Ninja
Japanese ninja culture is recognized worldwide, from its history,
culture, training traditions, to their scientific backgrounds.
Featured here is the history and training journey of ninja,
which is especially highly regarded.
Move the cursor over the map to see each area and travel time from Osaka.
Click the "More" button to jump to the information of each prefecture in the page.
エリア別スポット紹介
Koushinetsu
EAST
Ninjas in the Kōshin'etsu region (Yamanashi, Nagano, and Niigata Prefectures) were skilled at undercover operations in the mountainous areas and collecting information. Different styles and techniques were handed down in different regions.
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SPOT 01
Togakushi / Nagano City, Nagano Prefecture
En no Ozuno opened a Shugendo hall on Mt. Togakushi, and many monks engaged in austere disciplines. Before serving Kiso Yoshinaka, ninjas practiced Shugendo in Togakushi. When Kiso Yoshinaka fought a war against the Taira clan nearby Togakushi, ninjas were said to have occupied a cave by the upper stream of Kita-Shinano Susobana River, and taken command. After Kiso Yoshinaka died in the battle, Nishina Daisuke, who fought in the battle, fled to Iga and learned Iga school of ninja arts. It is said that Nishina Daisuke completed the Togakushi school of ninja arts by incorporating the Iga school of ninja arts.
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SPOT 02
Sanada / Ueda City, Nagano Prefecture
Sanada ninjas have served as “Mitsumono” (a group of ninjas organized by Takeda Shingen) since the reign of Takeda Shingen. They focused on ninja training. It has been said that there were over 1,000 ninjas in Shinshu (current Nagano Prefecture) and Joshu (current Gunma Prefecture) back then. After Takeda Shingen’s death, they served under the Sanada clan and played an active role. With 52 Shugendo-related temples, Agatsuma (current Gunma Prefecture) was a sacred land for those who practiced Shugendo. Contrary to Iga and Koka ninjas who did not serve under anyone and worked as a group of freelance soldiers, ninjas of the Shinano (current Nagano Prefecture) and Kozuke (current Gunma Prefecture) served under warlords.
Kanto
EAST
Ninjas in the Kanto region (Tokyo, Kanagawa, Saitama, Gunma, Tochigi, Ibaraki, and Chiba Prefectures) took on various tasks, including collecting information, surveillance, assassination, and subversive activities. Ninja-related cultures and legends remain even to this day, and many are familiar with them.
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SPOT 01
Sanada / Higashiagatsuma Town, Gunma Prefecture
Sanada ninjas have served as “Mitsumono” (a group of ninjas organized by Takeda Shingen) since the reign of Takeda Shingen. They focused on ninja training. It has been said that there were over 1,000 ninjas in Shinshu (current Nagano Prefecture) and Joshu (current Gunma Prefecture) back then. After Takeda Shingen’s death, they served under the Sanada clan and played an active role. With 52 Shugendo-related temples, Agatsuma (current Gunma Prefecture) was a sacred land for those who practiced Shugendo. Contrary to Iga and Koka ninjas who did not serve under anyone and worked as a group of freelance soldiers, ninjas of the Shinano (current Nagano Prefecture) and Kozuke (current Gunma Prefecture) served under warlords.
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SPOT 02
Odawara / Odawara City, Kanagawa Prefecture
Fuma ninjas served under the Hojo clan and took part in battles. They acted as a group, and were skilled at riding horses and conducting guerilla wars. As a tradition, ninjas who were appointed as the head of the Fuma ninjas identified themselves “Kotaro,” led the Fuma ninjas,and supported the Hojo clan from behind the scenes. As there remain very few documents related to Fuma ninjas, they are shrouded in mystery.
Tokai
EAST
It is said that ninjas in the Tokai region (Shizuoka, Aichi, Mie, and Gifu Prefectures) were mostly skilled at combat, proficient in the “art of fire,” namely the use of gunpowder, as well as the “art of spells” for protection and warding off evil spirits, and contributed to numerous battles.
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SPOT 01
Iga & Nabari / Iga City & Nabari City, Mie Prefecture
Iga ninjas never served under a specific clan. Instead, they served under daimyos of the Sengoku Warring States period (from late 15th century to late 16th century) in various regions and went into battles as freelance soldiers. It is said that they contributed to a number of battles as many excelled at the art of the ninja and combat capabilities. They are believed to have gone through intense trainings for a long period at training sites on a mountain and strengthened their mind and body. It has been told that on the battlefields, they were mainly engaged in information gathering, but they also conducted night raids, snuck into and set fire to opponent’s base, and were adept at the use of guns.
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SPOT 02
Koka / Koka City, Shiga Prefecture
Because Koka was located near Kyoto, the capital at the time, Ninjas were always busy collecting information. They were hired by Daimyos from various locations as Shinobi. In Koka, there is Mount Hando, a major sacred place for Shugendo, or the mountain asceticism. You can still feel the presence of Ninjas from Yamabushi (mountain ascetic hermits). Going around the Yamabushi training areas, or gyoba, you can relive the experience of Ninjas training in nature. In the village is an old shrine which Koka Ninjas worshipped, where you can feel the mystery and magical nature of Koka Ninjas.
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SPOT 03
Aichi / Aichi prefecture
Although Hattori Hanzo, who was closely connected to Aichi Prefecture, has a strong image of being a ninja, he was also a samurai who served under the Tokugawa clan. After the Honnoji Incident, his contributions during Tokugawa Ieyasu's Iga-goe (crossing Iga) were acknowledged, and he was appointed as the head of 200 Iga men selected at Narumi-shuku post station in the Owari Province (current Aichi Prefecture). As this group of ninjas was chosen at Narumi in the Owari Province, they were called “Narumi Iga Shu.”
Kansai
WEST
Ninjas in the Kinki region (Kyoto, Osaka, Shiga, Hyogo, Nara, Wakayama, and Mie Prefectures) were well-versed in the knowledge of medicinal plants and medicine, and excelled at administering poison. Legend has it that they collected information by disguising as “medicine sellers.”
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SPOT 01
Kishiwada / Kishiwada City, Osaka Prefecture
In Namimatsu Town, there was an area called Shinobicho, on the Ipponhama side of the Kishu Road, where Koka Ninja houses lined. It has become known that 50 Koka Ninjas were hired and called Oshinobi Yakunin (intelligence official). This Ninja group, called "Koka 50," lived as farmers, while training in gunnery and making gunpowder. During time of emergency, they became guards for the lord.
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SPOT 02
Kishu / Wakayama City, Wakayama Prefecture
It is thought that the "Oniwaban" (inner garden guards) established by Tokugawa Yoshimune were the descendants of Kishu Ninjas. The Kishu Domain government organization included a position called "Kusurikomeyaku," which seemingly means a position to put powder into guns, but actually a role engaged in espionage. It is said that the system was brought to Edo and the name was changed to "Oniwaban," spies for the Tokugawa Shogunate. Wakayama is deeply connected to Ninjas, where "Oniwaban" Ninja and Shoninki (True Path of the Ninja, one of the three major books on Ninjutsu, originated.)
Chugoku
WEST
It is believed that as ninjas in the Chugoku region (Okayama, Hiroshima, Yamaguchi, Tottori, and Shimane Prefectures) were knowledgeable about “the art of fire,” specifically gunpowder making and the use of guns, daimyos from various regions used them to extend their influence.
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SPOT 01
Matsue / Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture
Since names such as Iga Kyuhachi are found on the “Map of Matsue Castle Town During the Reign of the Horio Clan,” we can assume that Iga ninjas lived there. They fled from Iga during the Tensho Iga War, were employed by Horio Yoshiharu of Hamamatsu, took part in the Battle of Sekigahara, served as Iga ninjas in Matsue when Yoshiharu became the daimyo of Matsue, and fought in the Siege of Osaka Summer Campaign as musket troops. It is written in the “Payroll Ledger of the Horio Family” that there were 40 ninjas (from Iga), 40 men with guns (from Saika), and 580 infantry with guns.
Kyushu
WEST
Ninjas in the Kyushu region (Fukuoka, Oita, Saga, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Miyazaki, and Kagoshima Prefectures) were skilled at espionage, including information-seeking, and swordsmanship. It is considered that the demand for ninjas was high as there were many domains and battles often took place.
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SPOT 01
Ureshino / Ureshino City, Saga Prefecture
Ureshino was a key transportation hub between Nagasaki and Saga where the Arima clan of the West and the Ryuzoji clan of the East had a fierce battle. It was where “people, things, and information” gathered naturally as a sacred ground for the Shugendo religion which is home to Mt. Tosen, and an economic hub, Shiotatsu. It was highly likely that ninjas were active in this area, even from a historical perspective. When the area became the Hasunoike Domain, the sub-domain of the Saga Domain, in the Edo period (1603-1868), and Nagasaki was frequented by foreign ships, spies were sent to seek information on them. It is safe to say that it was ninjas who took on such operations.