Espionage and Sabotage: The Truth About the Ninja

A modern-day ninja strikes a pose on Mount Iwao in Kōka, Shiga Prefecture. The peak is reputed to have been a training spot for Kōka ninja. (Courtesy Agency for Cultural Affairs; © Jiji) The map shows the cities where ninja were formerly active, along with surrounding prefectures.

Itō Gingetsu’s 1917 Ninjutsu no gokui (Secrets of Ninjutsu) (Courtesy the National Diet Library)

A pile of Naruto manga for sale at the International Comic Fair in Barcelona, Spain, in October 2021. (© AFP/Jiji)