Ninjutsu is a form of ancient martial arts whose origin and lineage is still unclear, especially given its dealings with extreme amount of secrecy, stealth and escapism.

The early founders of Ninjutsu deliberately did not want everyone to know about the origin of the art form. They always created a mysterious environment and tried to remain concealed and as unobtrusive as possible. However it is a well known fact that Ninjutsu originated from Japan. It was most likely a complex method of survival devised by the early mountaineers.

However with passing time Ninjutsu became an extremely popular art form. Many schools were formed using the name and started teaching Ninjutsu which carried the tradition and passed on this rare and unique knowledge.

In the early days there used to be a man named Juhakkei (who was a ninja) and another man named Juhappan (who was a samurai) who studied alongside. These men individually drew two very different yet similar standards for their respective martial arts. In Ninjutsu, these later on were known as the 18 disciplines and maintained a standard which all schools must follow and obey.

We come across another important figure while studying the development of Ninjutsu, his name is Masaaki Hatsumi.

Masaaki Hatsumi is the head of Bujinkan Dojo and one of the very few Bujinkan teachers left. However Masaaki Hatsumi is the person who revamped the traditional Ninjutsu to suit the changing and developing needs of modern Japanese people. However now Masaaki Hatsumi is considered as the head of Ninjutsu itself and said to posses the Densho (ancient scrolls) on which the original 18 disciplines are written.

Masaaki Hatsumi’s ancestry can be traced back till 34 generations from which Ninjutsu authorities might be able to trace back the origin of Ninjutsu. But it still would be difficult to reach to any definite conclusion in that respect.

One of the reasons for Ninjutsu gaining its huge popularity is movies and television shows showcasing ninjas and the art of Ninjutsu. Some of them to be mentioned would be Beverly Hills ninja and Kill Bill volume I and II. But unfortunately none of the movies though very popular, portray Ninjutsu in a very good light.

True ninjas might find Hollywood’s take on the art form a little intriguing or even embarrassing. But due to their extreme secrecy Hollywood is forced to draw their own conclusion. It is true that Ninjutsu’s somewhat unsavory reputation is all to be blamed on Hollywood. However, true followers of Ninjutsu understand the true meaning of this art form.

Ninjutsu as an art form has lost its practicality a lot. But still a lot of people believe in its applications in today’s modern world.

Many people also believe that the real way of studying the martial arts is to study under a ninja master who was trained by another ninja master and so on until you trace an original Bujinkan teacher. But anyways Ninjutsu is considered as a historical art form and will not be forgotten soon.