The history of the Ninja is hard to trace. This is because there were few, if any records kept of its existance. Most of what is known about the ninja is taken from stories that have been passed down from generation to generation. Nonuse ("the art of stealth") was first introduced to Japan in 522 A.D. as a religion practiced by priests.

These priests were not violent people, they were "mystics" who gathered and shared information for the ruling classes. The ninja as we know them were not introduced until later. It wasn't until 645 A.D. that the priests perfected their fighting skills and made use of their knowledge of nonuse. This was because they found themselves being harassed by the central government and found it necessary to protect themselves.

In all countries with a martial tradition the sword has been elevated to a symbol of temporal power and justice, and in many it has acquired a spiritual status. But in Japan it is more than this. It has been described as the very soul of the samurai.

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