Mie University in Tsu, Mie Prefecture, and Mon Pactole, a cake shop in Nabari in the prefecture, have jointly developed cookies inspired by preserved snacks that ninja are believed to have eaten to relieve stress.
"We hope people will enjoy the deliciously revived modern-day ninja food," said Makoto Hisamatsu, a professor emeritus at Mie University who led the endeavor to bring the ninja know-how to modern-day palates.
In an effort to promote the region, which is known as the home of the Iga ninja tradition, Mie University has been actively involved in researching ninja customs since fiscal 2014. Hisamatsu, who specializes in food chemistry, focused on hyōrōgan portable rations thought to have been carried by ninja, and looked into related documents from the Edo Period.