Ninja were a weapon used for fighting.
500 years ago, in the Sengoku period (16 century) when Japan was not yet united, ninja first appeared in the warrior society. Ninja had specialized knowledge, especially medical knowledge, and were able to sneak into enemy territory and hide like a spy close to the enemy. They did many kinds of special training in order to be able to beat the enemy in various situations.
Ninja learned how to mix poisons. This knowledge helped them to kill an enemy without leaving any trace. In many historical movies we can see ninja who made and sold medicines, lived in hidden houses, and wore disguises.
During the civil war,the ninja took on special missions, but when the war was finished and society started to change, the ninja lost their role in society. In the new united Japan, many ninja began to apply their abilities in different fields. The art of the ninja started to fade away and little by little was forgotten.
Today, ninja are just a part of the past; we can see their mysterious figures in the movies or tell stories about them. This mystery stirs people’s imaginations.