This weekend, we travelled 2 hours out of Kyoto to visit the Ninja Museum. It was fun to see the trapdoors and secret hiding places of the Ninjas. Also watched an amusing demonstration of different ninja weapons.
Shuriken - to throw at your enemies - ouch!
Demonstration of how sharp a ninja's sword is :
Sorry not a real live Ninja...
Child Ninja: There were lots of kids in Ninja costumes running round outside the souviner shop bopping each other with squeaky swords! I'm not sure the bright colors will serve these small ninjas very well as camoflague though...
After lunch, we walked to the area's castle, I guess the lord of that castle employed Ninjas? Our friend was rather influenced by the museum, so spotting the castle walls, he decided to try out his ninja-wall-climbing skills.
It was quite an impressive castle with beautiful dragon-fish on the roof. Apparently the dragon-fish are supposed to be a kind of dolphin? A kind of talisman to protect the castle from fires.
Inside the castle we saw all kinds of warrier's armor and helmets and things that belonged to the castle. This was a particularly funny helmet (I thought) with the huuuge looong bunny ears sticking out of it! Definately a case where fashion got the better of practicality! I read that the General who wore this to battle was killed. No kidding. With a helmet like that, he may as well have drawn a giant arrow saying "here I am!"
Ninja TrainMany ninjas were women, and here's proof of it, on a train! haha. Cute train. We got to ride it back home. 
Funny Sign: Be very very careful that you don't try to walk under the train barriers when a train is going past! This could happen to you...
