spinecenter.com
The Japanese Legacy
Though traceable to its Chinese roots, Ninjutsu is
predominately a Japanese martial arts form. There
are many theories about the beginnings of Ninjutsu. Each Japanese historian
has his or her own beliefs, based on what each swears are facts. It's difficult
to point to a specific place, person, time, or set of circumstances that
would be acceptable to all as the birth of the art. Actually, Ninjutsu did
not begin as a well-defined art. It took many centuries to establish itself
as an independent system of knowledge.
Furthermore, the people that we today call Ninjutsu did not call themselves such. Instead, they considered themselves practitioners of political, religious, and military strategies, sometimes culturally opposite of the more conventional outlooks of the times. Ninjutsu developed as an illegal counterculture to the ruling Samurai elite---reason enough for its origins to be shrouded in mystery and concealment.
Some accounts say Chinese ex-patriots who fled their native land to seek sanctuary in the islands of Japan were the first Ninjas. It's true that Chinese warriors, scholars, and monks alike all made the journey to find new lives in the wilderness of Ise and Kii, south of the capitals in Nara and what was then Kyoto province. They brought with them the Taoist beliefs and knowledge that had accumulated over the centuries in their native land,---such as military strategies, religious philosophies, folklore, cultural concepts, medical practices, and a wide scope of perspective that blended the wisdom of China with that of India, Tibet, Eastern Europe, and Southeast Asia.
The Chinese immigrants settled in an area far away from the Japanese Samurai elite, where they developed a separate culture. As time passed, the Ninja and their ways, known as Ninjutsu, were always present behind the scenes working, subtly manipulating the events of all the eras to ensure the survival and independence of their families and lands. In the regions of Iga and Koga, Ninjutsu became a special skill, refined and perfected by over seventy families, each with their own unique methods and ideals. The rest of the history is shrouded in ancient superstition, much of which is difficult for today's Japanese to comprehend, let alone Westerners.
Even the words, Ninja and Ninjutsu cannot be translated to English easily. Nin requires extensive English words to be explained. At the simplest level, it can mean endurance, perseverance, and forbearance in both the physical and mental senses. Nin also has connotations of stealth, secretness, or concealment. The Japanese and Chinese symbol for Nin is composed of two lesser symbols that stand for "blade" and "heart." The character implies that the heart, or will, behaves in a manner giving it the effectiveness of the blade. In a broader sense, nin really means to be in control of one's body, mind, and the perception of right and wrong. As with so much of Oriental language, think of nin as a core word with scintillating connotations, or perhaps as the ripples circling out from a pebble that has disturbed the surface of calm waters.
The Togakure ryu, a Ninjutsu order established approximately eight hundred years ago, is now in its thirty-fourth generation. The ryu (style) exists today as an organization dedicated to teaching effective methods of self-protection and promoting the self-development and awareness of its members. Due to the stabilized nature of contemporary Japanese government and judicial systems, the Togakure Ninja ryu no longer involves itself directly in combat or espionage work.
During the Feudal period in Japan, the Ninja clans lived in close knit communities. Secrecy was paramount in their lifestyle and operation. The techniques and disciplines were passed from father to son. The scrolls outlining these codes of practice and techniques were family treasures, but in modern times they have become collector's items.
The creator of modern Ninjutsu is Dr. Masaaki Hatsumi. There is some controversy regarding his Ninja lineage. But he shrugs it off. As far as the martial arts world is concerned, he is the grandfather of Ninjutsu. Many people from all over the world have made the pilgrimage to his Dojo in Japan. He owns a Ninja museum with many items from the Ninja past on display.
Dr. Hatsumi's martial arts career began in a very dramatic way. His father was an alcoholic who, often in drunken stupors, brandished a knife at home. As a young boy, Hatsumi had to hide from his drunken father. By listening to the rhythm of his father's footsteps, the boy recognized the drunkenness before his father entered the house. As Hatsumi got older, he learned Ninjutsu and other martial arts to control his father before putting him to bed.
Dr. Hatsumi's Ninjutsu teacher was Toshitsugu Takamatsu, a fearsome person who had spent many years in China learning martial arts. His sheer prowess earned him the name Mongolian Tiger. He learned his skills from Chinese boxers and other martial artists. Takamatsu lived to be an old man. He attributed his longevity to transforming himself from a Mongolian tiger to a house cat.
The following story demonstrates the wisdom and ruthlessness of Hatsumi's master: Once, Takamatsu drew his sword, instructing Hatsumi to grab the blade. At first Hatsumi thought his master was joking. After realizing his master's seriousness, without further hesitation, Hatsumi grabbed the blade. Remarkably, he was not cut. The master also tested him in other ways, such as stealthing quietly behind him and delivering a swift blow with his sword. Sensing danger, to avoid the cut, Hatsumi flattened himself on the floor. These tests are written in the Ninjutsu syllabus for granting high levels of training. To pass them without death or injury, one must have total confidence in himself and his teacher.
Modern Ninjutsu is known for its humanitarian commitment toward community values. Students are encouraged to use their training and knowledge to be better citizens and students. Ninjutsu students of the 2Oth century are known to each other and have no desire to form a secret Ninja society.
| << Return To TOC |