63-year-old engineer may be Japan's last ninja

OMG, like TENCHU Ninja assassins! "Live by honor, kill by stealth" :'D only in Japan <3

I saw a documentary on the Smithsonian Channel earlier this month about Ninja/Ninjutsu, featuring Kawakami Jinichi. Not sure how true/accurate his claims are, but it was very entertaining none the less.

I really thought Master Yoda was actually a ninja. He also speaks like a Japanese (",)

Trapped:

" I was fortunate to be invited to a ninjitsu class not far from Tokyo some 15 years ago. The only Japanese at that class was an instuctor from memory. "

Sounds like Hatsumis racket in Noda. Correct?

Gudni Gudnasson:

" His Dojo is world famous and both him and his instructors have taught such incredible groups as the British SAS anti terrorist unit, Israeli Mossad and the USA Navy "

Says who? The ninja master? Take those stories with big bucket of salt.

He must be talkin' about my girlfriends eyelashes-you could dock a freighter on them baby's!

Here in Japan there are two grate grandmaster of the art of Ninja: Hatsumi Shihan and Tanemura Shihan, both who where instructed from a long lineage of masters of this art! Hatsumi is more famous for his role in many movies and several books that he has produced but Shoto Tanemura Shihan is more established as he holds the longest/oldest lineage of the art. His Dojo is world famous and both him and his instructors have taught such incredible groups as the British SAS anti terrorist unit, Israeli Mossad and the USA Navy Seals. Dojo info: www.genbukan.org.

Long live the Kagemusha`s (Shadow Warriors),

Probably the best ninja is not talking at all. Secret, you know.

"I am sure you would like to know who I am and what I do, but as part of my creed, I cannot tell you. See my identity must remain mysterious and my mission secret, I cannot reveal it to you."

I hope he at least leaves us a demo video, free of camera tricks. That's if he wants do something for those who really believe in his art form.

"It is possible to escape death by perching on your enemy's eyelashes"

That must be why I'm still alive, I perch on my enemy's eyelashes all the time!

Ninjas of the Carribbean

The training was all tough and painful. It wasn’t fun but I didn’t think much why I was doing it.

Not sure I get why he was doing it, either. Ninjas may have been handy in the Edo period, but were presumably quite superfluous in the 20th century.

Ninjutsu very much has a place in today's society. It helps you not only to recognize when your "inner voice"/instinct is calling out that something is about to happen, but it also gives you the mental strength to stay calm in any such situation, as well as body control and skills for instant evasive movements. As long as there are more than one school (Genbukan and Bujinkan come to mind) teaching to international students Ninjutsu will survive, even so part of it, as described above, will not, as not many parents are willing enough to let their 6-year old kid take rigorous training since there are no rewards to gain for them.

Don't confuse the artists with the thug. Bushido is a more noble body of skills and the accountability to match. The mind is the last 'weapon' to be mastered.

I was fortunate to be invited to a ninjitsu class not far from Tokyo some 15 years ago. The only Japanese at that class was an instuctor from memory. The rest, including sensei, were a ragtag bunch of Kiwis and weird (ex?) military guys. Oh, and the lady who introduced me was Japanese, too. It took me over a year to get 'in'. To the class that is.

this makes me sad.. there is soooo a place for ninjas in modern society! :( ah well.

Just before he turned 19, he inherited the master’s title, along with secret scrolls and special tools.

wow looks like rpg

Oberst:

Cats are kind of ninjas, anyway.

“We can’t try out murder or poisons. Even if we can follow the instructions to make a poison, we can’t try it out,” he said.........................

well there are plenty of cats around. My apology to cat lovers .

Ninjas, move over for pirates.

I'm waiting for Hollywood to come out with it's epic blockbuster The Last Ninja, starring Tom Cruise.

I don't know what " we English spkrs don't know how to appreciate tradition means".

Good point about the secret poisons, Al Stewart.

I am beginning to think this guy is himself a Ninja Turtle in disguise...

@Lost

they're part of history of Yamato.

Are you really an English speaker??

We, English speakers, don' t really know how to appreciate tradition. His skills should be taught, they're part of history of Yamato.

ninjas are awesome. especially ninja turtles.

“We can’t try out murder or poisons. Even if we can follow the instructions to make a poison, we can’t try it out,” he said.

Yeah that does make it difficult. But technically now you can use computers to test the toxicity of something right?

so the modern world isn't right for ninja, and he won't have a successor,

but he makes his living teaching ninjutsu to ppl?

...???

Don't forget about the mutant ninja turtles...

Ninjas are awesome !!!!

Every year there is a story about the last Ninja master, seen at least 10 of them. Each with their own claim...total crap. Rule one of being a Ninja don't advertise. Great story Bollywood might be interested.

I think it would be a shame to not carry this tradition on. you never know when you might just need the talents of a Ninja!

“Ninjas just don’t fit in the modern day,” he said.

I wish that were true. There are modern day ninjas, such as black ops operatives, scum that they are.

This dude is the last traditional ninja, until the next one pops up of course!

It's time the other ninjas came out.

I wander if hes seen american ninja warrior? or just ninja warrior?

Getting into Hatsumis business? Ill bet there will be more new ninja masters, as long as they find a gullible audience.