Remembered in popular culture as the ultimate type of assassin, the Ninja were ancient masters of secrecy, operating for just 200 years in central Japan. Legends tell of them walking on water, controlling the weather, and even turning invisible. But what is the true story of the Ninja? How did this form of espionage originate? And how did Ninjas move from the shadows of folklore to the spotlight of modern culture?

This is a Short History Of The Ninja.

Written by Jo Furniss. With thanks to John Man, historian and author of the book ‘Ninja: 1,000 Years of the Shadow Warrior’.

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