Did Ninjas Exist? | Ninja Myths
We go over the origins of ninjas in Japan's Sengoku Period. What does it mean to be a ninja? What is real and what is myth?
FOLLOW UP: There seems to be some misunderstanding about my position.
I thought it was clear when I laid out the 3 criteria I used to define a ninja, but maybe not =(. If your definition of ninja does not include those criteria, we are talking about different things.
To be clear, of course there was secret warfare during the Sengoku, and shinobi no mono was one of the names used for people who engaged in such operations. Shinobi no mono = ninja. In fact, I was planning another ninja video on such people =)
My objection is with the idea of the ninja as a secretive, distinct, cohesive group or groups that had secret teachings passed down through generations. Does not seem like there is evidence for that. There IS evidence for samurai and people from the lower class engaging in stealth operations, and shinobi no mono was one of the names used for them.
I think it comes down to definition. If you're saying we called people shinobi no mono back in the day, we agree. That existed. They were normal spies, scouts, assassins, etc. Every country had those kinds of people, but we don't usually call those people from other countries ninja. I was using the definition of ninja as people in a secretive organization or guild with secret teachings.
My actual position is that ninja, or shinobi no mono, was a job/activity, rather than identity. For example, if I samurai went on a spying mission, you could have said he assumed a "ninja" role for that mission. Hope I've explained my position clearly =)
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