THAT NINJA
The hierarchy of ninja clans is usually divided into genin (literally “lower ninja”: footsoldiers), chunin (“middle ninja”: commanders), and finally jonin (“top ninja”: absolute leaders.) Koga leaders were not given the jonin title due to their clan’s relationship to the Rokkaku warlords. (A simple sign of respect, it in no way implies that their chunin were any less skilled than Iga’s jonin, or that the Rokkaku actually commanded any of the ninja themselves.)
Ninja style
The jet-black ninja outfit—seductive as it may be—is more myth than reality. The truth is that ninja wore whatever it took to unobtrusively blend in—think “plainclothes.” And though records do exist of dark outfits being employed in cases that required stealth, they were usually shades of blue, gray, or brown rather than black. Perhaps most common was indigo, similar to blue jeans, for it was believed that the dye helped repel insects and venomous snakes. Occasionally, reversible clothing was used, with a darker color on one side and a lighter on the other, allowing for on-the-spot adjustments to ambient light conditions, or a quick color-change to help mask one’s appearance—helpful for getaways.
Zukin: A single sheet of cloth thirty centimeters wide and two meters long, wrapped around the head to cover the face and mask the human silhouette.
Uwagi: Based on a farmer’s shirt, the ninja version featured extra pockets for secreting away various implements of mayhem.
Fundoshi: The loincloth was the typical underwear of the period, a version of which is still seen on sumo wrestlers. It consisted of a long cloth folded and wrapped around the crotch area and, in a pinch, it could be unwound and used as a makeshift rope—or garrote.
Hakama: This lower-wear consisted of two independent leggings cinched together at top and ankles, allowing the wearer to easily create an opening for relieving themselves without having to fully disrobe—handy for long stakeouts.
Teko: Distinctive cloth gauntlets that covered the back of the hands for added protection, and coverage of otherwise light-colored skin.
Tabi: Traditional two-toed socks dyed an appropriately dark color. Often cushioned to help mask noise.
Waraji: Traditional straw sandals, sometimes dyed a darker color. Occasionally, spikes or other means of improving traction were woven into the soles.
Seoi: Essentially, a cloth purse. Slung over the shoulder as a backpack.
THE GOLDEN YEARS: 1500-1600
Name
It’s no coincidence that the heyday of the ninja largely overlaps with “Sengoku Jidai” - the Era of Warring States.
KATOH DANZO
NINJA MAGIC
1550 A.D.
Name: KATOH DANZO
加藤段蔵
Birth–Death: 1503?-1557
Occupation: Ninja and Illusionist
Cause of Death: Killed in action
Gender: Male
A.K.A.: Tobi Katoh (“Flying Katoh”)
Tobi Katoh (“Raptor Katoh”)
Preferred Technique: Cow-Swallowing
Clan Affiliation: Unknown
Existence: Confirmed
The Man
A master of illusion who took the concept of “hiding in plain sight” to a literal extreme, Katoh Danzo didn’t practice his art in the shadows but right out in the open as part of a one-man travelling show. A born entertainer, this lone wolf spent his days wowing crowds with magic tricks and his nights putting the same skills of deception and misdirection to work as a ninja for hire.
The sixteenth-century equivalent of a street illusionist like David Blaine, Katoh gained great renown for a performance in which he swallowed an entire cow whole. Described by contemporary sources as employing mass hypnosis rather than misdirection, the origin of the trick appears to be a far older Chinese one involving the illusion (one would hope) of crawling through a horse’s anus and out of its mouth.
During one of these performances, a heckler sitting in a nearby tree shouted to the mesmerized crowd that Katoh hadn’t swallowed anything. From his vantage point, it was obvious that Katoh was in fact sitting atop the cow. Infuriated at having his performance disrupted, Katoh redirected the crowd’s attention to a bottle gourd seedling near the stage. Within seconds the plant began growing faster and faster, instantly attaining a height of one meter. Producing a tanto dagger, Katoh sliced off a gourd with a lightning-fast flourish. As the fruit toppled to earth, so too did the head of the heckler, having been cleanly separated from his neck despite being many meters removed from the plant and the stage. Katoh used the ensuing commotion to beat a hasty retreat.
