SHIGA (TR) – Around 90 persons hoping to be “ninjas” gathered in Koka City on Monday to battle for the title of Japan’s top shadow warrior at the 43rd All Japan Ninja Championship, reports Nippon News Network (Oct. 12).
Koka is a region historically famed as a hidden ninja village, and the annual tournament saw participants from across the country take on five grueling ninjutsu disciplines to compete for the fastest times and highest scores.
Events included traditional shuriken throwing and scaling castle walls, but it was the “water sprint” that proved to be the downfall for many competitors.
The treacherous trial required participants to dash across a series of wooden boards floating on a pond. The challenge sent a slew of would-be assassins plunging into the water, though the crowd roared in support as the soaked participants refused to give up and struggled toward the finish line.
“I kept falling right from the start,” one exhausted competitor said. “Once you fall, you can’t get back up on land. It was really difficult.”
Another first-timer admitted to taking the ancient arts too lightly. “I totally underestimated it. It was my first time participating, but it was incredibly hard.”
The ultimate victor of the tournament was awarded a traditional scroll of full mastery (mem>menkyo kaiden)—and a vacation to Australia.