Story Notes

The story of The Courtesan’s Abyss take places in a gorge/waterfall located in Yamanashi Prefecture. In Japanese it goes by the name of Oiran Buchi.

The area is known from an event from around the 1570’s (Sengoku Period) involving the Takeda Clan at the time.

During the Sengoku Period, to help fuel their battles and other exploits, the Takeda gained much of their money from a secret mine located in the Kurokawa Kinzan Mountain. Other exploits the money went to involved giving money to shrines, as well as burying amounts hidden in the foothills.

The gold mining peaked during Takeda Shingen, a strategy genius who used the gold to build a large spy network, adept at using female ninja ‘ku-no-ichi‘. These women posed as anything from, holy women, to servants, to prostitutes who gained intel from his rivals.

For the mining they employed many men and in addition they also made use of 55 courtesans who would entertain the men on their downtime.

Eventually the mine began to run dry and so decisions were made to close the mine. However, wishing to keep the mine a secret it was decided that the 55 courtesan’s would need to be gotten ridden of as they may have learnt of the mine from entertaining the men. (Or even from their skills as ku-no-ichi if that is what they were.)

And so a platform was constructed, suspended over the gorge here, with the 55 women placed on the stage being told they were to practise for a thank you party for the coming night. As they continued their practise, Takeda men destroyed the supports of the platform, causing all the women to fall to their deaths. Their bodies were eventualy retrieved from the bend in the gorge. It is inclued as a Yokai in certain literature.

Header Image: Waterfalls from pixabay.

References

• Yoda, H & Alt, M. (2012) “Yurei Attack: The Japanese Ghost Survival Guide” Tokyo: Tuttle Publishing.

You can listen to the full podcast episodes here: Japan Archives, or wherever you listen to Podcasts.

Follow us on Social Media: Instagram: @japan_archives

We also started a Youtube channel for Japan Archives.

And another for other creative endeavours!

The post B15 The Courtesan’s Abyss appeared first on . A History . . of Japan . 日本歴史.

Story Notes

We jump to late autumn when Yasuke is in attendance to Nobunaga. A messanger arrives at Azuchi castle bringing a message from General Hideyoshi. His siege at Tottori Castle against the Mori (the Clan who helped Yasuke and the Jesuits get through the ocean pirate territory) was not going as planned and so Nobunaga dispatched his top Generals Akechi Mitsuhide and Takayama Ukon to go and reinforce Hideyoshi.

But Yasuke for now was to remain on standby with the other Samurai. Nobunaga’s armies were expanding and taking over his enemies as the months rolled by, but still Yasuke remained cloistered and bound to Azuchi Castle.

News finally arrived saying the Tottori siege has once more turned in favour of Nobunaga’s troops in by early November. Yasuke was to head south for Iga with Nobunaga and the Samurai pages. War was calling, though they did arrive a little late.

Now we have talked of the Iga clan briefly before in passing, the clan known for their Ninja prowess.

And when Yasuke and the others arrived to find their enemies already dead. Iga Province was engulfed in flames, after only a week of Nobunaga’s forces arriving in Iga. The battle missed they inspected the area, the men in charge here clamering to give a better banquet than the last for their visiting Lord and his retinue.

But one day on inspection, Yasuke looking down at one of the headless corpses of the felled Iga suddenly found the world exploding around him. Men were obliterated in the explosion, Yasuke rising to find the what he had thought as corpses now rising from the dead. The ninja had tricked them, lying in wait, and so they attacked. Fighting through the smoke, Yasuke made his way to Nobunaga and his son Nobukatsu and together they fought off the remaining Ninja until none were left.

And so after this short battle, they all returned to Azuchi Castle.

During the winter Nobunaga visited one of the Jesuit seminaries just outside his castle, a surprise visit to see what they were up to. And so they met Father Organtino again (who we have previously mentioned) and gave them a tour. They were shown around and when the time for Mass came Nobunaga excused himself to return to his castle, with Yasuke at the invitation of Organtino staying for the service before returning home himself.

New Year finally came, with Lords flocking to the castle to pay their respects, the whole castle was to be cleaned, New Year meant a great cleaning of every area and home, Yasuke’s included.

A celebration was planned for the first day of the New Year. A tour of the castle was to be given, included a golden pavilion Nobunaga had had built for the Imperial Family to visit. A most impressive feat when the Imperial Family had never visited anywhere outside of Kyoto in his life. But during the tour, there was a landslide. Nobunaga and Yasuke were safe at the front of the procession, but at the back 50 plus men went down with the landslide. Many having to be sent for healing. It was a bad start to the new year.

Two weeks into the New Year the traditional bonfire commenced with Nobuanaga’s own twist added in. Another horse event. Yasuke with the Samurai pages were the first to enter into the arena, the Matsubara horse ground constructed close by to the Jesuit seminary. It is nice to think that perhaps Yasuke took more of a part in this event unlike the previous now that he had spent much more time on horseback due to being a part of Nobunaga’s retinue.

By March 1582 war came again, this time from the Northern Takeda Clan. The Clan and its territories was disintegrating, and after one of the loyal Takeda retainers defected to the Oda Clan, Nobunaga saw it as time to send his son Nobutada there to crush them once and for all.

For now Yasuke remained at the castle again, but all those from the North who defied the Oda. Well, Yasuke did get to see them. Their severed heads displayed below Azuchi castle for all to see. Each labelled with who they were, hair combed to look nice, rouge added to cheeks to give them colour. Once the heads spoiled they were carted off and burned. Traditionally they would have been sent back to their family, but in this instance the distance was too great.

And so on March 28th, 1582 Yasuke finally left Azuchi castle once more with Nobunaga, heading nothing to join the war against the Takeda. One more final push to destroy those that remained, even though most had already fallen under the attack of Nobunaga’s son.

The further north they went, the colder it became, until snow lay all around them. Yasuke and the rest of the army were in a place called Iida when the final ruler of the Takeda, Katsuyori was revealed to them to have been defeated. His head, and his sons Nobukatsu arriving in an ornate box. (It should be said here that Nobukatsu was technically Nobunaga’s grandson, via adoption).

They continued north until they passed the castle of Takatō, eventually reaching a town known as Suwa where they halted. Only one building remained which Nobunaga made his headquarters, with his first order to disposed of all the dead laying in the streets of the town. Yasuke and everyone remained here for 2 weeks, the local lords who had turned against the old leaders flocking here to give their respects over to Nobunaga.

Rumours began to swirl as they remained in Suwa, that Yasuke may have received a lordship of his own. In fact, the Jesuit Mexia reported a rumours from the time at Azuchi that ‘Nobunaga would make him a Tono,’ a lord of his own.  Over the days Nobunaga gave out lands and power to his new followers, promoting other people he had known for years. But for Yasuke, no new title of power was given over to him.

And so, with work against the Takeda all but finished now. Nobunaga decided he wanted a holiday. He sent his armies home, and keeping only a few hundred men, including Yasuke they headed back south to Mount Fuji for Nobunaga’s holiday. This area was under the authority of Tokugawa Ieyasu and he would ensure Nobunaga had the best vacation he had ever had. Every night Nobunaga stayed at a newly constructed pavilion with teahouse included.

But sadly the tea house was too small for Yasuke, and so he often ate elsewhere.

As the days passed and they left Fuji, they made their way to Hitoana, a cave where it is said the goddess of Mount Fuji lived. Here another pavilion awaited them and then Ieyasu told them a tale of the cave.

The Story was known as Fuji no hitoana sōshi 富士の人穴草子, The Tale of the Fuji Cave and I manage to find a journal telling its tale online. So I will keep that for a future episode, perhaps even the bonus or main episode to follow on from our tale of Yasuke. But let us just say it is a story about a Samurai who ventures on down to hell.

And so eventually the holiday for Nobunaga, Yasuke and his men finally drew to its inevitably close after journeying to the coast, and they made their way back to Azuchi Castle.

He tasked Akechi Mitsuhide, one of his trusted generals, upon their return to gather and prepare for a 3 day banquet but just before Tokugawa Ieyasu arrived, Nobunaga had all the food thrown away, telling Akechi it was unfit. And so another meal had to be prepared, much to the embarrassment to Akechi.

Nobunaga’s rage was quickly forgotten after receiving word again regarding the Mori Clan and Tottori castle, they had prepared one last counter attack against Nobunaga’s general Hideyoshi. And so Nobunaga tasked Akechi to return to his castle to prepare for war again.

Nobunaga, Yasuke and 30 others left for Kyoto, to spend the night at Honnō-ji Temple before heading to besiege the Mori Clan again.

But this night, most of them would die, in what would become known as the Honnō-ji Incident. It was June 1st, 1582, and as the Hour of the Tiger arrived. Yasuke and the others were attacked in Honnō-ji temple. They had been betrayed. The humiliated general Akechi Mitsuhide had brought his armies to bring an end to Nobunaga. Yasuke ran to his lord finding him and Mori Ranmaru in a secluded courtyard behind his quarters. Gun fire broke out all around them, Yasuke holding onto Nobunaga’s sword until he called for it. Nobunaga fought with bow until it snapped, and then he asked Yasuke for his sword.

It was time for Yasuke to fight side by side with his Lord. Now don’t forget Nobunaga had brought 30 men with him, Akechi had brought several thousand. It was a battle they could not win. They fought, no doubt Yasuke losing track of how many he had killed, but there was no end to Akechi’s forces.

They had retreated inside, and it had helped to keep the men at bay. This room they could defend, at least for now. Nobunaga has taken a spear to the shoulder, and who knows what injuries Yasuke has sustained. The temple was set a light by Akechi’s men, and Nobunaga took an arrow into his leg. By now there were less than ten of his men left. Nobunaga ordered all to hold as long as they could, so it would give him time to commit seppuku, ritual suicide. He asked Yasuke and Ranmaru to remain with him for this act.

He placed the sword to his belly, instructing Yasuke that his head and sword was to be taken to his son Nobutada, it could not fall to the enemy. Nobunaga’s last ever order was to Yasuke, and to him alone.

Nobunaga carried out seppuku, Ranmaru finishing it by slicing of the Lords head, before he himself committed seppuku, this time the act of beheading falling to Yasuke. The head of Nobunaga bundled up, and his Lords sword in hand, it was time for him to leave. Yasuke fought his way out and emerged out of the burning temple. Yasuke ran towards Nijo Castle where Nobutada resided, and gaining entry he presented the head to him.

But Nijo Castle would soon fall as Yasuke looked on. Nobutada soon committing seppuku himself. His head and that of his fathers buried under a walkway to then be devoured in flame. Akechi’s forces broke in, Yasuke fought until he was brought down by 4 men, all holding him down with all their strength. Another samurai demanded he surrender his sword and his did so, but they did not kill him. They dragged him out of Nijo into the streets of Kyoto for an audience with Akechi.

Akechi looked at him stating ‘this man is not Japanese and has no honour; otherwise, he would already be dead.’ And so he demanded his retainer take the ‘black beast’ as he called him to the Temple of the Southern Barbarians. The same church Yasuke had been in the day before he had come into the service of Nobunaga.

In the mission his wounds were cared for, Father Frois, the interpreter who first welcomed Yasuke here, pressing him for news on what the hell had just happened. Two days later Akechi’s forces lay waste to Azuchi, burning the castle and everything down’ Yasuke’s home included.

This coup was not embraced by the people, Nobunaga had been brining peace to the country that hadn’t been seen in 100 years. And it was only a week later that Akechi Mitsuhide was killed, speared by nothing more than a bandit on the road side.

Months passed, Yasuke still at the mission. Still technically a Samurai, but one with no master. A ronin. No-one was asking for him as the dealt with the fallout from this coup, Nobunaga’s successor finally being chosen. His 2 year old grandson. But of course, he held no power. Power now would be held by Hideyoshi, Nobunaga’s most trusted general when he was alive. Eventually Yasuke was sent back to where he started, the port city of Nagasaki.

And after the autumn of 1582 we don’t really know what became of Yasuke.

There are stories here and there, stories of African’s in Japan that may or may not be him.

But I feel they are for another day, when we have taken in the story of Yasuke we have been telling.

I don’t want to blur the lines of what we know was Yasuke and what only may have been him.

So they will come in the future. And episode for all the men who may or may not have been this great man.

Poem Notes

Today we have a poem from Ōshikochi Mitsune, a waka poet from the Heian Period.

The poem comes from a book dating to 1908 where they call his poem ‘The Quest.’ So far we only have the English and we will continue to research and try to find the Japanese. We hope you enjoy the poem.

Ye who would leave the fretting world, and go
Far up among the Hills to seek release
From Sorrow ‘mid the Silence and the Snow,
What will ye do it there ye find no Peace?

Header Image: Meiji Era Print of the Honnō-ji Incident.

References

• Lockley, T & Girard, G. (2019) African Samurai: The True Story of Yasuke, a Legenedary Black Warrior in Feudal Japan. Tokyo: Tuttle-Mori Angency Inc.
• R. Keller Kimbrough. (2006) Japanese Journal of Religious Studies [Online only: 1–22] Nanzan Institute for Religion and Culture.
• Shotaro, K. & Peake, C.M.A (1908) “Sword and blossom poems from the Japanese. Volume III.” Tokyo: T. Hasegawa.

You can listen to the full podcast episodes here: Japan Archives, or wherever you listen to Podcasts.

Follow us on Social Media: Instagram: @japan_archives

We also started a Youtube channel for Japan Archives.

And another for other creative endeavours!

The post E60E War and Betrayal – Honnō-ji Incident appeared first on . A History . . of Japan . 日本歴史.

Story Notes

We carry on from where we left off. With Yasuke and Allesandro finishing up their meeting with Lord Arima. And so it was time for the two of them to return home, through the territory which was full of anti-Catholic people. And don’t forget, they had to leave from the castle which was under siege.  

Now where one meeting did end we move on to another. If you remember the Jesuit and his entourage did not dock in Nagasaki as they felt the lord there, Omura Sumitada was not giving them as much as they should. And now he was feeling the pressure.  

In the past he had not agreed to marry off his daughter to a Jesuit chosen man, he did not wish to force his daughter to do so. But, he still needed the Jesuit’s and their guns. And so he ventured over to the mission building in Kuchinotsu with an offer he hoped could not be refused.  

He wanted to give them Nagasaki, not just the city, but all the land surrounding it.  

Yasuke remained there in the meeting no doubt, but saw the Lord leaving empty handed. Allesandro not accepting the offer and gift straightaway. 

He needed time to think it over. Now this thinking took several months before he made his decision.  

In these months, they said farewell to the ship that had brought them, and the children that they had boarded on to the ship. 

Like I said before Allesandro was not against slavery if it helped his cause and so he and Yasuke watched the board filled with children most of which were less than 10 years of age. From what I can tell these children were known as suteko, ‘thrown away children’ and the Jesuits believed they would now sail on to good Christian households where their souls would be saved.  

Now as time went on, Yasuke began to work with the local military the Lord had left to devise defensive strategies for Allesandro, which included contingency and emergency escape plans. Later Yasuke would have it easier when Allesandro hired a Catholic militia, but right now. He and the small group of soldiers was all Yasuke had.  

Over the next 9 months he spent time in Kuchinotsu and another place known as Kazusa, another seaport where the Lord had given the Jesuits several buildings. In fact he had given them here a Buddhist temple which they then converted into the first Catholic seminary in all of Japan.  

Allesandro devised the entire thing, bringing in new acolytes to following their teachings. He would rise early, Yasuke always up before him scouting the perimeter before overseeing the preparation of his morning meals to ensure no poison was added into it. Like I have said, most days, at least for now for Yasuke were days of checking Allesandros food, walking the perimeter or standing guard during the Jesuits many, many meetings and prayers.  

And so life continued that way until we find ourself at Christmas 1579. The printing press would not arrived in japan until 1590 and so Allesandro used many different plays to teach the local people of the stories of the bible.  

So on Christmas day we find Yasuke dressed as Balthazar, who was according to the Catholics was the dark skinned Magi who gave the gift of myrrh to Jesus.  

Life continued as before. Yasuke on guard, as Allesandro began to journey more and more around Kyushu, visiting other mission buildings as well as the other minor lords of the area. Though they had taken a long journey by boat to Japan, still they did so now as traveling by road in mountainous Japan was impractical, especially when factoring in the lords in the area who were against Catholicism. 

And so, as 1579 drew to a close, Allesandro and Yasuke received word from the mission in Kyoto, Oda Nobunaga had suffered an embarrassing defeat, a man whom the mission relied on for protection. Perhaps they would have to make time eventually to make their way to Kyoto in the future. 

But either way, by now a year had passed and there had been no deaths in the Jesuit ranks, and here I want to go back to the strange beliefs the Allesandro held. This one goes into race. Let us not forget he completely has entrusted his life to an African man. But Allesandro held firm to the belief that Africans  were incapable of understanding Christianity. They were strangers to all human refinement, lacking culture, talent and intelligence. And yet still we find him trusting his life to a man from this place.       

Yasuke was becoming proficient in the Japanese language, no doubt through standing guard during Allesandro’s lesson in Japanese. Unfortunately, unlike Yasuke Allesandro never quite got a hang of the language.    

As spring dawned in 1580 they moved to Nagasaki, now in complete control of the Jesuits after lord Otomo had offered it to them. In fact they had passed a law stating only Catholics could reside within the city. Here Yasuke gained the new role of training the local militia, these including refugees from around the area as well as the ronin, warriors who no longer had a master. 

Yasuke now dwelled in the new mission building, located in a well-fortified position on a promontory. I am sure Yasuke felt a little at ease here, and that as long as they were here protecting Allesandro would be much easier than it had been at Kuchinotsu. And here he remained until September of 1580. Watching the port town of Nagasaki grow and grow as more joined the catholic faith.  

But again it was time to move on. Yasuke would be heading east, to the lands owned by Otomo Sorin on Kyushu, and from there they would head to the mainland and make their way to Kyoto. Closer to Oda Nobunaga.  

Yasuke had his work cut out for him here in Lord Sorin’s domain known as Bungo Province. He has the largest and most powerful lands on Kyushu and his ex-wife was very unhappy after he left her to marry in the Christian fashion. This wife, now known as Otomo Nata Jezebel, shaved her head, tried to kill herself, was put on suicide watch and threatened to take her daughters into the wilderness to die as punishment for the Lord leaving her. Now to make things worse, she was quite against Christianity, but also remained very powerful even after the Lord left her. She was a priestess of the war god Hachiman and retained many followers, including no doubt having access to ninja which dwelled in the area.  

In fact during their stay in Bungo, the house of the daughter of his new wife caught fire (no others buildings did) and she barely made it out alive. Allesandro giving her a rosary in solace. So Yasuke once again was going to have to be on high alert. Now not just for soldiers, but ninja and the grand priestess.  

But Allesandro as ever was undaunted. He has things to accomplish in Bungo. First he wanted to build another seminary, this one right under the protection of the Lords Castle. Second, to gather young Japanese nobles for pilgrimage to Europe. And finally, to find money to fund his trip to Kyoto and meet with Oda Nobunaga in person. Yasuke was closer than ever to meeting the most powerful men in Japan.  

And now Yasuke found himself with a new threat. To get to Kyoto it would be another two week of travel, some by sea. A sea not just full of, but in essence controlled, by pirates. Of course, if one could pay a toll then you would be allowed to sail safely. Now they did pay, earning the protection of the pirate known as Lord Murakami of Noshima. Who, in fact, was the most powerful of all the pirates.  

By now March of the next years has rolled around as Yasuke finds himself boarding a ship for Kyoto. Now of course Yasuke was vary, after all five years prior these pirates had been allies to the Mori Clan, who were heavily anti-Catholic. But it all worked out, and the pirates were to be trusted. As they travelled, they stopped off at islands along the way. Yasuke and the others sleeping in small forts or even pirate bases. And eventually, after all of the sailing they reached the city of Sakai, known to Europeans as the ‘Venice of Japan.’ 

Here Yasuke and the others were welcomed by a group of warriors send by Nobunaga’s most senior generals. A man by the name of Takayama Ukon. And so they move on to the estate of Konishi Ryusa, the first one here to have converted to Catholicism; here they could rest a while. They were to leave the next day to Osaka, a grand procession to lead the way, but plans went awry. People clambered to see Yasuke.  

The crowds grew, the soldiers attempting to control the throng, in fact we know the guards were taunted and jostled, a roof collapsed as too many people stood on it to see Yasuke, and people fell through paper doors and windows as they lost their footing in the crowds. In the end Yasuke was forced to mount a horse to more easily push his way through the unruly crowds.  

Easter week ended as they near Kyoto, Yasuke and the entourage being entertained now by Takayama Ukon who we have just mentioned. He was very devout in his Catholicism, who genuinely cared for the religion and not just the guns which came with it.  

Easter Sunday festivities drew to a close with a messenger arriving for Lord Ukon and after reading he addressed Yasuke and the others saying. 

Fathers and Brothers in Christ. We have been done great honour. Lord Nobunaga has requested us to proceed with all haste to his presence. You will be seen within mere days.’ 

And so on March 27^th, 1581. Yasuke, with Allesandro and a large retinue of Jesuits, powerful people from Nagasaki, Bungo, Omura, Arima and Sakai, twenty-five choir boys, all with banners and icon of their religion raised high, they entered finally into Kyoto to meet finally with Oda Nobunaga. 

Poem Notes

A poem we have talked of before but never discussed or anyalsed. A poem in the theme of frogs, composed by Basho during a poetry competition.

古池や蛙飛びこむ水の音  

furu ike ya / kawazu tobikomu / mizu no oto   

Breaking the silence of an ancient pond, a frog jumped into water – A deep resonance  

Header Image: An 18th-century Chinese painting depicting a naval battle between wokou pirates and the Chinese.

References

• Lockley, T & Girard, G. (2019) African Samurai: The True Story of Yasuke, a Legenedary Black Warrior in Feudal Japan. Tokyo: Tuttle-Mori Angency Inc.
• Yuasa, N. (1966) “The Narrow Road to the Deep North, and other Travel Sketches.“ London: Penguin.

You can listen to the full podcast episodes here: Japan Archives, or wherever you listen to Podcasts.

Follow us on Social Media: Instagram: @japan_archives

We also started a Youtube channel for Japan Archives.

And another for other creative endeavours!

The post E60B The Road to Kyoto appeared first on . A History . . of Japan . 日本歴史.

Story Notes

Kashin Koji (果心居士) was said to have been a magician born in 1524 who also went by the name of Shippo Gyoja (Pilgrim of the Seven Treasures). His ancestry is unfortunately not known and we can often find this man as portrayed wearing robes with white hair.

During his childhood he grew up on Mount Koya where he studied Shingon esoteric Buddhism, however, he soon found himself exiled after his interest in magic began.

After that he is said to have become a wander and would perform magic shows for people after deciding to live in the area near Lake Sarusawa.

Such tricks involved throwing leaves into lakes which would transform into fish, as well as being able to make people believe they were holding go stones in their hands when they weren’t.

His powers grew and he eventuallly found himself performing and scamming those of very high rank.

It is said Kashin had in his possession a hell scroll, which would move, as it was so skillfully carved. Oda Nobunaga wished to have this scroll, and after negotiations (and making an attempt on Kashin’s life) he finally bought the scroll for 100 ryo. However when Kashin gave over the scroll, the magic had been lost and it no longer moved. Kashin said this was because it was a priceless item, and no longer moved as it was now only worth what had been paid for it.

Nobunaga was disappointed, but he let him go.

By 1582 we find he was arrested for vagrancy, but was allowed out to entertain a dinner party for Akechi Mitsuhide.

Here Kashin managed to escape, using his magic on a folding screen showing a lake with a boat. He caused the water to flood into the party, and taking the boat he escaped. After this, the room he caused to magicially flood was completely dry.

He later comes into contact with Toyotomi Hideyoshi and he reads him his fortune. Unfortunately, due to it being an embarassing one, he is forced to flee by turning into a mouse as Toyotomi tries to kill him with his own hands.

We are unsure about the end of his life. Some say he was assassinated in 1584, but a book called Koro Chawa says he met with Tokugawa Ieyasu in 1612 where Ieyasu asked the man his age and he said he was 88.

References

• Yoda, H & Alt, M. (2012) “Ninja Attack: True Tales of Assassins, Samurai and Outlaws” Tokyo: Tuttle Publishing.

You can listen to the full podcast episodes here: Japan Archives, or wherever you listen to Podcasts.

Follow us on Social Media: Instagram: @japan_archives

We also started a Youtube channel for Japan Archives.

And another for other creative endeavours!

The post B10 Ninja Magician appeared first on . A History . . of Japan . 日本歴史.

There was no poem segment in todays episode due to the length of the Podcast.

Story Notes

Now I have debated a little on how to write down these show notes, as we know during the episode I gave Heather various scenarios to see how she would deal with the situation as a Ninja. I feel that might not work as well in note form and so below you will find the notes of the items mentioned during the epsode grouped by theme.

You will also find a few things we initially planned to mentioned in the episode, but did not.

So lets start with a Ninja Poem. This comes from the Bansenshukai (萬川集海 – All Rivers Merge into the Sea) This book contains a collection of knowledge from the clans in the Iga and Kōga regions that had been devoted to the training of Ninja. It was compiled by Fujibayashi Yasutake in 1676 and the poem goes as follows:

忍ニハ危ナキヲ良セヨ 前へ疑ヒハ臆病ノ沙汰

For a shinobi it is desirable not to have any anxiety or hesitation. Doubts before hand come from you own cowardice.

Tools to take with you

It is said that every Ninja had six items they would always take with them. We find them first recorded iny the Shoninki (正 忍 記 – Record of Proper Ninjutsu) a medieval ninja document from Kishū province. It was written by Natori Masatake in 1681.

• Kaginawa – Rope attach to hook. Grappling hook.
• Kasa – Conical straw hat, could conceal flat blades or arrows.
• Chalk – Useful to leave easily erasable marks for other ninja.
• Tinderbox – For starting fires, cooking/firing rifles.
• Tenugui – A towel.
• Kusuri – Medicine, antiodes, insect repellent, blood clotting agents, poison etc.)

Herbs

There were several herbs used by the Ninja which could be uses for medicinal purposes, as well as to fill ones stomach if needs be. They were the following.

• Yomogi – Japanese Mugwort. Boiled steamed, or fried, it can be eaten directly or applied for medicinal applications.
• Tsukushi – Horsetail. Often found near fuki (see below), boiled alone or added to rice it would make a tasty dish.
• Fuki – Butterbur. Soaking this in water lessens their bitterness, butterbur stalks are chopped into short lengths and boiled for use as a side-dish or topping on boiled rice.

Food

On a mission it would also have been wise to take food with you, and various food stuffs were made prior to missions, or taken with them to prepare on their journeys.

The ideal Ninja weight was said to be 60kg, or 132 pounds, and their diet meant that they would not eat strong food such as garlic, chives, onions, meat. Instead their diet would consist of tofu, miso, pickled plums, vegetables, brown rice, wheat, soba and potatoes.

• Umeboshi – Pickled plums. These were good at making you salivate for times you may feel thirsty.
• Hoshi-i – Dried rice. Cook it, dry it, and soak in water to eat again.
• Kikatsu-gan – Think of this like an energy bar. This consisted of dried carrots, buckwheat (soba), wheat, yam, licorice and sticky rice. You will grind this down to a powder and then soaked it in sake for 3 years. The slurry left behind after the sake has evaporated is then made into balls. On missions, three were consumed over a day.
• Hyoro-gan – Ration balls. This is made from wheat powder, sake, honey, sticky rice, and carrots. This is all mixed, cooked then mashed and made into small balls. 30 of these a day would be eaten.
• Kata-yaki – Ninja biscuits. These were a very durable and long lasting food, so hard they had to have been broken up by with a knife or sword pommel.

If you needed to cook yourself some rice in the field but had forgotten your pan, then you could do the following to get around the problem. Wrap rice in a straw bundle or straw mat, soak it in water, dig a hole and then bury it. You would then need to burn a fire over it, and eventually it will cook. Alternatively would could put rice in a bucket, add hot rocks, and it would eventually cook.

Should you find yourslef in need of some clean water, but were unfortunately in a marsh you could dig a small hole and put paper around the hole. You can take out water which filters through the middle of the paper.

Clothing

Now on a mission, it would be best for the Ninja to hide in plain site, often disguised as travellers, merchants or wandering monks. But of course this would later call for a change of clothing when night fell and their nightime activities began.

Sadly, the image of their black clothing is more myth than reality. You would find them wearing dark clothes, but more perhaps grey, brown or blue. In the case of blues, deep indigo would work well as it was thought the dye helped repel insects and venomous snakes. At times, a different color could be stiched onto the inside of their clothing, in case you need a quick change of outfit to get a way and go incognito again.

The standard Ninja attire would be as listed below.

• Zukin – Single sheet of cloth 30 centimetres wide and two meters long, wrapped around the head and to cover the face.
• Uwagi – Based off a farmers shirts, however the Ninja added extra pockets in them to hide their gear.
• Fundoshi – Loincloth, wrapped around your private area. Could whip it off in an instant if you need a garrotte.
• Hakama – Two independent leggings synched together and top and ankles, meant they wouldn’t have to disrobe to relieve themselves.
• Teko – Cloth gauntlets.
• Tabi – Two toed socks, cushioned to mask noise.
• Waraji – Straw sandals, at times spikes woven into soles for extra grip.
• Seoi – Cloth back back.

Weapons

Many weapons made up a Ninja’s arsenal and this below is by no means a completed list.

• Shinobi-gatana – Straight and fairly short blades. Ninja were forbidden swords, so likely made off the books by inaka blacksmiths. Due to this perhaps they lacked the finesse and polish of the better known samurai swords. Sheath had a pointed tip. These were good to find people in dark corridors, by pulling the sword out halfway from the sheath keeping the sage-himo cord in your teeth. This cord is wrapped around the top of the sheath. Should the sheath bump into someone in the dark, the vibration would be felt in the Ninja’s mouth, meaning they could then quickly pull out the sword and dispatch the person before they could signal for help. Sheath could also be used to make a makeshift footstool. You would do this by sticking it in the ground, standing on sword pommel and vaulting over your obsticale. You could then use the cord to pull the sword back over to you.
• Shuriken – Throwing stars. Written with Kanji meaning ‘blade in the hand’ there are lots of various shapes which would affect how they were thrown. Various schools also used specific shapes.
• Makibishi – Small spiked objects for unwary feet. Likely in Japan they used the seed pods of the water chestnut after drying them out. As throwing them down, their spikes naturally point upwards.
• Manriki-gusari – Length of chain, weighted at both ends. Coiled in palm of shirt sleeve it could be hurled at enemies, and instantly retracted to be used again.
• Kusari-gama – Weighted chain attached to farmers sickle. You would throw the weighted chain to entangle your foe, then run in and finish them off.
• Teko-kagi – Think Wolverine, literally metal claws.
• Nake-te – Smaller than the teko-kagi, these metal claws merely slipped over the end of your fingers so you could slash a foe.

Equipment

• Nobe kagi – Extendable key. A nine section extendable bar around 5ft with changeable heads. Each section can fold out. It is L shaped at the bottom to allow you to change the angle of usage.
• Mizu-gumo – (Water Sliders) or Uki-gutsu (Floating Shoes) These are of unsure use, but perhaps they were planks of wood with inflated animal skins attached to the bottom to allow you to grab hold and cross water or lay upon them.
• Mizugaki – Wooden Geta. These versions of geta would have had angled board coming from the soles to give you better footing through murky areas.
• Kamei-gata – This was a quick to make raft made by a bamboo frame over upturned clay pots for buoyancy.
• Shikomi – Walking sticks made from things such as bamboo which were hollow inside. Could be used to hide swords, chains, weighted balls, blinding powders etc. This could be expanded to other things such as flutes for blow guns and smoking sets which would hide pepper instead of having tobacco to be used to irritate peoples eyes if thrown at them.
• Kunai – Small field knife. To be used for cutting, scraping and digging tasks. Can be thrown if needs be.
• Shikoro – Serated version of the kunai knife. Curved edges to be able to cut through flat surfaces easily.
• Hamagari – Folding saws.
• Kasugai – Anchors to fit into cracks to scale walls. Can also bar doors shut to delay pursuers. Interestingly, Castle walls were nicknamed musha-aeshi ‘Warrior Stoppers.’
• Tsubo-kiri – This tool has a distinct look, like horseshoe with pointed ends attached to a long metal handle. Used to drill starters holes in walls which would could then widen with the Shikoro. Can make holes through which you can unlatch a lock.
• Musubi-hashi – A normal light weight ladder.
• Tobi-hashi – Steps on a single pole.
• Uki-hashi – Rope ladders, can be pulled taut across bodies of water to create make shift bridge.
• Goshiki-mai – Dyed rice grains to leave a trail for others.
• Gandou – Portable lantern. Using a candle and bucket. Gyroscopic device inside to ensure the candle always stays upright no matter which ever way you hold it. This meant you could hide the light quickly from people by holding bucket upside down.
• Michi-Hakari – Measuring stick for precise distances.
• Noroshi-no-jutsu – Smoke bombs for concealment.
• Firecrackers – For distractions.

Techniques

• Kitsune-gakure-no-jutsu – Submerging oneself in water, or using water to mask your scent.
• Kannon-gakure-no-jutsu – Kannon goddess technique. Pressing oneself flat against a wall or static object, covering your face and remaining completely still.
• Uzura-gakure-no-jutsu – Quail technique. Derived from defensive posture of a bird, involves balling oneself up, slowing your breath, and stilling movement. Reduces silhouette and noise, enhancing effect of limited cover.
• Tanuki-gakure-no-jutsu – Taking cover high places, such as tree branches or the roof of a house. Humans often fail to look up when searching, 45* is the ideal blind spot.

Cats and Snoring

Cat’s Eyes are said to be useful in telling the time as their pupils dilate at regular patterns throughout the day.

• 7am-10am, oval but narrowing.
• 12pm-14pm very narrow, almost like needles.
• 14pm-17pm becoming more oval.
• 23:00 egg shape again.

When it comes to snoring, if someone is acually asleep then it is more stable. If you don’t have pain or emotional stress in your life it will be calmer. Labourers will have louder and more erratic snoring and ill people will have duller sounding snores.

Feigning sleep however, will vary the pitch wildly. Swallowing, sighing, or skipping breathes are also other clues. There was even a doodle sketch drawn by Basho, showing the intensity of an average snore.

Creating Torches (Recipes)

The Rain Proof Torch

• Saltpetre
• Sulphur
• Pine tree knot
• Camphor
• Moxa
• Pine Resin
• Mouse droppings

Make a powder using the above and put into bamboo cylinder. Scrape off the exterior of the bamboo until the sides have thin walls, burn paper, covered in a layer of the power on top of the cylinder and light with a tinder.

Sun Torch

It is said this will not fail in the rain.

• Walnut bark
• Camphor. This and the walnute bark should be dried.
• Shochu spirit (boiled)
• Borneol
• Japanese nutmeg yew
• Pine resin
• Mouse droppings
• Cow dung
• Whetstone
• Moxa
• Saltpetre

If you have none of those, but have mercury on hand you can make the Yoshitsune Fire, or Long-Lasting torch.  (Named after Minamoto no Yoshitsune 源 義経 a military commander of the Minamoto clan of Japan in the late Heian and early Kamakura periods.)

Scrape ox horn until the walls are thin, place 5 cormorant feather spines at the bottom. Next place mercury into the spines of the feathers and cover with a lid. (Presumably this make the whole thing illuminate? Unfortunately the book I found this recipe in does not say.)

And there you have it. This is by no means an exhaustive list of Japanese Ninja items, but it is a good start for those who find themselves interested in the history of them.

References

• Cummings, A & Minami, Y. (2013) ”The Book of Ninja; The First Complete Translation of the Bansenshukai. Oxford: Watkins Publishing Limited.
• Yoda, H & Alt, M. (2012) “Ninja Attack: True Tales of Assassins, Samurai and Outlaws” Tokyo: Tuttle Publishing.
• Zoughari, K. (2010) ”The Ninja: Ancient Shadow Warriors of Japan.” Tokyo: Tuttle Publishing.

Feature Image: Ninja from Travel Rakuten

You can listen to the full podcast episodes here: Japan Archives, or wherever you listen to Podcasts.

Follow us on Social Media: Instagram: @japan_archives

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The post EP32 Ninja Arsenal appeared first on . A History . . of Japan . 日本歴史.

Story Notes

En no Ozunu is an interesting man. Born in a time really before the Ninja, if anyone would have asked him if he considered himself to be one he would have just looked at you in confusion and demanded to know what you were on about. And we will get into the why shortly.

Now he was born perhaps in 634 living until around 701 but we are not too sure about these date. We do know he is a historical figure, being born with the name of Kamo-no-e-no-kimi, however as he grew and legends sprung up far and wide about this man, he gained several new names.

Now one of those was Jinben Daibosatsu, meaning the Great Bidhisatva of Heavenly Change he was also known as En no Gyoja, meaning En the Pilgrim, which he obtained after many years of mountain meditation; but he also garnered the name of En no Ozunu, which would mean En of the Horn.

Now the last name is an interesting one, and relates to the fabled origins of his birth. It is said that this man was born with a horn protruding from his skull, hence the name, but it didn’t quite stop there. It’s also said he was born with a flower clutched into one of his hands and that he was very adept at holding conversations with people from the moment he arrive on planet earth.

One of this claims to fame was the founding of the religion known as Shugendo. A religion that became a mixture of both Buddhism and indigenous mountain worship already prevalent in Japan. And his new religion was actually quiet successful after its inception on the slopes of Mount Katsuragi in Nara Prefecture and it grew rather quickly. It grew so quickly in fact that the Emperor even banished him as he feared that this new religion was threat to the reigning monarch. The notes of his banishment, detailed in the Shaku Nihongi state that this happened in 699AD and so would have been decreed by the Emperor Monmu.

His exile upon the island of Oshima is said to have lasted in total 3 years, but that is when stories of this mans supernatural abilities started to crop up around Japan.

Though banished to this remote island it  is said he would often be found scaling Mount Fuji so that he could meditate upon it summit. It’s even said that he scaled the mountain over 1000 time, such was his love of meditation upon the mountain, that he learnt the mantra known as the ‘Peacock King’ which then gave him the ability to shoot across the sky on the back of clouds. In addition to now being able to fly, it then gave him access to the world above and he started to split his time between both Heaven and Earth.

Now what else is it said about Ozunu’s powers? Well, he learnt to walk on water, managed to be able to subsist on nothing but the mist and air around him and he even learnt how to transform himself into a tiger. There are even accounts of attempts on his life, but every time someone brought an axe down on his head to kill him the blade shattered in thousands of pieces.

Now, I am sure you are wondering how all of this relates to him being thought of as a Ninja. Well it is said that he is considered one the honoured ancestors of the Ninja.

And this all goes back to his founding of the Shugendo religion. His followers came to be known as the Yamabushi and it is said that these were the people who first taught the Ninja their tricks. They built a dojo on a Koga Mountain called Hando-san in honour of Ozuno and the Ninja began to come here to learn skills in herbs, minerals, weather patterns and even camouflage from the mountain dwelling monks who had learnt all of this so they could survive in the mountain climate.

The stories around his death are just as interesting as those of his life. Some say reached enlightenment in 701 and walked across the sea to China. Others say he went into the sky in a Buddhist alms bowl with his mother. Regardless, he is now considered a Sennin, ‘Great Immortal,’ who is still out there somewhere watching over the Yamabushi and the Ninja.

Poem Notes

Today we head back to the Poet known as Matsuo Basho and a poem he wrote around 1680. During this time we know he moved into a home out of the public eye, his disciples however planted a banana plant outside of the home they had also built for him. And it was this plant that inspired this poem:

Feature Image: Carnegie Museum of Art

You can listen to the full podcast episodes here: Japan Archives, or wherever you listen to Podcasts.

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Story Notes

Sugitani Zenjubo (杉谷善住坊) was born to one of the 53 families of the Koga Clan, acting as Ninja and Sniper for them until his death in 1573. He was best known for his use of the matchlock rifle (hinawa-ju).

Initially the Koga Clan was approached by the local lord Rokkaku Yoshitaka who came with the idea to assassinate Oda Nobunaga. The clan chose Sugitani for the job.

Sugitani luckily finds out that Nobunaga will be in Omi Province in the near future, taking the Chigusa Road, in an attempt to avoid the exposed Tokaido Road. And so he goes there and hides in advance, scouting an exit route as his rifle would leave a smoke trail for others to spot him.

Eventually the day in question arrives, the 19th May, 1570. Nobunaga arrives with retinue at the Chigusa Road.

The sniper takes the shot, but his bullet hits Nobunaga’s collar-armor meaning Sugitani is forced to flee and goes into hiding. He finds safety for a while in the temple of Amida-ji, in Omi Province. However, the area is owned by Isono Kazumasa. Isono hears Sugitani is here and wanting to to curry favor with Nobunaga he apprehends him, handing him to Nobunaga.

Nobunaga personally oversees his his execution where he is buried up to neck, with his head slowly removed (some say over a few day, some say hours) with dull-edged blades of bamboo.

Poem Notes

Kobayashi Issa ( 小林 一茶 ) lived from 1763 and 1828. During his life he was both a Poet and Priest. Issa, his pen name, used the Kanji for ‘cup of tea.’ He was also known for his autobiographical journals, which were full of both poetry and drawings.

References

• Carter, S.D. (1991) “Traditional Japanese Poetry: An Anthology.” Stanford: Standford University Press.
• Masterpiece of Japanese Culture: Website link here.
• Yoda, H & Alt, M. (2012) “Ninja Attack: True Tales of Assassins, Samurai and Outlaws” Tokyo: Tuttle Publishing. 

Feature Image: Ninja, by Hokusai.

You can listen to the full podcast episodes here: Japan Archives, or wherever you listen to Podcasts.

Follow us on Social Media: Instagram: @japan_archives

We also started a Youtube channel for Japan Archives.

And another for other creative endeavours!

The post EP7 Target: Nobunaga appeared first on . A History . . of Japan . 日本歴史.