Bansenshūkai (萬川集海,Ten Thousand Rivers Flowing Together to form an Ocean) (Also pronounced Mansenshukai) is a 1676 Japanese book containing a collection of knowledge from the clans in theIga andKōga,[1] The book was compiled by Fujibayashi Yasutake (descendant ofFujibayashi Nagato-no-kami[2]) in 1676, in the early years of theTokugawa shogunate.
Bansenshūkai summarizes the main points of the three volumes of the original Ninjutsu bookKanrinseiyō (間林清陽), and was written by selecting only those that fit the times. In the beginning ofBansenshūkai, the existence of the original textKanrinseiyō was mentioned, but its existence had not been confirmed for a long time. However, in June 2022, a manuscript of the second volume ofKanrinseiyō copied in 1748 was found.[3][4]
It was written to preserve the knowledge that had been developed during the near-constant military conflict from theŌnin War until the end of theSiege of Osaka almost 150 years later. As well as information onmilitary strategy andweapons, it has sections on theastrological andphilosophical beliefs of the times,[5] and along with theShōninki of 1681 and theNinpiden of 1560 make up the three major sources[6] of direct information about this shadowy profession.
The books include:
There are two versions:
Toward the end of the 18th century, representatives from Koga petitioned the shogunate for astipend. Among the documents they provided to the government to make their case was a copy of the Bansenshukai. This copy is still in theNational Diet Library.
AfterWorld War II, a limited number of handwritten copies were offered to the public.[citation needed] A few of these copies are in some major national and university libraries. It has recently been re-translated in various languages including English, French, German, and Japanese.
