Hattori Hanzo - The Free eBook by Antony Cummins

- BEFORE YOU READ THIS BOOK Before you go any further in this book there are a few Japanese words and names for the ninja that you must know to understand the text in full. Ninja: You may think you know what a Ninja is, but without a doubt most people of the world do not fully understand. For ease you may understand Ninja as men and women of various ranks, ability, social status and origins who have trained in the arts of Ninjutsu. Shinobi: The original reading of the word Ninja, it can be used to mean a person or a verb, to do Ninjutsu, to carry out a Ninja activity. Shinobi – no – mono: A person who does Ninjutsu, a Ninja. Ninjutsu: The art and skills of the Ninja. Shinobi no Jutsu: The original way of saying the art of Ninjutsu. Ninpō: This word has been mistranslated of recent years and given philosophical meaning. In medieval Japan this term was interchangeable with Ninjutsu.   Ninpei: This translates as Shinobi Soldiers Suppa: An old word for Shinobi. Rappa: An old word for Shinobi. Iga no Mono: Men of Iga, normally classed as Ninja.

“You like samurai swords?...i like baseball!” The words of Hattori Hanzo from Kill Bill and they still ring out after 400 years after the name Hattori first sliced its way into the mainstream. So who is this Hattori Hanzo, a master sword smith, a black assassin, a master ninja, a superhero? All of these and more have been portrayed as Hattori Hanzo but what is the truth of this illusive yet popular character? Within this short volume we will explore the small amount of evidence available to us about the man and the myth of Hattori Hanzo and come to terms with the reality above the fiction, a reality that is far more impressive than any fiction will achieve. For those who know the name Hattori Hanzo but do not know who or what he is, then you are indeed in for a treat. If anyone from the pages of history deserves a spot in the limelight it is the Japanese character of Hattori.

Hattori Hanzo or Devil Hanzo as he is sometimes known was a strategist, samurai and ninja leader of the 16th century. His exploits are legendary and the name of Hattori is without doubt one of the most connected names with the history of the shinobi warriors. One could say that where there are ninja, there is always the echo of Hattori.

What should be the simple recounting of one man’s tale become a complex but short puzzle to be unfurled. The aim of this work is to first establish who or what is Hattori Hanzo, his origins, homeland and skills. From here we will turn to the family name and title of Hattori Hanzo and the successive generations that undertook the task of ‘master ninja’. The book will concentrate mostly on Hattori Hanzo II and his famous exploits and connections to the shogun, see how his name lives on in the town of Hanzomon, the battles he featured in and the ninja he commanded. Surprisingly for a high profile figure there is little historical information on the historical figure, there seems to be legends, stories, small ditties but nothing concrete. Therefore this book has attempted to pull in all the strings linked to the historical Hattori and

formulate a picture of an illusive man that existed in the shadows of history. To wrap up we will also investigate the myths and the effects he has had on modern culture, alongside some demonology and a look at some writings written by one of the Hattori’s. Lastly and after the investigation of Hattori this book will include a look at Natori the Ninja, the shinobi cat. A comic created by the author to display true historical ninjutsu and also a test chapter from the book Shinobi Soldiers, an investigation into the ninja, a book also written by the author.

Most people will give you stories of the famed ninja leader, some media productions will recount the tales of Hattori Hanzo but one thing that they have in common is the fact that they class Hattori Hanzo as one singular man, whereas in fact historically there are at least 4 Hattori Hanzo’s! Before the examination of the individuals, Hattori Hanzo has to be broken down into two parts for investigation, first the family name Hattori:

服部

As far as we know Hattori is the umbrella name for a family line that has its origins in Iga and is a successive term akin to our family names.

半蔵正

Hanzo is the real gem of interest here as it is not actually a ‘christen’ or given name. The word Hanzo is a form of 通称-tsusho a popular name/title given to the head of the Hattori family as he succeeds his predecessor before him. Thus, a child is born with a

given name and the family name of Hattori and then upon their appointment they are then called Hattori Hanzo, or ‘Head of the Hattori Family’.

As stated above there are 4 historical Hattori Hanzo’s that have been recorded in connection with the Mikawa Hattori branch. It is these four versions of Hattori Hanzo that we get our modern icon from and it is these 4 that gave birth to the Hattori connection with the ninja or Men of Iga. The 4 are of close family connections and being of a direct grandfather to grandson linage. It started with Hattori Hanzo the 1st, a ninja from Iga and extended through his son and grandsons who were Bushi of the Sengoku and early Edo period. The last three Hattori Hanzo’s were born into the Matsudaira the name of the Tokugawa family before they came into power. It is theorized that only the first Hattori Hanzo was in fact a Ninja and that the final three were not in fact ninja, but were merely connected to the shinobi in some form. This argument will be discussed later on and will outline what it means to be a ninja and how can one claim from a historical point if in fact the final three were ninja or not?

The line of Hattori passed from an Iga ninja, Hattori the 1st to his son who then passed it to his first son who then died in 1615 and thus passed the final version on to the 2nd son, Hattori Hanzo the 4th. There is a 5th Hattori Hanzo but it is unknown if he had any connection to the Shinobi at the castle, it is more than likely that he was simply attached to the Hattori family and not connected to the shogun. The following is a basic outline of the given names, births and deaths of the 4 Hattori Hanzo’s.

服部保長 Hattori Hanzo I Original Name: Hattori Yasunaga Date of Birth: Unknown Date of Death: Unknown

服部正成 Hattori Hanzo II Original Name: Hattori: Masanari The Elder Date of Birth: 1542 Date of Death: 23/12/1596

服部正就 Hattori Hanzo III Hattori Masanari: The Younger First son to Hattori the II Date of Birth: 1565 Date of Death: 1615?

服部正重 Hattori hanzo the IV Hattori Masashige Second son to Hattori II Date of Birth: 1580 Date of Death: 1652

服部正吉 Hatorri Hanzo V Hattori Masayoshi1

1

Possibly Masakichi

服部保長 Hattori Hanzo I Original Name: Hattori Yasunaga The originator and first in our line of recorded Hattori’s was a Ninja from Iga, the homeland of the Shinobi. We can only identify that he was probably the head of the Hattori Clan as he has achieved the status of Hattori Hanzo. However it is uncertain when the concept of Hattori Hanzo as a clan leader was established. Thus it is only by logical deduction that we can claim that he was a Ninja Leader of the Hattori clan. But what we can say is that this was a true Iga no Mono and a true ninja.

What is difficult to ascertain is why a ninja from Iga had sexual relations with a woman from Mikawa, or why a man and women from Iga moved to Mikawa. We do know that their son Hattori II was in the employ of the Matsudaira and thus we can understand that the move was one of position or that the placing of an infant in the clans care was for advancement. Whatever the reason for this change we do know that Iga ninjas did act as mercenaries and were part of the warrior elite which is against the common media misunderstanding. During the warring states period a ninja was a considerable asset to some and thus real life Iga no Mono was a benefit for any clan. What we do not know is if Hattori was a Jonin or not. To the modern reader a Jonin is an ‘elder ninja’ in a hierarchical system. In fact a Jonin was a highly skilled ninja and this subject mater will be investigated later, however we have no understanding of what performance level Hattori Hanzo I could achieve. However, a warring period ninja from Iga would by definition have been a skilled man in some form.

服部正成 Hattori Hanzo II Original Name: Hattori: Masanari The Elder

The second Hattori Hanzo was born a samurai or Bushi in Mikawanokuni 三河国 which is now part of the modern east Aichi prefecture on Honshu. Named Masanari and son to Yasunaga he was a retainer of the future Tokugawa clan. It is interesting to highlight the fact that the dogmatic structure normally associated with the samurai is not in place here. To our modern minds it seems almost unthinkable that a

ninja could have his son brought up in a very powerful samurai clan as a samurai? One factor that one has to consider here is the social position of Hattori Hanzo I. He was a man of Iga and at the time of his son’s birth Iga was still an independent domain free from external national control. This independent system ran its own samurai class and thus an Iga no mono could have been both a ninja by trade or skill and also at the same time a samurai by birth or achievement. Thus we are left with the interesting figure of a son of a ninja and samurai born, Hattori Hanzo II, the most famous ‘ninja’ in history. When one hears the name Hattori Hanzo you are normally hearing this incarnation, as Hattori II is the famous war general under Tokugawa Ieyasu and of the famed connection with the Iga Shinobi. We know that when he was 16, he had his first test of arms at Udo castle in Mikawa in the form of a night raid. We can also affirm that he was given a spear by Tokugawa Ieyasu himself and that he was a feared spearman. It is said that Hattori Hanzo II was a master in the martial arts and that he distinguished himself in the arts of swordsmanship and spearsmanship, along side this he is said to have been an outstanding tactician general and to have had a high level of skill in the Chinese based art of Onmyōdō 陰陽道, a form of archaic science and divination crossover.

Hattori Hanzo II was also famously known as Devil Hanzo or in Japanese ‘Oni Hanzo’鬼半蔵. It is said that he was like a devil in his abilities and that this man was feared by all for his prowess and capabilities as he is the product of the best his generation could offer. Part ninja, samurai, sage, general and killer he was thus termed Devil Hanzo, a person to be feared and respected. A further name has to be added to his retinue of epithets as Hattori Hanzo II obtained an official public post and was thus given the title of: Iwaminokami 石見守 and thus he was and is sometimes known (mainly in a written form) as Hattori Iwaminokami 服部石見守. Hattori II apparently died of natural causes at the age of 55 and Hanzo’s remains now rest in the Sainen-ji temple cemetery in Shinjuku, Tokyo where alongside his remains the temple also holds his favourite spears. Further to this the Japanese imperial palace also holds some of the Hattori treasures.

THE GRAVE OF HATTORI II

DEATH BY NINJA: THE MYTH: It is firmly understood that Hattori II died of natural causes. However, there is a myth that is falsely believed that Hattori Hanzo II had an interaction with a ninja called Fuma. It is told that Hattori was killed by this now, archenemy! Of course we know differently, however we see that this theme is reoccurs in popular culture. 服部正就 Hattori Hanzo III Hattori Masanari: The Younger First son to Hattori the II Hattori III was 31 when he came to bear the position of Hattori Hanzo upon his father’s death. By this time

the Tokugawa Shogun was only 7 years away from total victory over Japan and the Shogun already had 300 ninja in his employ as he had taken them into permanent service. Of the 300 we know that 200 were Iga ninja and under the direct command of Hattori Hanzo II and then III. We have a view of Hattori Hanzo III as the ‘spoilt child’ character but unfortunately we have only a small amount of information. It appears that when we took over as the ‘ninja commander’ at the Hanzomon gate that he was a poor leader and that a revolt against his leadership was instigated. The following extract is taken from Stephen K Haynes but one must be aware that he does not reference his sources; however it is of interest from a character building point of view. That being said it is repeated in Japanese literature and thus could have a solid foundation in history. ‘Hanzo Masanari died in 1590 at the age of fifty-five. He was succeeded by his eighteen-year-old son, whose name was also Masanari, though written with different Chinese characters. Hanzo’s son had not mastered ninjutsu, and he mistreated the members of the Band of Iga. The ninja did not consider him worthy of the name Hanzo, and the band revolted. Armed with guns and bows, they holed up in a nearby temple and demanded his dismissal. If their demand wasn’t met, they vowed to kill Masanari and to take their own lives. Their number was large

enough that historians consider their action to be the first strike in Japan. The year was 1605. The Band of Iga was divided into four factions, each led by a lowranking samurai. They could no longer boast that the band was headed by Hanzo Hattori.’ A further aspect of this comes in an argument between Hattori III and the Iga Doshin (group). It appears that Hattori III had a grudge against 10 of the ringleaders from the Iga Doshin, and he requested the death penalty for them. Two of the group escaped out of fear of their lives. However, Masanari went in pursuit of them and found and executed a man whom he thought was one of the escaped Iga ninja, this was no so and he had killed the wrong man. Thus, Hattori Hanzo III lost his position as the Iga leader and then leaves the pages of history. 服部正重 Hattori hanzo the IV Hattori Masashige Second son to Hattori II This, the last of the Iga Hattori Hanzo’s is a blank on a page of history all we know is that he took over the name of Hattori Hanzo from his brother. But he was caught up in Okubo Nagayasu Jiken, a political embarrassment in the early Edo period and thus he fell into disgrace. After that, he floated from place to place and it is said that the Matudaira family took him

in. The Hattori family then moved to the service of the Kuwana family and took up a chief retainers post. After-note: Hattori’s 3rd son Hattori Masahiro became a Priest.

渡辺守綱? Watanabe Moritsuna ‘Spear Hanzo’ (1542-1620) There was another ‘Hanzo’ that served under the Shogun at the same time as Hattori Hanzo II. He was a general and Hatomoto and was a peer of Devil Hanzo, so much so that the two received their epithets. To distinguish the two, one was called Devil Hanzo and the other was Spear Hanzo for his expertise in the art of the Yari.

Japanese kanji are the ideograms used to represent phonetic sounds within the language. Each ideogram or kanji has both phonetic and symbolic meaning. Unlike the west, a better name in the Japanese culture is not founded upon a good connection between the meanings of the words but more upon the individualistic kanji used, the amount of strokes within that kanji and the overall strokes used in a single name. Thus to a western or modern eye we see no connection between the meanings of the kanji used and can not get a feel for the overall theme intended.

服部

HATTORI 服 – CLOTHES 部 – DEPARTMENT OR DIVISION

半蔵

HANZO 半 - HALF 蔵 – SHED

正成

MASANARI 正 – CORRECT OR TRUTHFUL 成 – BECOME OR GET

Hattori Hanzo Masanari II built the Jodoshu temple to memorialize the eldest son of Tokugawa Ieyasu. The reason for the inclusion here is to link the idea of the man to the physical remains we have left to visit. With the destruction of the original Hanzomon gate there is little left for the average visitor to see and feel that was once touched by any of Hattori Hanzo line.

To get a better understanding of what the Japanese people think of as a devil it is worth while looking at the kanji representation of the ideograms for Devil Hanzo or in Japanese Oni Hanzo.

鬼半蔵 It is noticeable that the kanji used for the word devil is Oni which is represented by the first kanji in the name above.

悪魔

It is a point to understand that the kanji used was not as above which is the Japanese word for Akuma. In an English translation they become quite similar, but upon investigating the nuances of difference you start to understand that Oni in Japanese has the following characteristics. • • • • •

It has form. It is more akin to a monster. Troll like. Substantial. Something terrifying because of its presence on the physical realm.

On the other hand the word Akuma brings the following forth: •

It is formless.

• • •

It is more akin to the English concept of a demon or evil spirit. It has a ‘satanic’ feel. Brings forth ideas of existing on a different plane of existence.

Thus, we can see that Oni Hanzo was a very real and horrible threat to those who apposed him and could be a monster to his enemies.

陰陽道

Onmyodo is a form of ancient science/divination that was used for a multitude of issues. From weather, divination, astrology, tactics and any issue that needed wisdom to support it. It would be best for a western audience to understand it as a complete science based on supernatural qualities that were available to the Onmyyoji. The Onmyoji were specialists in magic and divination. Their court responsibilities ranged from tasks such as keeping track of the calendar, to mystical duties such as divination and protection of the capital from evil spirits. They could divine auspicious or harmful influences in the earth, and were instrumental in the moving of capitals. How does this fit in with Hattori? Well Hattori is attributed with being skilled in the practice of

Onmyodo and what really cements the connection between Hattori and Ninjutsu is the fact that he is supposed to be Onmyoji. The Gunpo manual of samurai strategies discusses this form of divination and it stresses that this is skill attributed to the shinobi. Thus, the connection between this skill and ninjutsu and the fact that Hattori is so connected with Iga supports the claim of Hattori as a shinobi and not just a shinobi leader. To highlight the importance of this connection the following extract is from the Gunpo manual (1615) and is chaptered under the shinobi skills section. KNOWING FROM WHICH DIRECTION THE ENEMY NIGHT ATTACKING SHINOBI WILL COME In Shinobi night attacking, people tend to utilize specific places as shelter or a hiding place, you should be aware of this, Shinobi of all people are likely to move along places that go behind things. Also there is a way to know what a Ninja will in accordance with the Chinese Sexagenarian Calendar, this uses the ten calendar signs and the twelve zodiac signs, which was transmitted by Hattori Jibuemon. Therefore, it is not mentioned in the “Hidorisho”, which is volume 9 – 11 of this scroll but it is written down here.

When using the Sexagenarian Calendar a Ninja will infiltrate from the 8th direction when counting in a clockwise motion on the days of: •Ne (Rat) •Uma (Horse) •Tori (chicken) •Mi (Snake) •I (Boar) •Tora (Tiger) When using the Sexagenarian Calendar a Ninja will infiltrate from the 4th direction when counting in a clockwise motion on the days of: •Ushi (Ox), •Hitsuji (Sheep) •Tatsu (Dragon) •Inu (Dog) •U (Rabbit) •Saru (Monkey) For the above days you should be able to work out the direction a Ninja infiltration or from where a night attack will come from by applying the above rules and counting the correct number of spaces on the calendar in accordance with the above information.

Mikawa Province 三河国 is an old province in the area that today forms the eastern half of Aichi Prefecture. Mikawa bordered on Owari, Mino, Shinano, and Tōtōmi Provinces. Mikawa was the original fief of the shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu before he gained control of Kantō. Okazaki was the principal castle town of Mikawa, although Yoshida Castle, near Toyohashi, was also a major fief at times. Hattori’s homeland is famous in Japan for its fireworks and to this day it is still manufacturing most of Japan’s

fireworks2. In order to maintain security, Mikawa was the only area permitted by the shogun to produce gunpowder, which led to this distinction in their fireworks industry. During the Edo period, the following domains were located in Mikawa: 1. Koromo, ruled by the Naitō clan. 2. Yoshida, ruled by the Matsudaira (Ōkōchi) clan. 3. Tawara, ruled by the Miyake clan. 4. Hatagamura, ruled by the Toda clan. 5. Nishi-Ōhira, ruled by the Ōoka clan. 6. Okazaki, ruled by the Honda clan. 7. Nishio, ruled by the Matsudaira (Ogyū) clan. 8. Kariya, ruled by the Doi clan. 9. Okutono, ruled by the Matsudaira (Ogyū) clan.

2

It is interesting to note that Dr Nakashima has put forward the theory that the ninja moved their skills towards firework manufacture at the end of the Edo period.

Iga, is a mountainous area and is special in Japanese history. Up until the Iranki wars, that was the defeat of the Iga clans by Oda Nobunaga, Iga was a separate state external to Japanese central rule. They were a self governing body of mountain families who are believed to be Ninja families. Iga is found in modern day Mie prefecture and is home to the official Iga Ninja museum.

MIE PREFECTURE

IGA

A MAP OF IGA FROM THE EARLY PART OF THE EDO PERIOD.

Hattori Hanzo is not only associated with the ninja but is always seen as a premier example of the archetypal shinobi. Yet according to research it appears that the Japanese do not class Hattori II, III & IV as a ninja. Firstly the question itself is too simplistic as one needs to identify what a ninja is by definition. A dictionary will inform you that a ninja is a Japanese spy. Thus by default anyone doing spying in Japan is then a ninja? Of course this is not true to our image and that’s why the question needs to be refined. To a modern reader the term ninja covers an image and feel of what we think are the ninja. However in ancient Japan there were multiple terms with differing connotations to mean ninja and to identify the level of achievement by a shinobi. The two questions that need answering are • •

What is a ninja? Were Hattori Hanzo II, III & IV classed as archetypal ninja?

This subject is discussed in full in Shinobi Soldiers and thus will not be discussed here however, a simplistic outline is thus. A ninja is an espionage agent or wartime covert operative and was subcategorized into one of the 5 types of spy outlined by the Chinese warlord Sun Tsu in his art of war. Further to this the ninja were then categorized by the level of their own merits and skill. According to historical ninjutsu documentation a ninja could achieve one of three levels, low middle or high. Then one needs to add a further element, the factor of if a person was one of the following: 1. A ninja by profession. 2. A warrior who has achieved some success in the arts and skills of ninjutsu.

3. A low born person who has been assigned an espionage task and has grasped 2 or 3 ninjutsu concepts. The first option of a ninja by profession is what we all see as they archetypal shinobi and would be an expensive and highly trained asset. However, even the low peasant or the 3rd choice would be classed and recorded as a shinobi. As you can see shinobi is a generic and an umbrella term for all those who deal with ninjutsu. The ninja portrayed in film and media and the ninja of our imagination is often real but it is the case that these ninja would be option 1 and they would represent the archetypal ninja. Now with this firmly set in the discussion the question still stands: Were Hattori Hanzo’s II III IV Ninja?

Now that we understand that a shinobi could be a highly skilled master of ninjutsu or a low level local sent on a mission of spying we can now refine the question of whether the successive Hattori’s were in

fact ninja? So if we return statements above we can now ask the question: Were the Hattori’s ninja or not? If we ask the question of whether they were ninja in one form or the other then the answer is most definitely yes, they were ninja. Simply being involved and working alongside archetypal ninja would make them Genin or low level ninja. So yes, by definition they were all ninja3 . However, let’s return to the more detailed question as to whether they fit into the band of archetypal ninja. We know that Hattori Hanzo I was without doubt an Iga no Mono and an archetypal ninja. What we do not know is if Hattori II was such a man? Research tells us that he was not classed as one even though the media tells us the opposite. In fact it is very difficult to identify if he is deemed to be a ninja or not? Thus, forgetting the media and previous opinions let us look at the bear facts. •

3

Hattori II was the son of a warring period ninja, what we do not know is how much contact they had together but it would seem that as Hattori II became the head of that Hattori line by becoming Hanzo. Thus we can assume that he was not a cast off child given over.

The last two could be argued as ninja in this way but it is still open to if that label could be fully attached.

•

•

•

Hattori allegedly travelled between Mikawa and Iga frequently to stay in his ancestral home of Iga. Therefore he would have had ample opportunity to witness and partake in ninjutsu training. Hattori Hanzo II acted as a scout on the famous journey made by Ieyasu through the mountains of Iga. For the ninja of Iga at that time on such a momentous act to relay on a person without shinobi skills would seem a little odd? After this Ieyasu took 200 Iga and 100 Koka ninja into permanent service and placed Hattori Hanzo II as unit commander.

Taking any of the above as single points one could argue against Hattori as a ninja. However simple logic would tell any historian that the obvious reason for Hattori’s status is in fact the high probability and very likely fact that he was in fact a ninja. HATTORI III The question of if this Hattori was trained in ninjutsu is more then difficult to answer. As we have read this Hattori was a troublesome hand-full and was disgraced. We can take the fact that the Iga Doshin were not happy with his leadership as a pointer that he may have not have been a shinobi. However, you must remember that simply because he was not liked does not make him untrained in ninjutsu. HATTORI IV

Again it is unknown weather this Hattori was a ninja and we do know that he left the leadership of the ninja behind. Was he a ninja? This is anyone’s guess.

The concept of Jonin, Chunin and Genin is often wrongly translated in the modern ninjutsu world. The modern and incorrect version is the social ninja hierarchy where a Jonin is at the top and the Jonin represents the head of the social ladder. From here it is incorrectly thought that he commands others through the Chunin and that the Genin were in fact the Ninja agents.

THE

ABOVE DIAGRAM IS AN INCORRECT VERSION OF

THE USAGE OF JONIN, CHUNIN AND GENIN.

This system is the result of an early 20th century mistranslation by Okuse Heishichiro.

In point of fact a Jonin has nothing to do with social status in a hereditary fashion. A Jonin is a ninja agent who has achieved a high level of skill and has mastered aspects of the ways of ninjutsu to the highest degree. Thus a Chunin and a Genin are as such people or ninjas of lower skill. Also to add confusion sometimes the ‘nin’ from Chunin and Genin is based on two differing Kanji: The first ‘nin’ 忍 is the ideogram for shinobi and the second ‘nin’ is 人 the ideogram for person. Thus the context can change and this three tier system can mean, High middle or low skilled ninja or it can mean mid or low

level person in a social standing. Thus when we read historical documents like the Iran-ki that state that ‘the Jonin Hattori’ we can identify that this was a highly skilled ninja, no matter what his social level was or was not.

The Ninpiden4 is a historical scroll written by Hattori Hanzo I (Yasunaga) and then he gave it his son Masanari who became Hattori Hanzo II and the famous ninja master Devil Hattori. This scroll is now kept at the Iga-ueno museum and is one of the three major manuals on ninjutsu alongside the Bansenshukai and the Shoninki.

4

It is probable that the Ninpiden was originally called the ‘shinobi-hiden’ as the original word was shinobi, which would change the phonetic sound of ‘pi’ to ‘hi’.

We know that Hattori Hanzo or ‘Devil Hanzo’ was involved in the following two battles. What we do not know is to what extent that he was involved. The following extracts are basic outlines of those battles and help to aid us in an understanding of the world of Hattori. Plus we do know that he was not yet commander of the Tokugawa shinobi unit.

Date: 1570 Location: Ōmi Province Forces of Tokugawa Ieyasu and Oda Nobunaga Number: 20,000-28,000 Forces of Azai Nagamasa, Asakura Yoshikage Number: 14,000-18,000 The 1570 Battle of Anegawa 姉川の戦い, came as a reaction to Oda Nobunaga’s sieges of the castles of Odani and Yokoyama, which belonged to the Azai and

Asakura clans. It was also referred to as the Battle of Nomura 野村合戦 by the Oda and Azai clans and the Battle of Mitamura 三田村合戦 by the Asakura clan. As warriors sallied forth from the castles, the battle turned into a melee fought in the middle of the shallow river. For a time, Nobunaga’s forces fought the Azai, while the Tokugawa warriors fought the Asakura a short distance upstream. After the Tokugawa forces finished off the Asakura, they turned and hit the Azai right flank. Inaba Ittetsu, who had been held in reserve, then came forward and hit the Azai left flank. Many of the besiegers of Yokoyama even left their task to aid in the battle. The Azai and Asakura forces were soon defeated. The exact number of the casualties in this battle is unknown. However, the Shinchokoki mentions 1,100 Samurai from Asakura clan being killed in battle. An army of this period had at least several times more non-samurai Ashigarus than the samurai, so it would be reasonable to assume at least several thousand men were killed. According to A.L. Sadler in The Life of Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu there were 3,170 heads collected by the Oda camp. A good portion were taken by Mikawa men, the Tokugawa force. The Mikawa Fudoki gives a very real picture of the battle: The retainers fighting in groups and the decapitation of soldiers in the

confused mingling of armies among the clouds of smoke and dust.

Dec/January 1573

The Battle of Mikatagahara 三方ヶ原の戦い was one of the most famous battles of daimyo Takeda Shingen’s campaigns, and one of the best demonstrations of his cavalry-based tactics.

As Takeda Shingen drove south, seeking to attack Tokugawa Ieyasu at his fortress at Hamamatsu, his forces were met by the Tokugawa on a high plain called Mikata, just north of the fortress. According to the Kōyō Gunkan, the contemporary Takeda military

history, Shingen outnumbered Ieyasu three-to-one, and organized his men in the gyōrin (fish-scale) formation, enticing his opponent to attack. Ieyasu’s troops were arranged in a line, so they could make the best use of their arquebusiers. At around four in the afternoon, snow began to fall, and the arquebusiers opened fire, along with a number of peasant stone-throwers. Firearms being quite new to Japanese warfare, were probably considered an unbalancing factor; Ieyasu may have expected his superior weaponry to defeat Shingen’s tactical attempts. Shingen then let loose his famous cavalry charge; his horsemen raced towards the gunners, and overran them; some of the Tokugawa stood firm, but many withdrew or were killed.

Shingen then withdrew these forward troops, offering them an opportunity to rest; a new set of horsemen initiated a new charge, led by Takeda Katsuyori and Obata Masamori. They were soon joined by the main body of the Takeda army, which drove their adversaries into full retreat. Ieyasu sent one of his

commanders, Ōkubo Tadayo, to plant his giant golden fan standard (uma-jirushi) to serve as a rallying point at Saigadake, where the high plains began to drop off. He then sought to re-engage the Takeda army, to free his trapped generals, but was persuaded by Natsume Yoshinobu to retreat; Ieyasu’s life was too important. Yoshinobu then led a charge into the Takeda line, and was killed.

When Tokugawa returned to the Hamamatsu fortress, he was reportedly accompanied by only five men; the battle had gone badly. Nevertheless, he commanded that the fortress gates remain open, and that braziers be lit to guide his retreating army back to safety. Sakai Tadatsugu beat a large war drum, seeking to add encouragement to the returning men of a noble, courageous retreat. This tactic is called the “empty fort strategy”. When the Takeda vanguard, led by Baba Nobuharu and Yamagata Masakage heard the drums, and saw the braziers and open gates, they assumed that Tokugawa was planning a trap, and so they stopped and made camp for the night. Had they

pushed though, it could be argued that they might have taken the fortress. In the night, a small band of Tokugawa warriors attacked the Takeda camp, forcing them into a ravine, where they lay helpless. The Takeda withdrew the following morning.

The greatest and by far the most important event that helped to establish the name Hattori in the annals of history was his connection to Tokugawa and the escort of the future shogun through the lands of Iga. This occurs just before the start of the Edo period and after the Iga wars with Nobunaga. Nobugana has just died, killed by one of his own generals, Akechi. At that time Tokugawa and his retainers had been staying near Ôsaka and learned of the assassination only just in time to avoid being detained by Akechi Mitsuhide’s troops. Mikawa, Tokugawa’s home town, was still a long way away and Akechi men would be combing the roads for them. At this point, Hanzo suggested that they take a route through Iga province for their return, as he had ties with the samurai there. In addition, Ieyasu had sheltered survivors from Nobunaga’s bloody invasion of that province in 1580 and those who knew of this would certainly be well disposed to offer assistance. Honda Tadakatsu sent Hanzo on ahead, and the Iga men agreed not only to guide them along back roads, but also to provide them with an escort. Tokugawa’s home and had given shelter to the fleeing ninja from the Iga ninja wars, the invasion of

Nobunaga a few years before. Thus, the men of Iga were eager to help the future shogun make there way through the mountainous realms of Iga and to face the mountain bandits that roamed the land as the Iranki document points out. ‘Hattori Hanzo Masashige (an alternative of Masanari) was an Iga man. Sent out by Tadakatsu, he went ahead as a guide to the roads of Iga…’ It is this above event and the successful escort by the 300 ninja led by Hattori Hanzo that became the major instance that gives importance to the Hattori story as because of this the shogun takes 300 ninja into his employ under the great general Hattori Hanzo. Hattori Hanzo is classed as one of Tokugawa Ieyasu’s great generals and is held in high esteem and thus was known as Devil Hattori! HATTORI HANZO III & THE TOKUGAWA We know that Hattori III was based at the Hanzomon gate and in command of the ninja group. The only other thing that we know is that in the1614 siege of Osaka he was killed as Tokugawa was putting down the last of his opponents. It is interesting to know that once he died the ninja group were then led by Yamaoka Kagetsuge.

THE 1614 SIEGE OF OSAKA CASTLE

Upon consolidating all of Japan the Shogun took control of Edo castle at the beginning of the 17th century. The castle was massively complex and this move began the start of what we understand as modern day Tokyo. On its outer walls is a series of gates, gates that were there to defend against the enemy and to control the stream of people entering the castle. The castle foundations still stand today and it is home to the Japanese Royal family. As Ieyasu settled into his castle he had in his employ 300 ninja, 200 from Iga and 100 from Koka. The shogun decided to give over two of these gates to his shinobi retainers. Retainers that are said to have become ‘gardeners’ around the palace as well as overtly established shinobi guards.

The most famous ‘ninja-gate’ of all has to be Hanzomon. The gate of Hanzo. It was here that Hattori Hanzo III took up residence and controlled his 200 Iga ninja from in 1603. It is believed that his residence was a house built just outside of the gate. It is unknown when the ninja stopped guarding this gate but what we can gather is that this period of peace an the move towards such jobs as palace guards, Iga Gumi and ‘secret police’ was the start of the ninja’s decline.

As the Iga ninja took the Hanzomon gate it is said that the koka ninja took the Otemon gate. Not mush is well known about this gate and the koka ninja but it would seem that Hattori was possibly the overall commander of the ninja under the shogun.

Now keeper of the west gate of Edo castle known as Hanzomon as mentioned above, the line of Hattori Hanzo gives its name to that area as well, an area of modern Tokyo now named Hanzomon which is a fact unbeknown to most. According to the Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation, as of June 2009 the Hanzōmon Line is the sixth most crowded subway line in Tokyo, at its peak running at 173% capacity between Shibuya and Omotesandō stations, a far cry from the ninja who used to live in the area.

-THE HANZOMON LINE –

According to personal questioning of Japanese nationals most tend to not understand where the etymology of Hanzomon comes from and most are surprised to learn that the station and town was in fact home to the famous ninja of the past.

There are of course more than just the family line of Hattori Hanzo. There are more Hattori families out there. What makes it confusing for a researcher is the fact that these family lines all share the same Japanese kanji and thus making it hard to establish any differences. At this stage it is impossible to tell if they are ninja or not, the following are historical instances with no visible connection to the shinobi. -OTHER HATTORI FAMILIES – ・Hattori family under the Honganji temple’s command with Hattori Tomosada 服部友貞 as their most famous member. ・Hattori family under Mutsunokuni Hirosaki Han command, with Hattori Yasunari 服部康成 as their prominent figure. This line of Hattori could have a connection to the Iga ninja line, however it is hard to verify and thus they have had to be submitted to this section.

The 1581 siege of Hijiyama was one of the crucial battles in Oda Nobunaga’s campaigns to seize Iga province during Japan’s Sengoku period. After a lengthy siege, and several successful sallies by the defenders, the castle eventually fell and was destroyed. The Iranki tells us that Hijiyama Kannondo burnt down and with its fall came the death of a Jonin named Hattori. ‘In the Attack on Kikyo Castle thousands were killed with one sweep of the sword, including the Jonin Hattori’ As the attack came in 1581 which rules out the possibility that it was one of our 4 main Hattori’s and thus it must be a ninja of the Iga Hattori family. The Mika Go Fodo-Ki document brings another Hattori into the historical records and one which more than likely served under Devil Hanzo, as he was one of the Iga no Mono who helped Ieyasu across the mountains on his famous trip around Iga. “From here it was mountain roads and precipices as far as Shigaraki, with many mountain bandits.

Yamaoka and Hattori accompanied them, defying the mountain bandits and yamabushi alike…Hattori Sadanobu was praised for the great extent of his loyalty and on leaving was presented with a wakazashi forged by Kunitsugu.” Lastly we have a Hattori ninja in a very true form and one that was under the command of Lord Shingen, a rival of Tokugawa Ieyasu! This ninja was called Hattori Jibuemon and appears to us through the historical warfare manual ‘The Gunpo Jiyoshu’. The author tells us that his understanding of Ninpo comes from the above ninja and is quoted below: “These 3 volumes of the “Shinobi no Sho” were originated by Hattori Jibuemon in the entourage of Lord Takeda Shingen and written down by me. He once said that there are 5 principles for the Shinobi. Number 1 is guidance, 2 is fire, 3 is the enemy, 4 is that of time and 5 is the principle of stealing in.”

Thus we see that the name of Hattori permeates the world of the shinobi and even finds its way onto opposite sides.

Among the research for this Hattori investigation were elements and stories that have found their way into the mainstream audience that yet have no references to academic work. Thus they are collected here as extracts for you to read. However, remember that these have no recognised source and can not be accepted into historical research but that does not mean that they have no place in reality, it simply means that they, at this point can not be verified. He was said to have begun training on Mt. Kurama north of Kyoto at the age of eight, and became a fullfledged ninja at age twelve, and was known as a master ninja at age eighteen. His father Yasunaga served Matsudaira Kiyoyasu, the lord of Mikawa and the grandfather of future shogun leyasu Tokugawa.

In a folk song from Mikawa in the late 1500s and early 1600s, Hanzo Hattori is identified as one of the three bravest retainers of the Tokugawa Shogun ‘Lord Tokugawa has brave retainers. Hattori Hanzo is Hanzo the Daredevil,

Watanabe Hanzo is Hanzo with a spear, Atsumi Gengo is Gengo the executioner.’ It was said that he could sit behind a hand-held fan, bow, and then suddenly disappear, only to reappear in the next room. He was also master of the art of using a rope to capture an enemy who sneaked up behind him as he sat in seiza posture. He was renowned as an “other-worldly” warrior, capable of psycho-kinesis and psychomancy. He could discern clairvoyantly the plans and strength of an enemy army. A well-known story is told about Hanzo and Ieyasu Tokugawa, then the future shogun of Japan. The general was fond of the martial arts, and was a sharpshooter, a master swordsman, and an excellent swimmer himself. One day in his twenty-fifth or twenty-sixth year, when he was living in Mikawa, he grabbed Hanzo Hattori by the scruff of the neck, dragged him to a river, and pulled him underwater. While Hanzo continued to calmly hold his breath, Ieyasu had to break the surface, gasping for air. He crawled ashore, pale and exhausted. “How long can a ninja stay underwater?” he asked. “One or two days, Lord. However long you request,” replied Hanzo, who then dived beneath the water. Several hours passed and there was still no sign of him. Leyasu became worried. He and his retainers began calling Hanzo’s name. Then Hanzo rose to the

surface with bursting air bubbles. He was not out of breath, but smiling. He handed leyasu something, and the general let out a cry of surprise. It was the short sword he had put on after dressing on shore. “I was not beneath the water all the time,” Hanzo proudly told his astounded listeners. “After diving beneath the water, I swam ashore, hid behind a rock, and napped. When I was called, I dove underwater and surfaced. I apologize for taking your short sword, Lord, but this is ninjutsu.” Leyasu was deeply impressed.

Accompanying leyasu, who had been informed of the betrayal of Nobunaga at Honno-ji temple, Hanzo Hattori proposed that his lord enter Iga, return to Mikawa with the help of ninja from Iga and Koga, and then attack the warrior who had betrayed Nobunaga. Ieyasu agreed to his proposal, and Hanzo then visited a famous ninja living on the border of Iga and Koga and asked for his help. While guiding leyasu, he shot a rocket into the sky to signal ninja to gather at the Otogi pass, on the border of Iga and Koga. When leyasu arrived at the pass, 300 ninja

had already gathered there. Hanzo had Ieyasu ride in a kago, and he himself stood guard at the future shogun’s side. Guided by the ninja, Ieyasu headed for Mikawa, safely negotiating difficult places day and n i g h t . H a n z o re c e i v e d re p o r t s a b o u t t h e repercussions of the attack against Honno-ji and the movements of the various daimyo. He, in turn, informed leyasu, riding in a kago beside him.

As a historical samurai in one of Japan’s greatest periods of samurai culture, Hattori Hanzo has significant cultural resonance among admirers of that culture, both within Japan and abroad. In the modern popular culture he is most often portrayed as a ninja, involved with the Iga ninja clan. A fact one can ponder on through the investigations contained above. 1. Hattori Hanzō appears in the novel Fukurō no Shiro (Owl’s Castle), later made into two feature films. 2. The life of Hanzō and his service to Tokugawa Ieyasu is fictionalised in the manga series Path of the Assassin. 3. Hattori Hanzō appears in the manga/anime series Gintama, Samurai Deeper Kyo and together with his clan in Tail of the Moon. In Tenka Musō young Hanzō is the main

character. In Ninja Hattori-kun, the main character Kanzo Hattori’s name is a pun on Hanzō. 4. Hanzō appears as a recurring character in the Samurai Shodown video game series, appearing in every game in the series. In World Heroes, another SNK series, Hanzō serves as one of the main characters, and is portrayed as rivals with Fūma Kotarō, also featured in the games (their rivalry is based upon the legend surrounding Hanzō’s death). 5. The actor Sonny Chiba played his role in the V-Cinema series Kage no Gundan. 6. In the film Kill Bill, Chiba plays Hattori Hanzō, a master swordsmith who is called upon to create a katana for the film’s protagonist; it has been implied that this character is a descendant of the historical figure. 7. He is featured in video game series Samurai Warriors, where he is portrayed as a highly skilled ninja, highly loyal to Tokugawa Ieyasu and attributed to the death of many of Ieyasu’s rivals, including Imagawa Yoshimoto, Takeda Shingen, To y o t o m i H i d e y o s h i a n d S a n a d a Yukimura, and having an extremely fierce rivalry with Fūma Kotarō.

8. In the first two games of the Gensou Suikoden series, a character named Hanzo is the leader of the hidden ninja village of Rokkaku. Hattori Hanzō is also featured in the games Kessen III and Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword. In the film The Machine Girl, the villains (yakuza said to be descendants of ninja) state that Hattori Hanzō is their family’s name. The manga and anime series Basilisk (as well as its feature film adaptation Shinobi: Heart Under Blade) features a character named Hattori Kyohachiro as an attendant to the shogun, being the son of the second Hanzō, and adopted son of the fourth Hanzō. Another Hanzō clan’s descendant, private investigator Hanpei “Hanpen” Hattori, appears in Android Kikaider. In the 2009 film Goemon, Hanzō appears as a legendary shinobi and has a significant supporting role (played by Susumu Terajima).

So where are we and what are we left with? It is clear that the Hattori Hanzo story is incomplete and in need as a vast torch shining upon it. The difficulty comes in that his history is in so much shadow that we may never know the story in full, but what a story to be told. There are not many stories that combine, kings and rulers, esoteric practice, ninjas, ninja commanders, mountain bandits, battles, desperate mountain journeys, disgraced ninja leaders and ancient secret scrolls. The world of Hattori Hanzo is poetic, deep and of interest to everyone. As in most cases the historical figure truly outclasses the fictitious ones and makes one wonder why people change the original at all. However what makes the story of Hattori Hanzo more appealing then most is his connection to the ninja. The ninja have gone through many changes and the truth is starting to be revealed and again the incredible abilities of the ninja are starting to impress us. Thus, Devil Hanzo is what is best in men, he is a general, a ninja, an academic a philosopher and above all a shinobi commander. For us, a modern audience we can only dream of what it must have been like to command a group of 300

highly trained shinobi and to have them at your service and thus in turn to be a highly respected general in an elite position. There seems no better life to us in this changing century. However, we are not ninja and we are not in medieval Japan but we can take the story and lessons of Hattori Hanzo with us and help them shape the world we live in, we can push the boundaries and try to establish a level of respect in our own lives, a respect that we hope to be equal only to the great Hattori Hanzo!

From the real Iga ninja and head of the Hattori family, across the stages of Kabuki, through the cheesy cinema of the 1970’s & 80’s to the wackiness of the hit film Kill Bill, Hattori Hanzo has been in the background for over 400 years and does not appear to be dying any time soon! So why does this line of ninja leaders hold our attention more than most? If we were to be honest it is the same reason that the Spartans and James Bond are the role models for men. We all want to do what they can and be them, deep down. The figure of Devil Hattori represents what is close to the perfect human. Trained in all the arts of ninjutsu and all the myriad of skills that that would contain, to be a samurai and to be known for courage and martial prowess that is topped with honour and chivalry and lastly to have the brain to be able to believe in and push our minds to the extreme ends of philosophy and magic. In all Hattori Hanzo is the perfect human, the sword saint of our time.

As a historian and Archaeologist this project has been difficult to say the least. Not difficult in the volume of work needed to be accomplished, but difficult in the amount of work that was not possible to do. One can simply not just start excavating the imperial place in Japan and look into the floor plan of Hattori’s residence. Nor was their massive amounts of information available in an academic format. Therefore, I have had to collect all I could from the academic sources in English and have people translate from Japanese sources where possible. That left only one other option, the internet. While internet research is not an avenue that should be taken, one can assess the information by cross referencing reliable accounts with the academic records and arriving at what is almost a certain safe bet. This project has been an exercise in strictness and having the ability to cut out all that has even the slightest possibility of false representation. Therefore, when the text talks in a strong tone with definite edges then it is where the work has been referenced from the academic records. Where such

words as, ‘apparently’ and ‘it appears’, then those are areas which no matter how much library research was undertaken there was no way to prove the reality or authenticity. Thus, please take assurance in the fact that even though actual historical records for this more than famous character are scarce, the work in this book has stuck to academic principles and has tried to bring you the most accurate version of his life that it can. All mistakes in this minefield of history are my own and I apologize for any error (if any) beforehand.

- NATORI THE NINJA FOR MORE INFORMATION ON HISTORICAL NINJUTSU AND NATORI VISIT

WWW.NATORI.CO.UK

Yin is the ‘negative’ or ‘dark’ element within eastern philosophy and represents the opposing force of light within the natural world. In Japanese this Yin-Yang is termed In-Yo and thus here we will call Yin, In. Thus, In-Nin means the ‘Dark’ side of Ninjutsu, but what does this mean to the western reader? Let us consider this dark side with all we have learnt about the Ninja. If you spoke to a Ninja in feudal times and said the word In-Nin they would understand the word to mean night-time infiltration. Therefore, technically, In-Nin is the most famous element of Ninjutsu as it

represents the Ninja moving through the night-time and climbing castle walls while spying on those they target, yet the word In-Nin is almost unheard of in the martial arts community.

A DEFINITION In-Nin in its definition is the art of infiltrating or spying whilst under the cover of darkness without being in open disguise and trying to hide your form from the eyes of others. That does not mean that the Ninja may not adopt a disguise if he is caught, but it does mean that he sets out on a mission with the intention of not walking openly in public.

TECHNIQUES There are various ways to infiltrate a camp or castle or certain things that you should look out for when you, as a Ninja are climbing those high castle walls!

THE IMPENETRABLE APPROACH A Japanese warring period castle was normally set on the high ground and like castles all over the world it made good use of the natural fortifications that can be found in an area. Thus, a Ninja was told to scale that impenetrable angle, an angle that was normally not guarded, and they were told that was the way for them to get in. This confirms the iconic image of the

Ninja scaling a cliff face, sword and equipment attached as he made his way into the lion’s den. The Gunpo scroll talks about leaving powder and spikes around these areas as the Ninja often come that way. At the same point the scroll says how Ninjas, when they steal-into castles like to hide behind things in the dark, thus you should check behind all buildings. Alongside this we have a glimpse of an alternative to this iconic image, and remembering what we have said before about the Ninja suit being normal Japanese wear, we are told that if the castle is large – get in from the most impregnable area. However, if the castle is small –get in from a busy area, so that once you are in you can blend straight in with the crowd (that must take serious balls!).

TESTING THE GUARDS You must remember that the guards at a warring period castle are more than likely Ninjas themselves, or at least they have Shinobi within the group and make no mistake it is these Shinobi that are the dangerous ones, as they know all the tricks and are old hat at catching other Shinobi. Firstly, guarding Shinobi are trained in the skill of Kamaritsuke – that means ‘Detection Skills of the Ninja’ and they would follow after the guard and check everything and everywhere, like a Shinobi deterrent they would circle the castle or camp waiting to find the Ninjas in hiding. To add to this you had guards who were possibly Ninja and they were called Tokiki and this

means listening scouts. These scouts would go out into the night and listen for other Shinobi who were approaching, their job was to hide and listen and wait, wait for that footstep in the dark! Therefore, when a Ninja found his way to a castle or camp he would create a sound, and unbelievably he may have done it with a musical instrument such as a drum (this is what the scrolls say!) and if those in the guard house did not react or made a large ruckus in reaction to the noise, he would know that they were untrained in the arts of the Ninja. However, if when he made this sound, the guards in the castle or camp went silent and if then 3 or 4 men came out of the guardhouse with spears and swords ‘under their arms’ then the attacking Ninja would know that it was impossible to infiltrate that castle. Other skills include placing umbrellas at the doorways to guardhouse and then using the distraction of the guards’ responses to gain entry. From scarecrows to mice a Ninja would use anything to create misdirection in the enemy and find a way in under the cover of darkness.

MASS NINJA INFILTRATION If there is anything more impressive then a lone Ninja in the night, it is loads of Ninjas in the night! What many people do not know is that lots of Ninja activity took place in the mountains and trees between two encamped armies and they protected the paths to and

from the main camp. One method of infiltration that sticks out is the art of putting about 70 Ninjas (or warriors) into the opposition’s army without them knowing and in the middle of an attack at night! The aim was to have about 100 Ninja in waiting and when the enemy made their attack and ambush in the night (which they did en mass) about 70 of the Ninja would join the attacking force and return with the enemy and act as part of the army, once there they would create havoc and kill as many people as possible or perform other operations such as sabotage. You may ask –what do the other 30 Ninjas do? Well, they are designated as ‘Ambush Shinobi’ and they have passwords and signs set up with the other 70 Ninjas for their return. They wait to see if the enemy try the same trick and kill anyone who does not know the passwords. Just picture the havoc and struggle that must have gone on in the cold Japanese forests at night, under the moon with those Ninjas creeping into each others’ armies. The point to this is that the classic vision that we have of the Shinobi is correct but it is only a fraction of the reality and only a pale understanding of the amazing skills that the Ninja held. This is the true way of the Ninja in the night and the skill of In-Nin, the ‘Dark’ Ninjutsu.

ANTONY CUMMINS HOLDS A BA IN ANCIENT HISTORY & ARCHAEOLOGY AND ALSO AN MA DEGREE IN ARCHAEOLOGY. HE IS AN AUTHOR, ILLUSTRATOR AND ARTIST BASED IN M ANCHESTER , E NGLAND . A NTONY WRITES FOR THE UK MARTIAL ARTS MAGAZINE COMBAT AND IS A MARTIAL ARTS INSTRUCTOR. HE HAS AN INTENSE PASSION FOR HISTORICAL NINJUTSU, AND IS THE FIRST PERSON TO BRING AN HISTORICAL NINJUTSU MANUAL TO AN ENGLISH AUDIENCE.

www.iamjaykane.com