Shinobi shozoku
Encyclopedia
The is a type of dark-coloured keikogi
clothing, purportedly worn by practitioners of the Japan
ese martial art of ninjutsu
.
It is made up of split-toed tabi
boots ("jika-tabi") and socks; special trousers with double-ties which fasten at the ankles, knees and waist; a jacket with overlapping lapels which is tucked into the trousers; and protective arm-and-hand sleeves. A mask and a hood seen in movies are not commonly used. An obi belt
to indicate the wearer's level of kyu
or dan
grade may also be worn. The outfit is made of strong, dark-colored fabric, usually black cotton, fitted loosely to allow freedom of movement. The jacket may sometimes contain a pocket for hidden weapons.
Contrary to popular belief, there is no evidence that the ninja
s limited themselves to dressing in all-black suits in Japanese feudal times. The classic black ninja outfit (the shinobi shōzoku) is said to have derived from bunraku
(not noh theatre); Bunraku prop handlers would dress in black in order to be less conspicuous to an audience as they moved props around the stage area. Another idea supporting the absence of a ninja outfit and any specific weaponry is that, if seen, they would have been identified as enemies and captured. Thus, historical ninja spies and assassin
s were far more likely to be disguised as samurai
, Shinto
or Buddhist monks, or peasants.
During Japanese feudal times, for night attacks shinobi shōzoku clothing (as dictated by the situation, preference or availability) could be black, dark green, dark blue or dark red, depending on which offered better night camouflage
with its surroundings.
Keikogi
or dōgi is a uniform for training, used in martial arts derived from Japan, or budō. . The prototype for the modern keikogi emerged in the late 19th century. The keikogi was developed by judo founder Kano Jigoro...
clothing, purportedly worn by practitioners of the Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese martial art of ninjutsu
Ninjutsu
or may be:*the arts associated with espionage and assassination in feudal Japan, see Ninja*modern schools of martial arts claiming to be based in these traditions, see Modern Schools of Ninjutsu*fictional depictions, see Ninja in popular culture...
.
It is made up of split-toed tabi
Tabi
are traditional Japanese socks. Ankle-high and with a separation between the big toe and other toes, they are worn by both men and women with zori, geta, and other traditional thonged footwear. Tabi are also essential with traditional clothing—kimono and other wafuku as well as being worn by...
boots ("jika-tabi") and socks; special trousers with double-ties which fasten at the ankles, knees and waist; a jacket with overlapping lapels which is tucked into the trousers; and protective arm-and-hand sleeves. A mask and a hood seen in movies are not commonly used. An obi belt
Obi (sash)
is a sash for traditional Japanese dress, keikogi worn for Japanese martial arts, and a part of kimono outfits.The obi for men's kimono is rather narrow, wide at most, but a woman's formal obi can be wide and more than long. Nowadays, a woman's wide and decorative obi does not keep the kimono...
to indicate the wearer's level of kyu
Kyu
is a Japanese term used in martial arts, chadō, ikebana, go, shogi such as Japanese traditional culture, and academic tests and in other similar activities to designate various grades or levels or class of proficiency or experience...
or dan
Dan rank
The ranking system is a Japanese mark of level, which is used in modern fine arts and martial arts. Originally invented in a Go school in the Edo period, this system was applied to martial arts by Kanō Jigorō, the founder of judo and later introduced to other East Asia countries.In the modern...
grade may also be worn. The outfit is made of strong, dark-colored fabric, usually black cotton, fitted loosely to allow freedom of movement. The jacket may sometimes contain a pocket for hidden weapons.
Contrary to popular belief, there is no evidence that the ninja
Ninja
A or was a covert agent or mercenary of feudal Japan specializing in unorthodox arts of war. The functions of the ninja included espionage, sabotage, infiltration, and assassination, as well as open combat in certain situations...
s limited themselves to dressing in all-black suits in Japanese feudal times. The classic black ninja outfit (the shinobi shōzoku) is said to have derived from bunraku
Bunraku
, also known as Ningyō jōruri , is a form of traditional Japanese puppet theater, founded in Osaka in 1684.Three kinds of performers take part in a bunraku performance:* Ningyōtsukai or Ningyōzukai—puppeteers* Tayū—the chanters* Shamisen players...
(not noh theatre); Bunraku prop handlers would dress in black in order to be less conspicuous to an audience as they moved props around the stage area. Another idea supporting the absence of a ninja outfit and any specific weaponry is that, if seen, they would have been identified as enemies and captured. Thus, historical ninja spies and assassin
Assassination
To carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
s were far more likely to be disguised as samurai
Samurai
is the term for the military nobility of pre-industrial Japan. According to translator William Scott Wilson: "In Chinese, the character 侍 was originally a verb meaning to wait upon or accompany a person in the upper ranks of society, and this is also true of the original term in Japanese, saburau...
, Shinto
Shinto
or Shintoism, also kami-no-michi, is the indigenous spirituality of Japan and the Japanese people. It is a set of practices, to be carried out diligently, to establish a connection between present day Japan and its ancient past. Shinto practices were first recorded and codified in the written...
or Buddhist monks, or peasants.
During Japanese feudal times, for night attacks shinobi shōzoku clothing (as dictated by the situation, preference or availability) could be black, dark green, dark blue or dark red, depending on which offered better night camouflage
Camouflage
Camouflage is a method of concealment that allows an otherwise visible animal, military vehicle, or other object to remain unnoticed, by blending with its environment. Examples include a leopard's spotted coat, the battledress of a modern soldier and a leaf-mimic butterfly...
with its surroundings.
