In Iga Castle Town, it is ALL about the Ninja

In Iga Castle Town, it is ALL about the Ninja

Ninja were a covert agent mysterious class of martial artists, spys and secret messengers in feudal and samurai era Japan, they prided themselves on being invisible and hiding in plain site, but in the castle town of Iga, in Mie prefecture you can see and discover the Ninja everywhere. I had so much fun learning about their history and even “becoming” a ninja myself.



We headed over to a wonderful green tea and sweets shop called Murai Bankouen, which, in the spirit of secret Ninja study, also had a somewhat hidden practice area in the back of the cafe, to learn how to use real throwing stars called Shuriken! The owner of the multi generational shop Mr Murai and everyone associated with the cafe, truly enjoy sharing their passion for meeting people from around the globe and celebrating the rich history of Iga Ueno. They also serve delicious tea and sweets.

Practice throwing area in the back of Murai Bankouen

Learning the techniques

So proud that I got a bullseye with my Shuriken final throw

In addition to learning to throw Shuriken I was about to have a really wonderful surprise meeting with the area's most famous Ninja Cat– ChaCha-san!

Celebrity Ninja Cat ChaCha -chan sharing her secrets at Mr. Murai’s café


Finally after a day filled with ninja learning there was one more wonder awaiting me. We went exploring outside of town and headed to the Akame 48 Falls. The 48 waterfalls of Akame are wonderful and a bit mysterious.

Lovely Akame Falls, ancient ninja training ground

This area was a place for Ninja to practice their skills hundreds of years ago. Take a few moments and visit the small Japanese Giant Salamander museum and learn about these amazing amphibians that call the falls and surrounding area their home.

Visit the Japanese Giant Salamander Museum at the entrance to the falls

I was extra lucky that in the autumn, when I visited there was a gorgeous bamboo illuminations installation all along the falls.

Enjoying the autumn evening at the Akame 48 Falls

The waterfall area was stunningly beautiful and I felt transported by the magical atmosphere. If you can visit Akame 48 Falls between October and January to see this, it should definitely be on your to do list. But the area is truly lovely all year round.


My Ninja inspired adventure in Iga Ueno was full of unforgettable experiences. It took us over 500 years to learn what we have about the secretive skills and culture of the Ninja… how many more discoveries await as the residents of Iga study and share the history of this amazing martial art and it’s former practitioners.



About the Author:
Lauren has degrees in education and art and a background in multicultural businesses. She is a lover of food, wine, travel, design and LIFE! Lauren has worked in Tourism in Japan for the last 7 years. She is a long-time resident in Japan. Her favorite thing is discovering new local stories and connecting with people across Japan.

〇Iga Ueno Castle

http://igaueno-castle.jp/?page_id=196

 

 

〇Iga-ryu Ninja Museum

https://www.iganinja.jp/?page_id=837

 

 

 

〇Danjiri museum

https://www.igaueno.net/?p=99

 

 

〇Akame 48 Falls & Japanese Giant Salamander Museum

https://www.akame48taki.com/en/

 


Tourist attractions covered by this article