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Most of us know what a ninja is, or at least we think we do from growing up watching Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and old kung-fu movies. But how and where did they come from? Did someone roll out of bed and just decide to be a ninja one day? Did someone go to a school with classes like Shruiken Throwing 101? All jokes aside, many of us don’t know much about the origins of these shadowy spies and assassins. That’s where this article comes in.

It should be noted there are many theories as to the origins of ninjas (more properly called shinobi), with very few records in regards to them. This is due to the practice of Ninjutsu, the fundamental skills of the ninja, which was a highly illegal counter culture to the ruling samurai class. Unlike today’s counter culture of drugs and music downloading, ninjutsu was a much larger offense and it’s because of this, the origins of ninjutsu AND ninjas, have been shrouded in mystery and confusion since their early conception.

One theory about the origin of ninjas, claims they were originally peasants who used everyday farming tools as weapons. They also commonly used indigenous plant life around them for making poisons. While this theory certainly has some gravity to it, it doesn’t explain some of the other skills ninjas were known for, such as the ability to disguise themselves as anyone - like a rich inner city merchant for example (something a rural farmer wouldn’t know much about).

Another theory is that some samurai became ninjas. But again, there are some holes to this logic as samurai were raised to believe that not fighting face to face was dishonorable. Still, it’s not out of the imagination that a disgraced samurai, forced to commit seppuku, decided to turn tail and run off and become a ninja. What’s generally agreed upon by most historians, is that the ninja art of stealth began to develop sometime between 600-900 A.D. with early ninjas employed by royalty. One story tells of the first emperor, Jimmu, who was able to win a losing battle by employing two ninjas who disguised themselves as an old peasant and his wife and slipped into enemy territory. After that successful battle, the art of ninjustu is said to have been passed down for further development.

Of course, Japanese folklore would tell us that the ninja descended from a demon that was half crow and half man but that sounds a bit too much like a National Inquirer cover story than anything else. So while there isn’t a clear cut answer as to how ninjas came into being, the theories here are widely considered the basis of the start of ninjutsu and ninjas. In some regards, it’s actually better that there isn’t one definitive answer as it adds a certain mystique to the already mysterious and elusive ninja.


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Why Only One Form Gets Flack: A Comparison Between Ninja Assassin and Controversial Violent Video Games article:
Sorry, I would help our cause, but I’m too busy eating yellow pills, super growth mushrooms and shooting terrorists in the middle east. Cant you see how much video games have changed me?? -sarcasm


I don’t even know how some ppl think pirates can beat ninjas…


@JinraIlustrisimo:  Yes, Ninjatown is very very cute!


@DannyTruong:  Yeah, in my research I found a lot of different theories regarding the origins of ninjas and I have to say the peasant one makes the most sense.


sh0kr0k - 11/24/09 7:09 am

Wow, this is going to be terrific!  I’m looking forward to so many of these articles/pieces!  Thanks!

lol, hopefully we can keep up.. xD


Oh geez Ninja Town is tooooo cute.


Wow, this is going to be terrific!  I’m looking forward to so many of these articles/pieces!  Thanks!


I’m pretty glad this week is based on Ninjas. It’s a proud thing for this website to grow XD!

I’m definitely a ninja!


Origins of the Ninja:

Of all the origins I’ve studied, the most popular reason why Ninjas existed, was because The Samurai took away the small farms and land that they had to live off of. Being that they were poor and had only farming tools, they had to come up with some way to take back what was theirs. Then the trade of the Ninjutsu, was handed down from some ancient practitioners in China, where it finally landed in Japan and taught in secret. Thus led a Koga and Iga ninja clan. The Ninja turned their farming tools into weapons, and they assassinated the Samurai leader to take back their land. This lead to hatred of the Ninja, and they were forced to continue fighting as Ninja.

So thats the lore that I have. Ninjutsu schools actually exist down in my area and are true to functionality of it, down to the acrobatic movement and hand to hand combat.


Yes! Ninja it all week!!!


LOL.
I wish I was a ninja. . . :(


Oh yes. This week is ALL about ninjas.


WOAH, looks like an extremely busy week!


^ haha nice, i was wondering what the gin part meant XD JK


Hoc - 11/24/09 12:10 am

heh, I mentioned multiple time that it has raspberry

Ninjas drunk on gin! (FTW)


heh, I mentioned multiple time that it has raspberry


Hoc - 11/23/09 10:12 pm

hmm, I’m more Ninja then I thought…

I’m thinking to myself, maybe the word Ningin was derived from the word Ninja raspberry


^ i know right, so much ninja lovin <3


Wow, this is awesome.

NINJA GALORE!


yep. im definitely ninja.


Hoc - 11/23/09 10:12 pm

hmm, I’m more Ninja then I thought…

I agree! Just when I thought I didn’t have an identity crisis…


hmm, I’m more Ninja then I thought…


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