Explore Ueno Castle and the Secret Times of Iga’s Ninjas

Text by Li Xinyi, MOOK Scenic Spots Travel Life Network; Photography by Wu Rongbang, Moleskine Editorial Department

 

The name "ninja," which sounds mysterious, often gives the impression in films of being highly skilled and elusive. In fact, ninjas were the modern-day equivalent of "spies," specializing in infiltrating enemy lines to gather intelligence, spread rumors, and carry out sabotage. In Japan, the ninja schools of Iga and Koka are the most renowned.

 

Due to the nature of their work, which required concealing their true identities, they often disguised themselves as ordinary civilians. Their homes, with their layered mechanisms, looked no different from regular residences, making it impossible to estimate the actual number of ninjas in the past and adding to the mystique of their world.

 

The Warring States period in Japan was the golden age of the ninja. Ninja techniques were passed down orally and usually only to one son. It wasn’t until the Edo period that written records of ninja arts began to appear. Unfortunately, as the country entered a time of peace, the number of people pursuing ninja work declined, and much of the knowledge was lost.

In Iga, ninjas have transitioned from their former mysterious status to a tourist attraction. The Parade Museum is often the first stop for visitors. The museum displays floats used in local festivals, but another major draw is the opportunity to dress up as a ninja. While many assume ninja costumes are black, according to museum staff, the actual colors are dark gray and brown—pure black actually reflects faintly under moonlight. To attract tourists, the museum rents out modified ninja costumes in red, black, blue, and pink. Visitors can even stroll around Ueno Castle wearing them, making it a big hit with tourists.

 

Interestingly, the souvenir shop next to the museum sells "ninja biscuits." Designed for long-term storage and to serve as a source of sustenance, these biscuits are extremely hard and need to be broken into pieces with a small hammer before eating, making them a uniquely eye-catching souvenir.

The walls of Ueno Castle are among the tallest in Japan. Upon closer inspection, the walls are built in a fan shape to prevent enemies and ninjas from climbing into the castle. Inside the castle, the reconstructed keep displays items belonging to the Tōdō family, as well as battle attire. Forty-six paintings blessed by famous figures are the most precious treasures within. Beyond the castle lies the Haiku Sage Hall, built to commemorate the 300th anniversary of Matsuo Bashō’s birth. Bashō was a poet from the Edo period. The design of the Haiku Sage Hall is inspired by Bashō himself—the top resembles his hat, and the octagonal eaves represent the robe he wore. The interior of the hall is only open to the public on October 15th each year.

The place to unravel the mysteries surrounding ninjas is none other than the Iga-ryu Ninja Museum, the world’s only ninja museum. The entrance features a reconstruction of a ninja residence discovered in the area. As soon as you step into the courtyard, your every move is visible to the ninja inside the house. The residence is full of hidden mechanisms—revolving doors, flip walls, detachable floors, and even dry wells that lead outside—allowing the ninja to appear and disappear at will. Everyday items that seem ordinary may actually be tools used by ninjas to escape. Since a ninja’s primary mission is to bring information back to their lord, being captured by the enemy would mean mission failure. Therefore, a ninja’s escape skills are far more important than their offensive abilities.

The Ninja Museum also offers exciting ninja performances, a ninja experience area, and a ninja heritage exhibition. The performances showcase the incredible skills of ninjas and debunk common misconceptions—for example, the shuriken (throwing star) is actually a ninja’s last line of defense and is not used casually. The ninja experience area even offers free lessons on how to throw shuriken.

 

The ninja heritage exhibition reveals how ninjas trained, including lifting 60-kilogram rice bags with their fingers to build the strength needed for scaling castle walls. Beyond martial training, ninjas also had to master astronomy, geography, medicinal knowledge, and the art of spreading misinformation or extracting secrets from enemies. Some ninjas spent their entire lives infiltrating enemy governments to steal information, and their descendants were expected to continue the same work. The hardships faced by ninjas are beyond what most people can imagine.