Hey Bob,
I'm opening the door here to a serious crapstorm.
Ha, cool. Let's have some fun, then, shall we?
Wikipedia defines Ninjutsu as thus:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ninjutsu
Wiki also defines Shinobi or Ninja as:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ninja
Going by a very strict interpretation of this, we can reason that there are no ninja around today, since Japan is no longer a feudal nation, nor are there currently warring families in need of such agents.
Well, far be it from me to challenge wiki as a source.... but to be frank, that is a limited definition. For example, it is currently thought, or believed, that many who were classified as Shinobi no Mono, Ninja, Rappa, Suppa, or some other variant, were Samurai themselves, either deposed in some way, or simply acting in a less-than-romantically-idealised way. That said, there also seems to be quite a bit of evidence of factions not necessarily related to the Samurai who lay some claim to that legacy as well. Hmm, a little complicated, isn't it?
Of course, the last comment about there being no "ninja" around these days, that is absolutely correct. There are people practicing the arts, but that, honestly, doesn't make them (or me.... aw, sad, my little ideal is all burst....) "ninja", any more than training with a sword makes you a Samurai (a distinct social class that was abolished with the Meiji Restoration of 1862).
Their arts however do continue to exist, though some branches are controversial and surrounded by much disinformation and misunderstanding.
The modern Ninja would be someone who trains in the arts, skills, strategies and tactics of Ninjutsu.
Er, no. That would be a practitioner of Ninjutsu, not a Ninja. Subtle, but important difference.
But what is Ninjutsu today?
Some would argue that it is simply a name, that lends itself to whatever you want it to fit, from modern covert skills, to running around the back yard in black pj's kicking tires and trees.
They may, but that is the same as arguing that my Mazda is a Maserati. Doesn't make it so (although one day....). And, uh, "kicking" tyres?
For the sake of opening debate, I submit these simple terms.
To be considered Ninjutsu an art must:
- Have a verifiable connection to Japan.
- Have a verifiable connection to a legitimate ninjutsu family
To date, only 3 systems have fit this definition here:
Bujinkan,
Genbukan,
Jinenkan. We do not consider Ashida Kim, Count Dante, Frank Dux or Rick Tew's arts as Ninjutsu.
You have learned much, young Bob.... Although I may question the last one. For that, you need to define "ninjutsu family", and that I don't think is that easy. A connection to a legitimate Ninjutsu Ryu-ha, on the other hand, is what I would look for. For clarity, a family is "ke", a clan is "gumi", and a Ryu is "style", although the best way to understand it is to realise that the character for "ryu" is also pronounced "nagashi", and means "flow". In other words, a Ryu is the flow of the teachings that make up it's character and approach, passing (flowing) from one generation down to the next, and down from the Ryuso (founder) to the current students and teachers of the knowledge.
Founded by Steven Hayes, who got his schooling from Hatsumi Masaaki, and Tanemura Tsunehisa (Shoto), providing a link back to Japan and the Ryu associated with the traditions of Ninjutsu. Removed from the Japanese approach, but still within reach to make a claim.
Ah, my favourite. Has that become apparent? Sorry... Right, Katori Shinto Ryu is a Sogo Bujutsu (composite martial art school) focusing on the use of the sword, but including many other areas, including higher level teachings in esoteric studies such as Ninjutsu. However the approach to Ninjutsu here is very different, it is used more to refer to counter-espionage than actual use of Ninjutsu skills. You may almost think of it as anti-Ninjutsu, really. The Ninjutsu portion of the curriculum makes up very little of the teachings from all accounts, and is taught by direct transmission via word of mouth (Kuden, oral tranmission). Not a Ninjutsu system, but a system that incorporates knowledge of Ninjutsu within it's teachings.
Originally bases it's approach on the teachings of Doron Navon, the first Western instructor under Hatsumi Masaaki. These days it incorporates a number of other sources and influences (such as Judo and TKD), removing it from the original Ninjutsu aspects. However, the connection to the established Japanese art is definately there. Gets a pass, but be aware that just because the Ninjutsu traditions are taught, doesn't make everything there related to these Japanese systems.
Ah, interesting. My instinct is no, honestly. There's just too much that doesn't "feel" right in the actions of the systems, despite them being able to give an approach that is very akin to the way such a system would be passed down. But the best evidence they have presented so far includes that they don't claim to be an old system (koryu), they have the support of the Museum they are honorary curators of, and they have a vocal supporter in Spain (although his claims tend to disagree with the claims of Kawakami Jinichi and the Banke Shinobinoden themselves). Oh, and to break it down, Banke is "Ban family (ke)", a famous old Ninja family, and Shinobinoden is simply "Shinobi/Nin(ja) transmissions (no den)". Without being able to demonstrate why their traditions are related to the Ban family (which I have heard a few different explainations of, including a reference to the Bansenshukai, a classic treatise on the subject, not related to the Ban family at all), I'm left less than convinced.
Hmm. While Carlos has an old link to Tanemura and Bo Munthe (himself not without controversy, by the way...), he has gone more and more to unsubstantiated "Koga" style teachings. My feeling is that this group has long left any links to anything close to legit, so I'd go with no again.
The Bansenshukai guys certainly have the links back to the Japanese traditions, so they're in the same kind of boat as Toshindo. A pass, to my mind.
South African Koga Ninjutsu? Uh, no.
Ah, these guys. Don't know them personally, but from the clips I watched with their "rescue of muggers" publicity, they actually seem to be an offshoot from my schools. There's a fair amount of fantasy in their approach, but it seems to have links back to Japan through us (when they left, judging on their syllabus and class approach) we were still part of the Bujinkan.
While I'm here, I'll add us as well
www.ninjutsuaustralia.com Well, I'm going to give us a pass here, as well. The link is back to Japan through Hatsumi Masaaki and Nagato Toshiro, and the teachings for the traditional approach we take is based on the Bujinkan Ryu-ha as we understand them (Gyokko Ryu, Koto Ryu, Togakure Ryu, Kukishinden Ryu, and the Ten Chi Jin Ryaku no Maki. We do sometimes bring in the more "samurai" systems as well, but the focus for us is on the Ninjutsu-related systems).
Some are additional splinters from the 'Xkan's. Others claim different connections.
There are a few other Koryu who have Ninjutsu aspects in their teachings, but if there is not a connection to one of those, or directly to Takamatsu via Hatsumi, Tanemura, Manaka, then it doesn't get a pass.
So, what should a style have as credentials to be "real"?
The above listed connections, really. To give my definitions, though, a Ninjutsu system is more defined by it's historical connections and usage than it's physical technologies (although those techical approaches must be congruent with the claims, and the less-legit simply aren't). As a result, it is impossible to create a "new" Ninjutsu system, the same way you cannot create any new Baroque music outside of the Baroque period. You can create Baroque-inspired music, but that is different.
I wonder. Would modern special ops guys like Delta with all of their skills have qualified as a "way" if they could step in a time machine back to feudal Japan? Besides their antiquity, their novelty and their mysteriousness, what makes the ninja/ninjutsu somehow more kick *** than modern military/espionage operatives?
Would spec. ops guys be considered the equivalent of Ninja? Bluntly, no. Not at all. This supposition has a lack of understanding of what the Ninja were, as well as what the Special Forces are today, they are both very different. To begin with, it's really a mistake to get caught up in "all their skills". Most evidence indicates that the "average ninja field agent" was probably about 16 years old (same as Samurai being considered men at 15, and often on the battlefield before that), and would not really be skilled in anywhere near as many areas as shown in modern media, or even as taught in schools these days (frankly, I mean that to refer to the Ninjutsu schools, but they wouldn't be as schooled in as wide a range of subjects as a modern Western High School student).
The next thing to consider is the underlying reasons for why these skills are developed. For the Spec. Forces guys, it's part of a career, a military speciality. This is more in line with high ranked Samurai than Ninja.
As to whether or not their skills would be considered a "way", well, a "way" can be found in anything. But the concept there is an Asian one, so a Western military professional probably wouldn't think that way. And again, the "skills" are less important here, the "way" aspect is seperate from that. Oh, and Ninja are more kickass because, um, er.... can I get back to you on that one?
seems to be different from the way it is approached in other schools of thought that incorporate martial arts, Buddhism, Chinese philosophy/Tai Chi/Tao Te Ching/Kung Fu (yes, these things heavily influenced/inspired Ninjutsu it seems from the parallels ) such as Sōhei and Yamabushi (or even Samurai with Zen teachers, such as the Yagyū clan ).
