The image of the ninja entered popular culture in the Edo period, when folktales and plays about ninjas were conceived. Stories about the ninja are usually based on historical figures. For instance, many similar tales exist about a daimyo challenging a ninja to prove his worth, usually by stealing his pillow or weapon while he slept.[109] Novels were written about the ninja, such as Jiraiya Gōketsu Monogatari, which was also made into a kabuki play. Fictional figures such as Sarutobi Sasuke would eventually make way into comics and television, where they have come to enjoy a culture hero status outside of their original mediums.

Ninja appear in many forms of Japanese and Western popular media, including books (Kōga Ninpōchō), television (Ninja Warrior), movies (Ninja Assassin), Satire (REAL Ultimate Power: The Official Ninja Book) video games (Tenchu), anime (Naruto), manga (Basilisk) and Western comic books (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero). Depictions range from realistic to the fantastically exaggerated, both fundamentally and aesthetically, and often portray ninja in non-factual ways for humor or entertainment.




Gallery
Japanese iron climbing cleats "ashiko"
Japanese sword cane "shikomizue"
Japanese concealable weapons (ninja type)
Japanese iron caltrop "makibishi"

Japanese iron climbing hook "kaginawa"


See also
Ninjutsu
Iga-ryū
Kōga-ryū
Kunai
Kunoichi
Oniwabanshū
Shuriken
Sengoku period
Samurai


Footnotes
1.^ a b c Ratti & Westbrook 1991, p. 325
2.^ a b Turnbull 2003, pp. 5–6
3.^ a b c d Turnbull 2003, p. 17; Turnbull uses the name Buke Meimokushō, an alternate reading for the same title. The Buke Myōmokushō cited here is a much more common reading.
4.^ Crowdy 2006, p. 50
5.^ a b Green 2001, p. 355
6.^ a b c Green 2001, p. 358; based on different readings, Ninpiden is also known as Shinobi Hiden, and Bansenshukai can also be Mansenshukai.
7.^ Takagi et al. 1962, p. 191; the full poem is "Yorozu yo ni / Kokoro ha tokete / Waga seko ga / Tsumishi te mitsutsu / Shinobi kanetsumo".
8.^ Satake et al. 2003, p. 108; the Man'yōgana used for "shinobi" is 志乃備, its meaning and characters are unrelated to the later mercenary shinobi.
9.^ Perkins 1991, p. 241
10.^ a b Turnbull 2003, p. 6
11.^ Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed.; American Heritage Dictionary, 4th ed.; Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1).
12.^ a b c Turnbull 2003, p. 5
13.^ Turnbull 2007, p. 144.
14.^ a b Waterhouse 1996, pp. 34
15.^ Chamberlain 2005, pp. 249–253; Volume 2, section 80
16.^ Friday 2007, pp. 58–60
17.^ Turnbull 2003, p. 7
18.^ a b c d Turnbull 2003, p. 9
19.^ Ratti & Westbrook 1991, p. 324
20.^ a b c Ratti & Westbrook 1991, p. 327
21.^ a b Draeger & Smith 1981, p. 121
22.^ Deal 2007, p. 165
23.^ a b Turnbull 2003, p. 23
24.^ a b c Turnbull 2003, p. 27
25.^ Green 2001, p. 357
26.^ Turnbull 2003, p. 9-10
27.^ a b Adams 1970, p. 43
28.^ a b Turnbull 2003, pp. 44–46
29.^ Turnbull 2003, p. 47
30.^ a b c Turnbull 2003, p. 50
31.^ Turnbull 2003, p. 55
32.^ a b Turnbull 2003, p. 51
33.^ Turnbull 2003, p. 52
34.^ a b c Turnbull 2003, p. 53
35.^ Turnbull 2003, p. 54
36.^ Turnbull 2003, pp. 54–55
37.^ Morton & Olenik 2004, p. 122
38.^ Crowdy 2006, p. 52
39.^ Tatsuya 1991, p. 443
40.^ Kawaguchi 2008, p. 215
41.^ a b Turnbull 2003, p. 29
42.^ Turnbull 2003, p. 42
43.^ Turnbull 2007, p. 149
44.^ Turnbull 2003, p. 28
45.^ Turnbull 2003, p. 43
46.^ a b Turnbull 2003, pp. 43–44
47.^ a b c Turnbull 2003, p. 31
48.^ Turnbull 2003, pp. 31–32
49.^ Turnbull 2003, p. 30
50.^ Turnbull 2003, p. 32
51.^ Nihon Hakugaku Kurabu 2006, p. 36
52.^ Nihon Hakugaku Kurabu 2004, pp. 51–53; Turnbull 2003, p. 32
53.^ Turnbull 2003, p. 26
54.^ Draeger & Smith 1981, pp. 128–129
55.^ Turnbull 2003, pp. 29–30
56.^ Fiévé & Waley 2003, p. 116
57.^ Turnbull 2003, p. 12
58.^ a b Turnbull 2003, pp. 14–15
59.^ Green 2001, pp. 359–360
60.^ Deal 2007, p. 156
61.^ a b Turnbull 2003, p. 48
62.^ a b Turnbull 2003, p. 13
63.^ a b Turnbull 2003, p. 22
64.^ a b c d Draeger & Smith 1981, p. 125
65.^ Crowdy 2006, p. 51
66.^ Deal 2007, p. 161
67.^ a b Turnbull 2003, p. 18
68.^ a b c Turnbull 2003, p. 19
69.^ Turnbull 2003, p. 60
70.^ a b c Draeger & Smith 1981, p. 128
71.^ Turnbull 2003, p. 16
72.^ Howell 1999, p. 211
73.^ Turnbull 2003, p. 20
74.^ Mol 2003, p. 121
75.^ Turnbull 2003, p. 61
76.^ Turnbull 2003, pp. 20–21
77.^ Turnbull 2003, p. 21
78.^ Turnbull 2003, p. 62
79.^ a b c Ratti & Westbrook 1991, p. 329
80.^ Green 2001, p. 359
81.^ Adams 1970, p. 52
82.^ Adams 1970, p. 49
83.^ Reed 1880, pp. 269–270
84.^ Mol 2003, p. 119
85.^ Ratti & Westbrook 1991, pp. 328–329
86.^ Ratti & Westbrook 1991, p. 328
87.^ Adams 1970, p. 55
88.^ Bunch & Hellemans 2004, p. 161
89.^ a b Mol 2003, p. 176
90.^ Mol 2003, p. 195
91.^ Draeger & Smith 1981, p. 127
92.^ Mol 2003, p. 124
93.^ Buckley 2002, p. 257
94.^ Turnbull 2003, pp. 22–23
95.^ Waterhouse 1996, pp. 2–3
96.^ Waterhouse 1996, pp. 8–11
97.^ Waterhouse 1996, p. 13
98.^ Waterhouse 1996, pp. 24–27
99.^ Waterhouse 1996, pp. 24–25
100.^ Teeuwen & Rambelli 2002, p. 327
101.^ Waterhouse 1996, pp. 31–33
102.^ Adams 1970, p. 29; Waterhouse 1996, p. 31
103.^ McCullough 2004, p. 49
104.^ Green 2001, p. 671
105.^ Adams 1970, p. 34
106.^ Adams 1970, p. 160
107.^ McCullough 2004, p. 48
108.^ Adams 1970, p. 42
109.^ Turnbull 2003, p. 14
References
Adams, Andrew (1970), Ninja: The Invisible Assassins, Black Belt Communications, ISBN 978-0897500302
Buckley, Sandra (2002), Encyclopedia of contemporary Japanese culture, Taylor & Francis, ISBN 978-0415143448
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Friday, Karl F. (2007), The first samurai: the life and legend of the warrior rebel, Taira Masakado, Wiley, ISBN 978-0471760825
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McCullough, Helen Craig (2004), The Taiheiki: A Chronicle of Medieval Japan, Tuttle Publishing, ISBN 978-0804835381
Mol, Serge (2003), Classical weaponry of Japan: special weapons and tactics of the martial arts, Kodansha, ISBN 978-4770029416
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Nihon Hakugaku Kurabu (2006), Unsolved Mysteries of Japanese History, PHP Research Institute, ISBN 978-4569656526
Nihon Hakugaku Kurabu (2004), Zuketsu Rekishi no Igai na Ketsumatsu, PHP Research Institute, ISBN 978-4569640617
Perkins, Dorothy (1991), Encyclopedia of Japan: Japanese History and Culture, from Abacus to Zori, Facts on File, ISBN 978-0816019342
Ratti, Oscar; Westbrook, Adele (1991), Secrets of the samurai: a survey of the martial arts of feudal Japan, Tuttle Publishing, ISBN 978-0804816847
Reed, Edward James (1880), Japan: its history, traditions, and religions: With the narrative of a visit in 1879, Volume 2, John Murray, OCLC 1309476
Satake, Akihiro; Hideo Yasumada, Rikio Kudō, Masao Ōtani, Yoshiyuki Yamazaki (2003), Shin Nihon Koten Bungaku Taikei: Man'yōshū Volume 4, Iwanami Shoten, ISBN 4-00-240004-2
Takagi, Ichinosuke; Tomohide Gomi, Susumu Ōno (1962), Nihon Koten Bungaku Taikei: Man'yōshū Volume 4, Iwanami Shoten, ISBN 4-00-060007-9
Tatsuya, Tsuji (1991), The Cambridge history of Japan Volume 4: Early Modern Japan: Chapter 9, translated by Harold Bolitho, edited by John Whitney Hall, New York: Cambridge University Press, ISBN 978-0521223553
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Waterhouse, David (1996), Religion in Japan: arrows to heaven and earth, article 1: Notes on the kuji, edited by Peter F. Kornicki and James McMullen, Cambridge University Press, ISBN 978-0521550284
Further reading
Fujibayashi, Masatake; Nakajima, Atsumi. (1996). Shōninki: Ninjutsu densho. Tokyo: Shinjinbutsu Ōraisha. OCLC 222455224.
Fujita, Seiko. (2004). Saigo no Ninja Dorondoron. Tokyo: Shinpūsha. ISBN 978-4797494884.
Fukai, Masaumi. (1992). Edojō oniwaban : Tokugawa Shōgun no mimi to me. Tokyo: Chūō Kōronsha. ISBN 978-4121010735.
Hokinoichi, Hanawa. (1923–1933). Buke Myōmokushō. Tokyo: Yoshikawa Kōbunkan. OCLC 42921561.
Ishikawa, Masatomo. (1982). Shinobi no sato no kiroku. Tokyo: Suiyōsha. ISBN 978-4880661100.
Nawa, Yumio. (1972). Hisshō no heihō ninjutsu no kenkyū: gendai o ikinuku michi. Tokyo: Nichibō Shuppansha. OCLC 122985441.
Nawa. Yumio. (1967). Shinobi no buki. Tokyo: Jinbutsu Ōraisha. OCLC 22358689.
Okuse, Heishichirō. (1967). Ninjutsu: sono rekishi to ninja. Tokyo: Jinbutsu Ōraisha. OCLC 22727254.
Okuse, Heishichirō. (1964). Ninpō: sono hiden to jitsurei. Tokyo: Jinbutsu Ōraisha. OCLC 51008989.
Watatani, Kiyoshi. (1972). Bugei ryūha hyakusen. Tokyo: Akita Shoten. OCLC 66598671.
Yamaguchi, Masayuki. (1968). Ninja no seikatsu. Tokyo: Yūzankaku. OCLC 20045825.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Ninja

Iga-ryu Ninja Museum
History of the concept of the ninja, especially in theatre