Aichi Aichi prefecture
Samurai and Ninja Village / Aichi
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.”
大阪からのアクセス
Nagoya Castle
Tokugawa Ieyasu built the Nagoya Castle as a part of the Tenka Bushin nation-wide construction project. After it burned down in a war, a large five-story castle keep with golden killer whales at the top and a smaller castle keep were re-built in 1959. Tokugawa Yoshinao, a son of Ieyasu, entered the castle as the first domain lord, then the castle flourished as the residence of the Owari Tokugawa clan, which was the leading family of the three Tokugawa clans. The castle was built with the latest techniques in those times, when the modern period castle construction technology had reached its final phase.
Hattori Hanzo Masashige
He was the head of the Hattori Hanzo clan who actively served directly under the Matsudaira clan and later the Tokugawa clan during the age of provincial wars (from late 15th century to late 16th century), and referred to themselves as “Hanzo” for generations. It is believed that for generations, his ancestors lived in Chigachidani of Yono, Hanagaki Village, Iga Province, and governed the area. He was a distinguished spearman as was Watanabe Hanzo, who was nicknamed “Yari no Hanzo” (spearman Hanzo), and earned the nickname “Oni no Hanzo” (Demon Hanzo).
Central Japan International Airport Centrair
Centrair launched the “SAMURAI x NINJA” project in July, 2018, under the theme “The Fusion of Centrair and the Warring States Period (from late 15th century to late 16th century)” by combining attractive tourism assets of this region, samurai and ninja, with the demands of foreign tourists. On the Ninja Day, February 22, the airport staff and a group of ninjas welcome visitors wearing ninja outfits.
©aichi-ninja
Tokugawa Ieyasu and Hattori Hanzo's Ninja Group®
It is a group of ninjas centered around Hattori Hanzo, a samurai with close relation to Aichi Prefecture, that promotes the attractive features of Aichi Prefecture and tourism related to feudal warlords within and beyond Aichi. The team of ninjas are on duty every day at Nagoya Castle. They welcome visitors and provide photo opportunities on weekdays, and offer ninja performances on weekends and holidays. On the 22nd of each month, the “Ninja Day” set by the Chubu Centrair International Airport, they help promote Centrair’s Samurai x Ninja project by seeing airplanes off and engaging in other activities.
Kimura Okunosuke and the Koka Five
Kimura Okunosuke
The second generation Owari Domain lord, Mitsutomo, employed Kimura Okunosuke, who was proficient at Koka ninja skills, as a marksman. Okunosuke was ordered to hire ninjas, returned to Koka, and hired five ninjas.
The Hometown of the Three Great Unifiers
in the Sengoku Warring States Period
Okazaki Castle
Tokugawa Ieyasu was born in the Okazaki Castle. He was taken hostage at the age of six by the Oda clan and later by the Imagawa clan when he was eight. He became independent when Imagawa Yoshimoto died in the Battle of Okehazama. From then on, he built the foundation for his great feat, the unification of the whole country, based in the Okazaki Castle. After founding a shogunate government in Edo, Ieyasu appointed a fudai daimyo to protect this castle. The castle keep was reconstructed with a three-layered, five-storied structure in 1959, and it was selected as one of 100 greatest castles in Japan in 2006.
Kiyosu Castle
Nobunaga moved from the Nagoya Castle and resided here. He left for the Battle of Okehazama from this castle. This is also where Nobunaga and Tokugawa Ieyasu formed an alliance (Kiyosu Alliance). After Nobunaga fell in the Honnoji Incident, the Kiyosu Conference was held here, and his second son Oda Nobukatsu inherited the castle. Current Kiyosu Castle Keep was reconstructed in 1989, and offers exhibits and visuals that showcase the history of Kiyosu.