Iga and Koka,
the birthplaces of the ninja

Iga and Koka, the birthplaces of the ninja

The Iga region of Mie Prefecture and the Koga region of Shiga Prefecture are famous as the birthplace of the ninja, and are referred to in the "Omi Yochi Shiryaku", an Edo period geographical journal, as "Ninja (shinobinono) Iga Koga," meaning "Ninja," and the ninja were represented as "those from Iga and Koga".
The two provinces, also known as "Koui-Ichi Province", are bordered by rolling hills and are neighbors from north to south, and they are in close proximity to Kyoto and Nara.
Surrounded by the Suzuka Mountains to the east and the Kasagi Mountains to the west, the mountainous region was a convenient place of exile for the powerful of the time, a strategic point for east-west traffic on the Yamato Highway and Tokaido Highway, and a militarily important region as well.
The answer to the question of why ninja and ninjutsu were born in the Iga and Koga regions can be found by visiting the villages of the ninja.

Map of Cultural Properties that make up Japan Heritage Wata Kubo-yashiki Residence Ruins, a municipal historic site Koka Ninjutsu Museum Medieval Castles in Koka - Sasayama-jo Medieval Castles in Koka - Kurokawashi-jo Medieval Castles in Koka - Meigaki-jo Medieval Castles in Koka - Ueno-jo Medieval Castles in Koka - Wada-jo Medieval Castles in Koka - Tsuchiyama-jo Medieval Castles in Koka - Takigawa-jo Iga-ryu Ninja Museum Fukuchi-jo Castle Ruins, a castle of Mie prefectural designated historic site Medieval Castles in Iga and Castle Ruins of the hard-fought Tensho Iga War - Mibuno-jo Medieval Castles in Iga and Castle Ruins of the hard-fought Tensho Iga War - Amagoiyama-Toride National Historic Landmark Ueno-jo Castle Ruins (Heiraku-ji Temple Ruins) Koka-ryu Ninja House Kashiwano-jo Castle Ruins Takeshima-jo Castle Ruins Momochi-toride Fort Ruins, the fort ruins of Momochi Tanba-no-kami, one of the three greatest ninjas Hijiyama-jo Castle Ruins, the location of the hard-fought Tensho Iga War Muryojufuku-ji Temple, military base for the ninja during the hard-fought Tensho Iga War Maruyama-jo Castle Ruins, the location of the hard-fought Tensho Iga War Chigachi-jo Castle Ruins Kakeda-jo Castle Ruins Murasame-jo Castle and Jizen-jo Castle, national historic sites Shimoyama-jo Castle Saji-jo Castle Ruins, a municipal designated historic site Takenaka-jo Castle Ruins, a national historic site Minakuchi Okayama-jo Castle Ruins Shinkun Igagoe-related Remains Hinoo-jinja Shrine Tokuei-ji Temple Shinobicho Otori-jinja Shrine Yagawa-jinja Shrine Kashiwagi-jinja Shrine Shingu-jinja Shrine Ogawa-jo Castle Ruins, a prefectural historic site Koka Medicine Koka Maebiki-noko Saws Ruins on Summit of Mt.Reizan Matsumoto-in, a temple of Shugendo Atago-jinja Shrine Shoin-ji Temple and Kotengu Seizo Aburahi-jinja Shrine Mt. Hando-san and Hando-jinja Shrine Rakuya-ji Temple Fujibayashi Nagatonokami graveyard Tejikara-jinja Shrine, the guardian deity shrine of Fujibayashi Nagato-no-kami, one of the three greatest Iga ninjas Aekuni-jinja Shrine, the shrine where festive events of the Hattori clan were held Kasuga-jinja Shrine, the guardian deity shrine for the Iga clan in Mibuno area - Kasuga-jinja Kasuga-jinja Shrine, the guardian deity shrine for the Iga clan in Mibuno area A Temple related to the Koka One Hundred-Member Gun Squad - Chofuku-ji A Temple related to the Koka One Hundred-Member Gun Squad - Shomyo-ji A Temple related to the Koka One Hundred-Member Gun Squad - Yuisho-ji A Temple related to the Koka One Hundred-Member Gun Squad - Jigen-ji Chikata Kustsu Cave Sakayanagi, Chikobe-ga-ido, and Tosakabuchi Iwaosan Sokusho-ji Temple Koshin-san Kotoku-ji Temple

Access

Iga City

By rail

From Nagoya
JR Nagoya Sta. (Kansai Line) ~ JR Kameyama Sta. ~ JR Iga-ueno Sta. ~ Uenoshi Sta. of Iga Railway (Approx. 120 minutes)

Kintetsu-nagoya Sta. (Nagoya Line) ~ Kintetsu Ise-Nakagawa Sta. (Osaka Line) ~ Kintetsu Iga-Kambe Sta. (Iga Line) ~ Uenoshi Sta. of Iga Railway (Approx. 120 minutes by limited express)

From Osaka
JR Osaka Sta. (Osaka Loop Line) ~ JR Kamo Sta. (Kansai Line) ~ JR Iga-ueno Sta. ~ Uenoshi Sta. of Iga Railway (Approx. 2 hours)

Kintetsu Osaka-Namba Sta.(Osaka line) 〜 Kintetsu Iga-Kambe Sta. 〜 Uenoshi Sta. of Iga Railway (90minutes by limited express)

By car

From Nagoya
Nagoya City (Higashi-Meihan Expressway) ~ Ueno IC (Approx. 90 minutes)

From Osaka
Osaka City (Nishi-Meihan Expressway) ~ Ueno IC (Approx. 90 minutes)

Highway Bus (Mie Kotsu)

Meitetsu Bus Center ~ Uenoshi Sta. (Approx. 90 minutes)

Koka City

By rail

JR Nagoya Sta. (Kansai Line) ~ JR Kameyama Sta. ~ JR Tsuge Sta. (Kusatsu Line) ~ JR Konan Sta. (130 minutes by rapid train)

JR Osaka Sta. (Kyoto Line) ~ JR Kyoto Sta. (Biwako Line) ~ JR Kusatsu Sta. (Kusatsu Line) ~ JR Konan Sta. (85 minutes by rapid train)

※To go to Shigaraki, stop at “Shigaraki Sta.” of Shigaraki Kogen Railway(24 minutes from Kibukawa Sta.)

By car

From Nagoya
Nagoya City (Higashi-Meihan Expressway) ~ Kameyama JCT (Shin-Meishin Expressway) ~ Konan IC (Approx. 70 minutes)

From Osaka
Suita IC (Meishin Expressway) ~ Kusatsu-Takanami IC (Shin-Meishin Expressway) ~ Konan IC (Approx. 60 minutes)

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