13. Ninja warriors were real – and they were every bit as stealthy and deadly as the legends suggest, as their victims across Japan learned at their cost
The Samurai were famously honorable warriors. They lived by a strict code and were chivalrous both on and off the field of battle. To defer from this rigid code would have brought great shame for a Samurai – in fact, he might be so ashamed of his actions that he kill himself in a ritual suicide so as to restore his honor. The Ninja, however, had no such worries. The old-school Japanese equivalent of the modern-day Navy SEALS, Ninja warriors used sneaky, often underhand tactics, and established themselves as feared spies, raiders and assassins as internal conflicts engulfed Japan in the 15th century.
The Ninjas started to emerge as early as the 12th century. However, it was under the Sengoku period, between the 15th and 17th century, when they really started making a name for itself. With Japan beset by unrest, the different clans vying for control realized they needed something more than just the Samurai warriors. They needed spies, saboteurs and assassins. In essence, they needed secret fighters willing to use whatever method necessary to achieve their goals. Ninjas would hire themselves out as mercenaries. Since they were not required to live – and die – by a strict code like the Samurai, clan lords used them to carry out a wide range of missions, mostly behind enemy lines.
Japan’s ninjas were almost all into the profession. As a budding ninja, you would learn such essential skills as climbing, long-distance running, knowledge of poison and explosives and acting from your family. You would also become adept at using a wide range of weapons, including throwing blades. However, contrary to modern depictions of ninjas, most worked in teams rather than alone, plus they tended to use short axes and a special sword known as a katana rather than flying stars. Oh, and ninjas rarely wore all black, but instead dressed in normal civilian clothes in order to blend in and go undetected.
The Ninjas’ reputation as ruthless killers who strike undetected in the dead of night was well-deserved. They were skilled operators, honing their craft over many years. Moreover, by the 16th century, Japan’s Ninjas had organized themselves into guilds, each one with its own special skills or services. Before long, clan leaders were taking counter-measures, including fitting booby traps in castles and homes, and even installing floors that would squeak when stepped on.