The Ninja Museum
If you want to know more about ninjas, take a trip to the Ninja Museum in Igaryu, Mie Prefecture. The museum is made to resemble a ninja house, where the ninjas had meetings, made weapons, and prepared gunpowder. From the outside, it looks like a nondescript farmhouse, but inside, the house is an ingenious mix of hidden pathways and defense systems to trap enemies.
http://www.iganinja.jp/?page_id=837
The Secret Traditions of the Shinobi
This book by Antony Cummins and Yoshie Minami reveals realistic tales of ninja life. The book is considered highly credible. Even Professor Yamada of the humanities department of Mie University, the only institute in Japan to study ninja culture, refers to it in his writings.
Available at www.amazon.com
Azumi
This comic book, available only in Japanese, is about a ninja girl who is indoctrinated into becoming an assassin. In reality, female ninjas (known as kunoichi) never existed. But “Azumi” is a realistic tale that describes sword fights, disguises, and spy activities quite similar to the historical record. Azumi and her fellow ninja possess overwhelming strength, but the story also looks at the dark side of ninja life. It’s clear they would kill anyone, even friends, other women, or babies, if so ordered.
Available at www.amazon.com
