Ninja, their fascination and mystery.
From Edo period legends to modern-day anime heroes, their history has long fascinated people.
In the 17th century, they were known throughout the world as "Xinobi," and their shadowy activities during the Warring States period remain a mystery to this day.
This exhibition opens the door to the world of the "real ninja", the true form of the ninja, and explores the mysteries of the ninja.

Iga in Mie Prefecture and Koga in Shiga Prefecture are the birthplace of the ninja.
The history of the ninja is recorded in the "Omi Yochi Shiryaku", a geographical journal written in the Edo period (1603-1868), and they are known as the "Iga-Kouga Ninja".
Also known as the "Koui-Ichi Province", this region near Kyoto and Nara has been a strategic point of information and military importance since ancient times.
Let us take you on a journey through the villages of the ninja to find out why ninja and ninjutsu were born in Iga and Koga.

Touring the home of the ninja, one encounters strange and beautiful landscapes. Surrounded by hills, the paths are like a maze.
The villages are hidden in the valleys like hidden villages, and from the sky, a complex valley topography can be seen.
This topography was formed by the erosion of the Lake Biwa Formation about 3 million years ago.
At the tip of the hill and at the entrance to the valley are the ruins of a castle, making it an ideal terrain for intercepting intruders.
There are more than 800 castle buildings in Iga and Koga, surrounded not by stone walls but by earthen mounds. Let us take you on a journey to explore the history of how this region became closely linked to the ninja organization.

The real image of the ninja was that of local samurai known as "Iga-shu" and "Kouga-shu".
During the Warring States period, autonomy developed in this region where there were no feudal lords, and the local samurai were united in autonomous organizations such as the "Iga Sokoku Irikyo" and the "Koga Gunchu Soso" to protect the region.
Their unity was called "Ichimi Doshin", and everything was decided by discussion.
This organizational power was also evident in the distribution of castle buildings; there were no large castles, but rather a cluster of castle buildings of the same shape.
However, with the advent of Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who aimed to unify the country, these self-governing organizations also underwent changes.
Nevertheless, the skills of the ninja were still valued, and in particular, the story of "Kamikun Iga Koshi", the escort of Tokugawa Ieyasu, is still told to this day.
We invite you to join us on a journey to explore the history of the ninja in depth.

The daily life of the ninja was a combination of farming and martial arts.
The "Iran Ki" of Iga describes that they worked hard at farming in the mornings and practiced martial arts in the afternoons at a temple.
In times of war, all villagers participated in battle with their best weapons in hand.
In Iga and Koga, there were diverse occupations in addition to farming.
There was a tradition of lumberjacks and mountain priests from the Nara period (710-794), who trained their bodies in the rich natural environment and traveled around the country to gather information.
The ninja's skills were based on their daily life, knowledge, and techniques, and were by no means wild.
From knowledge of gunpowder and medicine to witchcraft and astronomy, ninjutsu was born from the advanced technology and religious culture of the Iga and Kouga, as well as the lives of their people.
We invite you to join us on a journey into the real life of the ninja.

Climbing the mountains of Iga and Koga, one can experience the sacred sites of mountain Buddhism and its history.
The ruins of temples surrounded by moss-covered stone walls, numerous stone structures, and Mt. Iido in Kouga, where mountain priests still recite sutras.
These places were the spiritual training grounds of the ninja, and one can feel the traces of their rigorous training in the midst of nature.
Down in the village, Buddhist statues from the Heian period and shrines where the ninja gathered provide a glimpse into the depths of the region's religious culture.
The earthen castle buildings and the houses surrounded by high square mounds of earth convey the world of the Warring States period.
Gunpowder and medicine, which were the ninja's specialty, live on in the modern-day industries of fireworks and medicine in the town.
Different from entertainment, traces of the ninja live on in the peaceful landscape.
Visit the ninja villages of Iga and Koga for a journey into the truth of the ninja.