Ninjutsu is one of the most mysterious arts to emerge from Feudal Japan. Those who mastered the art were the commando’s and secret agents of their time. Embracing bushido, espionage, the occult, and martial arts, Ninja’s were trained to be elite spies and assassins.

These unique warriors were cloaked in secrecy often living a double life without ever reveling his true identity to anyone except his master or other clan members. Unlike the Samurai who would gladly give his life for his master, and was totally devoted to his every whim, the Ninja often sold his skills to the highest bidder.

A man was born a ninja and died one; there were few outsiders among the ninja clans. Ninjutsu training often started in early childhood, as such the ninja was in such superb condition that he could walk farther, run faster, jump higher and swim longer than most men do. His incredible physical prowess coupled with the many arts of deception mastered earned the ninja a reputation as being able to disappear and appear at will which fostered the term “art of invisibility” to Ninjutsu.

A master of disguise the ninja could look like anyone, a priest, a carpenter, a cook, a samurai, he also knew how to blend in with the landscape; how to hide in the shadows, to become part of a tree or stick to a ceiling like a fly.

The Tokugawa family’s unification of Japan brought an end to ninja activities, and in the 17th century the practice of ninjutsu was banned. Ninjutsu was so feared by the government that even mentioned of it brought the death penalty.