"ninjas"

[PassiveGuy]

I was wondering why ninjitsu guys tend to call them selves ninjas. I mean, shotokan guys don't call themselves samoris. The reason being is that alot of non-martial artists, bullshiting guys claim to be ninjas, which gives real Ninjitsu guys a bad rep. So maybe "Ninjitsu player" might be better??? Most people when theyhear your a ninja say, PSYCHO!!! lol :-)

just my 2 cents

[Oldskulbus]

Whats a "Samoris"?

[Spineflow]

I do Ninpo and Bjj never really thought about titles. Most people who practice authentic Ninpo from tanemura or Hatsumi don't call them selves ninjas.. I have never heard that. Most self proclaimed Ninjas are off the ashida kim, fran dux camp.

[PassiveGuy]

Samurai, sorry... BTW

[Shimora]

Yeah its almost as silly as Karate guys calling themselves "Karateka" or Judo guys calling themselves "Judoka". Or perhaps a guy that studies boxing calling himself a "boxer". I even met a guy that studied kickboxing who referred to himself as a "kickboxer".

Where do they come up with this stuff?

[Rock Ape]

What the hell is a "ninja" then ?

Who were Shintaro and Shusaki fighting ?

[Shimora]

You will never know Rocky.

Thats why they are Ninja's.

[assface]

http://www.swordforum.com/sfu/primer/ninjasword.html

kung fu ninjas!

[bobby_steeles]

shimora, are you stuck in the '80s or what?

[Spineflow]

a ninja is something that excisted thousands of years ago in Medevil Japan. There are still people today who study the Ninjas arts but don't neccesarly give themselves that cultuaral name. Another example is people who study traditional jujutsu. That was used by the samurai but they don't call themselves samurai. or Kali which was used by the Filipino warriors to combat the Spanards. Modern practioners of Arnis don't refure to themselves as Filipino warriors.

Same as peole who study the swords arts of Europe. They don't call themselves "Knights" do they

[assface]

I don't think they existed thousands of years ago. That would predate most modern martial arts.

[Ryu (non-working password]

Japanese believe in ninjas.

They're like our "jedis" Jedis are real, right?


......sorry couldn't resist.

[PassiveGuy]

Shimora, do you consider yourself a ninja? BTW if you were I don't think you would be selling "teach yourself ninjitsu" books over the net to random freaks and geaks.

[Spineflow]

I'll put this to rest this is a quote from grandmaster Shoto Tanemura.... these are some of his Ninpo ryu
Shinden tatara ryu
Gikan ryu
Gyokko ryu
Shinden Fudo Ryu
Koto Ryu
kijin Ryu


" a ninja is a master of stealth and disguise; 'Shinobi' in Japanese. During the Asuka period (592-710) Shotoku Taishi, a great historical figure for the propogation of Buddhism in Japan, came up with this term. When translated Shinobi means an expert in the field of information gathering. 'shi' meaning a doer, 'No' meaning an expert, 'Bi' meaning information. froms this source the term ninja developed."


"In Japan Ninja have operated under a variety of titles. Many of the roles performed by the japanese parellel their historical counterparts, the Chinese. In Japan from Kamakura (1192 - 1334) and Muromachi (1368 - 1603) periods until the beginning of the warring era, the sengoku period the following names where used"

Shinobi, Kusa, Suppa, Rappa, Toppa, Denuki, Homen


also don't forget that Ninpo as well as Juijutsu is a collection of ryu. Most people refer to themselves according to what ryu they study and not the over all genertic term for the collection of the ryu.


hope this helps

[Underdog]

Ok, let's get straight, here,

Nin-jutsu (art or method of deceptivness and stealth) ir really extisted in Japan feudal age. What is wrong is the depiction of the Ninjas as some sort of black evil warrior clouded in mistery...

Really they were some sort of soldiers of fortune hired by the local shogun to handle wet works in much the same way a modern special forces squad would.

What is worse is that the good hints about nin-justu were lost because of hype an bad rep (hollywood thanks).

Ninja employed the better mean a modern MMA player can utilize:

They studied the enemy, trying to find weak spots and working into it with stealth.

Also they employed cross training way before it was en vogue!

Just my two cents.