---
title: "Organization of the Ryū"
date: 2006-03-28T16:09:00+02:00
priority: 200
author: "Stefan Imhoff"
excerpt: "The Ninja kept their intelligence structure safe from treachery through a special ranking system of leaders, middlemen, and executive agents. In the best-case scenario, the executing agents didn’t even know their clients, so they couldn’t reveal anything about them."
translationKey: "organizationOfRyuPage"
categories:
  - organization
---

## Jonin

The Ninja developed a special system to keep their organization secret. Three distinct ranks have been developed, each with its own specialty and responsibilities.

At the head of a Ryū was a leader the head of the organization. The _jōnin_ controlled the activities and decided what his Ninja did and at what cost. In larger Ryū, the _jōnin_ was a wise man who was well informed about everything. He made his decisions based on a philosophical understanding of the totality of the universe. The true _jōnin_ was a champion of harmony, aiding the oppressed without expecting great honor or great opportunity on his side.

He kept his vulnerability low by hiding his true identity from almost all of his agents. His agents were unable, even under the greatest torture, to reveal his identity or sell it to rivals.

Likewise, the _jōnin_ could send different agents independently on the same mission to ensure success. By getting a picture of the situation from each of his agents, he was able to complete his complete picture.

This system of invisibility is used by numerous criminal organizations today for very similar reasons.

## Chunin

A group of middlemen works for the _jōnin_. It was the task of these _chūnin_ to interpret the words of the _jōnin_ correctly and to have the orders carried out correctly. A _chūnin_ knew how to carry out an operation successfully, and to which agents he delegated the various tasks. He also guaranteed the anonymity and security of the _jōnin_.

When a client wished to employ the services of a Ninja clan, he would send a messenger to an area where _chūnin_ were known to reside. This could be a remote area, or it could be fishing villages or entertainment districts. The _chūnin_ then contacted the messenger, each time making contact in a different disguise. The _chūnin_ informed the _jōnin_ of the commission. The latter then weighed up the motives and first had background information obtained before agreeing or refusing. But even the client did not usually trust the Ninja straight away but instead had a fictitious order carried out first. Because betrayal and intrigues were the order of the day at the time. There were some Ninja Ryū who were loyal to certain houses, others who supported the house that pursued their goals, and still other clans who accepted any commission if the fee was right. These minor clans, often acting without the foresight of a _jōnin_, contributed greatly to Ninjutsu’s bad reputation.

As _officers_, the _chūnin_ rarely took an active part in an operation. Of course, her training included combat techniques and espionage techniques, but her specialties were strategy and effective leadership.

## Genin

The executive agents were called _genin_. It was their job to carry out the plans. It was the _genin_ around which all the fantastical legends were woven. They were the ones who ended up doing the murder, sabotaging the bridge, or opening the gates of a fortress to their own troops. They lived in constant danger of being discovered on their missions and had to survive on their own.

They only had contact with the _chūnin_ and usually did not know the _jōnin_ so that his identity could be kept secret.

When not on a mission, they lived with their families in small, secret villages nestled in mountainous and swampy areas that were difficult to access. They lived there and appeared to be farmers or fishermen. They trained in secret, and not even their neighbors knew about their deadly trade. Often two groups of _genin_ worked for the same _jōnin_ without knowing anything about it.
