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THE SECRET OATH OF THE NINJA
Written by Sumiko Nakano
In the year 1570 of the Tensho era (天正 元年), Japan was ravaged by the ceaseless conflicts of the Sengoku period, a time of political upheaval, shifting alliances, and violent power struggles between rival daimyō such as Oda Nobunaga, Takeda Shingen, and Uesugi Kenshin.
As open warfare raged across the land, a subtler conflict was unfolding in the shadows, carried out by those whose existence was barely acknowledged: the shinobi.
While the shinobi clans of Iga and Kōga are well-known for their roles in espionage, sabotage, and assassination, there existed a deeper, more secretive layer within their ranks—a select few who were entrusted with safeguarding the most vital secrets of their order.
Among these chosen ones, the Hidden Oath of the Silent Path, or Shinobi no Gokuin (忍びの極隠), was spoken. This oath was not known to all shinobi, nor was it taken lightly. Only a handful of the most trusted and skilled leaders— those destined to shape the future of their clans—were entrusted with its words.
The shinobi hierarchy was complex and often misunderstood. Most foot soldiers, or genin, who executed orders in the field, were unaware of the existence of such an oath. Even among higher ranks such as the chūnin (those who coordinated missions) and jōnin (the elite leaders of shinobi clans), not all were granted the privilege of taking this oath. It was reserved for the true inheritors of the Silent Path—the guardians of the ancient wisdom of ninjutsu.
The need for such an oath arose from the fracturing political landscape of the Sengoku period. As shinobi became essential to warring lords' military strategies, their role's purity was threatened. The Iga and Kōga clans, who had perfected the arts of espionage over centuries, realized that their very existence depended on a higher code that transcended warlords' volatile allegiances.
The Hidden Oath was thus established to bind the chosen few to an unbreakable moral compass, ensuring their true purpose—maintaining balance in the shadows— was never compromised.
However, secrecy has a price. The shinobi who were not initiated into this higher echelon of leadership often speculated about the existence of such a vow.
Some jōnin, even those unaware of the oath’s contents, sought to create their interpretations or adaptations, hoping to enhance their power within their clans. This led to rumors, misinterpretations, and even the creation of false oaths.
As a result, in some shinobi circles, the oath took on an almost mythic status— part legend, part truth.
Over the centuries, the true Hidden Oath remained elusive, passed down through only the most trusted few, while others continued to shape their versions without full knowledge. Even today, whispers of the Hidden Oath persist within martial arts schools and secret societies, though its exact words and meaning have been obscured by time.
Some claim the oath continues to be practiced by descendants of these ancient shinobi, while others believe it has become merely a symbol of a forgotten past.
Regardless of its form, the legacy of the Hidden Oath still resonates. It represents the eternal struggle between loyalty and betrayal, honor and secrecy, in a world where the line between myth and reality often blurs.
The chosen few who continue to follow the Silent Path remain unseen, their oath as unbreakable as ever, guarding the knowledge and traditions of their ancestors in the shadows.
SHINOBI NO GOKUIN (忍びの極隠) - THE HIDDEN OATH OF THE SILENT PATH
In the stillness of the night, beneath the watchful gaze of the unseen, I bind myself to the Silent Path, the way of our secret order. By the spirits of my forebears and the shadows that conceal us, I swear this oath, known only to those who walk in darkness.
KAGE NO NUNO (影の布) - BY THE VEIL OF SHADOWS:
I pledge to become one with the darkness, to move in silence as the breath of the night. My steps shall leave no trace, my presence shall stir no air. In the blackness, I shall find my strength, and in the unseen, I shall dwell, forever hidden from the eyes of the unworthy.
MABOROSHI NO HA (幻の刃) - BY THE BLADE OF THE SHINOBI:
I vow to wield my blade with the precision of a phantom, unseen until the moment it strikes. This weapon is the extension of my will, forged in the fires of our secret arts. I shall use it only in service to the shadows, to strike down those who threaten the balance we protect. My blade will be swift, silent, and final.
CHINMOKU NO FŪIN (沈黙の封印) - BY THE SEAL OF SILENCE:
I swear to guard the secrets of our school with my life, to let no word pass my lips that would betray our order. The knowledge entrusted to me is sacred, passed down through the generations in whispers and shadows. I shall be the final sentinel of this wisdom, unyielding in my duty, even unto death.
By the spirits of my forebears and the shadows that conceal us, I swear this oath, known only to those who walk in darkness.
KAGE NO NUNO (影の布) - BY THE VEIL OF SHADOWS:
I pledge to become one with the darkness, to move in silence as the breath of the night. My steps shall leave no trace, my presence shall stir no air. In the blackness, I shall find my strength, and in the unseen, I shall dwell, forever hidden from the eyes of the unworthy.
KAMEN NO CHIGIRI (仮⾯の契り) - BY THE FACES OF MANY:
I vow to master the art of transformation, to wear the faces of the many while remaining true to the one within.
SHINOBI NO GOKUIN (忍びの極隠)
- THE HIDDEN OATH OF THE SILENT PATH
In the stillness of the night, beneath the watchful gaze of the unseen, I bind myself to the Silent Path, the way of our secret order.
The way of the martial artist is the way of enduring, surviving and prevailing over all that would destroy him.
More than delivering strikes and slashes, and deeper in significance than the simple outwitting of an enemy, Ninpô is the way of attaining that which we need while making the world a better place.
The skill of the Ninja is the art of winning.
Toshitsugu Takamatsu
My identity shall be as fluid as water, adaptable to every situation yet anchored in the core of the Silent Path. I shall deceive the world but never myself, for I am the keeper of the unseen.
SOSEN NO CHI (祖先の⾎ BLOOD OF THE ANCESTORS:
I swear to honor the blood that flows through me, the lineage of warriors who have walked this path before. Their spirits guide me. Their honor binds me. I shall not falter in upholding the principles of our order, for to do so would be to betray all who came before me.
KAGE NO JIHI (影の慈悲) - BY THE SHADOW’S MERCY:
I vow to protect those who live in the light, even as I walk in the dark. The innocent shall be my charge; their safety is my silent mission.
I shall strike only in justice, and defend without recognition, for the true warrior needs no thanks, only the knowledge that balance is maintained.
KAGE NO MICHI (影の道) - BY THE PATH OF THE SHADOWED END: I swear to embrace the inevitable end with dignity, knowing that death is but another shadow to walk through.
When my time comes, I shall face it without fear, for I know that in death, I join the ranks of those who have become the eternal watchmen of the Silent Path. The shadows will carry my legacy, my spirit forever guarding the way.
This oath I swear in secrecy, known only to those of our order, passed from master to student in the deepest recesses of the night. Let it be the bond that ties us to the Silent Path, a covenant unspoken yet unbreakable.
KAGE NO ARU KAGIRI (影のある限り)AS LONG AS SHADOWS EXIST, SO TOO SHALL THIS OATH BIND US, THE UNSEEN GUARDIANS OF THE HIDDEN WAY.
SEALED IN THE YEAR OF TENSHO 1570 (天正元年).
