A Study of the Formation and Transformation of the Ninja Image in Early Modern Japan

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K00277
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 02010:Japanese literature-related
• Research Institution: Mie University
• Principal Investigator: Yoshimaru Katsuya 三重大学, 人文学部, 教授 (10581514)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 忍者 / 江戸時代

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study clarifies the process by which the virtual image of 'Ninja' was formed from the historical fact of 'Shinobi' in the early-modern times of Japan, and was transformed to the present day through novels, performing arts, and war books. In addition to the establishment of the image of ninja with black costume, black mask and shuriken (throwing star), it revealed the birth of ninja 'Tobi KATO' and 'ISHIKAWA Goemon', and furthermore the war book edited in the early-modern times described the operation of ninja in medieval times based on the view of ninja and war written in those days. Most of his research results have been published as "The History of Ninja Literature" (KADOKAWA).

Free Research Field

近世文学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究がなされる前の忍者研究は事実面の探究を中心になされていたが、実際には真偽のあやふやな二次資料をもとに虚構の忍者像を史実の忍びとみなして論じてきた。本研究が忍者が後代に記述されていくなかで、創作的要素がどのように入っているのか明らかにしたことで、忍者の文学史が大きく更新されるとともに、歴史的な忍者研究における一次資料の重要性が認識されるようになり、忍者学がより高次の段階に大きく前進したといえる。