The Legend of the Kurohabaki-gumi, Date Masamune's Ninja Group? [Part 2] | The Various Specific Missions Undertaken by Ninjas

What kind of missions did "ninjas" undertake?

The Kurohabaki-gumi was a ninja group said to have been founded by Date Masamune .

The name first appears in historical records from the mid-Edo period, and it is not mentioned at all in records from Masamune's time, leading to the prevailing view that it was added later

However, it is considered certain that ninjas did exist, and even reliable historical documents that record Masamune's achievements refer to his covert activities using the Oshu military term "kusa" (草)

These individuals possessed strong characteristics of intelligence agents and operatives, and it's easy to imagine that they played a significant role in covert information warfare during the Sengoku period (Warring States period)

For warlords like Masamune, who were based in the Tohoku region, far from the capital, the actions of other forces and the imperial court were information that directly impacted their survival

Therefore, it is likely that ninjas were required to deliver accurate and up-to-date information as quickly as possible

Alternatively, they may have been involved in various operations to conceal their country's secrets, so it's understandable that details might not have been recorded

Therefore, I will pick out and explain some of the specific tasks that were required of the spies (kusa) from the "Masamune-ki," a biography written by one of Masamune's senior retainers

espionage activities

For Masamune's ninja group, as depicted in the legend of the "Kurohabaki-gumi," one of the most important tasks was likely"intelligence gathering.

In other words, it refers to a mission to infiltrate enemy territory or areas close to hostile forces, or to approach individuals in such areas to obtain information and then report it back to one's home country

To achieve this, one must, of course, conceal their identity as a ninja and keep secret the fact that they belong to an enemy force

This is why they are believed to have disguised themselves as religious figures or entertainers who wandered from country to country, or in other professions where it was reasonable for them not to be from that region. They probably even paid meticulous attention to their accents

Given that this was during the Sengoku period (Warring States period), communication methods were limited, and it is likely that people had established their own secret routes for exchanging information, such as communicating orally, carrying secret letters, or using some kind of code

In particular, conducting intelligence activities by directly infiltrating enemy territory would have been an extremely difficult mission, as revealing one's identity would have endangered one's life and exposed the risk of classified information being leaked

It is only natural to assume that opposing forces also had similar intelligence agents and operatives, suggesting that unseen battles were taking place beneath the surface during the Sengoku period

Disruption

"Disruption"was also one of the important tasks that ninjas were tasked with.

For example, in the Battle of Hitotoribashi in 1585, where Date Masamune clashed with a coalition of generals from southern Oshu , there is a legend that Masamune overcame his overwhelming numerical disadvantage through the disruption caused by his spies.

This war stemmed from a military action launched under the pretext of retaliation for the abduction and murder of Masamune's father, Date Terumune

However, while Masamune's army numbered approximately 7,000, the enemy side was reinforced by a coalition of troops from southern Oshu, bringing their total force to around 30,000

For Masamune, this was a battle to besiege an enemy castle, but siege warfare requires a numerical advantage of three to five times the number of defenders

As a result, Masamune's army was put in a desperate situation, facing a life-or-death battle that would normally have resulted in their annihilation

At that point, Masamune's ninjas, who had infiltrated the enemy's allied forces, spread rumors that some of the generals in southern Oshu were actually colluding with Date

It is natural to assume that rumors spread based on some kind of evidence, and the suspicion and distrust that arose within the Allied forces would eventually fuel division

Perhaps there were circumstances or situations that made it impossible to completely deny the possibility, but eventually the Southern Oshu Alliance retreated, and Masamune's army escaped its predicament

These accounts are found in the "Date Hikan," written in the mid-Edo period, so it is uncertain whether the Kurohabaki-gumi actually existed and were active. However, these episodes are certainly worthy of speculation that ninjas may have used such disruptive tactics to turn the tide of battle

information manipulation

Similar to the aforementioned "disruption,""information manipulation"can also be considered a mission befitting a ninja.

This could be rephrased as an operation that disrupts the actions or decision-making of the enemy by causing some kind of misunderstanding, intentionally spreading inaccurate information, or deliberately leaking information that falsifies part of the truth

In this type of information manipulation, it is crucial that the information presented seems plausible, that is, that it makes people feel that the content is highly credible

For example, suppose a rumor spreads that "rice harvesting has begun earlier than usual in a village in an area that is likely to become a front line during wartime and where tensions are high."

What happens when traveling merchants and villagers near the border see and hear about what's happening, and the information spreads along the road?

It's not surprising that suspicions arose that the faction to which the villages that harvested early belonged was preparing for battle and taking steps to secure provisions to prevent them from being seized by the enemy

This is because there is a tension factor of the possibility of armed conflict, and the fact that multiple observers have confirmed unusual behavior that seems to support this possibility increases its credibility

Regardless of the truthfulness of the claims, the logical conclusion would be to strengthen surveillance systems and preparations for unforeseen circumstances in that region

It's conceivable that ninjas hiding in a village could carry out such operations, dispersing the enemy's military resources, before the main force from the home country could launch its main operation—a coordinated effort

Furthermore, if one successfully infiltrates a position close to the enemy's core, it may be possible to carry out direct operations such as altering or forging the enemy's confidential documents

While these are exaggerated assumptions, skillfully utilizing the power and intimidation of information could be considered a ninja skill

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Examples of professionals disguised as ninjas

It is well known that when ninjas engage in operations, they conceal their true identity and disguise themselves as people in various professions

There are several patterns to this, but it stems from the need for a job that guarantees rationality in infiltrating and freely moving between the territories of opposing forces

Let's look at some examples of professions that are well-suited for ninjas to mimic

Yamabushi (mountain ascetic)

Yamabushi) are not only ninjas, but also a prime example of a profession often chosen for infiltrating or traveling into enemy territory.

A yamabushi is a practitioner of Shugendo, a form of mountain worship unique to Japan , and is also known as a shugenja

Shugendo, a form of ascetic practice, involves climbing steep mountains while praying, and therefore pilgrimages to sacred mountains throughout Japan were common. These mountains often marked the boundaries of different countries or powers, meaning that mountain ascetics were also a profession that allowed them to travel between different powers

Therefore, they were well-suited as spies to deliver information, and it is said that various Sengoku warlords employed mountain ascetics, expecting them to play a ninja-like role

In the Tohoku region,the Haguro Shugendo of the Dewa Sanzan mountainsis well-known, and it would not be surprising if Date Masamune also valued the information he received from these mountain ascetics.

Buddhist monk

Buddhist monkswere also a suitable profession for ninjas, providing them with a cover.

This is because, as the term "renunciation of worldly life" suggests, monks who became disciples of Buddha were, in principle, considered to be beings separate from the logic of the secular world

In reality, it was inseparable from worldly affairs and, as is well known, influenced both politics and military matters. However, what is important here is the transcendent position itself, as described above

they were not members of the secular world and thus positioned as neutral figures, monks were often used as "messengers" to negotiate ceasefires and peace agreements between opposing forces.

Furthermore, the "Kinsōi," who performed memorial services for those who died on the battlefield and provided medical care to the wounded, is said to have originated with a monk of the Jōdo sect, a branch of the Jōdo Buddhist sect.

Furthermore, as exemplified by Kosai Sōitsu, a monk of the Myoshinji branch of the Rinzai school and the teacher of Date Masamune , Buddhist monks also had an aspect of being researchers who were responsible for scholarship.

For these reasons, it was not uncommon for monks to travel and make pilgrimages throughout the country, making it a profession well-suited for ninjas to disguise themselves as

Traveling performers

For ninjas, traveling entertainers were an ideal profession for rationally moving between different factions

They were literally groups of entertainers who traveled around the country performing various acts to make a living, and Izumo no Okuni, who created the Kabuki dance, which is considered the origin of Kabuki, was one such group.

It is said that there were many traveling performers, including Sarugaku , which was the origin of Noh theater and included dance , and Kugutsushi, who performed with marionettes

Because they organized themselves into troupes and acted as a group, it was easier for ninjas to conceal themselves. Furthermore, since they sometimes performed in front of nobles and influential people, it is thought that they may have had access to important information sources

Furthermore, given the large number of female entertainers, it's possible that some of them engaged in espionage activities, much like female ninjas

Peddler

A traveling merchant, as the name suggests, is a merchant who sells goods while on the move.

For example, they could be described as logistics specialists who mediate goods that are unavailable locally, such as bringing sea fish or salt to inland mountainous regions

These characteristics allowed them to naturally access various routes and networks, making it a profession highly suited to the missions undertaken by ninjas

It seems that they were able to obtain fresh information through networks among traveling merchants and communication with their business partners, so it's possible that a considerable number of ninjas disguised themselves as such, or that professional traveling merchants naturally took on a role similar to that of intelligence agents

It is believed that there was a particularly strong demand for information regarding developments in the Kyoto area in the Tohoku region, where Date Masamune was based

If they were traveling merchants, they could have connected certain routes and transmitted information in a relay fashion, so they may have carried out important espionage activities

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