Often translated as "the art of remaining unseen," Ninjutsu has a long history, and is probably the most renowned and misunderstood of all martial arts. Still an active school, Ninjutsu continues to thrive today, and the idea of the ninja as a black-clad "super spy," combat master and secrecy expert continues to hold power over the imagination

Despite its popularity, the history of Ninjutsu is still murky, its origins surrounded by mystery and legend. But for the first time, The Ninja: Ancient Shadow Warriors of Japan furnishes an in-depth, factual look at the entire art of Ninjutsu, including the emergence of the Ninja warriors and philosophy in feudal Japan; detailed historical events; its context in the development of other schools of martial arts; and the philosophies and exercises of the school today