Modern Ninja Experience in the Mountains of Tokyo

Did you know that Akiruno and Hachioji areas in Tokyo were the territory of the powerful Hojo samurai clan, one of the most powerful warrior clans during the Sengoku period (1467 – 1590)? Experience a ninja training programme in a beautiful mountain area of Tokyo and experience different ninja tools such as fukiya bamboo blowgun, self-defense techniques, breathing control and ninja`s etiquette.

Akiruno and Hachioji were where the powerful Hojo samurai clan had castles serving as the front lines to their territory, and history tells us that ninja were also active here. The Yajin Ninja are about taking the traditions and customs of the ninja and applying them to modern society.

“Yajin” (lit. “wild/outdoors ninja”) emphasizes practicing basic ninjutsu skills in nature and as such, the bulk of the experiences take place outdoors in open-air spaces or in the surrounding hills and forests.

The Yajin Ninja Experience offers a chance to not only learn about who the ninja were and what they did, but to actually try it yourself.

A 2-hour or 4-hour experience session is available and both are tailor-made to suit whatever you (or your group) want to try, from ninja tools and self-defense techniques to etiquette, breathing control, and mental training. Imagine throwing shuriken ninja stars and blades, using a fukiya bamboo blowgun, learning how to wield a sword or practicing taijutsu ninja hand-to-hand combat, all in a variety of beautiful traditional locales set around Akiruno.

Decked out in black ninja garb as you scale rock faces and trek through the forests, this is one way to get in touch with nature as well as an ever-popular part of Japanese culture.

Yajin “Modern Ninja” Experience | Special Feature | TOKYO WESTSIDE travel guide