It is widely believed that the art of Ninjutsu was started more than eight centuries ago, by a disenchanted samurai called Daisuke Nishina.  Having become disillusioned with war and the endless loss of life, he left the battlefields and retreated to the mountains.  His aim was to leave behind the destruction of war and find peace for himself.

While living in the mountains he met a warrior priest called Kain Doshi, who gave him a new understanding of life and religion, after which he decided to spend the rest of his days living in the remote mountains.  Around this time Japan underwent a form of unification and a streamlining of religious beliefs.   Anyone refusing to follow the new doctrines was persecuted and many fled to the hills.

While in hiding they continued to follow their own beliefs and were initially left alone. Soon word spread about those who had fled and it was decided that they too should be converted to the new ways.  And so began the persecution of these harmless, peace loving individuals.  Fortunately Doshi and Nishina had seen this coming and had trained the refugees in the fighting system they had created.  So were born the Yamabushi, or mountain warriors.

Many years passed before the Yamabushi became known as Ninja.  Because of their split from society the Ninja families went underground.  In order to protect themselves from persecution they formed various strategies to defend themselves.

These strategies ranged from spy networks, disguise, self defence and assassination.

Ninja folklore tells tales of seemingly impossible feats of human endurance, with heroes such as Hanzo Hattori who maintained three identities, including separate households in three different areas, or the dwarf Ninja Okifune.

The same folklore describes a duel between Miyamoto Musashi, Japans most revered sword master and a Ninja armed with nothing more than a fan, a duel that Musashi lost, despite being armed with two razor sharp Katana.

Although the Ninja fighters were revered and feared throughout the land, none were feared more than their female counterparts, the Kunoichi.  Frequently underestimated as mere females in a male dominated society, the Kunoichi were able to go where a man would automatically be suspected.

Couple this with their ability to use their female wiles; the female Ninja were able to get much closer to their target than a male assassin ever could.  What better time to carry out an assassination than when your victims' attention is distracted.

The sites of Ninpo World are dedicated to celebrating the spirit of the Kunoichi, most definitely deadlier than the male.