad in black and carrying throwing stars and doing non-Japanese and non-Ninjutsu martial arts called themselves ‘ninja’; playing up the assassins, movie portrayal as the villains. So Hatsumi-sensei changed the name to reflect that this is also budo – which is the martial way towards enlightenment.

Rachel: What’s Taijutsu mean?
Patrick: Taijutsu is the art of using the body. The ‘jutsu‘ part of it means the warrior art. So if you put Budo Taijutsu together, there’s a duality. It’s like yin and yang. You’re practicing one thing that can enrich your life and at the same time if you practice it and use it for the wrong purpose it can take life. We’re not practicing on one end or the other but learning to be in the middle of it. It creates a balance.

Rachel: Will people find Budo Taijutsu online?
Patrick: There are three main schools that practices it; the Bujinkan, Jinenkan and Genbukan. A Google search will lead you there. The school that I study in is the Bujinkan and that can be found in winjutsu.com

Rachel: What kind of role did women play in ninjutsu?
Patrick: Yes, they played a tremendous role throughout history. In fact, they would be the ones who were most employed due to the ease of women blending into the household. They’d pose as servants, dancers and other roles. Once accepted into the household, they’d pick up intelligence. This is a really high form of getting information without bloodshed.

Rachel: What kind of role does the modern ninja play in today’s society? How do you fit in?
Patrick: To be a ninja..there’s a misconception. We do not train to assassinate, to spy or any subversive activity. A ninja in modern times, as in ancient times would be a person practicing perseverance, endurance. In modern times, they’re practicing to persevere through hardships; not to just give up. As Hatsumi-sensei would often encourage us, “Gambatte Kudasai” which means ‘keep trying, keep going’. In this modern day and age, we need that. Just like the old days, nothing has really changed. In order to change things, you have to persevere through hard work, go in with a lot of clarity and no ill intent.

Rachel: Were the Iga and Koga real?
Patrick: Yes, there were two neighboring regions separated by a lake. They were different families.

Rachel: Were they bitter enemies?
Patrick: A lot of that may have been exaggerated. Different schools were employed by different lords for their mastery of spying skills. When they came across each other, they’d sometimes have to fight in order to get the message back to the people who sent them to retrieve it.

Rachel: Is there a ‘ninja code‘?
Patrick: Yes. Most importantly, you’re not to take a life unnecessarily. The art that you study must be used for the sake of the country, your region, your town, your family and lastly yourself. It’s for the greater good – not personal gain.

Rachel: What sort of mindset is needed for someone just going into this art?
Patrick: Good-hearted people who are willing to endure a lifetime of training for the betterment of society and self.

If anyone has any questions for Patrick about Budo Taijutsu, please leave them in the comments section below!