There have been several discussions on what ninjas actually wore. Pop culture and Hollywood have dictated that they had black ninja uniforms. These uniforms are found in most martial arts supply due to the image of Ninjutsu as seen in the movies. But it is really an accurate depiction of what ninjas really look like?
There are some people who think that they wore a set of peasant grade clothing. A hakama might have been worn with strips of cloth to tie make the baggy clothing tighter, especially at the knees and ankles. This would reduce noise and snagging.
The hakama worn by the ninjas are more likely to be the umanori type. Umanori is a type of hakama that divided the legs, similar to the western pants. The kimono would have been tied with strips of cloth at the wrist and elbow to decrease the amount of noise and snagging. The obi or belt would have been simple as well.
The coloring of the clothes would have been varied according to the season and other circumstances. Earth tones were probably used and different pieces of clothing would match in color. Black stands out at night more than browns or greens. Dark red or blue are better than black to conceal in the dark. Multiple colors also help break the form of a person. That’s the reason why camouflage clothing is never a solid color.
As for tabi boots, there are some people who think that they wore straw zori sandals or tabi socks instead. The sandals were tied to the legs with hemp rope. This would keep them from coming off while moving.
When you collate the above mentioned clothing pieces, they would not be costly. They provide good camouflage and don’t need to be custom made or altered. When the strips of cloths were removed and hidden in the kimono, the ninja would look like a normal peasant.
Photo by Sidharta-999 [Public domain], undefined
