Is Ninjutsu Effective in Real Life

Ninjas and all things pertaining to ninjas have been popular in our modern society for a long time and the mystique surrounding these shadow warriors only further fuels our undying interest in them.

Ninjutsu was never meant to be a combat art, rather it was an entire and complex way of life that included physical violence to accomplish specific motives, such as assassination. This is not to discount the efficacy and brutality of the combat moves used by the shinobi which is an excellent form of fighting to injure and maim one’s opponent and disappear quickly.

The brutal truth is that no one is truly practicing Ninjutsu in its full essence in this era, rather the combative aspects of it are taken out and utilized as a form of martial art. 

Without understanding the origin and purpose of the shinobi, one cannot make an accurate assessment of the path in today’s time. The main discussions pertaining to ninjas would be the legendary art of Ninjutsu that holds the essence of the Shinobi.

• Shinobi was the proper word used in feudal Japan with reference to ninjas hence we shall use that term for the rest of this article. There are many misconceptions surrounding the shinobi and Hollywood depictions did no favor as well. Depictions of the shinobi as superhuman beings that are able to fly and jump from virtually anywhere and never seem to get injured or die are a far throw from the actual existence of these covert operatives.

Ninjutsu referred to the path of the shinobi and delved into a myriad of things pertaining to the survival and execution of successful missions that these operatives were tasked with. Yes, you might have seen the word ‘operative’ being used more than once to refer to the shinobi and that is the term that truly captures their essence.

For a similar topic, we also covered on whether martial arts work in real life situation. 

They were more than just regular combatants who were stuck in a bloody and vicious time in history.

The combat aspects in Ninjutsu are just a few of the many different disciplines that the path offers, ranging from the creation of poisons, healing wounds with the aid of special herbs and tonics, mastering the art of blending In with the local populace, and much more.

Spiritual discipline was an essential cornerstone in Ninjutsu that a shinobi had to master.

• Kuji-in (the nine-syllable mudra) was a series of hand gestures that activated certain energies within one’s body that promoted healing, reduced pain, and most importantly, allowed an operative to execute his mission unhindered.
• Furthermore, the belief in spirits and deities was strong in that era and shinobis worshipped various spiritual beings for success and invisibility.

More than actual combat, the skill of being able to appear at a place all of a sudden, carry out the mission, and leave without a single trace was the hallmark of a skilled shinobi. They had to be able to mingle with the townsfolk without rousing any form of suspicion and it was common for them to take on the guise of monks, actors, and musicians. This further meant that being knowledgeable about various disciplines outside of Ninjutsu was essential.

The misconception that Ninjutsu is a form of ‘martial art’ should have been dispelled by now.

The essence of the shinobi is invisibility, to be present yet remain unseen and execute quick, brutal, surprise attacks. If one understands this concept, whether Ninjutsu is effective in real life or not will be rendered futile.

Obviously, times are much different now and with numerous schools popping up out of nowhere to teach ‘authentic Ninjutsu’, a student who is keen to explore this path has to be cautious to not be seduced by flashy marketing. We also checked out why MMA fighters are not ripped.

There are reputable schools that do teach the combative aspects of Ninjutsu with masters who have spent decades training under experienced Japanese masters who had imparted a greater portion of the path to them.

There are secrets in the path that can only be transmitted by oral transmission from a mentor to a worthy student and this is a foreign concept in today’s world of instant gratification.

To truly practice Ninjutsu in its full essence, one has to be a shinobi.

Simply dressing in full black and mastering a few fancy moves and being able to scale walls does not make one a shinobi and I mean this with no disrespect.

The shinobi walked on a razor’s edge, with death remaining a constant threat and dedicating themselves entirely to the shadow path and there was no room for complacency, mistakes, and failure.