Ninja
The Ninjas ability to move quickly and quietly and their expertise with weapons such as the spears and throwing stars gave them an almost mythical persona. Weapons of the Ninja included many traditional items such as the nunchuka, the throwing spears, knives and stars. The straight sword as well as unique weapons like the shogee were also widely used. While the clothing of the Ninja may be in dispute by some, the uniform that we traditionally associate with the Ninja is an all black outfit of pants with ties at the calves, a jacket and a mask and hood. This uniform was designed to help camouflage them and allow them to move stealthily through enemy camps and palaces. The split toe Tabi boot is also widely popular with Ninja practitioners today and can come with a soft sole used for indoor training or a heavy rubber sole for use outdoors. With the end of constant strife and war in Japan in the 1600’s there was very little use for the Ninja warriors however the legend continues to live on today. They now live on in movies, video games and comic books and of course one of the most popular and highly sought after Halloween costume today is the Ninja Warrior.