True Path of the Ninja

by Cummins, Antony; Minami, Yoshie; Risuke, Otake; Atsumi, Nakashima

• ISBN13: 9784805311141
• ISBN10: 4805311142
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2011-03-10
• Publisher: Tuttle Pub

Summary

True Path of the Ninja is a translation of Natori Masatake's Shoninki, the most in-depth instruction manual on the art of ninjutsu. For centuries, the training of a ninja was considered to be so sacrosanct that it could only be passed orally from teacher to student. Natori broke from this tradition fearing that the art would be lost in the mist of time. Natori's instructions and advice, written three centuries ago, includes how the ninja can survive in the wilderness, how to deceive the enemy while collecting intelligence, methods of breaking an entering for theft or assassination, and even how to weave a protective spell. True Path of the Ninja is a rare historical document that debunks some of Hollywood's myths about ninjas, confirms others, and creates new mysteries for historians to ponder. For anyone interested in the dark arts of ninjutsu, this book is a vital link to the historical, practical, and mystical world of the ninja. As a bonus feature, this book also includes the first written record of the oral tradition known as "Defense Against a Shinobi."

Author Biography

Antony Cummins is a world renowned ninja historian, whose works have included the translating of the most authentic ninja documents available to modern man. His background as an archaeologist and historian gives him a unique insight to the mysterious world of the ninja. A trained martial artist, he is the author of several books on ninja and martial arts, including: Shinobi Soldiers and To Stand on a Stone: 50 Fundamental Principles of Martial Arts.

Yoshie Minami has a B.A. degree in Linguistics from the International Christian University and is a member of the Historical Ninjutsu Research Team. She currently lives in Saitama, Japan.