Ninja Spirituality

• 2022-12-09
• 2024-04-10

「空」The Visible and the Invisible

The Existence of What you can’t see Although ninjas are known as shadowy figures, they also sometimes disguised themselves as ordinary people to conduct espionage activities — both publicly and covertly. Why is it that ninjas are still internationally known today, even though there are people who engage in intelligence activities, not only in Japan but throughout every era and culture? It may be largely due to the influence of movies and manga, but we will look at this from the context of the uniqueness of the Japanese people in this column. Recent research has revealed that the mission of ancient ninjas was to survive and pass on information. In order to survive, it was clear that having useful information was more advantageous than expending […]

• 2021-05-28
• 2024-04-10

Right mind~Why Ninja is different from bandits~

    Remember the right mind. If Ninjutsu is misused, it is the same as banditry. Ninjutsu should be used for the greater cause, not for personal gain. (Quoted from the book of Ninjutsu, Bnasen shukai) Ninja had various techniques based on infiltration and psychology to sneak into houses and people’s minds by setting fires, confusing people by spreading rumors. It was precise because he was such a ninja that he reminded himself not to forget the “right mind.” And as a ninja, he also made a firm promise not to use his skills and abilities for personal gain .   When Ninja were active in the war period, their goals were to “survive” and “return with useful information.” This is because fighting by utilizing […]

• 2021-05-28
• 2024-04-10

Knowing yourself deeply

Knowing who you are In order to become a good ninja, it is important to always be aware of the words “You should know about yourself.”(＊)   Even today, knowing your limits mentally, capacity and physically can help you perform at a high level and respond calmly to pinch points and problems. It is a very important risk management to understand your ability correctly on a daily basis and not to overlook the signs that you are “I can go a bit further” or “It’s getting dangerous.” If you stop and think about your next move flexibly or take a break when necessary, you will be able to keep moving for a long time and may be happy in this 100-year period of one’s life. […]

• 2021-04-19
• 2024-04-10

To fight is to protect.

Ninja arts are for gaining time and escaping!? Japanese people tend to find beauty in the end, but the mission of the ninja was to  (1) stay alive, (2) bring back information, and (3) return home. For this purpose, escape was a higher priority than fighting and settling things in black and white. Ninjas flee in a cloud of smoke or using gunpowder to startle the opponents, and then they would take  that opportunity to run and hide. “I will neither run nor hide! “and contrary to the expression that is often used in period dramas, why do ninjas run away to such an extent? It was because they knew that there were battles that could be avoided thanks to the information they brought back, […]

• 2021-01-06
• 2021-07-15

The same commandments today as in the past.

The Three Diseases of the Ninja / Fear, Insult, and Overthinking The ninja, who had to perform missions such as gathering information while fighting against danger and anxiety, always warned themselves not to fall into these three diseases. Don’t be scared, don’t take things lightly, don’t knock over too many stone bridges. Overthinking is something that smart people tend to fall into. And these apply not only to ninja work, but also to corona preparation, exams, work, life… everything. It’s easy to say, but excessive fear and worry can stop you from thinking and acting in a healthy way, and if you take others lightly, they can catch you off guard. When it comes down to it, don’t get caught in a circular spiral, but […]

• 2021-01-06
• 2024-04-01

KAJYO-CHIKUSEI（花情竹性）

  With the appearance of a flower and its bamboo-like qualities*   Although the ninja has a strong image of fighting, he was a survivor who prioritized survival. The ninja made it a point to survive and pass on helpful information for the peace and order of the country and the region. Although he was always in danger of losing his life, he made  a goal like ”  living  like a flower and  with a mind that is as  strong and straight as the nature of bamboo.” Does this sound a little surprising?   Even if no one takes care of the flowers that bloom in the wild, when the time comes, they will bloom, delighting our eyes, emitting their fragrance, and enriching our hearts. […]