So what kind of sword did they use?
-ZC
“The thorn pricks only those who would harm the rose.”
The shinobigatana (ie, ninja sword) was slightly shorter than a katana with a shorter tsuka. Many of the techniques of Togakure Ryu emphasize passing cuts which use the momentum of the body to compensate for not having a finely honed katana, as well as many unorthodox methods of thrusting which are not often seen in kenjutsu koryu. Likewise, Koto Ryu kenjutsu stress using the short blade in kyojitsu (deceitful techniques), such as using the blade to reflect sunlight if the opponent has the sun at his back, and using the groove to collect rain or dirt to flick at the enemy before attacking.
Jujutsu, Ninpo, Chugoku Kenpo
Ok, here’s what can be said.
The martial arts that were practice by the various ninja clans were varied from village to village, practitioner to practitioner and even in some cases the art taught by the master was evolved by the student.
Ninja, in their beginnings were hired assassins.
They existed because Samurai could commit no dishonourable deeds according to their codes and to do so meant that thye must in trurn commint sepuku or suicide confirmed by a friend.
The Ninja were hired to carry out the “dishonourable” deeds that the samurai who hired them could not physically commit due to being bound by his code.
They were in essence, a loophole clause to the bushido.
so, if a samurai was tired of his general, he was not allowed to kill him himself by the code he lived by. If the general died naturally or in battle, then his samurai became ronin, or samurai without a master. If the ninja was hired to kill the master then the samurai became either the new clan leader or became ronin and could serve another master.
ok?
now, the ninja way of killing was as varied as the colours of leaves on the trees in autumn.
They had numerous methods from town to town as I stated and the only thing that bound them was that they would remain secretive of the actions they took on fear of being executed for even existing because they were a threat to the regional clan leaders (daimyo).
so, you can see how it is unlikely there were “ninja schools” or “train as a ninja here” signs or for that matter, as far as anyone was concerned they only existed if they were caught or if no one found out who killed so and so.
ronin samurai themselves could be hired as assassins to gain position and therefore they would be ninja, but only until they gained position again at which time they were samurai again. THis was rare.
Ninja were almost never of the samurai class and nor were they bound by the samurai code and thus they were allowed to kill with stealth, that is to say, they did not have to face their opponent to do them in.
so the arts they did were likely the same arts as the samurai, but without the formal court training or prestige, probably done from watchiong samurai train, and then reiterating the practices in secret so that they could acquire the skills.
does anyone see how weird it would be to have a “ninja school” now?
ok, peace
Kung Lek
Ninja “schools” most likely didnt exist. Its not as if someone just decided to join a samurai or a ninja school. Ninpo techniques were to be used in addition to regular arts of the day, such as running long distances, walking at night, and fighting more effectively in close quarters. Taijutsu is like jujutsu, but it has more influence from Chinese “kempo”. Almost every recorded ninja that we know of was a member of the samurai aristocracy, they just had special skills.
Jujutsu, Ninpo, Chugoku Kenpo
Kung Lek, I’m not sure I agree with you on the whole assassin-do-the-samurai’s-dirty-deeds-thing.
But I haven’t researched ninja in a long time so you don’t get a counter argument back at this point. Sorry 
Iron
"Now why the **** would you censor “d.ork?”
Ironman PostLog: 1100 - 11/20/01
Thanks for all the help guys. Just one more question though. can u tell me if this place looks legit?
Bump
looks legit
The credentials are there..now go and see if he can talk the walk. That is the bottom line..its like buying a car based on a commercial rather than getting behind the wheel. That;s how I found my instructor..he interviewed me and then i went and saw him. It is not what they say but what they do and what they teach that will really tell you if they are legit.
On a side note..i see more long fist than i do Kempo in my style.The chinese influence cannot be ignored though.
Michael Panzerotti
Taijutsu Nobody from the Great White North..
I’m no authority, but it looks good.
"Now why the **** would you censor “d.ork?”
Ironman PostLog: 1100 - 11/20/01
I don’t know how ligit Ninjitsu is, but the “under construction” gif is cool!!!
However I have to agree with kung lek, about a ninja school being kind of illogical.
A bit like sticking a sign outside my class saying “al-qaeda terrorist training class, 7:30pm to 9:00pm. age 10 years and up. Call 0800-bomb-my-ass”
you know what I mean!
CT…
I have read that if a Ninja where caught out in the open by a samuraj it was bye-bye ninja. Is this true?
Ninjustu of any use?
I had a very brief stint in Ninjutsu several (well, 7) years ago, and I now practise Wing Chun.
Are there any people posting on this thread that have practised Ninjutsu for a few years and would like to comment on its effectiveness?
It seemed to me that the art was complete in as much as having a diverse variety of techniques, but something didn’t quite feel right for me.
The drills, basic stance (sorry can’t remember its name) and application of technique seemed questionable. Anyone have some ideas regarding this?
I’m happy with the Wing Chun - very simple, direct and efficient means of dealing with attacks. The Ninjustu seemed a little too contrived, with too much emphasis on fairly complex joint locks, often against an opponent that would, it seem, just stand there and let them be applied.
I have great respect for the people that taught me, but I had doubts regarding the art. Can someone enlighten me?
Many thanks.
I just meet what I would be if I wasd a hot women attracted to me - Unity (message on general Kung Fu forum)
Fook the lot of 'em
Here I go..
Yes I’ve studied taijutsu for a few years..I quit jujutsu because of it!
It all depends on the teacher..but that has been said tons of times before so I won’t waste time on it. It is sometimes true that even the best teachers spend lots of time on joint locks that may “seem” too contrived but the point of EVERYTHING in ninjutsu is too teach you NOT techniques..but principles behind which to execute peices of techniques as they become available to you or because you have no choice but to fall back on them.
The stances are referred to as “kamae”. They are taught “rigidly” because you are learning the principle behind the kata, and the strenght behind proper body alignment.In combat, those rigid techniques and postures become one tapestry of interwoven techniques.. For example, you should spend hours breaking down ONE kamae and see where it gets you. THAT is proper training. You don’t just say “that’s it, that is my stance, done” You pick apart all potential angles of attack, defense etc..You see what parts of your body can be used to intercept and destroy an incoming limb, you learn how to keep mobile and remain in transition, you learn to see where the opponent’s balance lies once you hit him and what joint lock can then apply. Taijutsu is exactly that..there are no certainties, only endless possibilities that should yield a certain result..not victory, but survival 
p.s- I have seen trapping, push hands, limb destruction, long fist, and other elements within taijutsu…it is complete and works not because it is pretty in a kata, but because when you extract the principles and lay them in for real, you end up with devastating results.
Michael Panzerotti
Taijutsu Nobody from the Great White North..
Ninja VS Samurai
Well, I’ve heard that Musashi had won all the fights he had been in, except for one. That person was a “ninja” or, you could say that he had trained ninjutsu but anyway. (Spelling…)
They fought two battles. In the first one, Musashi won him quite easily. After the loss, the “ninja” went back to training and invented jo-jutsu applying the taijutsu movement. When he faced Musashi again, Musashi said after his loss that his fighting technique was extraordinary and very complex/confusing.
Sorry about my spelling. It’s late, and I’m tired. I’ve heard that story from few different places/persons.
Ninjas do not exist as long as they don’t want to.
http://www.ninjasite.com/shinobi-kai/pic4.gif
what is the difference between taijitsu and ninjitsu??
and any other opinions on this schools “legitness”
www.Chicago-ninjutsu.org
musashi didn’t die?
Ninja didn’t sword fight people.
A ninja would more likely dress and act the part of another profession, they had to learn a couple extra, IE monk, prostitute showgirl, trader. Then he could get close enough to gather intelligence of poison someone.
Samurai didn’t spend all their time in the war arts, but it was premium for their training, the also were well read. The only advantage ninja had was a lack of bushido. Nothing more.
Maybe that guy DID fend off musashi, but I doubt it. Tricky or not, musashi was the man, if he wasn’t, he would be dead.
Don’t get me wrong, I’ve loved ninjas since the 80’s. I can’t wait for tenchu 3 to come out, I just don’t put too much faith in ninja hand to hand combat. I don’t think it survived, I think what is there is kung fu mixed with jujitsu and karate, nothing wrong with that for fighting, but I don’t feel that there is a realistic link to ninjas in feudal Japan anymore than modern boxing comes from the knights of Europe or Pancrase from the gladitorium.
HO HO HO
Gonnosuke was the person who fended off Musashi with a Jo stave, but I dont know if he studied ninjutsu. Musashi did have an opponent named Shishido Baiken, who used a kusarigama and was from the Iga province, which has led many to believe that he may have been a ninja. However, Musashi did kill him using his shoto; at least, thats the legend, but its hard to believe anything about him due to the fact that he is like Davy Crockett or Jim Bowie to the Japanese.
Jujutsu, Ninpo, Chugoku Kenpo
Santa what are you spouting off?
Santa,
I don’t know where to start..what an illinformed statement. There are chinese long fist roots in taijutsu, but the grappling and combat techniques taught are rooted from traditional schools upon which the very schools you think “ninjutsu” has borrowed from, are based!
Reverse the order. Comparing boxing to Pancrase by saying some form of it has survived may be legit..saying ninjutsu is as common and modern as boxing in what it teaches and where it has borrowed from is simply ludicrous. A composite of traditional schools or ryu-ha it may be, a pool of modern thought and poorly conceived combat techniques it most certainly is NOT.
Michael Panzerotti
Taijutsu Nobody from the Great White North..