Ninpo vs. Ninjutsu

Ninpo is a group of related martial traditions that have developed in Japan since the ancient period (before the 12th century), and that have been combined in the modern period under one comprehensive martial system. This system includes the eighteen martial skills (bugei juhappan) for the common bushi (warrior), and another group of eighteen unconventional types of martial skills (ninja juhakkei) for special warfare. Another component of Ninpo, in addition to these thirty-six martial skills, is a unique world view, thought and philosophy, and esoteric practices. This world view emphasizes the defensive nature of Ninpo, and the need to have a compassionate heart.

The term "Ninpo".

The term "Ninpo" is made of two characters. The first, "nin," literally means patience, perseverance, and stealth. The character itself is composed of two characters to have a blade placed over the heart/mind. There are a number of symbolic meanings to that. One, the blade forces the heart/mind to remain stealth in order to persevere. Another meaning is that the heart/mind should be as sharp and pure as the sword.

The second character, "ho," is philosophically more complicated thus more difficult to grasp, and has a strong Buddhist connotation. In modern Japanese this character is used for the word "law" (as in the legal system), but in the term "Ninpo" it takes on the Buddhist meaning of the universal Buddhist Law. In Sanskrit the word Dharma and has a deep and complex meaning, but it essentially means factors of existence on one level, ultimate reality on another level, and the Buddhist doctrines and thought on yet another level. The result of combining it with the first character "nin" produces a term ("ninpo") that could be understood as the ultimate and eternal reality of perseverance and stealth. However, one should not rigidly define or interpret Ninpo in one way, rather understand the depth of it in its various meanings.

The term "Ninjutsu".

The term ninjutsu literally means skills of perseverance, and is an historical term. In the 17th century ninjutsu records (Bansenshukai, Ninpiden and Shoninki), the authors extensively use the word ninjutsu to refer to their martial tradition. Historically, ninjutsu is a general term for a variety of martial skills that share a common characteristics. These characteristics include the people who nurtured and developed ninjutsu, the combination of conventional and unconventional fighting methods, and the period when ninjutsu was most widely used, among other characteristics.

Since I discuss the possible origins of ninjutsu in this essay on Ninpo and in my section on Ninpo history, in the following paragraphs I will focus on the martial skills that constitute ninjutsu.

It is possible to divide ninjutsu to four fundamental categories: taijutsu, ninki (weapons), heiho, and shugyo (religious practices). Taijutsu (lit. body skills) is unarmed fighting techniques divided into kosshijutsu, koppojutsu, dakentaijutsu, jutaijutsu, and taihenjutsu.

Ninjutsu weapons are rather numerous and include conventional weaponry such as short and long swords, naginata, and yari, among others. In addition, there is a large variety of unconventional weapons such as special bladed weapons, concealed weapons, collapsible ladders, floating devices, and many more. It is common among those who practice ninjutsu these days to think that in medieval Japan the goal was to master all aspects and all the techniques associated with ninjutsu. In fact, it was quite the contrary. The aim was at specialization rather than an overall mastership. It is important to remember that being born in medieval or early-modern Japan meant that one’s future depended very much on the family in which one was born--even, or especially if the family did not belong to the samurai class. Thus, those warriors who were skilled in Ninjutsu only specialized in some aspect of ninjutsu, and functioned accordingly within their family. If we look at the famous Iga and Koga regions, we see a few families who acquired just basic skills, those who specialized in the use of certain weapons or techniques, and those who led the families and specialized in strategy.