Tokugawa Ieyasu was a Japanese samurai and shogun, founder in 1603 of the Tokugawa dynasty and shogunate, although he actually ruled Japan from 1600 after the Battle of Sekigahara. Officially, his rule ended in 1605, but Tokugawa continued to exercise his power through the so-called "Cloistered rule", but retained his power until his death.

Something interesting about his "shadow ruling"

Despite his formal abdication in 1605 in favor of his son Hidetada, Ieyasu remained the real ruler of Japan from the position of "retired shogun" (ogosho) until his death. During this period he moved to Sumpu, from where he directed the construction of his castle in Edo.
The culmination of the first Edo period was in 1614-1615 when Osaka was besieged. At the time, Hideyori (Ieyasu's son) was living in Osaka Castle, with no apparent ambition to remove Tokugawa from power. However, Ieyasu, who well understands that after his death the heir will continue to be a real danger to his family, manages to find a formal pretext to attack him. Initially, the fighting was on the side of Toyotomi's military units, led by Hideyori, but Ieyasu managed to regain the initiative. His troops, personally led by Shogun Hidetada, managed to permanently surround Osaka Castle, which was captured at the end of 1615. Hideyori, his mother Yodojimi and his heir perform sepuku. Hideyori's wife, Senhime (Ieyasu's granddaughter), is saved. With this event, the Tokugawa clan finally conquered Japan and from that moment on can apply without any restrictions their views on the development of the country.

Kunoichi were trained differently from male ninja. Their training was more focused on secrecy, knowledge of poisons, and the use of their feminine charm. Although they were trained in close combat, they used these skills only as a last resort, when there was a threat of their exposure and capture. 

They, as a rule, pretended to be geishas, prostitutes, artists, the main thing was to get as close to the enemy as possible. Those whom they seduced did not always become their victims, they could just as well be disguised as domestic slaves and thus receive the necessary information. In addition, the pupils of Mochizuki Chiyome, who served the Takeda clan, were Shinto priestesses - miko.

The Kunoichi can be very dangerous when it comes to manipulation. They reach the incredible extends to control their enemies by obsessing them with sex. Therefore, it is said that beautiful girls in a very young age were chosen to educate them to be Kunoichis. 

The Samurai are the so-called defenders of Japan, warriors who live by their unwritten law Bushido - the path of the warrior mentioned in the late and early 16th century in Tsunetomo's "Hagakure". An important part of the bushido law was seppuku - a suicide ritual that allowed a shameful samurai to regain his honor by moving to the afterlife, where samurai continue to be guided by the bushido law. The two swords girded around the samurai's waist, as well as the characteristic hairstyle, were a hallmark of the samurai class.

The samurai in their main origins were mostly cavalrymen - horse riders, and their main weapon was: the bow or naginata - a kind of spear with a curved blade. Their armor was lavish and beautiful. Only the samurai helmet was made of metal. The armor called kuzane was made of leather, lacquered wood and silk (unlike its European counterpart). Thus the samurai in battle was agile and light. Kuzane was also adapted to the climate of Japan, which is humid during certain periods.

The ancestor of the term samurai is considered to be Prince Yamato, about whom legends are carried. His strength was exceptional, as was his courage. It is these qualities that are characteristic of the samurai. The idealized image of the samurai includes the willingness to die at any time in favor, protection, or at the will of his master. Not to feel fear, but only regret, as well as to despise material goods.

Ninjutsu originated in China in the first centuries of the new era. Called by various names: Yin Sen Shu (a method of disappearing the body), Fa Shu (black arts) and others, it served espionage since ancient times, practiced by secret societies - closed organizations, similar in nature to sects.

After being transferred to Japan in the 7th-8th century, it first developed around Kyoto in the mountainous regions of Iga and Koga. It then spread throughout Japan, but these mountains remain the main center of Ninjutsu. Translated, Ninjutsu means "The Art of Being Invisible" or "The Art of Being Patient."

Ninjas were used to destabilize the enemy, political assassinations, and to deliver vital information about the position of enemy troops that could be decisive in any battle. Superpowers are often attributed to them, which caused fear in the ranks of even the brave samurai. For the ninja, the main weapon was surprise, and of course the fear that the very mention of the word "ninja" evokes. This made them one of the most hated and despised people in Japanese society. The ninjas were not afraid. They were subordinated only to their interests, their best friend was the darkness.

The ninjas were women and men. It often happened that a female ninja (kunoichi) seduced her victim and killed him. The training was hard, sometimes ending in death. Among the skills they possessed were: acrobatics, fencing, hand-to-hand combat, wrestling, climbing, swimming and enduring long underwater, enduring cold and heat, standing still for days, suppressing hunger and more.

The ninjas used a wide range of weapons and devices such as swords, shurikens and chains, most often hidden and arousing suspicion, for example in a stick or on the periphery of a straw hat. In addition, they were experts in the preparation of poisons, potions and bombs. They understood chemistry, physics, astronomy, mathematics and acupuncture. They were also trained in the "art of disguise," which they often used to avoid being seen in cities and to sneak unnoticed into nature. It is believed that the ninja was the first to construct a glider as a device for attacking samurai fortresses.

Manriki-gusari is a traditional Japanese and Chinese weapon with a chain, at the end of which are two weights designed to hit or capture the enemy. Another tactic is to grab the weights with one hand and throw them in the other person's face, which leads to unconsciousness or death. Another possibility is to throw the weapon itself against the opponent, which can cause shock or surprise. In most cases, this weapon is used as a surprise. Usually the manriki-gusari is about 90 cm (three feet) long. This weapon is one of the traditional weapons in the martial art of ninja.

Additional uses of the weapon are, for example, its use as a piercing weapon (spike and chain) in conjunction with the chain weapon. In this use, the chain is longer - about 1.8-3.04 m, with weight at both ends, each of which can be used separately. It is also possible to use both at the same time when the holder places a central handle on the chain.