Are there real ninjas living in our modern world? And if you say yes what proof do you have to offer?

Answer 1

Yes there ARE Modern Ninjas, but NOT in the way they have been portrayed in movies. Ninjutsu is frequently depicted fancifully in FICTION.

It is a collection of techniques originally practiced for espionage purposes. It includes methods of gathering information, non-detection, avoidance, and misdirection techniques. Ninjutsu can also involve training in disguise, escape, concealment, archery, medicine, and explosives (see the 18 principles below)

Practitioners of ninjutsu have been seen as assassins for hire, and have been associated in the public imagination with other activities which are considered criminal by modern standards.

Even though it was influenced by Chinese spying techniques and the strategic principles of Sun Tzu, ninjutsu is believed by its adherents to be of Japanese origin. One version is that the basis of ninjutsu was taught to a Japanese household who fled to the mountains after losing a battle. There they mixed with a varied lot of people including the descendants of refugees who had fled China. Later, the skills were developed over 300 years to create ninjutsu.

The POPULAR view is that ninjutsu is the art of secrecy or stealth, actual practitioners consider it to mean the art of enduring - enduring all of life's hardships. The character nin carries both these meanings, and others.

In the modern world the word ninjutsu usually refers to a certain system (Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu) of SELF DEFENSE

Steven K Hayes is a "Modern ninja" he's a 9th Dan in the Bujinkan Dojo headed by Masaaki Hatsumi (Mr Hayes now teaches an Americanized version of To-Shin Do)

It is one of three organizations generally accepted as teaching ninjutsu by the Bujinkan's members and two other organizations These are the Genbukan headed by Shoto Tanemura, who left the Bujinkan in 1984, and the Jinenkan headed by Fumio Manaka, who left later. Both had achieved Menkyo Kaiden before leaving due to differences of opinion with regards to the teaching style.

The Late Dr. Glenn Morris studied under Masaaki Hatsumi but founded the Hoshin Roshi Ryu.

Chadwick Minge trained under Shoto Tanemura but founded the "Yamato Dojo" ("Studio City Martial Arts") based in California.

Brian McCarthy initially trained under Masaaki Hatsumi before leaving to found his own organization (the Bujinkan Brian Dojo), based in Ireland. Brian McCarthy is no longer a member of the Bujinkan.

There are 18 disciplines, but only 8 (marked by an *) of these principals are curently taughtas they are the only necessary training needed for the modern practitioners:

Seishin-teki kyōyō (spiritual refinement) *
Taijutsu (unarmed combat) *
Ninja ken (sword fighting) *
Bōjutsu (stick and staff fighting) *
Shurikenjutsu (throwing blades) *
Sōjutsu (spear fighting) *
Naginatajutsu (naginata fighting) *
Kusarigamajutsu (chain and sickle weapon) *
Kayakujutsu (fire and explosives)
Hensōjutsu (disguise and impersonation)
Shinobi-iri (stealth and entering methods)
Bajutsu (horsemanship)
Sui-ren (water training)
Bōryaku (military strategy)
Chōhō (espionage)
Intonjutsu (escaping and concealment)
Tenmon (meteorology)
Chi-mon (geography)

although it has "inherited" it's origins from Japan, it has more background with the Lin Kuei (literal translation meaning forest demons) clan in China who first studied and used these techniques.

Answer 2

Just remember that the people of the developed world do not all indulge in extra ordinary wastage. There are differences between cultures. So clearly the worst offenders can change for the better without forgoing any luxuries. Then remember that of the about 7 billion on the planet only 1.5 or so live that developed life style, the rest do without and survive. Many of them very comfortably thank you very much. About 2 Billion on the other hand struggle to survive. So is it possible to make real changes sure it is. Think about the alternative, what happens if another 4 billion humans aspired to live the extravagant 'Western' Life style? Then the planet would really suffer and we would all be in serious trouble. So by what moral / ethical code do the developed nations prevent the developing nations from aspiring to the same lifestyle? Remember the developed nations became developed by largely destroying their own natural resources such as wild forests converting vast tracts to farm land. Then they collected additional resources from their 'colonies' including even slaves. They continue to burn fossil fuels not from their soil but from less developed countries. So what if China and India over the next 20-40 years make an effort to develop their populations to reach a 'Western' standard? What if they use the same polluting energy sources the Developed World used (coal and oil.) That's about 2.5 billion additional people using resources at the rate that the 'West' uses. Can the plant survive that? Is it morally right to say no you cannot do this, but we can continue to do it ? As to plastics, they are indeed every where and there is a good reason for it. They are remarkable materials. Just like there was a bronze age and an iron age now there is a plastics age. Look around you will not find many objects in your home car or anywhere that do not have some plastic components. Even something like a solid wood coffee table is likely to have some plastic bits, like in the joiners to hold it together, the glue that was used and the varnish to protect its surface. Plastics are not all bad. Do you know that a typical plastic bag uses about a quarter of the energy to make than an equivalent paper bag? And causes less than 10% the pollution during manufacture? Sure disposal is an issue, but it needn't be. It is thoughtlessness by consumers that is the problem not the material. Reuse, recycle, dispose of sensibly. Also for truly disposable one use only products they need to be made of biodegradable materials, they exist. The use of plastic in the average car reduces the weight thus saving fuel, reduces cost of manufacture thus making cars cheaper, makes cars less susceptible to rust so they last longer, most of this plastic is easily recyclable. How is any of that bad? Plastics can be manufactured from renewable feedstocks if necessary, so we won't run out. So in conclusion, not only can we change, we must. But it does not mean we have to give up a good life style, we just need to be less wasteful and use our heads a bit.

Answer 3

Look for information on the following people:
Stephen K. Hayes
Masaaki Hatsumi
Ronald Duncan
Ashida Kim

They are known to be Ninja and teach the techniques.
Masaaki Hatsumi is the 34th grandmaster of the Togakure Ryu tradition of Ninjitsu and his top student, Stephen K. Hayes. Teaches here in the U.S.

All four have either written books or produced video instrucitonal tapes.

Answer 4

Is this a joke? I've seen them perform in exhibitions at Japantown festivals in San Francisco. At the Cherry Blossom Festival, there are many live stage shows at Peace Plaza. There are several types of dancing, playing various musical instruments and many types of martial arts, e.g. ninjutsu, aikido, jiu jitsu, judo, various schools of karate, Shorin Ji Kempo, etc. The schools advertise. You can go to a ninja dojo, if you like. Someone usually passes out flyers with the dojo's address and times of classes.

Answer 5

Yes, a ninja is simply defined as a master of Ninjitsu. There have been television shows documenting this, including one that aired on Discovery just last week, which highlited a master of Ninjitsu (Ninja) as well as several other martial arts experts.

Answer 6

Uhmm. The way of the Ninja, his moves of speed, and stealth, all you see is shadow...yes Ninja's still exist, but there are very few left who can carry that title.

Answer 7

if you could SEE the ninjas, or if i could offer you PROOF of their existence, they wouldn't be doing their jobs, would they?

think about it man.

you might as well ask a religious zealot to PROVE that god exists.

edit:

by the way, pretty funny that alex, with his supposed phd, is answering your question on y!a about ninjas, telling YOU to get a life. haha.

Answer 8

Yes. I took an Asian tour and in the hills around Thialand they are monks that practice martial arts and are quite amazing. I would consider them ninjas.

Answer 9

You can't be serious....there are no ninja anymore. And if there are, no one knows of there existence.

Answer 10

Ninjas are cool, and by cool I mean totally sweat...