Many of us have grown up with stealthy ninjas and deadly samurai wreaking silent havoc upon our screens. The Japanese cultural icons were our introduction with espionage and spycraft as well as martial arts and sword-wielding.
Yes! Ninjas and Samurai are real! However, their magical murder and stealth abilities may be a bit more exaggerated than reality. The records of both factions can be found as far back in history as 663 AD.
Samurai
Samurai were the warlords of areas surrounding the two main regions of Japan; Iga and Koga. Since the 7th Century, they were the military of the Japanese Empire and took over the government in the 12th century. They ruled Japan for several centuries. To be a Samurai meant pledging loyalty to a warrior clan lord.
Samurai were trained extensively in the art of battle strategy and military tactics. They were also highly literate in Kanji. Kindness and bravery were the main values of samurai warriors. While extremely romanticized by the western media, Samurai could be duplicitous in nature and even change their loyalties.
Ninjas
Ninjas or Shinobis were the lower class of Japanese warriors. They have a little historical account in history, mainly due to their inferior status in society. They were the spies and mercenaries often at the beck and call of the samurai. Ninjutsu, which the Shinobi used specifically, is one of the 18 martial arts of the warriors in Japan.
They hailed from areas surrounding the Iga and Koga. Ninjas offered their services to the highest bidder as forwarding scouts for nighttime commando raids and reconnaissance. The dark clothing and face mask, however, is an invention of popular media. Ninjas used to wear everyday garb to avoid detection and notice.
Both Samurai and Ninjas are part of the illustrious Japanese transformation into a modern society. They are an inspiration for many literary and visual media production, one of which is Star Wars. While one cannot become a samurai or a ninja today, the philosophy and the
martial training is available to everyone.
Did you want to become a ninja or a samurai when you were young? Why? Let us know in the comments below!
