Ninja

A ninja (Ren Zhe , Japanese pronunciation [nindza]) or shinobi (Ren bi [cinobiShinobi (Ren bi, [cinobi]) was an agent of cover or mercenary in feudal Japan. Ninjas' duties included reconnaissance, espionage, and the infiltration of. They also deceived or ambush their bodies, and were proficient in fighting martial arts including Ninjutsu. Their covert strategies of waging irregular war was considered to be dishonorable and a detriment to the honor of Samurai. Although shinobi in their proper form as specially trained spies and mercenaries appeared during the 15th century of the Sengoku period, antecedents may have been in existence as early as the 12th century.In the turmoil of the Sengoku period, mercenaries and hired spies began to operate within Iga Province and the adjacent area surrounding the village of Koga. These areas are where much of the information regarding the ninja comes from. After the unification of Japan under the Tokugawa Shogunate in the 17th century, the ninja faded into obscurity. [6] A number of Shinobi manuals, largely founded on Chinese military philosophy that were written during the 17th and 18th centuries, most particularly the Bansenshukai (1676).By the period of the Meiji Restoration (1868), Shinobi was becoming a subject of popular imagination and mystery in Japan. Ninja was a prominent figure in legend and folklore, in which they were associated with legendary abilities such as invisibility, walking on water and the ability to control natural elements. A large portion of their portrayal in popular culture relies on these myths and folklore in contrast to the shady actors from the Sengoku period.