The legends and tales of Japanese ninja will come alive as Tomonosuke and ASHURA – The Iga Ninja Troupe from Iga, in Mie Prefecture, Japan introduce local audiences to the unique life and world of ninja and their techniques known as ninjutsu.

As heir of the ninjutsu heritage and son of ninjutsu master Hanzo Ukita, Tomonosuke learned the art of Iga style ninjutsu from his father beginning at age five. He has traveled internationally, speaking and giving demonstrations in Europe, the USA, and across Asia. At TAIWANfest, he will reveal and demonstrate the crafts, skills, and culture that have been handed down to him.

The world of ninja, which literally means ‘hiding person’, is one of espionage, infiltrating enemy territory, disrupting them, and sometimes even engaging in assassinations. With a unique repertoire of strategies and disguises, using specialized weapons and techniques, ninja were experts at stealth. Born in Iga City, once an isolated town deep in the mountains, during the feudal era when civil war was prevalent, Ninja are a very real and fascinating part of Japanese history and culture as Tomonosuke will explain.