ninja

A ninja (忍者; English: , Japanese: [ɲiꜜɲ.dʑa]), shinobi no mono (忍の者; Japanese: [ɕi.no.bʲi no mo.noꜜ]) or shinobi (忍び; Japanese: [ɕi.no.bʲi]) was a spy and infiltrator in pre-modern Japan. Antecedents may have existed as early as the 12th century. There is little evidence that they were assassins. In the unrest of the Sengoku period, the jizamurai, peasant-warriors in Iga Province and the adjacent Kōka District, formed ikki – "revolts" or "leagues" – as a means of self-defense. They became known for their military activities in the nearby regions and sold their services as mercenaries and spies. Following the Tokugawa shogunate in the 17th century, the ninja faded into obscurity.