Editing Ninja (section)

== Myths and facts ==
Few things have as many myths associated with them which people believe as facts as the ninja (examples that come close are the [[Templar|Templars]] and [[Vikings]]), to the point that the image people associate with the term ninja in fact has almost nothing to do with the real ninja. In fact, even Japan has ninja-museums all over the country and basically all of them are based around the pop-culture image of a ninja. Gotta find some way to pay the bills I guess (which is oddly appropriate actually, as one of the actual tasks of a ninja was deception). Anyway, [[weeaboo|weebs]] prepare to have your lives ruined, for here are some of the myths people believe about the ninja.

# Specially trained ninja were not something found all over Japan. They came primarily from Iga Province and a region named Kōga and while there were some groups who used ninja-esque methods, such as the Fuma who served the Hōjō Clan, the term ninja has generally been applied to them after the fact.
# The term ninja was not used historically. The historical term is shinobi-no-mono, roughly translating as "the one who hides". The term ninja wasn't used until the 20th century.
# Though there were certainly acts of espionage much earlier, specially trained ninja came to existence around the 15th century, during the Sengoku Jidai, Japan's age of warring states.
# Ninja did not wear black uniforms and they certainly didn't wear masks. They wore regular civilian clothing or the same armor everyone else did. They wouldn't wear something that would make them identifiable as a ninja.
# Ninja did not use a straight sword named ninjatō, which is a fictional weapon made up by some woo hack. The Ninjatō is a product of 20th century pop-culture and was not used historically. They used [[Samurai#Samurai_Weapons_and_equipment|katana, yumi, yari]], etc, same weapons as everyone else did, with the possible exception of weapons that could be passed off as common tools, as with the Kunai, below. As with clothing, they wouldn't use a weapon that would make them identifiable as a ninja.
# The [[Shuriken]] is not a ninja weapon. Throwing knives in general were used by samurai and ashigaru (peasant foot-soldiers) alike and more used for distraction than straight up killing.
# The [[Kunai]] is not actually a ninja weapon. In fact, it is not actually a weapon at all. Like many "weapons" from around the world, it is a farming implement that could be turned into a weapon in a pinch. The reason it is so associated with ninjas is that anyone could be seen carrying one of those without eliciting suspicion. Side note: While the Kunai could be modified into a weapon, it almost certainly wouldn't be a ''throwing'' weapon, as the design is not well-suited for that purpose; it could be used as the blade of a rope-dart, but rope-darts are '''not''' throwing weapons, but rather a kind of ''whip''.
# This should be fairly obvious but ninja did not do some trick where they would catch the blade of a sword with their bare hands. Any attempt to do so would prove to be quite hazardous to ones health. (It's ''possible'' that they used a piece of metal or stone concealed inside a glove, but that would likely be more a showy trick or desperation move than something commonly useful.)
# Ninja and samurai were not sworn enemies. Most samurai likely did not even know that there is such a thing as a ninja, as ninja were not all that common. As a matter of fact, many ninja were actually samurai as well.<ref>That being said, a certain element of class or cultural warfare ''might'' be read into some actual historic accounts: Ninja favored a "whatever works" style, which contrasted against the more "dignified" and "honorable" Samurai ideals commonly called "Bushido"--but by the same token, ''many'' Samurai were not very honorable as measured under this version of Bushido.</ref>
# Being a ninja and being a samurai are not mutually exclusive. In fact, the one whom is generally regarded as the most famous ninja of all time, Hattori Hanzō, was a samurai, as were many other ninja.
# Ninja were not assassins, at least not primarily. Assassination was pretty far down their list of priorities, they were covert agents whose skills tended primarily toward espionage and sabotage. 
# Ninja were not solely about covert operations. They would engage in regular battle as well, though they would prefer to do it through guerrilla warfare whenever possible.
# It is highly likely that kunoichi, female ninja, did not even exist. If they did, they would have been spies and part of what's now known as "honey-traps", not any kind of fighter.
# Ninja were not hired because they were needed for jobs considered dishonorable for a samurai. To a samurai, nothing is more honorable than bringing victory to their master. If they have to do it through covert methods, so be it. Ninja were hired because they had the required expertise in covert operations the average 'regular' samurai lacked.
# While many like to think of ninja as a major part of Japanese history, like the samurai are; the reality is that if you removed ninja from Japanese history not much would change. 

=== Ninja weapons and gear ===
As stated above Ninja inherited their gear from Samurai and shared the same equipment. We'll try not to make it a cut and paste of the Samurai gear but since there are a lot of crossover. You should look at the [[Samurai#Samurai_Weapons_and_equipment|Samurai]] page if you want a more in depth description. This section details how the Ninja used them instead.

* Trick Katana: Since many Ninja were Samurai, so of course they would have owned Katanas. They fought quite dirty with them too. Such as filling the scabbard with red pepper, dirt, dust and iron filings. Blinding their opponent so the Shinobi could land a quick killing blow or make a fast retreat.

* Other swords: Since Katana were mainly used by Samurai and could be used to identify them if they were lost or spotted by other Samurai. Ninja would likely have used other swords as well. Such as Wakizashi(short swords) and older Chokutō or Kodachi style swords. Since the latter were for either restorations of the latter or recreations of family heirlooms. Most Japanese Swordsmiths would not ask any questions if they were hired to make these ancient blades. As long as they were getting paid.
** Note on Ninjatō: As stated above the Ninjatō did not exist. Instead they would have been based on pre-Katana straight swords or even shikomizue aka cane swords. Hollywood producers most likely confused these weapons as their own distinct swords.

* Yumi: Japanese bows and arrows. Ninja had access to these too. Larger bows could fire arrows that can penetrate the armor of most Samurai. Arrows were dipped in poison to increase the chance of killing their targets. Fire Arrows were created using Iron Filings, saltpeter, sulphur and ash. Some even had hand grenades attached to them for use in sieges.

* Firearms: You should already know were we are going with this. Contrary to popular fiction, Ninja had firearms and used them as often as they could. The most common being Tanegashima. In fact, Shinobi were aware of gunpowder and bombs hundreds of years before 1543.  Guns would often be used for assassinations and ambushes or to backup retreating Shinobi to kill any would be pursuers. Since the tech of the day made it impossible to track firearms. Thus accusing Samurai of being spies or working with them would be very difficult to prove.

* [[Shuriken]]: While inferior to guns. Shuriken like arrows were coated in poison and even [[Nurgle|excrement]]. Ninja would create traps with them, technically they were early makeshift landmines.

* Armor: Ninja used two different types. Full Samurai armour and lighter armor for infiltrators and saboteurs. A Ninja in full plate would have likely used them for hit and run attacks and false flag operations. Creating distractions that would allow spies to sneak into enemy strongholds or to protect themselves from arrows and bullets during combat.

* Improvised weapons: Since Samurai and the peasants they recruited to their cause were also farmers. Shinobi used farming tools as well. These included weaponized kama, kunai, kusarigama, sai and tonfas. Even the legendary nunchaku were originally tools used for agri-work before they were adapted into weapons. Since they looked little different than the real thing and could be used in the same fashion. This made them the perfect weapons to hide in plain sight. Many lords would hire a peasant to tend their fields not knowing that they actually worked for one of their rivals. This sort of thing tends to happen when you make your employees buy their own tools instead of purchasing and storing them yourself.