The shinobi, or ninja, is one of the most widely recognized figures in the world of espionage--and also one of the most misrepresented. What do we really know about the historical shinobi, his tactics, and his role in medieval Japanese society? In * Secret Traditions of the Shinobi,these questions--...

The shinobi, or ninja, is one of the most widely recognized figures in the world of espionage--and also one of the most misrepresented. What do we really know about the historical shinobi, his tactics, and his role in medieval Japanese society? In * Secret Traditions of the Shinobi,these questions--and many more--are answered. Translated into English for the very first time, this widely sought-after collection of historical documents brings to light the secret practices, techniques, philosophies, and lifestyles of the shinobi. Included are: - the Shinobi Hiden,*or "Secret Ninja Tradition," a documentation of techniques commonly attributed to one of the best-known ninja masters, Hattori Hanzo;

• the* Koka Ryu Ninjutsu Densho,*a small but important work from the Edo period that reveals the realm of ninja magic and spells;

• the three shinobi scrolls of the* Gunpo Jiyoshu,*a manual enthusiastically promoted by Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first Tokugawa shogun of Japan;

• one hundred poems written between the twelfth and fifteenth centuries--making them the oldest collection of written ninjutsu information in the world; and

• seventy historical black-and-white illustrations depicting ninja tools and weapons.* Secret Traditions of the Shinobi * will enthrall martial artists eager to learn the real skills of the shinobi, as well as anyone interested in this exciting period of Japanese history and espionage.