The Ninja: Ancient Shadow Warriors of Japan

by Kacem Zoughari

Ninjutsu is the most renowned and misunderstood of all martial arts. The long history of ninjutsu is often murky; surrounded by mystery and legend. Here, for the first time, is an in-depth, factual look at the entire art of ninjutsu, including the emergence of the ninja warriors and philosophy in feudal Japan; detailed historical events; its context in the development of other schools of martial arts; and the philosophies and exercises of the school today.

Based on more than ten years of study and translation of authentic Japanese texts, including many that have never before been translated, this is the most comprehensive and accurate study on the art of ninjutsu ever written outside of Japan. This ninja book includes studies of ninjutsu history, philosophy, wisdom, and presents a wide range of information from authors, historians, chronicles and scrolls in order to foster a deep understanding of this "shadowy" art.

For those who train in ninjutsu, for other martial art practitioners, for historians, and for anyone with interest in Japanese feudal history or Japanese martial arts, The Ninja: Ancient Shadow Warriors of Japan shines a light on this enigmatic subject.

Genres: History, Martial Arts, Nonfiction, Japanese Literature

208 pages, Hardcover

First published January 10, 2010

Reviews

[Don · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is probably not going to be of much interest except to serious students of Japanese history or those directly involved in the study of ninjutsu. The author is known to be an expert in both fields and it shows. Readers will have to bone up on their knowledge of historical Japan to get the most from this book although the author does at times bring the historical events to life through vivid accounts and descriptions. The final third of this work is comprised of an in-depth overview of "modern" ninjutsu (post-Edo period) including a look at the life of Takamatsu Toshitsugu who is often referred to as "the last true ninja". One of the most compelling parts of the book is the author's analysis of Takamatsu's essay on the essence of ninjutsu which gives deep insight into the modern practice and perhaps even into the study of many non-sport martial arts.

Unfortunately, the book seems to have been hastily edited as there are many grammatical and spelling errors and a few inconsistencies here and there. Some of these inconsistencies might be attributed to the author's attempt to fit so much information into a small package; he has stated that the book could easily be over 800 pages if not heavily edited. If the reader can overlook these things he will be rewarded with an interesting and insightful read.

[Sisi · Rating 5 out of 5]

My very first book on Ninjutsu and I am happy to have a copy. It covers the whole history of Ninjutsu and Ninja's and has extensive footnotes. A book to be read and re-read again, it can even be used as a small encyclopedia. It covers all aspects of the art, from it's history to all the specific schools and also it's position between other martial arts like karate and judo. It is richly illustrated, with photos but also with ancient original written sources on ninjutsu.
Even the spiritual aspects are covered. At the end of the book you can find appendixes with all the information summarised in diagrams and lists so you can handle the immense bundle of information more efficiently. What makes this book special is that the writer himself is both a high level practitioner of ninjutsu (who is a direct student of Hatsumi Sensei) and a PhD-scholar on the topic. And so this book is a must have for anyone who takes this practice seriously.

[Jade · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very informative and thorough.

[Danielle Shroyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you really want a historically accurate overview of the ninja, start here. And avoid all the books that make ninja sound like nothing more than spy assassins.

[Adan Ruiz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Muy buen libro con bases históricas sobre los ninjas a través de los años. Recomendado si buscas estas bases históricas y menos historias de vivencias.

[ManOfLaBook.com · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Ninja, The Secret History of Ninjutsu: Ancient Shadow Warriors of Japan by Kacem Zoughari Ph.D. is a fascinating history book. Dr. Zoughari is obviously involved in martial arts and the subject is dear to his heart.

This is a very serious, meticulous and well researched book. The information in this book is very dense, and the list of resources and footnotes at the end is very impressive and will most like suffice as a comprehensive library of martial arts.

This insightful book is filled with obscure and documented details about Ninjutsu, as well as Dr. Zoughari’s thoughts and fascinating analysis on the subject. The author was not pushing the Ninja character glorified by pop-culture, but clearly shows the skill and artistry of the Ninja as both spy and warrior.

The book discusses traditional Ninja clans, assessing each clan and their techniques. The author goes on to give examples of the training, the culture and how they fit in Japanese society.

The later chapters, of the secrets texts of Ninjutsu were fascinating. For me, understanding how these warriors fitted into the Japanese warfare model was an enlightening read. This book is for both history and martial arts lovers alike.

For more reviews and bookish posts please visit: http://www.ManOfLaBook.com

[James Morenz · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thorough study of the art and science of ninjitsu.

A thorough and pragmatic view of the great art of ninjitsu. As the reader discovers, there are more deep and profound concepts to the art and science of ninjitsu. This seminal work explors the history of Soke Takamatsu and his introduction to the many arts of the Shinobi-no-Mono. This is a very complete view of the overall aspects of the science and esoteric concepts of the great masters of this great art. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking to find the history and science behind one of the most misunderstood of martial arts.

[Travis Heermann · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good book for enthusiasts of martial arts and Japanese history, and the story of Takamatsu is fascinating stuff, but the book is so rife with typos (dozens and dozens) and needlessly ambiguous prose that it loses much of its credibility. A simple proofreader and note-checker would have made this a 5-star book.

[Kai · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book had potential, especially given the lack of academically rigorous works on the subject, but it was so riddled with typos that I found it hard to read. The bibliography was useful, but I would not recommend the text itself.

[Augustus Roe · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read for those interested in the historical background of Ninjutsu.