ninjahistory

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Jigoku - Exceptional Persons of Loyalty and Honour 1845

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Bijin in Autumn

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Mounted Samurai wearing Tatehagidō Armor with horse wearing a horned dragon mask. Early Edo Period, 17th century CE, Japan

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After Bath - Ladies of Chiyoda Palace.

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The Murder of Geosha Miyokichi from the series “28 Famous murders with verse” by #yoshitoshi and #yoshiiku . This print is dated 1866 -67 and is by Yoshiiku #ukiyoe #woodblock #print #art #artists #japan #japaneseart #japaneseculture #tattoocommunity #tattooreference #visitmuseums by caliseowin https://instagram.com/p/78Kh1xN1Bv/

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Watanabe’s Wife, From the series Biographies of valiant drunken tigers (Keisei suikoden) / Yoshitoshi

Philadelphia Museum of Art

競勢醉虎傳 渡部氏妻女　月岡芳年　1874年

“轉ゝ堂主人 記　花散り初る春の末。遠き野営に出張せし。主の安危如何にやと木隠れてなく老鴬の母と幼兒を預りて家を守護（まもり）の神佛。無事に凱陣あるやうと。祈念の外��夏の夜の便を待バ長岡の。城外俄然に躁がしく諸口の味方敗北して。大軍市街に迫切ときゝ忍び出たる戦場に。夫が屍を見るよりも。兼て斯ぞと期したりとて涙一滴翻（こぼ）さぬハ遖（あつはれ）列婦と賞されたり”

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The Cypress Pillar

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superheroesincolor:

snaxboogie:

superheroesincolor:

Yasuke, the black Samurai  (彌介?) (c. 1556-?)

Yasuke was a black (African) retainer who for a short time was in the service of the Japanese warlord Oda Nobunaga. The name “Yasuke” was given to him after he took service with Nobunaga.  

According to Histoire Ecclesiastique Des Isles Et Royaumes Du Japon, written by François Solier of the Society of Jesus in 1627, Yasuke came from Mozambique Some other accounts claim that he came from the Congo. 

Yasuke arrived in Japan in 1579 as the servant of the Italian Jesuit Alessandro Valignano, who had been appointed the Visitor (inspector) of the Jesuit missions in the Indies, meaning South and East Asia. He accompanied Valignano when the latter came to the capital area in March 1581 and caused something of a sensation. In one event, several people were crushed to death while clamouring to get a look at him. Nobunaga heard about and expressed a desire to see him. Suspecting the black color of his skin to be paint in Sumi ink, Nobunaga had him strip from the waist up and made him scrub his skin.

Nobunaga’s nephew gave him money. In May, Yasuke accompanied a group of Jesuits on a short trip to the province of Echizen. Yasuke could speak some Japanese, so Nobunaga enjoyed talking with him and was also impressed by his strength. At Nobunaga’s request, Valignano left Yasuke with Nobunaga before Valignano left central Japan later that year. Nobunaga treated Yasuke with such great favor that people in Azuchi even said he would probably be made a lord (殿 tono?). This did not happen, but he was given the position of samurai.

In June 1582, Nobunaga was attacked and committed seppuku in Honnō-ji in Kyoto by the army of Akechi Mitsuhide. Yasuke was also there at the time. Immediately after Nobunaga’s death, Yasuke went to the lodging of Nobunaga’s heir Oda Nobutada and tried to withdraw with him to Nijō Castle. When they were ambushed halfway, Yasuke fought alongside the Nobutada forces for a long time. Finally he surrendered his sword to Akechi’s men. They asked Akechi himself what to do with him. Akechi said that the black man was a beast and did not know anything, and furthermore, he was not Japanese, so they should not kill him but take him to the church.It is told that the reason why Mistuhide say so deliberately was he did not want to kill Yasuke. This was much to the relief of the Jesuits there who had worried about him. There is no information about him after that.

Yasuke was also mentioned in the prototype of Shinchōkōki owned by Sonkeikaku Bunko (尊経閣文庫). According to this, Yasuke was given his own house and a short katana by Nobunaga. Nobunaga also assigned him the duty of carrying his personal spear.

A 2013 investigation by Discovery of the World’s Mysteries (世界ふしぎ発見) concluded that Yasuke was a Makua named Yasufe.

Read more : wikipedia /  enterjapan

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The camera was invent in the late 1800’s, when was that pic taken? And who is that a photograph of?

Good questions, I was looking for that info but couldn’t find anything, if someone does please send me a message.

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When you surround an army, leave an outlet free. Do not press a desperate foe too hard.

Sun Tzu (Art of War)

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Ninjato

Although there is no reliable historical account of the ninjato, most designs are based on speculation. The ninjato is typically depicted as being a short sword, the blade being roughly 540mm in length, often showing having a straight blade with a square guard. It is believed that the reason ninjas carried swords with these particular characteristics were for a variety of functions to use.

The ninjato is shorter than the Samurai katana. This is for ease of use in a narrow or confined spaces. Inevitably, the use of the sword becomes to stab them rather than slashing or hacking. Furthermore, the usage of a ninjato was not limited to killing a person, a long strap about 3m in length is wound around the sword and the hand guard of a ninjato is big and square. This allowed for a ninja to surmount a wall. At first, the ninja leans their sword against the wall, next, he holds the strap in their mouth. The ninja puts their foot on the hand guard of the sword and pushes himself to the top of the wall. Finally, the ninja pulls up the sword with the strap allowing themselves to reach the top of the wall, only by jumping from their sword.

The strap also had a multitude of functions. The strap could be used to create quick traps. A ninja could tie the strap to a corner with his sheathe acting as a post, and pulls the strap. When his enemy enters the room, the strap allows the ninja to trip his enemy and allow him time to deliver a killing blow.

The strap can also be used to bandage wounds if the ninja is cut. The scabbard can also be used to block weapons or be used as a weapon. Similar to the Metsubushi, the sheath could be used to carry powdered glass, dust or ash to blind an opponent.

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Silk fukusa (gift cover) embroidered with a flight of cranes, Japan, 1800-50, Edo period. Museum no. T.20-1923.  VAM

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The Five Types of Spy

Inkō no kan: Local Spies This typically refers to the spies that disguise themselves as natives after infiltrating a foreign land in order to whittle information out of the villagers. The Shoninki relates a tale of one such spy named Saburō Moritsuna, who attained vital information about the coast from a local fisherman in exchange for a precious sword. After the information was relayed to him, he killed the man for the sake of secrecy, and proceeded to use his newfound knowledge to attack a group of roughly 500 people in the Henjei area. This particular method of deception is known as kyōdō

Nairyō no kan: Inward Spies This term refers to when a close servant or retainer of a daimyo or lord is turned against him and used for the enemy’s purpose. Typically, such a spy can take years of subtle manipulation before being put to use.

Hantoko no kan: Converted Spies This term refers to an enemy shinobi who has been discovered and fed false information to take back to their master. Sometimes, when an enemy ninja was discovered, rather than getting arrested and tortured the ninja was put up in a very nice home. They’d be given plenty of good food, gifts, and sometimes a few prostitutes to pass the time, and after a short period of time they’d be softly questioned. With one man hiding behind the curtain to ensure the truth was being told, a representative would inform the ninja that they knew full and well who he was, and if he’d simply betray all the information he knew about his own lord they would not only let him go but give him a large sum of money to take with him. These particular characters also fell under the category of converted spies, and clearly display the necessity of a ninja who is fully dedicated to his master.

schichō no kan: Doomed Spies Typically paid very well as to not question anything, these spies were fully expected to be captured by the enemy and were therefore fed false information before being sent out.

Tensei no kan: Surviving Spies Known as the best at their job, true ninja/shinobi more often than not fell under this particular category. Being best known for getting themselves into tight situations just to come out intact and successful, they were the most well trained and prized of spies.

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Makibishi

The Japanese version of caltrops. These small, sharpened weapons were used as a means of slowing down an enemy in the middle of escape. While the Samurai often viewed fleeting under enemy fire as a shameful thing he could do, for the ninja escape so happened to be a reasonable option. To better ensure their escape, the ninja would scatter these small sharpened objects for the samurai to injure himself upon with each step and make it practically impossible to chase after the ninja.

The ninja had a variety of Makibishi, made from iron, wood or dried fruits. The length of them were roughly 30-40mm and the weight was about 5g. They also came in a variety of shapes ranging from pyramids, tetrapods, and small arms. The ones with the small arms were the most effective because they could effectively pierce into an enemy's sole. Iron Makibishi were referred to as tetsubishi, and the variety made from a dried pod were called tennenbishi.

Makibishi could be thrown similarly to shuriken and were also used on enemies who rode on horseback.

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An icon of ninja badassery right here