| e the best ninjas of fuedal Japan, that is a question | | | | and the past success of previous Iga ninjas cemented |
| that is not easily answered. Though virtually every clan | | | | their reputation so much that just stating that you were |
| throughout Japan had its own form of ninjitsu training, | | | | from Iga gauranteed immediate hire for the primary |
| there were only a couple whose name and | | | | missions. |
| reputations bacame legendary. The shinobi were used | | | | Now back in the late 1500's the warlord Oda |
| as spies, sabatuers, and assasins by the most | | | | Nobunaga had come to hate and fear the Iga ninjas |
| powerful and wealthy leaders in Japan and virtually | | | | because they would not bow down to him and |
| every province had some form of its own ninjas so | | | | perform any mission that he declared. He felt that if |
| there were no shortages of the elite warriors. | | | | they would not bow to him then they should be |
| In time there were two schools of ninjitsu that | | | | conquered. In 1579 Oda sent his son and a force of |
| continued to show the excellence of their training. First | | | | soldiers in to Iga to dominate them, that attack |
| were the warriors from the clans in the Iga provence. | | | | however failed miserably. Two years later in 1581 Oda |
| Iga is located in the central area of Japan in a | | | | launched another attack this time though he sent |
| mountainous region. Its location being a basin | | | | somewhere between 40,000 and 60,000 soldiers and |
| surrounded by mountains afforded it good protection | | | | attacked from 6 different directions. This attack |
| from outside forces and also provided excellent terrain | | | | succeeded as Oda's men slaughtered a large |
| for the ninjas to train. As their reputation grew the | | | | population of this regions inhabitants. He did make one |
| need for them to prove their abilities was not needed. | | | | error in that he called a cease fire before everyone |
| For in fuedal Japan before a ninja was hired for a | | | | was killed and this allowed for some of the remaining |
| specific mission he would be required to perform a | | | | ninjas to escape in the surrounding countryside. Though |
| less critical mission showing that he would be capable | | | | the strength of Iga never returned some believe that |
| of executing and surviving the orginal mission that he | | | | the teachings did and this training helped other |
| would be hired for. But the excellence of their training | | | | provinces to improve their ninjas abilities. |