Which weapon is the best? How should I train? What makes the fighting arts of the Ninja so effective? These are just a few of the questions answered in Traditional Ninja Weapons. It's all here, from knife fighting skills to wielding the sickle and chain! This is a comprehensive textbook on the variety of weapons utilized by the 'Ninja Spies of Japan', and a guide to the combat tools and forbidden secrets of Japan's ninja clans! You'll get a rare glimpse into the cleverly disguised weapons and tools created by this group of stealth warriors! The author, Charles Daniel, is a Yondan in Bujinkan Ninpo Taijutsu. He received his trining directly from Dr. Masaki Hatsumi, the 34th Grandmaster of Togakure Ryu NInjutsu.

This illuminating study of martial arts techniques, philosophies, and lifestyles demystifies one of the most misunderstood figures in Japanese history—the ninja. A landmark collection of shinobi texts featuring 70 illustrations and 100 poems representing some of the oldest ninjutsu writings in the world The shinobi, or ninja, is one of the most widely recognized figures in the world of espionage—and also one of the most misrepresented. What do we really know about the historical shinobi, his tactics, and his role in medieval Japanese society? In The Secret Traditions of the Shinobi, these questions—and many more—are answered. Translated into English for the very first time, this widely sought-after collection of historical documents brings to light the secret practices, techniques, philosophies, and lifestyles of the shinobi. Included are: • the Shinobi Hiden, or “Secret Ninja Tradition”, a documentation of techniques commonly attributed to one of the best-known ninja masters, Hattori Hanzo; • the Koka Ryu Ninjutsu Densho, a small but important work from the Edo period that reveals the realm of ninja magic and spells; • the three shinobi scrolls of the Gunpo Jiyoshu, a manual enthusiastically promoted by Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first Tokugawa shogun of Japan; • 100 poems written between the 12th and 15th centuries—making them the oldest collection of written ninjutsu information in the world • 70 historical black-and-white illustrations depicting ninja tools and weapons. The Secret Traditions of the Shinobi will enthrall martial artists eager to learn the real skills of the shinobi, as well as anyone interested in this exciting period of Japanese history and espionage.

Capitalizes on the popularity of modern ninja competitions to explore a fun topic in an educational way

To become a ninja master, one needs discipline, a silent footstep, and an impressive personal arsenal. Author and toy designer John Austin shows even "little grasshoppers" how to turn disposable pens, rubber bands, old CDs, toothpicks, erasers, mint tins, and binder clips into miniaturized stealth weaponry. Clothespins, craft sticks, playing cards, pushpins, and recycled milk jug caps make a cotton swab-launching Hwacha Rocket Cart. Rolled magazines, book rings, and duct tape can be fashioned into a set of working but harmless nunchucks. And a carefully folded sheet of paper can become an origami boomerang. This handy resource provides detailed, step-by-step instructions with diagrams to show stealth warriors how to build 37 different ninja weapons for the modern era. All of the projects in MiniWeapons of Mass Destruction 4 are built from common household and office items-plastic utensils, markers, clothespins, paper clips, wire hangers, and discarded packaging-all clearly detailed on materials lists. Builders are offered a variety of samurai stars, blowguns, throwing darts, siege weapons, and ninja tools to choose from. Once they've assembled their armory, the author provides novices several targets to practice their shooting skills. Nested paper cups become a dragon; chopsticks and a paper plate, a tripod bulls-eye. Armed, trained, and shrouded in black, they are now prepared for missions of reconnaissance, sabotage, and other grim errands. John Austin is a professional toy designer and author of MiniWeapons of Mass Destruction series, as well as So Now You're a Zombie. He lives in Cincinnati, Ohio.

This stunning English translation of a medieval Japanese text is an illustrated martial arts manual and a historical account of the teachings of a samurai grandmaster Available for the first time in English, this book explores the essential practices of the samurai school known as Mubyoshi Ryu. Complete with more than 350 images, The Lost Samurai School collects and translates ancient documents that contain the teachings of grandmaster Hagiwara Juzo—revealing for the first time to western readers the enthralling martial arts, secret weapons, magic, and espionage as they were practiced by samurai in their daily lives. The ancient Mubyoshi Ryu scrolls contain fascinating descriptions of “civilian” samurai skills—which concentrate more on personal protection than battlefield warfare—including the full ninja curriculum and elements of esoteric magic. Martial arts expert Antony Cummins contextualizes these translated documents by providing a history of the era and the school itself. The abundant illustrations form a useful martial arts manual, bringing to life the skills required to master everything from jujutsu and shuriken-jutsu (throwing blades) to swords, chain weapons, and the quarterstaff. The Lost Samurai School is a journey into the past that will preserve such skills for future generations and will appeal to anyone interested in martial arts or Japanese history.

Warriors of myth and legend, ninja are a fascinating, mysterious presence in our world. Through generations of disinformation and, more recently, their place in popular culture, the origins, tools, and methodology of the ninja have been shrouded in secrecy to alternately terrify or entertain the populace. The weapons of Ninjutsu are unusual and unorthodox. Though they have been popularized by the public's expanding interest in the Ninja arts, they remain poorly understood. Glamorization of this method of defense has led to a publicly perceived disassociation from its origins as a "peasant art." Ninja Tools and Weapons provides a reframing of the skills of Ninjutsu closer to the discipline's lower-class roots. Dr. Michel Farivar clarifies the origins of the weapons as well as supplies indepth insight into the mindset that developed them. As Ninjutsu moves into the modern age, this clarification remains relevant to those interested in the history of the ninja as well as the anatomy and evolution of conflict.

The myths of the noble Samurai and the sinister Ninja are filled with romantic fantasy and fallacy. Samurai and Ninja expert Antony Cummins shatters the myths and exposes the true nature of these very real--and very lethal--medieval Japanese warriors. The Samurai and Ninja were, in fact, brutal killing machines trained in torture and soaked in machismo. Many were skilled horsemen and sword-fighting specialists, while others were masters of deception and sabotage. Some fought for loyalty, others for personal gain. What these warriors all shared in common was their unflinching personal bravery, skill and brutality. In Samurai and Ninja, Cummins separates myth from reality and shows why the Japanese were the greatest warriors of all time: He describes the Samurai and the Ninja as they really were in earlier times when battles raged across Japan--not in later times when war became obsolete and Japanese warriors became philosophers, scholars and courtiers. He describes the social context of the day and the feudal world into which the warriors were trained to fight and die for their lords. He exposes the essentially brutal nature of warfare in medieval Japan. This book is illuminated by many rare Japanese manuscripts and texts which are translated into English for the very first time.