The true ninjas — or shinobi — were not mystical assassins in black pajamas, but skilled spies, scouts, and saboteurs who operated in feudal Japan from the 15th century onward. Most came from the mountainous Iga and Kōga regions, where local clans trained in stealth, disguise, and guerrilla tactics. Unlike samurai, who prized honor, ninjas valued information and survival over glory, using deception, infiltration, and psychological warfare to win without direct combat. They disguised themselves a