The Real Ninja Handbook (Paperback)

Paperback. Were ninja really black-clad assassins or is most of what we think we know a later legend? The Real Ninja Handbook goes behind the pop-culture image to uncover the documented world of Japan's ninja: intelligence gatherers, scouts, saboteurs, guides, and irregular fighters whose real work was often quieter-and more fascinating than fiction. Written for curious readers rather than academics or hardcore martial arts specialists, this illustrated handbook clearly separates documented evidence, probable reconstructions, disputed claims, and later legends. Inside you'll discover: - What historical ninja actually did and how they differed from samurai - Why Iga and Koka became the two great centers of ninja history - What the Bansenshukai, Shoninki, and other surviving manuals really describe - Which famous ninja weapons and tools are historical-and which are later inventions - The real story of Hattori Hanzo, the kunoichi question, and famous ninja figures and clans - The truth behind black costumes, shuriken, kunai, the ninjato, invisibility, water-walking, and other familiar ninja myths - A 30-item illustrated Ninja Armory, historical maps, myth-versus-reality guides, and quick-reference material - How modern ninjutsu relates to the historical ninja tradition - Where to experience ninja history today in Iga, Koka, and Tokyo If you grew up with ninja movies, games, anime, martial-arts stories, or Japanese history and have ever wondered what was actually real, this handbook was made for you. Discover what happened, what became legend, and why the real ninja story may be more interesting than the myth. This item is printed on demand. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.…