---
title: "Goton pō"
priority: 600
date: 2006-04-02T14:48:00+02:00
author: "Stefan Imhoff"
excerpt: "In order to successfully escape after a quest, the Ninja used the Goton pō, the five methods of escape, using the five elements. They are based on the Daoist principle of Gogyō. The Ninja uses water, wood, fire, earth and metal to prepare and execute his escape."
translationKey: "gotonPoPage"
categories:
  - strategy
  - tactics
---

## Suiton – Use of Water to Escape

- Use of standing and flowing water to escape
- Swimming and diving techniques
- Use of boats and water tools
- Silent swimming
- Avoiding waves
- Hide behind artificial reed islands (_kitsune gakure no jutsu_, Engl. <q>The art of hiding like a fox</q>)
- Staying under the water surface with the help of a breathing tube or air sacs
- Knowledge of the influence of water on the battle
- Rerouting of rivers
- Undermining of walls
- Flooding of landscape
- water navigation

## Mokuton – Use of Wood to Escape

- Use of wood and plants for escape
- Climbing trees and poles (_tanuki gakure no jutsu_, Engl. <q>The art of hiding like a raccoon</q>)
- Hide in treetops and bushes
- Knowledge of natural camouflage and camouflage
- Production of poisons and medicines
- Construction of siege engines
- Knowledge of building statics and building construction
- Climbing with ropes and ladders

## Katon – Use of Fire to Escape

- Use of fire
- Use of firearms, grenades, mines, cannons, and explosives
- Exploiting light, shadow, and sound
- Exploiting dawn and dusk, fog, rain, smoke.
- Sneaking in the shadows
- Use of poison gas and sleeping gases
- Arson
- Knowledge of fire effects in battle
- Setting fire to fields and forests
- Wind action on fire
- Use of incendiary arrows and incendiary projectiles
- fumigation

## Doton – Use of Earth to Escape

- Use of earth, rocks, stones, and walls to escape
- Hide in burrows, caves, hollows, and behind rocks
- Buried under sand and earth
- Climbing rocks and walls
- Walking and running techniques to move on roofs, narrow passages, and slippery surfaces
- Terrain Science
- Knowledge of the topographical conditions
- land navigation
- vehicle knowledge

## Kinton – Use of Metal to Escape

- Use of metal to escape
- Use of weapons (e.g. _shuriken_, _tetsubishi_).
- Use of tools (including saws, drills, burglary tools)
- Use of climbing equipment (e.g. _shukō_, _ashi kō_, _kagi nawa_)
- Use of mirrors for dazzling or communication

The elements are difficult to separate from each other and, of course, there are usually several elements to be found at the same time. When climbing rocks (_doton_), metal climbing tools (_kinton_) were of course also used. When hiding in burrows (_doton_) or water (_suiton_), vegetation (_mokuton_) was often added for camouflage. These categories can also be expanded at will, and modern technologies such as GPS also fit into one of these categories.
