Ninjas!

[GeneChing]

WATCH OUT DONALD! Iranian female ‘ninja rangers’ show off their impressive lethal and gravity-defying martial arts moves
The women learn to kill silently, leap over walls and hide on the mountain side at the Jughin Castle 25 miles from Tehran
By Guy Birchall
6th June 2017, 1:26 am Updated: 6th June 2017, 8:12 am

THESE Iranian female ‘warrior ninjas’ are training in the desert to become a lethal fighting force.

They were snapped brandishing lethal weapons and practising the martial art of Ninjutsu.


GETTY IMAGES
Katana swords are also used in the Japanese style of training


GETTY IMAGES
Archery is another skill these women warriors hone at the camp


GETTY IMAGES
A ninja poses with a Japanese Naginata


GETTY IMAGES
Iran has conscription for men aged 18, but it is limited to 18 months service, so these kunoichi could prove vital


GETTY IMAGES
The ninjas showed off their extraordinary flexibility stretching into a raft of poses


GETTY IMAGES
A spear glints in the sun as another ninja can be seen between the legs of a fighter


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Pupils at the school are taught to use weapons – including the bow, swords, nunchucks and shurikens


GETTY IMAGES
A woman leaps between rocks at the training camp

continued next post

[Orion Paximus]

Apparently just over half of the respondents were, in fact, against the ninja.)

I hate that i missed the Miami Connection joke in this article from months ago. Hey Gene isn't the only one that can post in zombie threads.

[GeneChing]

For realz!

Japanese security firm finds success with guards dressed as ninja
KYODO
JAN 7, 2018


Maya Miyoshi, who heads SCC Co. based in Koka, famous for its ninja history, wears a female ninja outfit in the city in Shiga Prefecture in November. | KYODO

OTSU, SHIGA PREF. – A security firm in a city known as the birthplace of a prominent ninja school is enjoying success by providing guards dressed as the medieval warriors and assassins.

SCC Co., in Koka, first tried to tap the city’s growing fame for ninja tourism in 2016, when it introduced security guards dressed as ninja to provide traffic control services for the opening of a coffee franchise.

Its special ninja squad has worked steadily since. The head of the firm, Maya Miyoshi, now hopes to win a contract for the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics in Tokyo.

“Ninja are world-class icons and we want people to feel familiar with security at sports facilities,” said Miyoshi, who was dressed in the guise of a kunoichi, or female ninja.

Wearing a dark red judo-style uniform and armed with toy shuriken (throwing stars) and a sword-shaped truncheon, the 36-year-old executive said, “I’ve always liked to do something different. I want to make a change in the security industry, which appears to be old-fashioned and sober.”

Miyoshi has surprised many in the industry since taking over SSC, a spinoff from a security unit of her husband’s company, in 2011. Her experience studying design in high school has inspired unorthodox ideas, such as dressing the security guards in yellow uniforms.

SCC’s business model has also proven popular with the public, including high school students and foreign visitors who have asked to take photos with the security guards.

Miyoshi’s dream is to take her security ninja to the 2020 Games. “We want to contribute to the Tokyo Olympics. If we draw attention, it will energize the industry as well.”

The All Japan Security Service Association said the industry bloomed as a result of its success during 1964 Tokyo Olympics, when its work guarding the athletes’ village was widely acknowledged by the public and in the business sphere.

[GeneChing]

Parkour & Ninjas

[GeneChing]

Japanese ninja proficiency test to be held in Tokyo
Oona McGee 5 days ago



Do you have what it takes to become a certified shadow warrior?

Shiga prefecture’s city of Koka, whose kanji can also be read as “Koga“, has one of the most prestigious ninja connections in all of Japan. Often referred to as the birthplace of ninjutsu, the Koga clan who once resided here five centuries ago were known for their elite shadow warrior skills, and today they’re one of only two clans (along with Iga in Mie Prefecture) which are still widely remembered.

▼ Koka Station pays homage to their ninja heritage
with a shuriken throwing star motif.



Koka City takes pride in keeping their ninja roots alive, with the local tourism association conducting annual testing of clan knowledge with an examination that people can sit for in Shiga Prefecture each year.

Now, to commemorate the association’s tenth test, the exam will be held in Tokyo for the first time ever, at the famous Zojoji Temple, which is one of two family temples of the Tokugawa Shogun. Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543-1616), who founded the shogunate, is said to have escaped an incident in Kyoto in 1582, with the help of the Iga and Koga ninja clans.

▼ With its ninja connection, Zojoji is an apt location
for the first clan test outside of Shiga.



The exam itself is designed to measure knowledge of the Koga clan, including their activities from the 15th to 16th centuries, as well as fictional ninja works. The test is 30 minutes long and consists of 50 multiple choice questions. Sitting the exam in ninja cosplay and showing off your shuriken throwing star skills will add an extra ten points to a test-taker’s score, with a total of 60 points required to pass the test.

Following the test, talks are scheduled to be held by Naoya Inoue, a ninja researcher, and Toshinobu Watanabe, a Koga ninja descendent. A variety of other ninja-related events will be held at the venue on the day, including a performance by a shadow warrior group at 11 a.m. and 12 p.m., which is open to all members of the public.

Pre-registration for the test is required, with the tourism association accepting the first 200 applicants who fax or email the application form found on the official site. Applicants are required to pay the 3,000 yen (US$26.50) fee via bank transfer before the examination day.

The test will be held on 22 October, and the reception opens from 9 a.m. If you’re unable to test your shadow warrior skills this time around, don’t worry – there are plenty more crazy certification tests you can take in Japan!

Source: @Press
Featured image: @Press
Insert images: Wikipedia/go.biwako, Flickr/redlegsfan21 (edited by SoreaNews24), @Press

This is bad ass. Ninjas rock.

[Oso]

ninja's suck.

[GeneChing]

Not quite a Kung Fu Restaurant, but next time you're in Japan and you want to do the ninja thing: Ninja Cafe Kunoichi

One-day ninja experience
be taught by a real ninja
8,000 JPY(120min)
Options
500JPY -
The original costume is rent for free, but you may pay for renting additional items and take a photo looking like an actual ninja!



Sayaka Ohguri Profile
With over 20 years of combat martial arts training, our licensed instructor will pass his wisdom and knowledge on to the next generation so that they may learn the traditional fighting techniques and ways of the ninja at our Kunoichi dojo in Shibuya.

[GeneChing]

MartialArtsMart.com carries Tabi Boots, but not Tabi socks.

Luv the bit about 50 year old sewing machines. I should add that into my sales schtick.

Traditional tabi socks let you sneak around like a modern ninja while providing maximum comfort
Koh Ruide 2 days ago



Made by a well-established Japanese company, these authentic socks are sure to give your ninja career a head start.

The Japanese ninja proficiency test has just wrapped up this year, churning out more shadow warriors and keeping the art of stealth alive.

Those who missed the annual examination might want to prepare for the next one with the help of Japanese company Kuruwa, and their traditional ninja tabi socks. Melding into shadows requires proper attire after all.

▼ Remain cloaked in darkness effortlessly with a pair of these, priced at 3,000 yen (US$26.44).



Kuruwa boasts a long history — 135 years to be exact — of creating tabi, which are specialized ankle-high Japanese socks that come with a split separating the big toe from other toes, and are ideal when worn with traditional Japanese thonged footwear like geta.

The Japanese company claims that modern day sewing machines aren’t able to recreate a tabi’s three-dimensional feel, and thus uses machines which are well over 50 years old to produce them. Prospective shadow warriors will truly be wearing stealthy footwear filled with history and tradition.

The ninja tabi’s nylon exterior provides maximum flexibility, while the cotton interior keeps your feet comfortable and warm on cold nights.

▼ Handy velcro straps at the rear allow shadow warriors
to slip into them easily and swiftly.



Perfect for ninja cosplays and comfortable enough for everyday use, invest in a pair of these to make risky midnight raids on fridges a walk in the park. With that said, we’re pretty sure police caught the 74-year-old Japanese ninja simply because he wasn’t wearing them.

Source, images: @Press

[GeneChing]

Sort of on topic...

From a Ninja with love: Swarthmore College students deliver Valentines for charity
Updated: FEBRUARY 13, 2018 — 10:18 AM EST

[IMG]http://media.philly.com/images/1200*800/dixon-375477-f-wp-content-uploads-2018-02-1026929_7dbdeeba008d930-e1518468534170-1200x801.jpg[/IMG]
SUSAN SNYDER
Ninja Valentine deliverers close in on a classroom at Swarthmore College.

by Susan Snyder, Staff Writer @ssnyderinq | ssnyder@phillynews.com

Who are those stealthily clad Ninjas creeping around one of the nation’s most prestigious college campuses?

Swarthmore College students, that’s who.

Their mission? Deliver Valentine’s cards, affectionately known as Ninja Grams, sent by Swarthmore students and staff to students and staff.

Their work comes with a price. Order just a card, it’s $3. Want to add a truffle? Add a dollar. Oh, and if you’d like your Ninja deliverers to faux fight, that will be another $3.

“There’s also a discount for bulk,” said Julia Morriss, 20, a chemistry and biology major, who was manning the “Ninja Central” desk on the 1,620-student campus in Delaware County last week.

It’s all for a good cause. This year, proceeds will be donated to Engineers Without Borders, which aids developing countries.

Ninja-grams have been delivered at least since 2010 when more than $1,000 was raised for Haiti Community Support after a devastating earthquake. Among other efforts supported in past years were Animal Coalition of Delaware County and Hurricane Katrina Relief.

Morris and her sidekick — who would identify herself only by the sign she carried, “Just a Potted Plant” — were among the Ninja deliverers sneaking around the campus on Friday in their black garb and balaclavas, toting colorful swords. They hand-carried red cards with a Ninja heart inked in black, burst into classrooms where heady subjects were being debated and delivered the goods to unsuspecting recipients.

[IMG]http://media.philly.com/images/600*450/dixon-375477-e-wp-content-uploads-2018-02-1026926_5e25f971b7a96ec.jpg[/IMG]
SUSAN SNYDER
Anonymous Ninja deliverer, “Just a Potted Plant.” awaits her next assignment at Ninja Central.

Sometimes they would prance and leap upon a fixture before laying down the card.

“We’re stealthy,” explained Morriss, who is from Hastings-on-Hudson, N.Y. “Most people think it’s pretty fun. Most professors are pretty good about having us in there. We try not to be too disruptive, in and out in two minutes or less.”

A white board at Ninja Central noted classrooms where deliveries were not welcomed – Bio 2, French 14, Physics 4 and Econ 21 — largely because quizzes were scheduled, Morriss said. Academics still trump sweet nothings on a campus where only 10 percent of applicants are admitted.

[IMG]http://media.philly.com/images/1200*900/dixon-375477-e-wp-content-uploads-2018-02-1026930_279a204b054de84.jpg[/IMG]
SUSAN SNYDER
Ninjas present a card in an Arabic class.

Ziv Stern, 20, a sop****re linguistics major from the Bronx, who was helping at Ninja Central, said students send the cards to friends or someone they want to embarrass a little bit.

“I sent one to my roommate. She sent one to me,” Morriss said.

In a class on Arabic, recipient Coleman Powell, 20, a sop****re from Lowell, KY., smiled.

“It’s very heartfelt,” Powell said.

[IMG]http://media.philly.com/images/1200*900/dixon-375477-e-wp-content-uploads-2018-02-1026932_11cbaf248ab1159.jpg[/IMG]
SUSAN SNYDER
Student Coleman Powell receives “heartfelt” card in a class on Arabic.

In another class, the female recipient looked less than pleased.

“Some people think we’re kind of annoying,” Morriss acknowledged.

Deliveries concluded on Friday; no more Ninjas on campus until next year.

Thread: Valentine's Day, Harlequin's Day
Thread: Ninjas!

[GeneChing]

'ninja researchers are scattered around the world'...but if they're good ninjas, they're hidden!

International Ninja Research Association set to launch in Iga
By KAZUHIRO NAKATA/ Staff Writer
February 13, 2018 at 09:30 JST

IGA, Mie Prefecture--The elusive talents of ninja researchers from various countries and fields are to be brought together in February with the establishment of the International Ninja Research Association.

The news was announced by Mie University’s international ninja research center based in the city’s Ueno-Marunouchi district, which will manage the secretariat for the association.

According to research center officials, ninja researchers are scattered around the world and conduct research and present their findings on an individual basis.

The new association will play the central role in connecting researchers with a global network to provide forums for academic discussions and research presentations.

A general meeting for the preparation of the new association will be held at the Sunpia Iga hotel in the city’s Saimyoji district on Feb. 17 to determine its bylaws and chairperson before launching the organization.

Afterward, a meeting will be held at 1:30 p.m. to celebrate its establishment.

Seoul National University professor Kim Shi-duck will give a commemorative lecture on ninja novels written by Toru Arayama. Yamanashi Gakuin University professor William Reed and Makoto Hisamatsu, a specially appointed professor at Mie University, will host a symposium to present their research findings about feudal-era secret agents from the perspectives of history and literature. A reception will be held at 6 p.m., with a city tour offered the following day on Feb. 18.

After being made official, the association will host a research presentation meeting each year, as well as publishing and translating papers, the officials said.

Mie University started making efforts for research on ninja and their techniques when it founded a satellite campus facility called the Iga Cooperation Field (ICF) in the city in 2012. The university leads ninja research with the research center set up at the ICF in July 2017.

[GeneChing]

Ninja to officially appear before Japanese parliament to outline goals and perform “other activities”
Casey Baseel 14 hours ago



Japan Ninja Council sending delegation to speak, show their shinobi skills at National Diet House of Representatives session.

Officially, Japan is governed by a bicameral legislature called the Diet, with their members chosen by public election. Deep down, though, you and I know the truth: it’s really the ninja who’re running the country.

In 2015, a federation of politicians, tourism professionals, and historians formed the Japan Ninja Council, dedicated to preserving and disseminating ninja knowledge (and also selling gold throwing stars for fancy shinobi). This week, representatives of the council will appear before the members of the Diet for a presentation on their activities and vision for the future.

The ninja advocates will be speaking at a meeting of the Diet’s lower house, the House of Representatives, on the morning of February 22. The eight-point presentation will consist of:
● Greeting from the Japan Ninja Council founders
● Introduction of JNC officers
● Mission statement and future goals
● Demonstration of ninjutsu by Iga Ninja Group Ashura
● Report on recent JNC activities
● Discussion of overseas interest in ninja
● Lecture on ninja history by Jinichi Kawakami, “the last ninja” and head of the Banke Shinobinoden ninjutsu school
● Other activities

The expressed purpose of the one-hour presentation is to enhance understanding of the Ninja Council’s purpose and the benefits of promoting ninja history as an aspect of Japanese culture to attract domestic and overseas travelers to parts of Japan with a connection to the country’s shadow warrior heritage, especially in light of the influx of foreign visitors Japan will have during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. However, ninja are masters of subterfuge, and we can’t entirely rule out the possibility that this is all a ruse as the JNC flexes its muscles as the true governing body of Japan and delivers its demands to the Diet for codified legislative implementation, especially since the visit will include a demonstration of ninja prowess before its ominously open-ended conclusion with “other activities.”

Of course, maybe the whole thing is completely benign, and we’re worrying too much. Still, we’re keeping our eyes on you, ninja, and if your visit turns out to be a cover to slip your operatives into the National Diet Building so you can pull off a ruthless coup coup d’état, you can rest assured that we’ll be telling all our SoraNews24 readers about it…unless you’ve already got ways of silencing us permanently, which you almost certainly do.

Source: Japan Ninja Council
Top image: Gatag/Vectorartbox

Get your ninja gear here.

[GeneChing]

I posted about this on our Ninjas! thread yesterday, but now see the relevance, given that today is Ninja Day in Japan. Shame they missed that point in their coverage. We didn't. We're good ninjas.

A group of lawmakers from ruling Liberal Democratic Party pose for a photo, after a meeting to promote ninja-related culture and tourism in Japan on Wednesday at the Diet building in Tokyo. | KYODO
NATIONAL

Lawmakers from Japan’s ruling LDP form ninja promotion group
JIJI

FEB 22, 2018

Lawmakers of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party held a meeting Thursday to mark the establishment of a group aimed at promoting the glamour of ninjas around the world.

The lawmakers’ group will support the Japan Ninja Council, which includes municipalities with ninja links such as the city of Iga in Mie Prefecture and the city of Koka in the neighboring prefecture of Shiga. The group intends to promote ninja-related tourism and regional revitalization.

To establish the ninja brand, the group is considering popularizing ninja movies and manga as well as opening a ninja museum. Through these efforts, the group hopes to boost the number of foreign tourists visiting Japan toward the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics.

Keiji Furuya, chairman of the House of Representatives Rules and Administration Committee and head of the lawmakers’ group, told attendees at the meeting on Thursday that ninja and manga are very popular among foreigners.

“We hope to spread the amazing (ninja) culture and want people in the world to enjoy it,” he said.

[GeneChing]

Because tutus and tabi go well together?

NINJA BALLET Returns - A Fusion Of Martial Arts With Classical Ballet
by BWW News Desk Jun. 5, 2018



NINJA BALLET Returns - A Fusion Of Martial Arts With Classical BalletAward-winning ballerina, choreographer and Artistic Director Shoko Tamai returns with her company of five dancers and martial artists for the 2018 Season of NINJA BALLET at The Secret Theatre, 4402 23rd Street, Long Island City, NY. The company will present five performances, from Thursday, June 28 through Sunday, July 1. The company's new work, "MA," the Japanese word for negative space, will premiere. Live music.

Founded in 2017, Ninja Ballet Dance Company fuses classical ballet with traditional martial arts, creating an immersive and interactive dance theater performance with original music, special effects and fight choreography. Performers blur the line between what is real and what is possible, using acrobatics, fire and weapons, with new technologies helping to facilitate an interactive theater experience. Ninja Ballet seeks to reconnect people with nature and to create a space where dance, music and visual arts merge as one. "We hope to inspire mindful awareness, forming a connection between nature and humanity," says Ms. Tamai.

Live musical accompaniment for Ninja Ballet 2018 Summer Season will be provided by six artists: William Catanzaro on percussion (including Shiva Drum,) Alfonso Montiel on Singing Bowl and Gong, Michael Joseph Burdi on flute and Oud, Kento Iwasaki Watanabe on Koto (traditional Japanese stringed musical instrument,) Edwin Rodriguez (percussion, Indian Drum and Native American flute,) and Vladimir Demin on Handpan Drum.

The production features dance choreography by Shoko Tamai, with dancers Rezy Pardito, Nellie Licul, Kirsten Reynolds, Pan Yu and Edward Reyes; fight choreography by martial arts expert Tony Ortiz.

NINJA BALLET
SUMMER 2018 SEASON
THE SECRET THEATRE
4402 23RD STREET
LONG ISLAND CITY, NY 11101

TICKETS - https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/3394261
$30 online $35 at door
Phone: (718) 392-0722

PERFORMANCE DATES & TIMES:

June 28: 7:30pm
June 29: 7:30pm
June 30: 2:30pm
June 30: 7:30pm
July 1: 7:30pm

* ABOUT "MA":

'MA', a Japanese word for Negative Space, or the space between time, occurring in the moment of "Now," and in the imagination of the human being who experiences these elements. Ninja Ballet Dance Company will explore the concept of 'MA' and how it relates to the ancient Mayan legend of Zopilote, a Vulture God who feasts on the newborn.

Zopilote lives in balance between life and death, consuming the dead and giving birth to new life. When Zopilote devours the child of Subaru, a female Ninja, she creates a mortal enemy: a broken-hearted mother who will do anything to exact her revenge. Subaru makes it her mission to find and kill Zopilote, but at the same moment, in the Negative Space, she herself is being hunted by Scorpion, a Ninja assassin set on finding and killing her in retribution for her clan's murder of his own parents.

The cycle of revenge will unfold and blood will be spilled. Will Subaru find peace in her vengeance? Will Scorpion finally get retribution for the crimes of Subaru's clan against his own? Will Zopilote, the ancient and powerful Vulture God of the Mayans, allow the balance of life and death to be broken, or will they all learn the power of forgiveness and finally bury their hatred in the past? All will be answered in the space between time, the moment of Now, the Negative Space!

ABOUT SHOKO TAMAI:

Shoko Tamai has performed in leading venues and dance companies around the world, including the Royal Opera House in London, Lincoln Center, and Jacob's Pillow. She received the Solo Seal award from the Royal Academy of Dance in London and was a finalist in the World Ballet Competition. She studied with Jamie HJ Guan, martial arts trainer from Beijing Opera. Ms. Tamai performed with Dance Theater of Harlem, and with Cirque du Soleil at its inception.

Shoko Tamai has been endorsed by world leading artists, including Arthur Mitchell, Founder of Dance Theatre of Harlem and Keith Saunders (Artistic Director, Dance Theatre of Harlem Touring Company), Guy Laliberté, founder of Cirque du Soleil and Abdel Salaam, choreographer at Forces of Nature Dance Theater.

In addition to teaching ballet and other styles of dance from ages 2-86, Shoko Tamai serves as director of "Cosmic Dance Healing," the practice of exchanging negative energy to positive energy via movement and awareness. Her regular classes at the Montauk Salt Cave, Cosmic Arts in Brooklyn, Studio Oasis in Chinatown, The Chapel of Sacred Mirrors (CoSM) and the Brooklyn Academy Of Music satisfy her "sincerest intention to use dance to help heal the world and its people, one happy student at a time."[/QUOTE]

THREADS:
Martial Arts in Live Theater
Ninjas!

[boxerbilly]

[GeneChing]

Get your shuriken here. There's even a Master Kit.

Ninja-star throwing contest now accepting applicants, grand champion gets a golden shuriken
Koh Ruide 21 hours ago



Have you got what it takes to be the deadliest shuriken slinger?

Remember the younger days when folding your own origami throwing stars and planning an ambush on friends was a thing? We quickly learned that for all the coolness that came with throwing ninja stars, we could never come close to the fabled shadow warriors themselves.

But for those who still hold a glimmer of hope of joining the shadow ranks, the 10th Igaryu shuriken-throwing contest might be just the thing for you. Preliminaries will be held at seven locations across Japan from September to December, culminating in an ultimate showdown of honed wits and skill in March next year.

▼ All compete to be the meanest slinger in the Old East.


Participants are to hurl five shuriken at a target situated a fair distance away from them, six meters (19.7 feet) for men and five meters for women to be exact. Aside from accuracy, proper etiquette and conduct are also factored into the final score. So while loudly invoking the names of forbidden ninjutsu while throwing stars might sound cool and all, the silent dignity befitting a ninja will score contestants more points.

An awesome shuriken made of solid gold will be bestowed on the grand champion, while the runner-up receives a silver star and third place gets a bronze one. And if you thought Japanese people have some kind of upper hand in throwing those stars, think again.

▼ Because last year’s competition saw a Brazilian beating 239 competitors to take home that sweet golden shuriken grand prize.


Participants must be at least 15 years of age, and each preliminary location only accommodates 50 people. From the preliminaries, only the top 40 of all participants will proceed to the final round held at the Ninja Museum of Igaryu. The 1,000 yen (US$9.10) registration fee includes insurance, which comes in handy in the unlikely case someone cuts themselves with shuriken.

The preliminaries will be held as follows:

2 September – Abeno Harukas Kintetsu Main Store (Osaka-shi, Abeno-ku)
9 September – Inuyama Ninjutsu Dojo (Aichi Prefecture, Inuyama-shi)
14 October – Hizenyumekaido (Saga Prefecture, Ureshino-shi)
4 November – Ueda Shiritsu Museum (Nagano Prefecture, Ueda-shi)
2 December – Ninja Museum of Igaryu (Kyoto-shi, Shimogyo-ku)
9 December – Uesen Hakuho Plaza (Iga-shi, Ueno Higashi-cho)
16 December – Mie Terrace (Tokyo-to, Chuo-ku)

Since each location only holds a limited amount of people, prospective ninja should quickly write in directly to the Ninja Museum of Igaryu here to reserve their spots.

We foresee lots of candidates from Nara Prefecture’s awesome Ninja Academy taking part in this competition, but even if you aren’t a shadow warrior yet, why not give it a try? You might just unleash that inner ninja in you.

Source: Livedoor News, Ninja Museum of Igaryu via Hachima Kiko
Top image: Photo AC
Insert images: Photo AC, Pakutaso

褒美は純金の手裏剣じゃ！　伊賀流手裏剣打選手権　受け付けスタート　来年３月に本戦

2018年6月3日 16時22分 産経新聞



優勝者に贈られる純金製手裏剣（左）と２位の純銀製手裏剣＝伊賀市

THREADS:
Igaryu shuriken-throwing contest
Throwing weapons
Ninjas!
Ninja Museum