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The History of Ninja

Heian
period
668-
671

Fujiwara no Chikata Orders Four Demons to Plot to Kill the Emperor and His Organization.

Fujiwara no Chikata ordered four demons with special abilities, the Kinki, Fuuki, Suiki, and Ongyo-ki, to attempt to kill the emperor and people of his organization. Fujiwara no Chikata was killed by Kino Tomo-o, who had come to Iga to conquer the region. Ninjutsu of Iga ninja was created by these four demons, and this led to the spread of the art of ninjutsu among the samurai of Iga.

The study of Iga in the newly edited Taiheiki

Kamakura
period
1282

Todaiji Temple Monk Sues Akuto (samurai who rebelled against the shogunate and lords of manors) in Kuroda no Sho

In Kuroda no Sho (present-day Nabari city in Mie Prefecture) from the late Kamakura Period to the Nanbokucho Period (the period of two emperors), Akuto appeared several times and rebelled against Todaiji temple, the lord of the manor. They are said to be the origin of the ninja.

Todaiji Temple documents

Muromachi
Period
Around
1540

Eleven Ninjutsu Masters in Iga

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

1541

Iga Ninjas Sneak into Kasagi Castle and Set It on Fire

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

1555

Eleven Iga Ninja Were Killed in Battle at Yamatotakada Castle

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

1560s

The Iga Sokoku Ikki (Ikki means a group of warriors and farmers organized for a common purpose) is established.

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

1560

Kizaru (said to have been the model for Sarutobi Sasuke) Led the Iga Clan to Take Yamato To-chi Castle.

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

1560

Okabe Motonobu Forces Iga Clan to Attack Kariya Castle

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

1561

Igasaki Do-jun Attacked the Castle of the Momochi Clan

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

1561

Iga Clan of the Azai Army Set Fire to Taio Castle

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

1562

200 Iga Clan Join Against Matsunaga Hisahide

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

Yagyu Documents

1570

Participated in the Battle of Yasugawara as a Member of the Rokkaku Side

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

1573

Ashikaga Forces Holed Up at Ishiyama Fort with Yamaoka Kagetomo

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

Azuchi-
Momoyama
Period
1573

Suffer Nobunaga’s Army in the Ise Nagashima Ikki

During Nobunaga’s attack on Nagashima, the best marksmen from Iga and Koka, who had joined the revolt, gathered to ambush the revolt and fired in rapid succession, striking down countless soldiers of Oda’s army

Nobunagako-ki

Around
1575

Kitabatake Tomonori of Ise Builds Maruyama Castle

Around 1575, Kitabatake Tomonori plans to make Iga province his own land and builds Maruyama Castle as his base. He fell out with Nobunaga and was killed the following year.

Iranki

1577

Battle of Maruyama Castle

Shimoyama Kai of Nabari sent Oda Nobuo to attack Iga and tried to rebuild Maruyama Castle again with Takigawa Saburobe as general. The Iga clan attacked Maruyama Castle before it was completed and defeated Takigawa.

Iranki

1579

First Tensho Iga War

Oda Nobuo attacked Iga with 8,000 soldiers from three directions: Awaguchi, Umanoguchi, and Isejiguchi. The Iga clan fought back.

Iranki

1579

Iga Clan Sneak Into Castle in Yamato Province

Iga clan sneaked into the castle of the Sakaibe in Uchi County, Yamato Province, in the middle of the night, but were probably chased off or killed by Futami Mitsuzoin.

Inukai Family Documents

1581

Second Tensho Iga War

A battle in which Oda Nobunaga attacked Iga with over 100,000 soldiers.

Iranki

1582

Shinkun Iga Goe

An incident in which Ieyasu, who was in Sakai (present-day Osaka Prefecture) after the Honnoji Incident, returned to Mikawa through Iga. It is said that Iga ninja helped him to hide.

Ishikawa Tadahusa Tomegaki

1614

Fifty Iga ninja participated in the Osaka no Jin

Sokokushi

1614

Ten iga ninjas were hired as domain warriors.

During the Osaka Fuyu no Jin (war), 10 Iga ninjas are recruited through the intercession of Ishida Seibei.

Edo Period
1623

Todo Takatora have Iga ninja investigate betrayal by the Echizen domain.

Suspecting betrayal by Matsudaira Tadanao, lord of the Echizen Kitanosho (Fukui) domain, Todo Takatora releases Iga ninja to the Echizen domain

Koshitsu Nenpuryaku

1637

Todo clan reinforces deportation of Iga residents serving other countries.

Prohibits Iga residents from serving other countries.

Sokokushi

1676

Fujibayashi compiles “Bansenshukai” (compilation of various books into a new book).

1679

Kikuoka Nyogen compiled “Iranki”.

1853

Sawamura Jinzaburo Yasusuke investigates the Kurofune (ship of Perry)

Sawamura Yasusuke, an Iga of the Todo clan, boarded a Kurofune and received 2 pieces of bread, 2 leaves of tobacco, 2 candles, and 2 pieces of paper written in Dutch, which he brought back.

Sawamura Family Documents

巻物 巻物

Reference site : 忍びの館 (https://ninja-yakata.net/)

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