The Martial Art of Ninjutsu

The art of Ninjutsu was originally a collection of techniques that were used for espionage.

Some of the common techniques include misdirection, avoidance, information gathering, and non-detection. Sometimes escape, disguise, explosives, concealment, archery, and medicine are also included in Ninjutsu training.

The most popular image of a Ninjutsu practitioner is that of an assassin engaged in mainly criminal activities. Ninjutsu is believed by most to be Japanese in origin, although it was influenced by Chinese spying techniques. Some think that after losing a battle Japanese households would run for the mountains and need a method of self-defense. The thought is that Chinese refuges would also be among those hiding in the mountains, and thus contributed their skills. It most likely took around 300 years for the art of Ninjutsu to evolve.

Those who practice Ninjutsu look at it as the art of enduring all of life’s hardships, rather than the techniques of stealth and secrecy. The character nin has many meanings, including both endurance and secrecy.

These days Ninjutsu refers to a particular method of self-defense (Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu) was well as its offshoots. Today just about anyone can learn Ninjutsu, even thought it has a past filled with myth and secrecy. The system continues to get more and more sophisticated as a student progresses, ultimately teaching much more than fighting skills. The proper use of the term Ninjutsu is to refer to a specific branch of Japanese martial arts.