Tokugawa Ieyasu introduces newest Hattori Hanzo Ninja Team member to Aichi Governor Omura
The "Ku-no-ichi" (female ninja) Kocho is a former boxing champion who comes to engross the ranks of the famous ninja team.
Nagoya, April 17 2018 (Tuesday) - Aichi Prefecture Governor Hideaki Omura met with Lord Tokugawa Ieyasu and his Hattori Hanzo Ninja Team at the Aichi Prefecture Civic Reception House (Aichi-ken Kokan), to introduce the latest addition to the famous ninja troupe. The new member is "Kocho", a "Ku-no-ichi" (female ninja) who comes from a professional boxer background bearing several international titles.
Nagoya Omotenashi Bushotai member Tokugawa Ieyasu, mentor of the Hattori Hanzo Team, made his peculiar speech spoken in archaic Japanese, following which Aichi Governor Hideaki Omura made his greetings wishing them good luck for the activities in the new fiscal year.
The new Ku-no-Ichi Kocho is Kei Takenaka, who comes from a professional boxing background, where she held several international titles and top 10 rankings. When asked about the motivation for becoming a ninja, she mentioned that "wants to pursue the mental and spiritual training that she wasn't able to achieve in boxing", referring to the "Seishin" (正心) philosophy of the ninjas.
The 2018 Hattori Hanzo and The Ninjas is formed by:
-Emi Yamada (continuing her role as Ku-no-Ichi Suiren)
-Toshiki Ikoma (continuing his role as Sanpei)
-Takahiro Okada (continuing his role as Hattori Hanzo)
-Shuri Nakatsu (continuing her role as Ku-no-Ichi Rin)
-Kankuro Watanabe (continuing his role as Nanashi)
-Kei Takenaka (as new ninja Kocho)
As in previous years, Professor Yuji Yamada, PhD, a researcher of Japanese history and professor at Mie University, and also a specialist of ninja history, was present in the governor greeting session and hence continues his role as supervisor of Aichi Government's Ninja Tourism Promotion program in order to maintain historic accuracy as best as possible.
After the greetings and speeches, the team demonstrated part of their acrobatic performance routine.
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