When you light a signal fire, dig a hole and add grass and straw to the hole and then add wolf ’s excrement and ignite it. This smoke will rise up high, and an ally at a distance will see the signal.
同狼烟の方ハ藁三束松葉四分一狼糞三分一鉄砲の薬少し右一ツ尓して火を 付候也
Another signal fire method is to mix three bundles of straw, put together pine leaves of one fourth of the amount of straw, then add wolf dung to one third of the amount and a small amount of gunpowder, then ignite it.
同狼煙の方䡰畳尓狼糞を加へ其儘火を掛候也扨又狼糞見様ハ糞尓毛交りて 有之者也
A further signal fire method is to add wolf ’s dung to old tatami mats and ignite them. To find wolf excrement, know that it has hair in it.
胴の火の方ハ笋の皮を晝夜百日程雨露尓曝し黒焼尓して早稲藁（ハセハラ）を 捫ツトの如く拵へ一方強く結てツント切尓て一方ハ長くして能捫其中へ右の黒 焼を柚の大サ程尓丸して火を付入置上を手拭尓て能包ミ候へハ久敷有之者也
Constructing a donohi (body warmer): Expose young bamboo sheaves to the rain and dew for about one hundred days and nights and then char the mixture. Next, crumple early-ripening rice straw and make it into a bundle. Fasten one side of the bundle tight and cut the end off. Leave the other end uncut. Crumple enough [of the mixture] and char it, [form it into a] ball the size of the yuzu fruit and ignite it, then place it into the straw bundle. Finally wrap this with tenugui cloth and it will last a long time.
同胴の火の拵へ様ハ奉書の紙を能捫（モミ）引破り丸して燃（モユ）ル火の中へ 投入連惣て火の渡候時別の紙を捫（モミ）置其上を幾重も包ミ火氣の急尓不出 様尓して可懐中也
A further way of constructing a donohi: Crumple hosho paper, which is a thick paper used for formal documents. Tear it in pieces, forming it into a ball. Throw it into a fire but then take it out when it ignites. Next completely wrap it with many layers of crumpled paper; this is so that it does not flare up [and burn out]. Place this in your kimono.
胴の火の拵へ様ハ苗を能干丸く遍そ尓拵へ其中へ杉原のホクチ尓火を付て 可入也
Constructing a donohi: Dry rice saplings and weave them into a sphere, next create a “belly button” style hollow and ignite tinder made from sugihara paper and then place the lit tinder within [the sphere].
火口（ホクチ）の拵様ハ䡰紙等を両曝尓して塩硝（エンシヤウ）硫黄（イヲフ）尓 て煮合せ可持也用る時ハ少しツヽ切て用候也
Constructing tinder: Expose [and bleach] old paper a few times, boil it in a solution of saltpeter and sulphur and carry it; tear off a section for use.
同ホクチの拵様ハ奉書の紙を能捫黒焼尓して可用也
A further way of constructing tinder: crumple hosho (thick paper), char, and use it.
萬年火の方ハ鞍馬石六匁硫黄三匁二分塩硝三匁二分熊野ホクチ三匁二分 生 脳一匁五分龍脳一匁二分松脂少シ杉原ホクチ少シ右松の甘膚を能煎し其汁尓 て煉固め能干て置扨用ひ候時ハ小刀尓て削り候へハ火出候也
The way of the everlasting fire, mix as follows:
♦ Diorite – 6 momme
♦ Sulphur – 3 momme 2 bu
♦ Saltpeter – 3 momme 2 bu
♦ Tinder from Kumano – 3 momme 2 bu
♦ Camphor – 1 momme 5 bu
♦ Borneol – 1 momme 2 bu
♦ Some pine resin
♦ Some sugihawa tinder
Knead and harden the above with liquid made from boiled down pine bark and dry it. When you use it, ignite it by striking it with a short sword.
矢火矢の薬ハ焔硝八十目硫黄六十四匁灰二十目鉄沙十二匁右からからと研し 一包ニ七匁宛也
To make powder for fire arrows, grind the following:
♦ Saltpeter – 80 momme
♦ Sulphur – 64 momme
♦ Ash – 20 momme
♦ Iron sand – 12 momme
Grind the above together and insert seven momme into each [wooden arrowhead].
此処ニ口薬ニ火ヲ付候
Ignite the fuse here.
根ハ木鋒也
The [box] arrowhead is made of wood.
雨火縄拵様ハ生脳一両を挽て其中へ天目尓水二ツ程入候て甞（なめ）候へ者 味の辛程なる時常の火縄を漬して後能干て可用也
Constructing a waterproof fuse: Grind one ryo of camphor and mix two Tenmoku bowls of water with it and then taste. When it tastes pungent, soak a common fuse in the liquid and dry completely so that it is ready for use.
同火縄拵様ハ常の火縄を[?]の中尓七日程漬して後能干て可用也或ハ五倍子の 不入カ子尓て能煮て後干て可用也
A further way to construct a waterproof fuse: Soak a common fuse in white lead* for seven days, dry and use. Alternatively, boil it in liquid that is used in dying teeth with which the sumac nutgall has not been added, dry and use.
同火縄の拵様ハ木綿の䡰着を縄尓嚲（ナイ）塩硝と松脂を水尓たて能く漬して 後能干て可用也
A further way of constructing a waterproof fuse: Form the fuse by braiding old cotton cloth into rope, fully boil saltpeter and pine resin in water. Soak the fuse in this liquid, dry it completely and use.
同火縄の拵様ハ椿尓ても藁尓てもアク尓たれ常の火縄を能染よく干て後可 用也
A further way to make a waterproof fuse: Soak a common fuse in lye from the camellia plant or from straw; dry it enough for use.
火縄乏キ時蒲の穂の火挟尓合たるを干て其儘可用也
When you lack a fuse, dry the head of a cattail plant and fit in the lock [of the musket] and use it just as it is.
䊨（フキ）のからを能両曝尓して後火縄尓嚲可用也
Expose the stems of the giant butterbur plant in the sun. These can be made into fuses by braiding them.
松明の拵様ハ枯竹を以て如常拵へ火先の方尓十文字ニ串を指て可用也
Constructing a torch: Make this of dried bamboo as is normally done, pierce it with skewers in the shape of a cross, insert them at the flame end and then use it [by throwing it, note that it will keep the flame upright].
又松明の拵様ハ檜杉禿松の三色を能破候て笋の皮尓て包ミ処 結候て可用也
A further way of constructing a torch is to have three types of wood thinly split; cypress, Japanese cedar and double-leaf pine. Wrap them within a bamboo sheath [which is found at the base of bamboo], tie it up at places and then use.
又松明の拵様ハクヌギの青き時能扣て後能干て如常拵へ可用也
A further way of constructing a torch is to beat sawtooth oak when it is still green. Dry it and make a torch in the usual way and use.
松明の方ハ塩硝其儘七十目硫黄三匁二分炭三匁二分松脳二匁一分松の引粉 一升 ナモミの實三匁三分艾葉一升松脂三匁三分右何もあらくおろして後艾葉 を細尓刻ミ松脂と能合て後惣を一尓して能堅メ大形筒三本尓可持也扨一尓て 路三里行積也
Constructing a torch:
The following ingredients are roughly grated:
♦ Saltpeter – 70 momme (as it is not refined)
♦ Sulphur – 3 momme 2 bu
♦ Charcoal – 3 momme 2 bu
♦ Camphor – 2 momme 1 bu
♦ Sawdust of pine tree – 1 sho
♦ Cocklebur seed/fruit – 3 momme 3 bu
♦ Mugwort leaves – 1 sho
♦ Pine resin – 3 momme 3 bu
Shred the mugwort leaves and then mix them with the pine resin. Next mix it all together and ram into three large bamboo cylinders and carry. You can use one bamboo torch for three ri of distance.
雨松明の方ハ塩硝二十五匁硫黄十二匁灰二匁五分松の節五匁�
�三匁松脂二 匁生脳三匁引茶三分鼡糞三分也右細抹ニして竹の筒尓成程堅く込竹の上皮を 薄く削て可用也
The rainproof torch:
♦ Saltpeter – 25 momme
♦ Sulphur – 12 momme
♦ Ash – 2 momme 5 bu
♦ Pine wood knots – 5 momme
♦ Mugwort – 3 momme
♦ Pine resin – 2 momme
♦ Camphor – 3 momme
♦ Ground tea – 3 bu
♦ Mouse droppings – 3 bu
Make the above into powder and firmly ram it into a bamboo cylinder, shave the bamboo to make a thin layer and then use it.
水松明の拵様ハ鹿の角尓[?]（ナモミ）の油を塗て干して五十日程返候て後可用也
The way of making a waterproof torch is to coat oil of cocklebur onto a deer antler, dry it for fifty days and then use it.
忍松明の方ハ塩硝二十目硫黄十四匁灰十四匁右を一番と須松脳十二匁右を二 番とす松脂一匁八分引茶一匁五分鼡糞一匁七分右を三番とす松の節粉三匁牛 糞三匁右を四番とす如此面 尓合せ扨一ツ尓合して竹の筒へ堅く込竹の上皮 を削り扨竹を二ツ尓破其破口を紙尓て二返張り亦惣を一返張て後可用也是ハ 火を付候て打消又振立候ヘハ燃上り候塀尓成とも地尓成共突付候ヘハ煙り計 ニ成候古へ祐成夜討時時宗是を持候と申傳也
The way of constructing the shinobi torch:
Step one:
♦ Saltpeter – 20 momme
♦ Sulphur – 14 momme
♦ Ash – 14 momme*
Step two:
♦ Camphor – 12 momme
Step three:
♦ Pine resin – 1 momme 8 bu
♦ Ground tea – 1 momme 5 bu
♦ Mouse droppings – 1 momme 7 bu
Step four:
♦ Sawdust from pine tree knots – 3 momme
♦ Cattle dung – 3 momme
Mix each set first and then combine them all together. Ram the mixture into a bamboo cylinder and shave the outer layer of the bamboo until it is thin. Next, cut the bamboo in two; apply two layers of paper over the freshly cut ends and then wrap the whole thing again. Then it is ready to use.
If you put out the fire after igniting this torch, just swing it, and the flames will sprout up again. Stub it against a fence or on the ground and it will just smoke. In ancient times, when [Soga] Sukenari committed a night attack, Tokimune carried this torch.
Written on the second day of the third month of 1690.
Volume Three
小物見ハ一騎二騎或ハ三騎馬連て可出也是ハ地形の善悪路次の遠近敵の虚實 人数の多寡備の無惣進む敵可退く敵可戦を討敵可討ぬ敵可陣取敵可陣取ぬ敵 可勢の益敵可益ぬ敵可固る敵可別るゝ敵可襲敵可降敵可弱き敵可強き敵可川 を渡る敵可渡さぬ敵可敗るゝ敵可敗られぬ敵可抔能 見分ケ候事也尤川の浅 深堀の廣狭伏兵の有と無とハ様能可心得也
Ko-monomi—small scouting groups—should ride horses and venture out together in mounted groups of one, two or three. They should know the following:
♦ If the topography is positive or negative
♦ The distance of the route
♦ If the enemy is substantial or insubstantial
♦ If the enemy’s force is large or small
♦ If the enemy is prepared or unprepared
♦ If the enemy will advance or retreat
♦ If the enemy will attack or not
♦ If the enemy is going to encamp or not
♦ If the enemy momentum is on the increase or not
♦ If the enemy are formed together or formed separately
♦ If the enemy will assault or surrender
♦ If the enemy is weak or strong
♦ If the enemy should be allowed to cross over a river or not
♦ If the enemy can be defeated or not
Also, they should have a good judgement on how to know the depth in a river, how wide and narrow a moat is, and if there are ambushes or not.
惣して物見使番等立返り御返事申陣尓行時ハ相圖の小旗を用候也馬を強く乗 候へハ必乗倒春事ある也
When monomi scouts and the lord’s messengers return to their camp with information, they use a small flag as a signal. This is done because if they ride too hard they may fall [from their horses] from time to time.
相験ハたとへハ布を一尺程尓切て風と云字を書て鎧の袖尓可付抔兼てより多 く可拵置也
An example of an identifying mark is:
Cut cloth one shaku in length and write an ideogram upon it, for example, 風 kaze for wind; put these on the sleeve of your armor, etc. You should make a lot of such signs in advance.
相詞定る事敵可と問ハヽ討と答へよ花可と問ハヽ月と答へよ山かと問ハヽ谷 と答へよ墨かと問ハヽ硯と答へよ抔と兼て云安き言葉を多く拵へ夜 尓可改 易也
You should make passwords as follows:
♦ When someone says “Teki” (enemy), you should answer “Ute” (attack)
♦ When someone says “Hana” (flower), you should answer “Tsuki” (moon)
♦ When someone says “Yama” (mountain), you should answer “Tani” (valley)
♦ When someone says “Sumi” (black ink), you should answer “Suzuri” (ink stone)
Prepare many such word combinations that are easy to say, do this in advance, and change them every night.
惣して夜討尓出候時松明抔不可持鉄砲ハ火縄を袋尓可入也
When you venture on a night raid, do not carry a lit torch and put your lit musket fuse into a pouch.
惣して夜討尓出候事月の夜ハ白く闇の夜ハ黒く可出立也
Concerning night attacks, you should wear white when it is a moonlit night. You should wear black when it is dark night.
夜討尓可出尓ハ前の夜より忍の者を入置相圖の剋馬を放ち或火を放ち敵の躁 動する尓乗て可討也
When you venture on a night attack, send shinobi no mono the night before the night raid. They should let horses go or use fire as a signal of attack, then attack the enemy by taking advantage of their panic.
相圖の手縄ハ敵の城戸口より忍者を段々尓付ケ縄を引て次第 尓可令知也是 敵夜討抔尓出候を可知ため也
The skill of signalling by rope involves positioning shinobi no mono at intervals from a [enemy] castle entrance and for commands to be sent back by pulling on the rope that that they have in hand. This is in order to inform people of when the enemy venture out on a night raid.
伊賀甲賀の忍者ハ敵の城内へ忍ひ入て具尓見候て返る事罕䝘？也城中よりも出 多る忍者尓對面して堅き誓言尓て互尓語合候と那り
Iga and Koka shinobi no mono do not always precisely observe and infiltrate castles. Instead they sometimes meet other shinobi no mono that have come from the castle. They often get information from each other by the use of strong oaths.
火事狼煙等の方角を可見知尓ハ常尓其方角を能見定矢倉勢楼尓上り刻（キザ） を付置候或ハ竹を四方尓立て縄を張り結目を付ケ方角遠近を可知也
To identify exactly which direction a fire or signal fire is positioned, you should mark out the correct directions by making notches upstairs in a turret or in a watch tower. Alternatively you should mark them out by standing four bamboo posts in a square and stretch rope around them with knots to show the direction or the distance [of the fires].
飛脚（ヒキヤク）燧(違う写本では飛脚かがり)狼煙（ノロシ）或ハ玉火流星等を所 高山抔尓備へ置相圖の儀ある時其次 の火を見て遠国まて一時尓知候也
Prepare hikyakukagari (“express fire messenger”), noroshi (“signal fires”), tamabi (“ball fires”) or ryusei (“rocket flares”), etc., and place them here and there on hig
h mountains in advance. When the need to send a signal arises, the signal will be relayed from position to position so that people in the distant place will know of it immediately.
一陰府陰約ハ皆相府相詞作り文字或ハ通音或ハ白文等を以て書札を認メ衣の 内尓納或ハ脇指の鞘尓収メ或ハ切破笠の緒尓拵へ或ハ鞋の裏尓蔵或ハ魚鳥 の腹尓蔵し或ハ竹の筒尓込ミ或ハ心尓銘し或ハ五體を破て其内尓蔵抔して餘 方の味方尓通る事也其外髪の中肌の帯等を吟味する事也
Secret marks or secret arrangements are ways to communicate with allies in a different place by the use of identifying marks or passwords that have been pre-arranged. Do this by writing in letters using secret code or invisible ink; by hiding the writing in your clothes; in the scabbard of your wakizashi; by cutting it into pieces and making strings of them and using them as cords for a straw hat; on the sole of a straw sandal; in a belly of a bird or fish; in a bamboo cylinder; by memorizing it; or cutting open somewhere on your body and inserting it into the wound, and so on.
Apart from these, check the inside of hair and loincloths to discover them.
色府ハ五色の紙を以て餘所の味方へ意趣を通る事也白ハ請加勢ヲ青ハ請兵糧 ヲ黒ハ殺敵将ヲ黄ハ敵（テキ）強（ツヨク）紫（ムラサキ）ハ請玉薬ノ類也
Color marks are used to inform your side of who is stationed in another place and to transmit intentions. For this, use five different colored papers. For example:
1. White: asking for reinforcements
2. Blue: asking for food
3. Black: to kill the enemy’s general
4. Yellow: to say the enemy is strong
5. Purple: to ask for gun powder
惣して敵国へ入らハ必物見を幾重尓も出須事也敵間近き処へ物見を出し候時 ハ足軽の一組も二組も跡より可出也
When you enter the enemy’s land, send monomi out repeatedly. When you are near the enemy’s position and send monomi in, have one or even two troops of ashigaru follow them.
伏蟠（カマリ）可有と思ふ処をハ先へ乗抜敵の道筋尓心を付物鉄砲抔少掛見 候者也
Samurai and Ninja: The Real Story Behind the Japanese Warrior Myth That Shatters the Bushido Mystique Page 16