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Being aninjais about more than just swinging swords and throwing ninja stars.
Popular culture fantasies of ninjas present only one facet of the complex history of these legendary warriors.
The first graduate of this courseGenichi Mitsuhashiwas recently awarded his masters in ninja studies.
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The masters degree program is run by theInternational Ninja Research Centerat Mei University, founded in 2017.
For those interested in ninja studies, a deep knowledge of Japanese history is required.
The art of the ninjaninjutsuis a focus for scholarship and respect.
A ninja and Prince Hikaru Genji, woodblock print on paper by Utagawa Kunisada, 1853. (Photo:Wikimedia Commons[Public domain])
The course of study is primarily historical, although strategies of stealth and survival are also taught.
In the morning, he farms, followed by training and martial arts in the afternoon.
He also runs a local inn using the produce he grows.
Ninja, woodblock print on paper by Katsushika Hokusai, 1817. (Photo:Wikimedia Commons[Public domain])
A Japanese university just awarded the first ever ninja studies degree to graduate Genichi Mitsuhashi.
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The plains of Iga, where many professional ninjas trained as members of the Iga clan. (Photo: Outside147~commonswiki viaWikimedia Commons[CC BY-SA 3.0])
Graduates do not have to physically train, but Mitsuhashi has embraced the ninja way of life.
Japanese Genichi Mitsuhashi holds the world’s only master’s degree in ninja studies.
A ninja and Prince Hikaru Genji, woodblock print on paper by Utagawa Kunisada, 1853.
Ninjas served as spies and assassins beginning in the 15th century.
Ninja, woodblock print on paper by Katsushika Hokusai, 1817.
They are distinct from samurai in training and status.
The plains of Iga, where many professional ninjas trained as members of the Iga clan.
