The Giyoshu Manual
The Giyoshu manual is a collection of military articles that were written in 1690. The original collection is much larger than the selection presented here. To help form a better idea of the shinobi within the context of the samurai and the military, I have extracted any articles that mention the word shinobi and its sub-labels and also any article that is clearly a shinobi skill. In addition to this, any skill that has appeared in other shinobi literature has been retained, including basic scouting skills. Therefore, some of the following are very much connected to the shinobi, while some only show hints of the shinobi, yet all of them provide a window into samurai warfare and how the shinobi fits into that picture. The original Japanese articles have been left in situ above the translation; this has been done to aid any research undertaken by others and to help chronicle this important text for the future.
Volume One
霞の粉とハ胡椒の粉み志やくぎの灰あざみの花鉄の摺くすを抹して竹伺尓仕 込或ハ布尓包て打振候へハ目暮ム者也眠の粉とハ糞虫を影干尓して火尓焼候 へハ座中皆眠と云
Kasumi no kona—mist-powder—is made of:
♦ Ground pepper
♦ Ash of Mishashagi†
♦ Flower of a thistle
♦ Iron filings
Put the ground mixture into a bamboo cane or wrap it in cloth. If you scatter it towards people, it acts as a blinding powder. Also, sleeping powder is made of kuso-mushi (“the golden beetle”‡), which is dried in the shade. When burnt, anyone present in a room will fall asleep.
忍の者を可防尓ハ鉄䋀蔾（ヒシ）を蒔或ハ竹釘を可指也扨又忍の者来るへき道 を可知尓ハ砂、秕（ヌカ）なとを蒔て足跡尓心を可附也
Scatter iron caltrops or stab bamboo nails [into the ground] to prevent shinobi no mono [from infiltrating]. Also, scatter sand or rice-bran along the ground so as to identify footprints; in this manner you will know the way that shinobi no mono have passed.
忍の者鼡となり鼬と成て人家尓入と云ハ鼡鼬の行作を本とする故也日の暮夜の 明方を第一尓心掛簣子の下尓先屈候也扨四季の眠時を考へ鼬の路を求鼠の足 音虫の声抔して匍（ハヒ）入也
Shinobi no mono are said to infiltrate houses by making themselves like rats and weasels because they act like rats and weasels as a foundation. Also, they prioritize infiltrating at twilight or before dawn. They will crouch under bamboo floors and consider [in which way a person will] sleep depending on the season; after this they crawl their way deeper inside, finding the path of weasels and imitating the sound of the footsteps of rats or the sound of insects.
屏を越候時ハ刀の下緒を足尓搦鍔を踏て可越なり惣して高き所へ登り候時ハ上 尓専ら心を付て下を厲（アヤフ）ま須゛下へ飛下り候時ハ心を下に置て飛候者也
Tie the cord of your sword around your foot, [prop the sword against the wall], step on the hilt and cross over a fence. Remember, when climbing up to high positions, pay attention to that which is above and not that which is below and when jumping down to the ground, pay attention to that which is below as you jump.
放し囚人の番等二十人三十人宛昼夜替々勤候ハ忍の者を三四人も召連門外裏 路等を守らしむへし
When a group of twenty or thirty people stand watch over prisoners that are not bound by day and by night and by taking shifts, have three or four shinobi no mono guard outside the gate and any back alleys.
忍の者昼ハ休ミ夜ハ張番蟠（カマリ）仕寄継（ツナギ）物見の処尓至り可受指図也
Shinobi no mono rest in the daytime but at night they should go out to the same area as guards on duty, ambushes, to man lookout structures in besieging sides, and as monomi scouts—from here they are given instructions.
張番の者番替の時敵合の物見して返る事一例也又ハ忍の者尓被手引敵地の案 内道筋等を見覚へ可備也
It is a custom that guards should scout around no-man’s-land just before they return or before a change of guards. [These watchmen] should get familiar with the enemy land and remember the routes and be prepared for [battle]. They do this with the guidance of shinobi no mono.
門前或ハ張番処へ乞食来り候ハヽ早々可追出也惣して大事の番所へ他所より来 る者をハ親類たり共遠慮尤也
When beggars come to the gate or guardhouse, drive them off at once. Keep away any person from other territories that approach important guardhouses, even if they are relatives.
惣して忍蟠（カマリ）等尓出候てハ退く時を可慎也夜ハ殊更敵の忍の者跡より慕 ひ来る事ある者也
You should be careful about retreating when you go on a shinobi or kamari-ambush mission; especially at night, as the enemy’s shinobi no mono will often follow people back.
忍ひ行き敵尓逢候時妄尓不可退若顕て難逃（ノカレ）時ハ足早尓近て品を替て 可出向也敵も必同士討を厭者也
If you meet the enemy during infiltration, do not retreat without proper reason. Also, if you are detected and it is hard to escape from the enemy, approach the enemy briskly and deal with them by pretending to be somebody else. Remember, they do not wish to kill their own men.
忍の者ハ第一足場道筋尓心を付月夜闇夜尓品をかへ様を改め月影足跡尓も心 を用ひ少の木陰尓も先凌（ヤスロウ）者也
A shinobi no mono should primarily observe the footing and route ahead. Depending on if it is a moonlit night or a dark night, the way of acting or outfits should be changed. Also pay attention to the shadows made by moonlight and to footprints. Try to take cover in even the smallest shadow of trees.
忍の者野山尓起伏する者な連ハ常尓丸寝を可好也
As shinobi no mono sleep and wake in fields or in the mountains, they should always sleep in their clothes.
忍尓出候時道具多きハ悪きと云也食物と虫薬をハ必可持也扨焼食を持犬の吠 候時投出し竹管尓糸を通し鉤（カギ）を付高き所へ登る尓も自由をなし申事也
When stealing in you should not carry too many tools. Have food and medicine for stomach-aches above all other things. Carry grilled rice and when dogs bark, feed it to the dog. To climb to a high place using a tool, pass cord through bamboo pipes and attach a hook to the end.
忍ひの者ハ常尓猿を能仕入自由をなし申事も有之也
Some shinobi no mono will prepare and train monkeys so that they can control them with ease.
惣して寒天尓川渡する時ハ先水を一口呑て後渡候者也又堀水抔ハ敵も水の動 静尓心を付る者也
When you cross the river in cold weather, sip a little of the water first and then cross. Remember, the enemy will watch the water of a moat to observe if it has movement or if it is still.
忍ひの者五三人も組て出候時ハ名府（ナシルシ）目付（道痕）府（シルシ）を可 定也五色の染紙或ハ米豆等を持て両道ある処川渡の処惣して不案内の處尓て 必用候也
When multiple shinobi no mono venture out as a group, they should make arrangements for the “signs for the name” and “signs to attract attention” and “signs for the route.” They should use five [different] colored sections of paper, or colored rice, beans etc. The above should be done when a road comes to a fork or at the place where they cross a river or when they are in a place where they need guidance.
家屋へ忍入候尓ハ先門戸を外より錐（キリ）閉尓して窓穴等を切開き或ハ少しツ ヽ焼抜扨着類を脱て先へ入連跡より入て其まゝ其口を塞き候事也
When you infiltrate a house, secure the door with a drill from outside first. Next bore a hole or cut out an opening or burn out a window-like hole little by little. Take off an item of clothing and put this into the opening first; after that, steal in yourself and close the hole behind you.
�
�ひ得て敵の色目尓噪き候へハ却て顕候也又初めの道を遍るより行抜を吉と須 るなり暁ハ人の眠も安醒者なり能行迹府を取て可返也
When infiltrating to gain information, if you make noise because your enemy’s movements have surprised you, the enemy will find you. Also, it is better to go ahead [to make your way out] rather than exit along the same route from which you came. Remember that just before dawn people sleep lightly and therefore are easily awoken. Be effective and return with evidence.
具足を着し忍尓出候時ハ四尺手拭を以て毛算草摺の不鳴様尓上帯して可出也
When you infiltrate wearing armor, tie a yonshaku-tenugui, or four-foot cloth, around the thigh protectors of your armor; do this like an outer sash, so they will not make sound.
火縄袋ハなめし革を以て四五寸四方尓きんちゃくの如く尓拵へ跡先を明ケ糸を付 て可持也扨雨降又ハ夜討尓出候時鉄砲の火縄の先を此袋の中へ指入て可持也
Construct a pouch for your fuse; this is made like a drawstring purse. This is a square of four or five sun and is made of tanned leather. Pierce holes, thread [it with cord] and carry it. When it rains or you commit a night attack, keep the end of your fuse in this bag.
Written on the twenty-seventh day of the second month in 1690.
Volume Two
三ツ者とハ齅（カギ）物聞目付を云何も犬忍の者の事也
Mitsumono—the three groups, are kagi—people who sniff the air, monogiki—people who listen, and metsuke—people who see. All three are inu—dogs* or shinobi no mono.
敵を遠より見を間見と云近き所尓伏て見を見分と云惣して敵味方の利害吉悪を 見を物見と云ふ
To observe the enemy from afar is called kenmi 間見 (“looking from a distance”). To observe by lying down near the enemy is called miwake 見分 (“to distinguish”). Generally, to observe if a [military] situation is positive or negative between your own side and the enemy’s side is called monomi 物見 (“scouting”).
蟠（カマリ）物見とハ竊盗（シノビ）遠聞の者五三人宛物具堅め出候を云
Kamari-monomi—“hidden scouting”—is a way of scouting done by a group of shinobi or togiki (“listening scouts”)—they do this with armor on.
草を結とハ敵の来るへき道の草を結ひ或ハ菱（ヒシ）を蒔き伏蟠等を出須を 云ふ
Kusa wo musubu can mean; to tie grasses together, to scatter caltrops, or lay fushikamari ambushes along the path or road from which the enemy may come.
伏蟠（カマリ）野伏村蟠里蟠捨蟠抔云ハ何も人数十廿百二百千二千尓ても村里 山林或ハ草深処尓陰連居て敵の不意を撃を云何連も伏兵を云也
[There are many names] for those who ambush the enemy:
♦ Fushi kamari—ambush troops
♦ Nobushi—samurai bandits
♦ Mura kamari—those who ambush villages
♦ Sato kamari—those who ambush hamlets
♦ Sute kamari—disposable ambush troops
[The above] ambush the enemy by hiding around villages, in forests and in the mountains or grassy places. These groups can be 10, 20, 100, 200, 1,000 and 2,000. [Collectively] they are all kinds of ambush.
打鉤（カギ）ハ柄のなき熊手尓細引を付て可用也屏乗舩軍等の砌専ら用ヒ候也
An uchikagi is a rake without a handle and has a thin rope attached to it when used; this is essential for crossing over a fence, in ship boarding and so on.
四尺手拭ハ米の酢尓浸し乾て後可持若餓候時是を刻ミ可為食物也
Soak a yonshaku tenugui—four foot cloth—in rice vinegar, dry it and carry it with you. When you become hungry you can cut off a section and eat it.
澁紙（シフカミ）ハ澁油フノリ此三色紙引て可用也或ハ澁尓ドウサを加へ候
Shibugami—paper strengthened by applying a mixture of persimmon tannin juice; apply oil and seaweed glue to paper. A glaze of alum and glue may be added to the persimmon tannin.
桐油（トウユ）ハ油一升石灰二合能抹して四五篇も塗り能干て後可用也
Tung oil is used [to make oiled paper] by applying a mixture of one sho of tung oil and two go of powdered lime; apply four to five layers on paper and allow it to dry completely before use.
ガクのドウハ張番伏兵等尓出候時の小屋也破竹を以て籠の如く拵へ澁紙トウ ユ抔尓て蔽候也
A gaku no dou is a small hut used by guards or when in position of ambush. Construct frames as if making a basket with cut bamboo and then coat it with tanned paper, oiled paper, and so on.
The annotation:
内ニ一人居テ自由能様ニ如此拵也
This should be constructed as the drawing so that one person can stay inside and move about freely.
陣中鉄䋀蔾（ヒシ）モチリ等必可持也
You should always be prepared with iron caltrops, a mojiri (a T-bar drill) and so on when you go to war.
鉄ヒシハ常ニハ細縄ニ通シ置候テモ能ク候
You can have caltrops attached to thin rope during normal times.
モチリハ如此上下ヲ鉄ニテ包ミ横ツチニテ打込モチリヲ抜其穴ヲ用ユ
Cover the mojiri’s upper part and lower part with iron. Drill the mojiri into the ground by rotating the horizontal T-bar. Take mojiri out and use the hole as you wish.
兵糧乏き時ハ松の甘膚一斤人参一両白米五合右細末尓して後丸して井楼尓て 蒸て十五人尓与へ候へハ三日迄不食しても飢る事更ニ無と也
When food is lacking, make the following:
♦ Pine bark—1 kin
♦ Ginseng 1—ryo
♦ White rice—5 go
When you do not have enough rations, powder the aforementioned ingredients, form it into balls and steam them in a steaming basket. Divide this between fifteen people and they will not starve, even if they eat nothing else for up to three days.
油乏キ時紙燭を拵へ候尓ハ何の木尓ても細くけつり其上を紙尓て巻松脂を解て 可塗也或ハ紙小嚲を蝋尓て煮しめ可用也
When oil is lacking, make a paper candle. To do this, take thin sticks of any type of wood and roll them in paper and coat it all with melted pine resin. Alternatively, boil a twisted paper string in wax and use that.
雪中尓て手足不寒薬ハ右酒一升生薑六十目皮を去り能刻候て右鍋尓入火を細 く焼て半分程尓煉詰小豆程ツヽ手足尓可塗也或ハ酒計を面より手足迄塗候て も防寒者也
A medicine that protects your hands and legs against the cold:
♦ Sake – 1 sho
♦ Peeled, chopped ginger – 60 momme
Mix the above in a pot and reduce it over a low heat until it is half in volume. Put an amount the size of an adzuki bean on your hands and legs. Alternatively, use only sake; apply this on your face, hands and legs. These above work for protecting your hands and legs from frostbite.
万毒消ハ青鷺の頭尓ヒルムシロを入黒焼尓志て可用也ヒルムシロとハ海の藻 也又第一早く吐出すへき也
The way of making an antidote for all things is to put pondweed into a gray heron’s head and char it. Pondweed is a kind of seaweed. Primarily you should spit [poison] out quickly.
血留尓ハ溝三歳（ミソサンザイ）の黒焼を舌の上尓少し可置也
Char a wren and put a little of it on your tongue as a styptic.
同血留尓ハ五八草を流連落たる血の上尓少し可振掛也
Another styptic is to sprinkle gohasso—the powder of charred mamushi snake—onto a bleeding wound.
同血留尓松の葉と青木葉の灰を血の上尓可振掛也
Sprinkle the ash of pine and aucuba leaf on the blood of a wound, this is also styptic.
疵（きず）薬ハ膏薬の外妄尓不可用却而痛出る者なり急す�
�時ハ三七葉を捫 （モン）て其汁抔ハ可付也
You should not use other kinds of wound remedies apart from commonly used ointment; this is because they may bring even more pain. In case of emergency, you should crumple the leaves of the chrysanthemum (gynura segetum) and rub the juice onto your wound.
白文の書（カキ）様ハ生大豆を能ひしき水を少し入其汁を新筆尓染候て可書也 扨鍋墨を其紙の上尓可振掛始の書たる文字明々尓見へ作那り
The way of invisible writing: mash soybeans and add a little water. Write with this juice and use a new brush. If you apply kettle soot over the paper, the letters originally written will clearly appear on the sheet.
同白文の書様ハ古酒を新筆尓染て可書也扨見候時ハ炭の火尓て焙り候ヘハ始 の文字明か尓見へ候也
An alternative way of invisible writing is to write with old sake using a new brush. When you want to read this, hold it over the fire and the letters originally written will clearly appear on the paper.
同白文の書様ハ五倍子の不入金の汁を新筆尓染可書也扨見候時ハ水尓浸し候 ヘハ始の書多る文字明々尓見へ候也
A further way of invisible writing is to write using a new brush with the liquid used for tooth dye without adding the sumac nutgall. When you wish to read it, soak it in water, and the letters that you originally wrote will clearly appear on the paper.
相圖の文書様ハいろは尓ても上の一字を捨てろの字よりいろはと可讀抔約す る事也
When you write a code, you should make arrangements for the reading of it. For example, every kana character should be read as the one which is one place previous in the “I Ro Ha” Japanese alphabet. For example, the second kana “Ro” should be read as “I.”
トウユ尓て長の半頭巾の如く肩迄掛り候様尓拵へ緒を付て可持也
Make a shoulder-length raincoat with oiled paper, styled like a chohan-zukin hood. Attach a cord and carry it.
狼烟を上候尓ハ穴を堀草藁を入狼の糞を加へ火を可掛也煙高く上り遠方の味 方見付候て相図を知る也
Samurai and Ninja: The Real Story Behind the Japanese Warrior Myth That Shatters the Bushido Mystique Page 15
