Kunoichi

Kunoichi (Japanese: くノ一, also くのいち or クノイチ) is a Japanese cant term for "woman" (女, onna).^[1][2] In popular culture, it is often used for female shinobi or practitioner of ninjutsu (ninpo). The term was largely popularized by novelist Yamada Futaro in his novel Ninpō Hakkenden (忍法八犬伝) in 1964.^[1]

Although kunoichi have appeared in numerous creative works, including novels, TV-dramas, movies, and manga, Mie University historians have concluded that there are no historical records of female ninja performing reconnaissance and subversive activities in the same manner as their male counterparts. However, the late 17th century ninja handbook Bansenshukai describes a technique called kunoichi-no-jutsu (くノ一の術, "the ninjutsu of a woman") in which a woman is used for infiltration and information-gathering, which Fujita Seiko considers evidence of female ninja activity.