Did ninja exist in Japan?
Some foreigners cite the ninja as an image of Japan.
Ninja, geisha, and Mt. Fuji are typical images of Japan.
Some foreigners believe that ninja still exist in Japan.
Unfortunately, there are no ninjas in Japan today.
The image of the ninja is one of superhuman physical strength.
The image of the ninja is that they lead a simple life and serve their lord.
When orders are given by the lord, the ninja strictly fulfill those orders.
Did ninja actually exist in the past?
According to folklore in various parts of Japan, people similar to the ninja did exist.
They were called differently in different regions, such as “nokizaru” and “suppa.
However, it seems that in many cases they were hired for money rather than serving a lord.
They did not dress in a manner that could be recognized at first glance as ninja.
They seemed to hide among the people and carry out their missions.
The ninja’s mission was not to enter the enemy’s castle and achieve great results, but to gather information steadily.
The spread of the image of the superhuman ninja is largely due to the development of movies in the modern era.
Ninja battles were shown in movie theaters as entertainment.
This defined the image of the ninja and spread throughout the world.
The spirit of Zen and the culture of loyalty to one’s lord are cultures that the Japanese have cherished.
It can be said that by using the fiction of the ninja, the Japanese demonstrated their own spirituality.
