Rokugu- The 6 Basic Shinobi Tools

A Good Example of the Use of Shinobi Tools

   Rokugu (lit. six tools) are the six basic Shinobi tools that are essential to the gear of ninja/shinobi. These are the tools that a shinobi must always carry on all of his/her missions, all of them. These tools help in many of the common situations a ninja faces. Although there exists variations and types between the tools of each school in their shape, color, material or extent, the basic form and use of them had been the same through all the schools and regions of shinobi like Iga, Koka, Togakure-ryu.
   Unfortunately, none of the weapons or tools, which are famously portrayed to be the essential gear of the ninja like ninja sword, shuriken, blow pipe, shinobi shozoku, smoke bombs e.t.c, makes it to this list of six essential shinobi tools other than the Kaginawa (hooked rope).


   The six basic shinobi tools (Rokugu) are:

1. Amigasa -straw hat: The amigasa is a straw hat used to cover face or to change appearance. Through it you can see other people but they can not see your face. When not using it, you can carry it on your back, however, it is more advisable to carry it on your chest.

Gokan- The 5 Types of Spies (Shinobi)

Oniwaban

   Go (Jap.) means 'five', kan (Chin.) means 'spy' -Gokan: five (types of) spies, also called Tókan or Wujián. These are the five types of spies discussed by Sun Tzu in the 13th Chapter of his book Bingfa- Art of War and are supposedly defined so since the time of Huángdi -Yellow Emperor of China. Master Natori Masatake also describes these five types of spies in his book Shoninki.

Seishin- The Correct Mind

   Sei means 'Right'/'Correct'/'True' while Shin means 'inside'/'heart'/'mind'/'spirit'/'god'/'divine'. Thus it means 'Correct Spirit', 'Correct Heart' or 'Correct Mind' for its complete meaning in our context. It's the first and the most important principle of ninjutsu and hence the first step towards becoming a ninja is to develop 'Seishin' before you can go further.
   If you lack 'seishin', you differ no other than common people who can do similar tasks. All your techniques are useless if you don't have developed the 'Seishin' and you are not worthy of being called a ninja because all your techniques will then be for your personal purposes, desires and freewill.
   As Momochi Sandayu says, "Ninjutsu is not something which should be used for personal desires. It is something which should be used when no other choice is available, for the sake of one's country, for the sake of one's lord, or to escape personal danger.  If one deliberately uses it for the sake of personal desires, the techniques will indeed fail totally".

   Even if it's about escaping personal danger to save your life, you should do it so only because saving your own life may help you save ten more. If you save your own life at the cost of leaving ten more in danger then that is not some thing worth of a true shinobi, and a samurai.
   The practice of Seishin helps you be decisive and flexible in the most difficult times so you wouldn't have to think more on the situation. If you haven't kept your heart under the blade then you haven't fulfilled the true meaning of shinobi, which can be achieved by the use of Seishin and that's why it's so important. Not only in Shinobi traditions but the practice of Seishin first is the part of some Samurai Traditions too.

Modern Ninja?

Cover of a movie with Modern Ninja Concept Used

    Related questions are: 'Can there be some one a modern ninja?'; 'How to be a modern ninja?'. The answer(s) can be simple or it may be difficult. In the olden days, it could have been simple but in the modern world it becomes quite difficult, to answer these questions, because of matters of authenticity. These questions depend a lot on reason, prior knowledge and perception. Whatever be the answers, we must first need to understand the concept of being a ninja and the art of ninjutsu. I have given a short introduction about ninja and ninjutsu in an earlier post Introduction: Ninja and Ninjutsu. Also I have discussed the base concept of being a ninja in my post What it takes to be a ninja?. To answer some modern (added some old too) misconceptions about ninja and ninjutsu, I have already put forward an article/post by the title The 12 Misconceptions About Ninja & Ninjutsu. Once you have read the above posts with an open mind and acceptance (it is the first step to understand something), you will then be able to provide a sufficient, reasonable answer for yourself. Below I provide some of my own views based on the subject matter.

What it takes to be a ninja?

Single Minded Perseverance

    It can be answered in three ways:
1. By using meanings
2. By using history
3. By way of skills and philosophy of ninjutsu

The 8 Facts About Ninja & Ninjutsu

   Previously, we had discussed the common misconceptions found among people about the image of ninja and the art of ninjutsu in the post The 12 Misconceptions About Ninja & Ninjutsu. This post is about clarifying some truths, presenting some facts that people either do not already know or they do know but are in doubt if such things actually existed, about ninjutsu. Here are eight of such facts or truths, associated with ninja or ninjutsu:

Some Famous People and Their Relation to Ninjutsu

Hōzōin of Spear Technique

   There have been numerous people throughout history who have made names for themselves through their skills, wisdom or leadership. Since, our subject is mainly about ninjutsu I am not here to discuss their accomplishments but to briefly discuss the relation of few of those people who were famous and are more or less thought to have some connection to ninjutsu. Some of these were ninjas but still got fame and some are by much far not seen to have any connection to ninjutsu but they do have some, directly or indirectly. I will not name any daimyō or a commander of forces (in Japan) who have made use of the shinobi in peace or war times because Shinobi have been extensively used by almost all lords and most commanders, even Oda Nobunaga who destroyed the villages of Iga and Koka used them -in the battle of Iga (Iga no Ran) and at other occasions. He had named his shinobi named as Kyodan. Currently, I can only think of these eight of the most famous people having some connections to ninja or ninjutsu. I will add more once I can think of others.