Relatively recently, among the unusual holidays that have a national backstory, but have gained popularity in different countries, a new one has appeared, called Day of the Ninja.
It is celebrated annually on December 5, and is timed, according to one version, to coincide with the release of the feature film «The Last Samurai» in 2003. The film featured a scene of a ninja squad fighting samurai. At least, this is exactly what the version of the appearance of the holiday and the determination of its date in the Internet space currently seems to be, thanks to which the holiday actually gained popularity and distribution. At the origins of its appearance is the parody website «Ninja Burger».
The national prehistory of the holiday is associated with one of the cultural phenomena in the history of Japan. We are talking about «shinobi no mono», better known as «ninjutsu». The literal translation of the term sounds like «hide, hide, endure». People who learned the art were called shinobi or ninja.
Essentially speaking, it should be understood that the ninja, whose image was idealized in the 1980s and acquired a certain aura of mystery, thanks to cinema, during its inception, development and heyday, was a mercenary who served as a murderer, saboteur, intelligence officer, spy in medieval Japan. Accordingly, the meaning of the term «sinobi» immediately becomes clear. Originating in the 5th and 6th centuries, the phenomenon came to its logical decline and virtual disappearance in the 19th century.
Teaching of ninjutsu art took place in closed clans and began from an early age. The attitude towards ninjas in the social environment was consistent with their functions. The samurai were dismissive of ninjas. Despite this, many of them did not disdain to resort to the services of one or another Sinobi clan for personal purposes during feudal civil strife.
It's no secret that training intelligence officers and saboteurs — is a special activity that requires certain physical and psychological skills, as well as a long period of training. This remains true for ninja training. Since childhood, they were taught to move silently, swim, hold their breath for a long period, run, jump, and maintain balance. In addition, training in martial arts was underway. Future spies and assassins were taught the art of wrestling, as well as the use of various types of bladed weapons. Moreover, all this was done (including the selection of weapons) taking into account the specifics of future use (fighting in confined spaces, inside the house, in the dark, etc.). In addition to the traditional one, specific weapons were also used, convenient for use in Shinobi tactics. They did not disdain when performing ninja tasks and using various poisons. Suddenness and secrecy, being the main keys to success, have always been put at the forefront of learning.
History has brought to this day information that the most influential and famous Shinobi clans-schools were the Iga and Koga, which got their name from the name of the area. Iga and Koga — mountainous areas. It was mountainous, as well as forest, hard-to-reach and sparsely populated areas that were used by clans to set up their camps and schools.
The organization and holding of today's holiday implies the opportunity to wear ninja clothes on this day, presenting oneself as a shinobi. On social networks, lovers of Japanese history hold photo competitions. On the streets you can encounter flash mob participants dressed as elusive night spies. Watching documentaries about the history of ninjutsu, as well as ninja feature films, with friends on December 5, are also becoming popular phenomena in a number of countries in certain social groups.
In several prefectures of Japan, schools hold demonstration performances, and stores sell souvenir paraphernalia reminiscent of the once common phenomenon in Japanese culture — «shinobi no mono». Mie Prefecture is home to the world's most famous ninja museum, operating since 1964 and annually receiving a large number of tourists and simply fans of the medieval history of the land of the rising sun. In Japan, Ninja Day in Shiga and Mie prefectures is celebrated annually on February 22. So it turns out that the holiday is celebrated in two guises: as a world holiday on December 5 and as a national holiday in two regions of Japan on February 22.
Postcard «5 December — Ninja Day»