Our Lives | TELLING LIVES Jul 14, 2019
by Rachael Merritt
A gig as a ninja isn't what most dancers have in mind when they go out for an audition, but John Patrick Jandernoa is finding a perfect fit for his particular skill set.
National Jun 15, 2019
Many foreign hopefuls apply to join Aichi Prefecture-based ninja troupe
Several applicants living overseas have applied to join a group of ninja in Aichi Prefecture. Of the 20 applicants for a position that became available in the team this year, 15 were foreigners, indicating the deep-rooted popularity of ninja amid an increase in the number ...
National May 30, 2019
Tourists get chance to play ninja and protect Osaka Castle from demons in mall's new VR game
A shopping complex in Osaka unveiled its latest attractions to the press Wednesday, including a game that offers visitors the chance to become a ninja through virtual reality. The expansion of the complex, Jo-Terrace Osaka in Osaka Castle Park, comes as the operator has seen ...
Stage May 23, 2019
Dancer Kaiji Moriyama celebrates ninja in his latest work
by Kris Kosaka
A creative yet shy child fascinated with origami and crafts, Kaiji Moriyama discovered dance late, at the age of 21 while a university student. He has certainly made up for the lost time, though. Just seven years since first studying the art form, ...
National Feb 22, 2019
Airport and railway staff do their duties darkly on ni ni ni 'Ninja Day' in central Japan
Staff at Chubu airport donned ninja attire and a railway station ceremonially named itself "Ninja City Station" on Friday to celebrate "Ninja Day" in central Japan. Feb. 22 was designated Ninja Day by the Japan Anniversary Association at the request of the cities of Koka, ...
National Dec 12, 2018
Ninja-clad petitioners 'sneak' into Abe's office seeking help with tourism promotion
Ninja-clad petitioners "sneaked" into the office of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Wednesday to ask for help in promoting ninja culture as a tourism draw in the run-up to the 2019 Rugby World Cup and 2020 Tokyo Olympics. "Even though you're all wearing such bright ...
National | Regional voices: Chubu Dec 3, 2018
Iga, known for its ninja, looks to draw foreign tourists by turning castle town into a hotel site
The Mie Prefecture city of Iga, the origin of one of Japan's most famous ninja clans, plans to open the growing number of vacant homes in its castle town to tourists. Under the "castle town hotel" project, the Iga Municipal Government will renovate traditional Japanese ...
National Nov 22, 2018
Pop-up ninja booth gives tourists a virtual reality experience at Nagoya's Chubu airport
Chubu Centrair International Airport in Aichi Prefecture has set up a booth inside its international arrivals lobby that will allow tourists to experience being a ninja through virtual reality. The booth, which opened Thursday and will be in operation until Dec. 14, is aimed at ...
National Jul 25, 2018
Wannabe ninja swamp Japan town with job inquiries after viral mix-up
The city of Iga, in Mie Prefecture, has been left fighting off wannabe ninja after a news report on local labor shortages that suggested it wanted to hire the traditional assassins went viral. Iga was featured in a report by American radio station NPR this ...
Business / Corporate Jun 22, 2018
Covert cabs: Yokohama taxi company employs 'ninja' drivers to chauffeur customers
by Kantaro Komiya
As visitors from overseas flock to Japan, companies in the tourism industry are finding creative ways to tap a classic, stealthy image of the country. From ninja classes to shows and museums, the public and private sectors are promoting attractions related to the popular covert ...
National | Regional voices: Chubu Jun 11, 2018
Mie University ties up with local cake shop to reproduce stress-relieving ninja snacks
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 ...
National Feb 19, 2018
International ninja research group founded in Mie Prefecture in Japan
An international academic society designed to promote research on the ninja was established last week in the city known as the home of the traditional covert warrior agents: Iga in Mie Prefecture. Some 200 researchers from countries including Japan, South Korea, China and Britain attended ...