In Iran, from 3,000 to 3,500 women train in "ninjutsu" -- a school of martial arts descended from the ancient arts of Japan's ninja assassins -- in independently run clubs working under the supervision of the Ministry of Sports' Martial Arts Federation.
Iranian Women Show Their Ninja Skills
![Ninjutsu practitioners from various schools showcase their skills to the media in a gym at Karaj, northwest of Tehran.](https://gdb.rferl.org/ece58876-b0fe-41bf-9361-8ef206d6a559_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
1
Ninjutsu practitioners from various schools showcase their skills to the media in a gym at Karaj, northwest of Tehran.
![Over 3,000 women in Iran train in the arts of the legendary Japanese spies and assassins.](https://gdb.rferl.org/b3745d4b-078b-4913-a64c-7b6feb6f2778_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
2
Over 3,000 women in Iran train in the arts of the legendary Japanese spies and assassins.
![A young ninjutsu practitioner stands beside fellow members of various schools as they wait to showcase their skills to the media in a gym at Karaj.](https://gdb.rferl.org/de061900-6f90-4c4b-8830-f7eb5faea5e6_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
3
A young ninjutsu practitioner stands beside fellow members of various schools as they wait to showcase their skills to the media in a gym at Karaj.
![A ninjutsu practitioner jumps over a sword.](https://gdb.rferl.org/aa6d0080-2152-46e1-a495-fc8d581a349b_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
4
A ninjutsu practitioner jumps over a sword.
![A ninjutsu practitioner performs a split.](https://gdb.rferl.org/49522126-d5ab-4ce5-b2dd-99a995d7452b_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
5
A ninjutsu practitioner performs a split.
![A woman swings from a rope to attack.](https://gdb.rferl.org/c3226df9-aaee-4066-a20c-cfb07b3aab06_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
6
A woman swings from a rope to attack.
![Ninjutsu practitioners prepare for a sword drill in a park in Karaj.](https://gdb.rferl.org/15deee03-55c6-423b-9659-bbfd5cdd53c9_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
7
Ninjutsu practitioners prepare for a sword drill in a park in Karaj.
![A woman participates in a ninjutsu sword drill.](https://gdb.rferl.org/17a19ce7-9e1c-4f3d-ace0-d0651197f6b5_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
8
A woman participates in a ninjutsu sword drill.
![Parents, instructors, and students watch drills performed by fellow members of various Iranian ninjutsu schools.](https://gdb.rferl.org/7d66a598-5d18-4aba-b6b1-5df3430e2135_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
9
Parents, instructors, and students watch drills performed by fellow members of various Iranian ninjutsu schools.
![Members participate in a sword drill.](https://gdb.rferl.org/8e5890fe-c98b-4a2a-b710-50009ebed9ef_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
10
Members participate in a sword drill.
![A ninjutsu practitioner runs up a wall.](https://gdb.rferl.org/5283d97c-9f85-4e87-96fd-ae5e6c63a296_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
11
A ninjutsu practitioner runs up a wall.
![An Iranian women looks on as she waits to showcase her skills to the media in a gym at Karaj.](https://gdb.rferl.org/6d319fea-ac08-40de-bc0c-5157e9709753_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
12
An Iranian women looks on as she waits to showcase her skills to the media in a gym at Karaj.