Legendary Writing of Ninja Secrets, found in Japan

On June 19, 2022, officials from the municipal government of 甲賀市 Kōka City, Shiga Prefecture, famous as the center of ninja heritage, announced that they had found an Edo period ninjutsu manuscript called 間林清陽 Kanrinseiyo.

The book is said to be the basis for the 万川集海 Bansenshūkai, a representative ninjutsu book that served as a dictionary of ninja arts in the Kōka and Iga regions. The Bansenshūkai makes it very clear that he used the Kanrinseiyō as a reference point. However, neither the existence nor the content of the legendary ninja reference book had been confirmed until now.

The following image shows the first page of the 40-sheet manuscript, which indicates on the left side 軍法間林清陽巻中 meaning “Kanrinseiyō Strategic Tactics, Middle Volume (Second)” Marked in pencil on the right side, the date it was The manuscript is believed to have been transcribed, 延享五年, the fifth year of Enkyō in the Edo Period, corresponding to the year 1748.}

According to Sankei News, the manuscript contains 48 articles on ninjutsu, including practical teachings such as the method of making 撒き菱makibishi , bamboo stabbing traps, how to fight multiple enemies simultaneously, how to distinguish sounds, and how to move quietly.

About the 呪術 jujutsu (charms), for example, it contains one to stop the barking of guard dogs, which involves writing the word 鬼, which means devil, and “cutting nine syllables” (the nine ninja gestures performed with the hands) .

Another enchantment included in the scroll is for quick hide. This is very popular among those who like ninja movies, manga or anime. If you have ever noticed the dust and smoke that the ninja throw at their feet to hide, you are witnessing the dramatization of this enchantment. According to the teachings, this is done by throwing powders made from the ashes of owls and turtles in the direction of the person you wish to hide from, “cut the nine syllables”, and hide behind the nearest object.

福島嵩 Takamasa Fukushima, a member of the Koka City Volunteer Brigade for Regional Development, who has investigated the ninja, discovered the scrolls last December in a warehouse belonging to the Kazuraki district of the same city. It is probably a document that was inherited several generations by the descendants of the Yoshikawa ninja clan, who served in the Owari Domain, in the same area.

According to the official in charge of the cultural property of the city of Kōka, “Now that Kanrinseiyō has reached the media, some citizens of Kōka may be interested in looking for other volumes in their own homes and cellars. The expectation of finding more manuscripts is very high. “

As for the meaning of the discovery, in addition to confirming the existence of a ninja reference manual that was the basis of the Bansenshūkai, ninja fans and researchers are particularly excited that it was found in the city of Kōka, the home of the ninja. , which contains a great deal of practical knowledge, and can now be considered one of the oldest ninjutsu books in existence.

Although there are no plans to publish the Kanrinseiyō, the city wants to display a reproduction of the manuscript at the city’s tourist information center 甲賀流リアル忍者館Kokaryu Real Ninja-kan

And if you’d like to visit it in person, the best way to travel within Japan is by train. And for this, the best way to travel by train is with the JR PASS all-inclusive pass, which you can purchase on their website. This pass is purchased before traveling to Japan , arriving at the airport or at any train station , you can pick up your pass with proof of purchase .