History
Ninjutsu is linked to the shinobi (ninja) of feudal Japan, especially from the Iga and Koga regions, who worked as spies, scouts and raiders between the 15th and 17th centuries. Their methods were written in manuals such as the "Bansenshukai" (1676).
Much of the ninja image comes from later theatre, novels and films. In the 20th century, schools such as the Bujinkan of Masaaki Hatsumi spread modern ninjutsu, and the "ninja boom" of 1980s films made it world-famous.