The History of Ninja

There were 11 people who excelled at ninjutsu. O-imagodayu of Nomura, Kotaro of Shindo, Do-jun of Tateoka, Kizaru Kozaru of Shimotsuge, Hidari of Ueno, Hachiemon of Yamada, Konan of Kanbe, Kido, Kouyama Taroushirou and Dotarouzaemon of Otowa.

Bansenshukai

On November 18, 1541, the Niki clan attacked Kasagi Castle with a Iga and Koka force of 70 to 80. They succeeded in sneaking into the castle and setting fire to part of the castle buildings, but two days later, the Kizawa side counterattacked and killed more than 30 people.

Tamoninnikki

On December 12, 1555, eleven Iga ninja were fighting at Yamatotakada Castle, but all those in the castle died because reinforcements were too late.

Kyoroku Tenbun no Ki

A group organized by the Kunibito (people who control villages) and Shoryoshu(people who control a certain amount of land) of Iga Province to protect their own territory. Based on the Okitegaki (a book containing rules), it is thought that they were organized to oppose the Miyoshi clan’s attacks. They also cooperated with the Koka.

Yamanaka Document

On the night of March 19, 1560, Iga clan led by Kizaru attacked To-chi Castle, defeated To-chi Tohkatsu, and left for Toyota Castle.

Kyoroku Tenbun no Ki

After the Battle of Okehazama, Okabe Motonobu, a member of the Imagawa family, attacked Kariya Castle (present-day Aichi Prefecture) on his way back to Sunpu (present-day Shizuoka Prefecture) and had dozens of Iga clan follow over a hundred soldiers and set it on fire, killing the castle owner, Mizuno Nobuchika. Gemba no Jo, a member of the Mizuno family, then quickly rushed to the scene, and more than 30 Shinobi (ninja) of the Hattori party (Shinobi led by Hattori Tomosada) of Iga were killed.

Zouho Ietada Nikki Mizunoki Mikawa Monogatari

In 1561, Rokkaku Yoshikage attacked the Momochi clan at Sawayama Castle with 44 Iga ninja and 48 Koka ninja. At this time, Igasaki do-jun played an important role by using “Bakemono no Jutsu” (the art of bewitching the opponent).

Bansenshukai

On July 1, 1561, Imai Sadakiyo asked for reinforcements from the Azai army attacking Taio Castle and decided to have Iga clan attack the castle at night. Iga ninjas snuck into Taio Castle and set it on fire.

Shima Records

A letter from Matsunaga Hisahide on December 20, 1562, mentions that 200 Iga clan came as soldiers for Hisahide Matsunaga’s enemies.

Yagyu Documents

On June 4, 1570, the Rokkaku clan incited a Ikki and fought against the forces of Sakuma Nobumori and Shibata Katsuie at Ochikubo. It is said that 780 Iga, Koga, and other samurai who joined Rokkaku’s side were killed.

Nobunagako-ki

In February 1573, Shogun Ashikaga Yoshiaki rebelled against Nobunaga, and with Yamaoka Kagetomo as general, the Iga and Koka forces were drawn out and holed up in the Ishiyama fortress.

Nobunagako-ki