Brilio.net/en - Do you have moves that could frighten a snake? Are you as stealthy as the night? Do you look ridiculously good in black?
Then you might be the next big thing in Japan. Aichi, a prefecture in the island country, is looking for six fit young ninjas to join its team of six ninja assassins.
While the opportunity isnt actually for midnight murders, the gig is a year long contract for performers. The recruitment campaign is in fact part of a tourism push for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The campaign has had quite a start, with Local governor Shigeaki Omura having appeared online in full ninja costume as part of the bid.
Aichi prefecture wants to hear from anyone aged 18 to 30 and who is available to start next month, with a pay of 180,000 Japanese Yen ($1,585 or IDR 20 million) a month for the duration of twelve months. Training for the mission starts in April.
Image via Reuters
While ninjas were notoriously secretive and quiet, Aichi is looking for more talkative ninjas who enjoy performing on stage. Physical fitness and acrobatic skills are a mustsays Aichi prefecture, which hopes to promote "warlord tourism".
Image via getty images
Ninjas represent an important historical context in Japan and acted as covert agents who would often gather secret intelligence under the cover of the moon. Modern day folklore has expanded on the powers of ninjas and in many comics ninjas are depicted as having mastered the elements and sometimes even complete invisibility. Once they were looked on as little more than a historical curiosity of more interest to foreigners than Japanese themselves, prefectures are increasingly keen to capitalise on historical ties to tap into the country's tourism boom.
The campaign surely is a creative and authentic way to promote the Olympics in Tokyo 2020 while at the same time raising awareness about Japanese culture.
(brl/red)
