GQ's Charlie Burton interviews Stephen Turnbull about ninjas:
“If the ninja have any basis in fact, the following three criteria must be satisfied,” says Turnbull. “One, that a unique corpus of military techniques involving secrecy existed in Japan during the Sengoku Period [c. 1487 - 1603]. Two, that the exercise of these techniques was confined to certain skilled individuals rather than being spread more widely within Japanese society. And three, these skilled practitioners were identified in particular with [the areas] Iga and Kōka, from where they sold their services to others.”
The title of the piece is a bit misleading. It isn't examining whether ninjas exist currently, but whether they ever existed or if they existed to the degree that modern mythology tells us.
It's an interesting viewpoint. Turnbull is an extremely prolific writer on all things Japan, but for what it's worth he is also not all that well regarded by many Japanese historians. Despite that, this interview gives some food for thought.
LINK: A ninja expert explains why ninjas aren't real
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Well, the Kanji for Ninja is in the standard list, and I gues it would not be there if ninjas never existed.
But if they never did, who do all the documents refer to when they tell us "he was murdered by ninjas" or "he hired ninjas"? Or what else was the saying "becoming grass" based on then?
Of course the modern "interpretation" of people jumping up walls and roofs and killing dozens of guards with a few thrown kunais is... an overstatement.
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For what it's worth, I do hope that ninjas were real, in terms of historical facts. They seem like interesting and mysterious figures that make Japanese history more 'colorful', in a way.
Thanks for the info!
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