Welcome to Ninja Town

The view at Iga castle in the ninja town of Iga in Mie prefecture, Japan. Iga is the home of the Japanese ninja, which were mercenaries in feudal Japan specializing in espionage, sabotage, infiltration, and assassination. Ninjas were most prominent in 15th century Japan. The town of Iga is trying to promote their ninja heritage to attract tourism and improve the faltering economy.

A tourist slid across a rope during a ninja training tour.

Tourists climbed across a wall during a training tour.

Tourists practiced walking across water on special ninja shoes.

A tourist prayed under a waterfall during a ninja training tour.

Tourists prayed under a waterfall.

Tourists changed to dry clothes after praying.

Japanese ninja performers acted during a ninja show for tourists.

Posters advertising Japanese Ninja spies on a train.

A Japanese sweet and a ninja dart, called shuriken (upper left).

Japanese tourists prayed at a shrine devoted to cutting unhappy love relationships.

Shop owner and descendent of ninja, Genpo Murai, showed photos of his ancestor who performed as a ninja entertainer to a group of tourists.

Tourists selected ninja costumes to perform in a ninja training.

Tourists received graduation certificates.