The definitive history of the ninja, based on a wealth of historical
texts, local Japanese sources, and John Man's own treks across Asia
"An immensely entertaining history, packed with splendidly
blood-thirsty tales of derring-do, feats of endurance and
self-sacrifice." --The Guardian
Out of the violent chaos of medieval Japan, a remarkable band of
peasants rose to become the world's most feared warriors--trained to
perfect the art of ninjutsu, the deadly union of martial arts and
deception. Today, however, these real life ninjas are overshadowed by
legend and pop culture caricatures. Could they fly? Climb walls? Make
themselves invisible?
Drawing on a wealth of historical texts, local Japanese sources, and his
own comprehensive treks across Asia, acclaimed author John Man takes us
back to the ninjas' origins in China, through to their heyday in the
bloody civil wars that ended with the unification of Japan in 1600. Man
also illuminates the twentieth-century reemergence of the Japanese
tradition of shadow warfare through the Nakano Spy School--the elite
military-intelligence academy that operated as an extensive spy network
during World War II--and reveals one former Nakano soldier, Onoda Hiroo,
who may be the last surviving ninja.
Compelling and absorbing, Ninja reveals at last the fascinating true
history behind one of the world's most enduring legends.
