title: Marlo Thomas

text: Thomas has published seven best-selling books (three of them #1 best-sellers): "Free to Be... You and Me;" "Free to Be... A Family;" "The Right Words at the Right Time"; "The Right Words at the Right Time, Volume 2: Your Turn"; "" (the CD version of which won the 2006 Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album for Children); her 2009 memoir, "Growing Up Laughing"; and "It Ain't Over...Till It's Over: Reinventing Your Life and Realizing Your Dreams Anytime, At Any Age".


title: Marlo Thomas

text: Thomas serves as the National Outreach Director for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, which was founded by her father, Danny Thomas. She donated all royalties from her 2004 book and CD "" (also produced with Christopher Cerf) and her two "Right Words at the Right Time" books to the hospital.


title: Marlo Thomas

text: In 2010, Thomas created MarloThomas.com, a website for women aged 35+, associated with AOL and the "Huffington Post".


title: Marlo Thomas

text: Thomas is the recipient of four Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, a Grammy Award, a Jefferson Award, and the Peabody Award.


title: Marlo Thomas

text: In 1979, the Supersisters trading card set was produced and distributed; one of the cards featured Thomas' name and picture.


title: Marlo Thomas

text: In 1996, she was awarded the Women in Film Lucy Award in recognition of her excellence and innovation in her creative works that have enhanced the perception of women through the medium of television.


title: Marlo Thomas

text: On November 20, 2014, the Marlo Thomas Center for Global Education and Collaboration was opened as part of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Hillary Clinton presided over the ribbon-cutting ceremony.


title: Marlo Thomas

text: On November 24, 2014, President Barack Obama awarded Thomas the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor, at a White House ceremony.


title: Marlo Thomas

text: In 1977, Thomas was a guest on "Donahue", the television talk show, when she and host Phil Donahue fell in "love at first sight". They were married on May 21, 1980, and Donahue moved with some of his sons and his daughter from Chicago to New York City to live with Thomas and to produce his talk show there. Thomas is the stepmother to Donahue's four sons and daughter from his first marriage. Concerning her relationship with her stepchildren, Thomas told the AARP magazine in May 2012, "from the very first day, I decided that I was not going to try to be a 'mother' to Phil's children in the traditional sense — they already had a mom — but, instead, to be their friend. I'm proud to say that the friendships I established with them are as strong today as they were 30 years ago — even stronger."


title: Ninja

text: A or was a covert agent or mercenary in feudal Japan. The functions of a ninja included reconnaissance, espionage, infiltration, deception, ambush, bodyguarding and their fighting skills in martial arts, including ninjutsu. Their covert methods of waging irregular warfare were deemed dishonorable and beneath the honor of the samurai. Though "shinobi" proper, as specially trained spies and mercenaries, appeared in the 15th century during the Sengoku period, antecedents may have existed as early as the 12th century.


title: Ninja

text: In the unrest of the Sengoku period, mercenaries and spies for hire became active in Iga Province and the adjacent area around the village of Kōga. It is from these areas that much of the knowledge regarding the ninja is drawn. Following the unification of Japan under the Tokugawa shogunate in the 17th century, the ninja faded into obscurity. A number of "shinobi" manuals, often based on Chinese military philosophy, were written in the 17th and 18th centuries, most notably the "Bansenshūkai" (1676).


title: Ninja

text: By the time of the Meiji Restoration (1868), "shinobi" had become a topic of popular imagination and mystery in Japan. Ninja figured prominently in legend and folklore, where they were associated with legendary abilities such as invisibility, walking on water and control over natural elements. Much of their perception in popular culture is based on such legends and folklore, as opposed to the covert actors of the Sengoku period.


title: Ninja

text: "Ninja" is the "on'yomi" (Early Middle Chinese–influenced) reading of the two kanji "忍者". In the native "kun'yomi" reading, it is pronounced "shinobi", a shortened form of "shinobi-no-mono" (忍びの者).


title: Ninja

text: The word "shinobi" appears in the written record as far back as the late 8th century in poems in the "Man'yōshū". The underlying connotation of "shinobi" (忍) means "to steal away; to hide" and—by extension—"to forbear", hence its association with stealth and invisibility. "Mono" (者) means "a person".


title: Ninja

text: Historically, the word "ninja" was not in common use, and a variety of regional colloquialisms evolved to describe what would later be dubbed ninja. Along with "shinobi", these include "monomi" ("one who sees"), "nokizaru" ("macaque on the roof"), "rappa" ("ruffian"), "kusa" ("grass") and "Iga-mono" ("one from Iga"). In historical documents, "shinobi" is almost always used.


title: Ninja

text: "Kunoichi" (くノ一）is, originally, an argot which means "woman"; it supposedly comes from the characters くノ一 (respectively hiragana "ku", katakana "no" and kanji "ichi"), which make up the three strokes that form the kanji for "woman" (女). In fiction written in the modern era "kunoichi" means "female ninja".


title: Ninja

text: In the Western world, the word "ninja" became more prevalent than "shinobi" in the post–World War II culture, possibly because it was more comfortable for Western speakers. In English, the plural of "ninja" can be either unchanged as "ninja", reflecting the Japanese language's lack of grammatical number, or the regular English plural "ninjas".


title: Ninja

text: Despite many popular folktales, historical accounts of the ninja are scarce. Historian Stephen Turnbull asserts that the ninja were mostly recruited from the lower class, and therefore little literary interest was taken in them. The social origin of the ninja is seen as the reason they agree to operate in secret, trading their service for money without honor and glory. The scarcity of historical accounts is also demonstrated in war epics such as "The Tale of Hōgen" "(Hōgen Monogatari)" and "The Tale of the Heike" "(Heike Monogatari)", which focus mainly on the aristocratic samurai, whose deeds were apparently more appealing to the audience.


title: Ninja

text: Historian Kiyoshi Watatani states that the ninja were trained to be particularly secretive about their actions and existence:


title: Ninja

text: However, some "ninjutsu" books described specifically what tactics ninja should use to fight, and the scenarios a ninja might find themselves can be deduced from those tactics. For example, in the manuscript of volume 2 of "Kanrin Seiyō" (間林清陽) which is the original book of "Bansenshūkai" (万川集海), there are 48 points of ninja's fighting techniques, such as how to make "makibishi" from bamboo, how to make footwear that makes no sound, fighting techniques when surrounded by many enemies, precautions when using swords at night, how to listen to small sounds, "kuji-kiri" that prevents guard dogs from barking, and so on.


title: Ninja

text: The title "ninja" has sometimes been attributed retrospectively to the semi-legendary 4th-century prince Yamato Takeru. In the "Kojiki", the young Yamato Takeru disguised himself as a charming maiden and assassinated two chiefs of the Kumaso people. However, these records take place at a very early stage of Japanese history, and they are unlikely to be connected to the "shinobi" of later accounts. The first recorded use of espionage was under the employment of Prince Shōtoku in the 6th century. Such tactics were considered unsavory even in early times, when, according to the 10th-century "Shōmonki", the boy spy Hasetsukabe no Koharumaru was killed for spying against the insurgent Taira no Masakado. Later, the 14th-century war chronicle "Taiheiki" contained many references to "shinobi" and credited the destruction of a castle by fire to an unnamed but "highly skilled "shinobi"".


title: Ninja

text: It was not until the 15th century that spies were specially trained for their purpose. It was around this time that the word "shinobi" appeared to define and clearly identify ninja as a secretive group of agents. Evidence for this can be seen in historical documents, which began to refer to stealthy soldiers as "shinobi" during the Sengoku period. Later manuals regarding espionage are often grounded in Chinese military strategy, quoting works such as "The Art of War" by Sun Tzu.


title: Ninja

text: The ninja emerged as mercenaries in the 15th century, where they were recruited as spies, raiders, arsonists and even terrorists. Amongst the samurai, a sense of ritual and decorum was observed, where one was expected to fight or duel openly. Combined with the unrest of the Sengoku period, these factors created a demand for men willing to commit deeds considered disreputable for conventional warriors. By the Sengoku period, the "shinobi" had several roles, including spy ("kanchō"), scout ("teisatsu"), surprise attacker ("kishu"), and agitator ("konran"). The ninja families were organized into larger guilds, each with their own territories. A system of rank existed. A "jōnin" ("upper person") was the highest rank, representing the group and hiring out mercenaries. This is followed by the "chūnin" ("middle person"), assistants to the "jōnin". At the bottom was the "genin" ("lower person"), field agents drawn from the lower class and assigned to carry out actual missions.


title: Ninja

text: The Iga and Kōga clans have come to describe families living in the province of Iga (modern Mie Prefecture) and the adjacent region of Kōka (later written as "Kōga"), named after a village in what is now Shiga Prefecture. From these regions, villages devoted to the training of ninja first appeared. The remoteness and inaccessibility of the surrounding mountains may have had a role in the ninja's secretive development. Historical documents regarding the ninja's origins in these mountainous regions are considered generally correct. The chronicle "Go Kagami Furoku" writes, of the two clans' origins:


title: Ninja

text: Likewise, a supplement to the "Nochi Kagami", a record of the Ashikaga shogunate, confirms the same Iga origin:


title: Ninja

text: A distinction is to be made between the ninja from these areas, and commoners or samurai hired as spies or mercenaries. Unlike their counterparts, the Iga and Kōga clans produced professional ninja, specifically trained for their roles. These professional ninja were actively hired by "daimyōs" between 1485 and 1581, until Oda Nobunaga invaded Iga Province and wiped out the organized clans. Survivors were forced to flee, some to the mountains of Kii, but others arrived before Tokugawa Ieyasu, where they were well treated. Some former Iga clan members, including Hattori Hanzō, would later serve as Tokugawa's bodyguards.


title: Ninja

text: Following the Battle of Okehazama in 1560, Tokugawa employed a group of eighty Kōga ninja, led by Tomo Sukesada. They were tasked to raid an outpost of the Imagawa clan. The account of this assault is given in the "Mikawa Go Fudoki", where it was written that Kōga ninja infiltrated the castle, set fire to its towers, and killed the castellan along with two hundred of the garrison. The Kōga ninja are said to have played a role in the later Battle of Sekigahara (1600), where several hundred Kōga assisted soldiers under Torii Mototada in the defence of Fushimi Castle. After Tokugawa's victory at Sekigahara, the Iga acted as guards for the inner compounds of Edo Castle, while the Kōga acted as a police force and assisted in guarding the outer gate. In 1614, the initial "winter campaign" at the Siege of Osaka saw the ninja in use once again. Miura Yoemon, a ninja in Tokugawa's service, recruited "shinobi" from the Iga region, and sent 10 ninja into Osaka Castle in an effort to foster antagonism between enemy commanders. During the later "summer campaign", these hired ninja fought alongside regular troops at the Battle of Tennōji.


title: Ninja

text: A final but detailed record of ninja employed in open warfare occurred during the Shimabara Rebellion (1637–1638). The Kōga ninja were recruited by "shōgun" Tokugawa Iemitsu against Christian rebels led by Amakusa Shirō, who made a final stand at Hara Castle, in Hizen Province. A diary kept by a member of the Matsudaira clan, the "Amakusa Gunki", relates: "Men from Kōga in Ōmi Province who concealed their appearance would steal up to the castle every night and go inside as they pleased."


title: Ninja

text: The Ukai diary, written by a descendant of Ukai Kanemon, has several entries describing the reconnaissance actions taken by the Kōga.


title: Ninja

text: Suspecting that the castle's supplies might be running low, the siege commander Matsudaira Nobutsuna ordered a raid on the castle's provisions. Here, the Kōga captured bags of enemy provisions, and infiltrated the castle by night, obtaining secret passwords. Days later, Nobutsuna ordered an intelligence gathering mission to determine the castle's supplies. Several Kōga ninja—some apparently descended from those involved in the 1562 assault on an Imagawa clan castle—volunteered despite being warned that chances of survival were slim. A volley of shots was fired into the sky, causing the defenders to extinguish the castle lights in preparation. Under the cloak of darkness, ninja disguised as defenders infiltrated the castle, capturing a banner of the Christian cross. The Ukai diary writes,


title: Ninja

text: As the siege went on, the extreme shortage of food later reduced the defenders to eating moss and grass. This desperation would mount to futile charges by the rebels, where they were eventually defeated by the shogunate army. The Kōga would later take part in conquering the castle:


title: Ninja

text: With the fall of Hara Castle, the Shimabara Rebellion came to an end, and Christianity in Japan was forced underground. These written accounts are the last mention of ninja in war.


title: Ninja

text: After the Shimabara Rebellion, there were almost no major wars or battles until the "bakumatsu" era. To earn a living, ninja had to be employed by the governments of their "Han" (domain), or change their profession. Many lords still hired ninja, not for battle but as bodyguards or spies. Their duties included spying on other domains, guarding the daimyō, and fire patrol. A few domains like Tsu, Hirosaki and Saga continued to employ their own ninja into the "bakumatsu" era, although their precise numbers are unknown.


title: Ninja

text: Many former ninja were employed as security guards by the Tokugawa shogunate, though the role of espionage was transferred to newly created organizations like the "Onmitsu" and the "Oniwaban". Others used their "ninjutsu" knowledge to become doctors, medicine sellers, merchants, martial artists, and fireworks manufacturers. Some unemployed ninja were reduced to banditry, such as Fūma Kotarō and Ishikawa Goemon.


title: Ninja

text: Between 1960 and 2010 artifacts dating to the Siege of Odawara (1590) were uncovered which experts say are ninja weapons. Ninja were spies and saboteurs and likely participated in the siege. The Hojo clan failed to save the castle from Toyotomi Hideyoshi forces. The uncovered flat throwing stones are likely predecessors of the shuriken. The clay caltrops preceded makibishi caltrops. Archeologist Iwata Akihiro of Saitama Prefectural Museum of History and Folklore said the flat throwing stones "were used to stop the movement of the enemy who was going to attack [a soldier] at any moment, and while the enemy freezed the soldier escaped,". The clay caltrops could "stop the movement of the enemy who invaded the castle," These weapons were hastily constructed yet effective and used by a "battle group which can move into action as ninjas".


title: Ninja

text: Mie University founded the world's first research centre devoted to the ninja in 2017. A graduate master course opened in 2018. It is located in Iga (now Mie Prefecture). There are approximately 3 student enrollments per year. Students must pass an admission test about Japanese history and be able to read historical ninja documents. Scientific researchers and scholars of different disciplines study ancient documents and how it can be used in the modern world.


title: Ninja

text: In 2020, the 45-year-old Genichi Mitsuhashi was the first student to graduate from the master course of ninja studies at Mie University. For 2 years he studied historical records and the traditions of the martial art. Similar to the original ninja, by day he was a farmer and grew vegetables while he did ninja studies and trained martial arts in the afternoon.


title: Ninja

text: On June 19, 2022, Kōka city in Shiga Prefecture announced that a written copy of "Kanrinseiyo", which is the original source of a famous book on the art of ninja called "Bansenshukai" (1676) from the Edo period was discovered in a warehouse of Kazuraki Shrine. The handwritten reproduction was produced in 1748. The book describes 48 types of ninjutsu. It has information about specific methods such as attaching layers of cotton to the bottom of straw sandals to prevent noise when sneaking around, attacking to the right when surrounded by a large number of enemies, throwing charred owl and turtle powder when trying to hide, and casting spells. It also clarified methods and how to manufacture and use ninjutsu tools, such as cane swords and "makibishi" (Japanese caltrop).


title: Ninja

text: In the early 18th century, shogun Tokugawa Yoshimune founded the "oniwaban" ("garden keepers"), an intelligence agency and secret service. Members of the "oniwaban" were agents involved in collecting information on "daimyō" and government officials. The secretive nature of the "oniwaban"—along with the earlier tradition of using Iga and Kōga clan members as palace guards—have led some sources to define the "oniwabanshū" as "ninja". This portrayal is also common in later novels and "jidaigeki". However, there is no written link between the earlier "shinobi" and the later "oniwaban".


title: Ninja

text: The ninja were stealth soldiers and mercenaries hired mostly by "daimyōs". Their primary roles were those of espionage and sabotage, although assassinations were also attributed to ninja. Although they were considered the anti-samurai and were disdained by those belonging to the samurai class, they were necessary for warfare and were even employed by the samurai themselves to carry out operations that were forbidden by "bushidō".


title: Ninja

text: Espionage was the chief role of the ninja. With the aid of disguises, the ninja gathered information on enemy terrain and building specifications, as well as obtaining passwords and communiques. The aforementioned supplement to the "Nochi Kagami" briefly describes the ninja's role in espionage:


title: Ninja

text: Later in history, the Kōga ninja would become regarded as agents of the Tokugawa "bakufu", at a time when the "bakufu" used the ninja in an intelligence network to monitor regional "daimyōs" as well as the Imperial court.


title: Ninja

text: The "Tamon-in Nikki" (16th century)—a diary written by abbot Eishun of Kōfuku-ji temple—describes an arson attack on a castle by men of the Iga clans.


title: Ninja

text: In 1558, Rokkaku Yoshikata employed a team of ninja to set fire to Sawayama Castle. A "chūnin" captain led a force of 48 ninja into the castle by means of deception. In a technique dubbed "bakemono-jutsu" ("ghost technique"), his men stole a lantern bearing the enemy's family crest ("mon"), and proceeded to make replicas with the same "mon". By wielding these lanterns, they were allowed to enter the castle without a fight. Once inside, the ninja set fire to the castle, and Yoshitaka's army would later emerge victorious. The mercenary nature of the "shinobi" is demonstrated in another arson attack soon after the burning of Sawayama Castle. In 1561, commanders acting under Kizawa Nagamasa hired three Iga ninja of "genin" rank to assist the conquest of a fortress in Maibara. Rokkaku Yoshitaka, the same man who had hired Iga ninja just years earlier, was the fortress holder—and target of attack. The "Asai Sandaiki" writes of their plans: "We employed "shinobi-no-mono" of Iga... They were contracted to set fire to the castle". However, the mercenary "shinobi" were unwilling to take commands. When the fire attack did not begin as scheduled, the Iga men told the commanders, who were not from the region, that they could not possibly understand the tactics of the "shinobi". They then threatened to abandon the operation if they were not allowed to act on their own strategy. The fire was eventually set, allowing Nagamasa's army to capture the fortress in a chaotic rush.


title: Ninja

text: The best-known cases of assassination attempts involve famous historical figures. Deaths of famous persons have sometimes been attributed to assassination by ninja, but the secretive natures of these scenarios have made them difficult to prove. Assassins were often identified as ninja later on, but there is no evidence to prove whether some were specially trained for the task or simply a hired thug.


title: Ninja

text: The warlord Oda Nobunaga's notorious reputation led to several attempts on his life. In 1571, a Kōga ninja and sharpshooter by the name of Sugitani Zenjubō was hired to assassinate Nobunaga. Using two arquebuses, he fired two consecutive shots at Nobunaga, but was unable to inflict mortal injury through Nobunaga's armor. Sugitani managed to escape, but was caught four years later and put to death by torture. In 1573, Manabe Rokurō, a vassal of "daimyō" Hatano Hideharu, attempted to infiltrate Azuchi Castle and assassinate the sleeping Nobunaga. However, this also ended in failure, and Manabe was forced to commit suicide, after which his body was openly displayed in public. According to a document, the "Iranki", when Nobunaga was inspecting Iga province—which his army had devastated—a group of three ninja shot at him with large-caliber firearms. The shots flew wide of Nobunaga, however, and instead killed seven of his surrounding companions.


title: Ninja

text: The ninja Hachisuka Tenzō was sent by Nobunaga to assassinate the powerful "daimyō" Takeda Shingen, but ultimately failed in his attempts. Hiding in the shadow of a tree, he avoided being seen under the moonlight, and later concealed himself in a hole he had prepared beforehand, thus escaping capture.


title: Ninja

text: An assassination attempt on Toyotomi Hideyoshi was also thwarted. A ninja named Kirigakure Saizō (possibly Kirigakure Shikaemon) thrust a spear through the floorboards to kill Hideyoshi, but was unsuccessful. He was "smoked out" of his hiding place by another ninja working for Hideyoshi, who apparently used a sort of primitive "flamethrower". Unfortunately, the veracity of this account has been clouded by later fictional publications depicting Saizō as one of the legendary Sanada Ten Braves.


title: Ninja

text: Uesugi Kenshin, the famous "daimyō" of Echigo Province, was rumored to have been killed by a ninja. The legend credits his death to an assassin who is said to have hidden in Kenshin's lavatory, and fatally injured Kenshin by thrusting a blade or spear into his anus. While historical records showed that Kenshin suffered abdominal problems, modern historians have generally attributed his death to stomach cancer, esophageal cancer, or cerebrovascular disease.


title: Ninja

text: In battle, the ninja were also used to cause confusion amongst the enemy. A degree of psychological warfare in the capturing of enemy banners can be seen illustrated in the "Ōu Eikei Gunki", composed between the 16th and 17th centuries:


title: Ninja

text: A variety of countermeasures were taken to prevent the activities of the ninja. Precautions were often taken against assassinations, such as weapons concealed in the lavatory, or under a removable floorboard. Buildings were constructed with traps and trip wires attached to alarm bells.


title: Ninja

text: Japanese castles were designed to be difficult to navigate, with winding routes leading to the inner compound. Blind spots and holes in walls provided constant surveillance of these labyrinthine paths, as exemplified in Himeji Castle. Nijō Castle in Kyoto is constructed with long "nightingale" floors, which rested on metal hinges ("uguisu-bari") specifically designed to squeak loudly when walked over. Grounds covered with gravel also provided early notice of unwanted intruders, and segregated buildings allowed fires to be better contained.


title: Ninja

text: The skills required of the ninja have come to be known in modern times as , but it is unlikely they were previously named under a single discipline, rather distributed among a variety of espionage and survival skills. Some view "ninjutsu" as evidence that ninja were not simple mercenaries because texts contained not only information on combat training, but also information about daily needs, which even included mining techniques. The guidance provided for daily work also included elements that enable the ninja to understand the martial qualities of even the most menial task. These factors show how the "ninjutsu" established among the ninja class the fundamental principle of adaptation.


title: Ninja

text: The first specialized training began in the mid-15th century, when certain samurai families started to focus on covert warfare, including espionage and assassination. Like the samurai, ninja were born into the profession, where traditions were kept in, and passed down through the family. According to Turnbull, the ninja was trained from childhood, as was also common in samurai families.


title: Ninja

text: Outside the expected martial art disciplines, a youth studied survival and scouting techniques, as well as information regarding poisons and explosives. Physical training was also important, which involved long-distance runs, climbing, stealth methods of walking and swimming. A certain degree of knowledge regarding common professions was also required if one was expected to take their form in disguise. Some evidence of medical training can be derived from one account, where an Iga ninja provided first-aid to Ii Naomasa, who was injured by gunfire in the Battle of Sekigahara. Here the ninja reportedly gave Naomasa a "black medicine" meant to stop bleeding.


title: Ninja

text: With the fall of the Iga and Kōga clans, "daimyōs" could no longer recruit professional ninja, and were forced to train their own "shinobi". The "shinobi" was considered a real profession, as demonstrated in the 1649 "bakufu" law on military service, which declared that only "daimyōs" with an income of over 10,000 "koku" were allowed to retain "shinobi". In the two centuries that followed, a number of "ninjutsu" manuals were written by descendants of Hattori Hanzō as well as members of the Fujibayashi clan, an offshoot of the Hattori. Major examples include the "Ninpiden" (1655), the "Bansenshūkai" (1675), and the "Shōninki" (1681).


title: Ninja

text: Modern schools that claim to train "ninjutsu" arose from the 1970s, including that of Masaaki Hatsumi (Bujinkan), Stephen K. Hayes (To-Shin Do), and Jinichi Kawakami (Banke Shinobinoden). The lineage and authenticity of these schools are a matter of controversy.


title: Ninja

text: The ninja did not always work alone. Teamwork techniques exist: For example, in order to scale a wall, a group of ninja may carry each other on their backs, or provide a human platform to assist an individual in reaching greater heights. The "Mikawa Go Fudoki" gives an account where a coordinated team of attackers used passwords to communicate. The account also gives a case of deception, where the attackers dressed in the same clothes as the defenders, causing much confusion. When a retreat was needed during the Siege of Osaka, ninja were commanded to fire upon friendly troops from behind, causing the troops to charge backwards to attack a perceived enemy. This tactic was used again later on as a method of crowd dispersal.


title: Ninja

text: Most "ninjutsu" techniques recorded in scrolls and manuals revolve around ways to avoid detection, and methods of escape. These techniques were loosely grouped under corresponding natural elements. Some examples are:


title: Ninja

text: The use of disguises is common and well documented. Disguises came in the form of priests, entertainers, fortune tellers, merchants, "rōnin", and monks. The "Buke Myōmokushō" states,


title: Ninja

text: A mountain ascetic ("yamabushi") attire facilitated travel, as they were common and could travel freely between political boundaries. The loose robes of Buddhist priests also allowed concealed weapons, such as the "tantō". Minstrel or "sarugaku" outfits could have allowed the ninja to spy in enemy buildings without rousing suspicion. Disguises as a "komusō", a mendicant monk known for playing the "shakuhachi", were also effective, as the large "basket" hats traditionally worn by them concealed the head completely.


title: Ninja

text: Ninja used a large variety of tools and weaponry, some of which were commonly known, but others were more specialized. Most were tools used in the infiltration of castles. A wide range of specialized equipment is described and illustrated in the 17th-century "Bansenshūkai", including climbing equipment, extending spears, rocket-propelled arrows, and small collapsible boats.


title: Ninja

text: While the image of a ninja clad in black garb (shinobi shōzoku) is prevalent in popular media, there is no written evidence for such attire. Instead, it was much more common for the ninja to be disguised as civilians. The popular notion of black clothing is likely rooted in artistic convention; early drawings of ninja showed them dressed in black to portray a sense of invisibility. This convention was an idea borrowed from the puppet handlers of "bunraku" theater, who dressed in total black in an effort to simulate props moving independently of their controls. Despite the lack of hard evidence, it has been put forward by some authorities that black robes, perhaps slightly tainted with red to hide bloodstains, was indeed the sensible garment of choice for infiltration.


title: Ninja

text: Clothing used was similar to that of the samurai, but loose garments (such as leggings) were tucked into trousers or secured with belts. The "tenugui", a piece of cloth also used in martial arts, had many functions. It could be used to cover the face, form a belt, or assist in climbing.


title: Ninja

text: The historicity of armor specifically made for ninja cannot be ascertained. While pieces of light armor purportedly worn by ninja exist and date to the right time, there is no hard evidence of their use in ninja operations. Depictions of famous persons later deemed ninja often show them in samurai armor. There were lightweight concealable types of armour made with "kusari" (chain armour) and small armor plates such as "karuta" that could have been worn by ninja including "katabira" (jackets) made with armour hidden between layers of cloth. Shin and arm guards, along with metal-reinforced hoods are also speculated to make up the ninja's armor.


title: Ninja

text: Tools used for infiltration and espionage are some of the most abundant artifacts related to the ninja. Ropes and grappling hooks were common, and were tied to the belt. A collapsible ladder is illustrated in the "Bansenshukai", featuring spikes at both ends to anchor the ladder. Spiked or hooked climbing gear worn on the hands and feet also doubled as weapons. Other implements include chisels, hammers, drills, picks, and so forth.


title: Ninja

text: The "kunai" was a heavy pointed tool, possibly derived from the Japanese masonry trowel, which it closely resembles. Although it is often portrayed in popular culture as a weapon, the "kunai" was primarily used for gouging holes in walls. Knives and small saws ("hamagari") were also used to create holes in buildings, where they served as a foothold or a passage of entry. A portable listening device ("saoto hikigane") was used to eavesdrop on conversations and detect sounds.


title: Ninja

text: The "mizugumo" was a set of wooden shoes supposedly allowing the ninja to walk on water. They were meant to work by distributing the wearer's weight over the shoes' wide bottom surface. The word "mizugumo" is derived from the native name for the Japanese water spider ("Argyroneta aquatica japonica"). The "mizugumo" was featured on the show "MythBusters", where it was demonstrated unfit for walking on water. The "ukidari", a similar footwear for walking on water, also existed in the form of a flat round bucket, but was probably quite unstable. Inflatable skins and breathing tubes allowed the ninja to stay underwater for longer periods of time.


title: Ninja

text: "Goshiki-mai" (go, "five"; shiki, "color"; mai, "rice") colored (red, blue, yellow, black, purple) rice grains used, in a code system, and to make trails that could be followed later.


title: Ninja

text: Despite the large array of tools available to the ninja, the "Bansenshukai" warns one not to be overburdened with equipment, stating "a successful ninja is one who uses but one tool for multiple tasks".


title: Ninja

text: Although shorter swords and daggers were used, the "katana" was probably the ninja's weapon of choice, and was sometimes carried on the back. The "katana" had several uses beyond normal combat. In dark places, the scabbard could be extended out of the sword, and used as a long probing device. The sword could also be laid against the wall, where the ninja could use the sword guard ("tsuba") to gain a higher foothold. The "katana" could even be used as a device to stun enemies before attacking them, by putting a combination of red pepper, dirt or dust, and iron filings into the area near the top of the scabbard, so that as the sword was drawn the concoction would fly into the enemy's eyes, stunning him until a lethal blow could be made. While straight swords were used before the invention of the "katana", there's no known historical information about the straight "ninjatō" pre-20th century. The first photograph of a "ninjatō" appeared in a booklet by Heishichirō Okuse in 1956. A replica of a "ninjatō" is on display at the Ninja Museum of Igaryu.


title: Ninja

text: An array of darts, spikes, knives, and sharp, star-shaped discs were known collectively as "shuriken". While not exclusive to the ninja, they were an important part of the arsenal, where they could be thrown in any direction. Bows were used for sharpshooting, and some ninjas' bows were intentionally made smaller than the traditional "yumi" (longbow). The chain and sickle ("kusarigama") was also used by the ninja. This weapon consisted of a weight on one end of a chain, and a sickle ("kama") on the other. The weight was swung to injure or disable an opponent, and the sickle used to kill at close range.


title: Ninja

text: Explosives introduced from China were known in Japan by the time of the Mongol Invasions in the 13th century. Later, explosives such as hand-held bombs and grenades were adopted by the ninja. Soft-cased bombs were designed to release smoke or poison gas, along with fragmentation explosives packed with iron or ceramic shrapnel.


title: Ninja

text: Along with common weapons, a large assortment of miscellaneous arms were associated with the ninja. Some examples include poison, "makibishi" (caltrops), "shikomizue" (cane swords), land mines, "fukiya" (blowguns), poisoned darts, acid-spurting tubes, and firearms. The "happō", a small eggshell filled with "metsubushi" (blinding powder), was also used to facilitate escape.


title: Ninja

text: Superhuman or supernatural powers were often associated with the ninja with a style of Japanese martial arts in ninjutsu. Some legends include flight, invisibility, shapeshifting, teleportation, the ability to "split" into multiple bodies ("bunshin"), the summoning of animals ("kuchiyose"), and control over the five classical elements. These fabulous notions have stemmed from popular imagination regarding the ninja's mysterious status, as well as romantic ideas found in later Japanese art of the Edo period. Magical powers were rooted in the ninja's own misinformation efforts to disseminate fanciful information. For example, Nakagawa Shoshunjin, the 17th-century founder of Nakagawa-ryū, claimed in his own writings ("Okufuji Monogatari") that he had the ability to transform into birds and animals.


title: Ninja

text: Perceived control over the elements may be grounded in real tactics, which were categorized by association with forces of nature. For example, the practice of starting fires to cover a ninja's trail falls under "katon-no-jutsu" ("fire techniques"). By dressing in identical clothing, a coordinated team of ninjas could instill the perception of a single assailant being in multiple locations.


title: Ninja

text: The ninja's adaption of kites in espionage and warfare is another subject of legends. Accounts exist of ninja being lifted into the air by kites, where they flew over hostile terrain and descended into, or dropped bombs on enemy territory. Kites were indeed used in Japanese warfare, but mostly for the purpose of sending messages and relaying signals. Turnbull suggests that kites lifting a man into midair might have been technically feasible, but states that the use of kites to form a human "hang glider" falls squarely in the realm of fantasy.


title: Ninja

text: "Kuji-kiri" is an esoteric practice which, when performed with an array of hand "seals" ("kuji-in"), was meant to allow the ninja to enact superhuman feats.


title: Ninja

text: The "kuji" ("nine characters") is a concept originating from Taoism, where it was a string of nine words used in charms and incantations. In China, this tradition mixed with Buddhist beliefs, assigning each of the nine words to a Buddhist deity. The "kuji" may have arrived in Japan via Buddhism, where it flourished within Shugendō. Here too, each word in the "kuji" was associated with Buddhist deities, animals from Taoist mythology, and later, Shinto kami. The "mudrā", a series of hand symbols representing different Buddhas, was applied to the "kuji" by Buddhists, possibly through the esoteric "Mikkyō" teachings. The "yamabushi" ascetics of Shugendō adopted this practice, using the hand gestures in spiritual, healing, and exorcism rituals. Later, the use of "kuji" passed onto certain "bujutsu" (martial arts) and "ninjutsu" schools, where it was said to have many purposes. The application of "kuji" to produce a desired effect was called "cutting" ("kiri") the "kuji". Intended effects range from physical and mental concentration, to more incredible claims about rendering an opponent immobile, or even the casting of magical spells. These legends were captured in popular culture, which interpreted the "kuji-kiri" as a precursor to magical acts.


title: Ninja

text: On February 25, 2018, Yamada Yūji, the professor of Mie University and historian Nakanishi Gō announced that they had identified three people who were successful in early modern Ureshino, including the ninja Benkei Musō (弁慶夢想). Musō is thought to be the same person as Denrinbō Raikei (伝林坊頼慶), the Chinese disciple of Marume Nagayoshi. It came as a shock when the existence of a foreign samurai was verified by authorities.


title: Ninja

text: Many famous people in Japanese history have been associated or identified as ninja, but their status as ninja are difficult to prove and may be the product of later imagination. Rumors surrounding famous warriors, such as Kusunoki Masashige or Minamoto no Yoshitsune sometimes describe them as ninja, but there is little evidence for these claims.


title: Ninja

text: The image of the ninja entered popular culture in the Edo period, when folktales and plays about ninja were conceived. Stories about the ninja are usually based on historical figures. For instance, many similar tales exist about a "daimyō" challenging a ninja to prove his worth, usually by stealing his pillow or weapon while he slept. Novels were written about the ninja, such as "Jiraiya Gōketsu Monogatari", which was also made into a kabuki play. Fictional figures such as Sarutobi Sasuke would eventually make their way into comics and television, where they have come to enjoy a culture hero status outside their original mediums.


title: Ninja

text: Ninja appear in many forms of Japanese and Western popular media, including books ("Kōga Ninpōchō"), movies ("Enter the Ninja", "Revenge of the Ninja", "Ninja Assassin"), television ("Akakage", "The Master", "Ninja Warrior"), video games ("Shinobi", "Ninja Gaiden", "Tenchu", "Sekiro", "Ghost of Tsushima"), anime ("Naruto", "Ninja Scroll", "Gatchaman"), manga ("Basilisk", "Ninja Hattori-kun", "Azumi"), Western animation ("Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu") and American comic books ("Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles"). From ancient Japan to the modern world media, popular depictions range from the realistic to the fantastically exaggerated, both fundamentally and aesthetically.


title: Aziz Ansari

text: Aziz Ismail Ansari (; born February 23, 1983) is an American actor and stand-up comedian. He is known for his role as Tom Haverford on the NBC series "Parks and Recreation" (2009–2015) and as creator and star of the Netflix series "Master of None" (2015–) for which he won several acting and writing awards, including two Emmys and a Golden Globe, which was the first award received by an Indian American and Asian American actor for acting on television.


title: Aziz Ansari

text: Ansari began performing comedy in New York City, while a student at NYU Stern in 2000. He later co-created and starred in the MTV sketch comedy show "Human Giant", after which he had acting roles in a number of feature films. From 2009 to 2015, Ansari gained prominence for his role as Tom Haverford in the NBC sitcom "Parks and Recreation". In 2015, Ansari co-created, and starred in the first two seasons of Netflix's critically acclaimed series "Master of None" which he also served as a writer and director.


title: Aziz Ansari

text: As a stand-up comedian, Ansari released his first comedy special, "Intimate Moments for a Sensual Evening", in January 2010 on Comedy Central Records. He continues to perform stand-up on tour and on Netflix. His first book, "", was released in June 2015. He was included in the "Time" 100 list of most influential people in 2016. In July 2019, Ansari released his fifth comedy special "", which was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album. In 2021, Netflix released, "", which Ansari wrote and directed. The following year he released his comedy special "Aziz Ansari: Nightclub Comedian" on Netflix.


title: Aziz Ansari

text: Aziz Ansari was born in Columbia, South Carolina to Indian immigrants from Tamil Nadu. His parents are Tamil Muslims, though Ansari himself is non-religious. He has a younger brother, Aniz, who is seven years his junior. Ansari grew up in Bennettsville, South Carolina where he attended Marlboro Academy as well as the South Carolina Governor's School for Science and Mathematics. He graduated from the New York University Stern School of Business in 2004, with a Bachelor of Business degree in marketing. His mother, Fatima, is an obstetrician and gynecologist and his father, Shoukath, is a gastroenterologist. Both of his parents appeared in the first two seasons of "Master of None".


title: Aziz Ansari

text: Ansari frequently performed at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, as well as weekly shows such as "Invite Them Up". In 2005, "Rolling Stone" included him in their annual "Hot List" as their choice for the "Hot Standup", and he won the Jury Award for "Best Standup" at HBO's 2006 U.S. Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, Colorado.


title: Aziz Ansari

text: Around the summer of 2005, Ansari began collaborating with fellow comedians Rob Huebel and Paul Scheer (both from the improv troupe Respecto Montalban), as well as director Jason Woliner to make short films. The first series created by the group was "Shutterbugs", which followed Huebel and Ansari as cutthroat child talent agents. This was followed up by the "Illusionators", which starred Ansari and Scheer as Criss Angel–style goth magicians. In mid-2006, MTV greenlit "Human Giant", a sketch series from the group, which debuted April 5, 2007. The show ran for two seasons and the group was offered a third season, but they opted to pursue other opportunities. Ansari had been offered the role of Tom Haverford on "Parks and Recreation", and since the members wrote everything together, they decided, as Scheer told Vulture, "it would be better if we walked away as friends instead of burn out on each other and the show."


title: Aziz Ansari

text: In June 2008, Ansari was announced as the first cast hire for NBC's comedy "Parks and Recreation". The show debuted in April 2009 with Ansari playing one of the main characters, Tom Haverford, for the show's seven seasons. Ansari's performance was praised by critics, including "Entertainment Weekly", "TV Guide", and Yahoo! TV, which placed him in the No. 1 spot on its list of "TV MVPS".


title: Aziz Ansari

text: Starting in November 2015, Ansari starred as Dev Shah in the Netflix original series "Master of None", which he created and wrote with "Parks and Recreation" writer Alan Yang. James Poniewozik of "The New York Times" called the show "the year's best comedy straight out of the gate" and praised its genre-crossing appeal. The show initially ran for two seasons. Production work began on a third season in early 2020 in London, but was put on hold because of the COVID-19 pandemic. By January 2021, production was getting ready to resume, with Naomi Ackie joining the cast. The season was released in May 23, 2021.


title: Aziz Ansari

text: Ansari's performance in the show earned him a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy. The series earned four Emmy nominations in 2016: Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series for Ansari and Yang, and Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series and Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for Ansari; Yang and Ansari won the Emmy for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series for the episode "Parents". Yang and Ansari were also honored with a Peabody Award in May 2016 for the series.


title: Aziz Ansari

text: In 2018 Ansari won a Golden Globe for best actor in a TV comedy for the show; this made him the first Asian-American actor to win a Golden Globe for acting in television.


title: Aziz Ansari

text: In addition to his work on "Parks and Recreation", Ansari appeared on the HBO series "Flight of the Conchords" as an eccentric fruit vendor who had difficulty telling the difference between Australians and New Zealanders. He had a recurring role in season eight of the ABC sitcom "Scrubs" as Ed, a new intern at the hospital. Ansari's character was written off the show so he could work on "Parks and Recreation". Ansari also has a recurring role on the animated comedy "Bob's Burgers" as Darryl.


title: Aziz Ansari

text: In August 2011, Ansari made a cameo appearance in the music video for "Otis" by Jay-Z and Kanye West from their collaborative album "Watch the Throne".


title: Aziz Ansari

text: Ansari hosted the January 21, 2017 episode of "Saturday Night Live", becoming the first person of Indian origin to do so.


title: Aziz Ansari

text: Ansari has made appearances in several films, including "Get Him to the Greek", "I Love You, Man", "30 Minutes or Less", "This Is the End," and "Observe and Report". In 2009, Ansari appeared in the Judd Apatow film "Funny People". Apatow liked Ansari's character, "Randy", and commissioned him and "Human Giant" collaborator Jason Woliner to create online shorts centered around his character, to promote the film. These shorts proved successful and the character became the subject of one of the film ideas Ansari and Woliner are developing for Apatow Productions. Two other ideas in development are "Let's Do This", a road movie about two motivational speakers, and an untitled film about two disgraced astronauts who must return to space to clear their names. Ansari is attached to star in another film with Danny McBride based on an idea from Ansari and "30 Rock" writer Matt Hubbard. In April 2010, it was announced that Ansari would star in the film "30 Minutes or Less". The film was directed by Ruben Fleischer and co-starred Jesse Eisenberg and McBride. The film was released on August 12, 2011.


title: Aziz Ansari

text: Ansari tours as a stand-up comedian. In 2006 and 2007, he toured with the Comedians of Comedy and Flight of the Conchords. In late 2008 and early 2009, his own comedy tour, the Glow in the Dark Tour, became the basis for a DVD/CD special for Comedy Central. The set, titled "Intimate Moments for a Sensual Evening", aired January 17, 2010.


title: Aziz Ansari

text: Ansari's comedy style tends to focus on aspects of his personal life. "I like talking about things that are going on in my life, because that's always going to be different and original", he says. "No one else is gonna be talking about my personal experiences".


title: Aziz Ansari

text: In July 2010, Ansari began a new tour, "Dangerously Delicious", which was in theaters across the United States; stops included the Bonnaroo Music Festival and Carnegie Hall in New York City. The tour wrapped with a filming for a special, "Dangerously Delicious" at the Warner Theatre in Washington, D.C., in June 2011. This special was released on his website in March 2012 for download or stream.


title: Aziz Ansari

text: In March 2012, Ansari announced a new tour entitled "Buried Alive", with dates scheduled for Q2/Q3 2012. A third stand-up special, "", was filmed during the tour at the Merriam Theater in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and premiered on Netflix on November 1, 2013. His 2015 special, "", also premiered on Netflix.


title: Aziz Ansari

text: In February 2019, Ansari began a new stand-up tour entitled "The Road to Nowhere", which was his official public return after the sexual-misconduct allegations and media backlash that put his career on a year-long hiatus in 2018. The performance was a response to the events of that past year, and touched on topics ranging from cultural appropriation, racism to sexual misconduct. His next comedy special "" was released on July 9, 2019, followed by "Aziz Ansari: Nightclub Comedian," released on January 25, 2022.


title: Aziz Ansari

text: In May 2019, Ansari teamed up with Dave Chappelle for three shows in Austin, Texas at the Paramount Theatre.


title: Aziz Ansari

text: Ansari's book, "", was released on June 16, 2015. The book is about the comedic pitfalls of dating in the modern world and was written with sociologist Eric Klinenberg.


title: Aziz Ansari

text: In February 2022, Ansari was set to make his feature directorial debut with a dramedy film titled "Being Mortal" starring Bill Murray, Keke Palmer and Seth Rogen. It is an adaptation of the non-fiction book "" by surgeon Atul Gawande, published in 2014. In April 2022, production of the film was halted due to a complaint of inappropriate behavior by Murray on set.


title: Aziz Ansari

text: In 2014, he identified as a feminist, saying his girlfriend has helped influence him. Ansari also incorporated an episode about feminism titled "Ladies and Gentlemen" in "Master of None". In an interview in 2015, he spoke about the episode's meaningfulness to him saying "I thought it was interesting that this is happening, yet so many people are unaware of it. And the problem is people aren't talking about it. What I've learned, as a guy, is to just ask women questions and listen to what they have to say. Go to your group of female friends and ask them about times they've experienced sexism at their job, and you'll get blown away by the things they tell you."


title: Aziz Ansari

text: Ansari is a "foodie" (although he dislikes the term); he and his friends Eric Wareheim and Jason Woliner have formed what they called "The Food Club", which involves them dressing up in suits and captain hats and rewarding restaurants with "Food Club" plaques. The plaques have their faces engraved along with the words: "The Food Club has dined here and deemed it plaque-worthy". He explained to "Vanity Fair", "It's a really serious-looking plaque and all of the restaurants we've given it to have put it front and center. It's funny because people will walk into a restaurant and be like, 'What the fuck is the Food Club? Who are these guys etched in gold?'" They also produced a tongue-in-cheek video about the club for "Jash", filming them debating whether or not restaurants were plaque-worthy.


title: Aziz Ansari

text: Ansari was a close friend of the comedian Harris Wittels and they frequently worked together. He has a brother, Aniz Adam Ansari, who co-wrote an episode of "Master of None".


title: Aziz Ansari

text: Ansari purchased an apartment in Tribeca, Downtown Manhattan in 2018 that had previously been owned by New York Rangers captain Ryan McDonagh for US$5.7 million.


title: Aziz Ansari

text: In December 2021, it was reported that Ansari had become engaged to Danish forensic data scientist Serena Skov Campbell. In June 2022, Ansari and Campbell got married, with their wedding being held in Tuscany, Italy.


title: Aziz Ansari

text: In January 2018, a woman using the pseudonym "Grace" accused Ansari of sexual misconduct in an article on "Babe.net", a website that was aimed at Millennial and Gen-Z readers. According to the article, the woman later texted Ansari expressing her discomfort, and he replied to her with an apology.


title: Aziz Ansari

text: Media critic Allison Davis, who later interviewed the article's author, Katie Way, called the Babe.net article "some combination of as-told-to and reported piece and morning-after group-chat gossip", saying that it became a "flashpoint of discussion about #MeToo". There was disagreement in media commentary as to whether the incident described in the "Babe" article constituted sexual misconduct. Some agreed with Ansari, who stated that the encounter "by all indications was completely consensual," while others stated that his actions were misogynistic, lacked affirmative consent, and spoke to a larger culture of harmful male expectations. Others say that Ansari's actions did not constitute sexual misconduct and that his accuser's narrative trivializes the #MeToo movement against forms of sexual abuse. Way was criticized for her handling of the story and for not following accepted journalistic standards. For "The Atlantic", James Hamblin wrote that these "stories of gray areas are exactly what [...] need to be told and discussed." "Even Ansari, the semi-ironic expert who authored a book on interpersonal communication [...] was seeing something totally different from his date, Grace", who felt coerced. Ansari briefly receded from the public eye following the incident and resumed performing stand-up comedy in May 2018.


title: Aziz Ansari

text: In 2016, Ansari was the recipient of Smithsonian Magazine's American Ingenuity Award for Performing Arts. In 2017, "Rolling Stone" ranked Aziz Ansari 49th in their list of greatest stand-up comedians of all time.


title: Etsy

text: Etsy, Inc. is an American e-commerce company focused on handmade or vintage items and craft supplies. These items fall under a wide range of categories, including jewelry, bags, clothing, home décor and furniture, toys, art, as well as craft supplies and tools. Items described as vintage must be at least 20 years old. The site follows in the tradition of open craft fairs, giving sellers personal storefronts where they list their goods for a fee of US$0.20 per item.


title: Etsy

text: , Etsy had over 120 million items in its marketplace, and the online marketplace for handmade and vintage goods connected 7.5 million sellers with 96.3 million buyers. At the end of 2021, Etsy had 2,402 employees. In 2021, Etsy had total sales, or Gross Merchandise Sales (GMS), of US$13.5 billion on the platform. In 2021, Etsy garnered a revenue of US$2.3 billion and registered a net income of US$493.5 million. The platform generates revenue primarily from three streams: its Marketplace revenue includes a fee of 6.5% of final sale value, which an Etsy seller pays for each completed transaction, on top of a listing fee of 20 cents per item; Seller Services, Etsy's fastest growing revenue stream, includes fees for services such as "Promoted Listings", payment processing, and purchases of shipping labels through the platform; while Other revenue includes fees received from third-party payment processors.


title: Etsy

text: Creating a shop on Etsy requires creating and posting at least one listing in the shop which costs $0.20. Each listing will remain on the shop's page for a maximum of 4 months, or until someone buys the product. The prices of products are set by the shop owner, but Etsy claims 6.5% of the final sale price of listing and 5% of postal fee. Shop owners are sent a bill at the end of every month detailing the fees Etsy has charged them, and they have until the 15th of the following month to pay the fees. Sellers can choose which payment options to offer buyers, including credit cards, debit cards, and PayPal, among others.


title: Etsy

text: On the Etsy homepage, potential buyers can type a "product description" into the search bar, or, alternatively, they can "browse" through a list of options on the left side of the homepage, which includes Art, Home & Living, Jewelry, Women, Men, Kids, Vintage, Weddings, Craft Supplies, Trending Items, Gift Ideas, Mobile Accessories, and more. Furthermore, buyers may choose from a list of categories by clicking on the "categories" link under "More Ways to Shop". This will bring the user to a page of over 30 categories, each containing subcategories.


title: Etsy

text: When a buyer views a product, they can choose to view the positive percentage feedback of each seller to determine the reliability of the shop. Once a buyer finds a product they would like to buy, they click "Add to Cart", and that product is added to their virtual "Shopping Cart". The buyer may then either continue shopping, or purchase the selected item. In order to purchase items, buyers do not have to have an account with Etsy, and can instead register with a Facebook or Google account.


title: Etsy

text: Etsy has received criticism for its handling of customer data and privacy. , according to the "Privacy Policy" section on the website: "By using Etsy, you authorise Etsy to use your information in the United States, Ireland and any other country where Etsy operates".


title: Etsy

text: Etsy is popular as a side-business, as well as a place to buy goods made from recycled and upcycled materials, along with less expensive or more unusual versions of mass-produced items. The unique nature of many of the items for sale is part of their appeal to some shoppers. Product photos on Etsy tend to be editorial or artistic instead of commercial catalog style. Sellers can add 13 tags to their products to help buyers find them, and buyers can choose to search for items available locally. Etsy staffers publish lists of featured items.


title: Etsy

text: Most sellers are women, who tend to be college-educated and in their twenties and thirties. Individual Etsy sellers decide which payment options to offer buyers; these options may include credit card, cheque, money order, PayPal, bank transfer, and Etsy gift card.


title: Etsy

text: Etsy sellers range from hobbyists to professional artists who use the site to make a living. According to artists who have developed their Etsy stores into their primary jobs, scaling up production of handmade items can require more than full-time work, especially during the holiday shopping season.


title: Etsy

text: Etsy's main office is in Dumbo, Brooklyn, and it has hosted open crafting classes in the "Etsy Labs". The site's technology, customer support, marketing, PR, business, and communications teams operate out of this office. Etsy Labs has a workspace that provides equipment and donated materials, where members gather to make items, take and teach workshops, and attend special events. Etsy also has an office in Berlin. In April 2012, Etsy announced that it was taking steps to hire more women engineers to improve the gender balance of its team, as a website with majority women users but few women engineers. By 2019, 30 percent of Etsy's engineers identified as "women or non-binary", and over 30 percent were people of color.


title: Etsy

text: Etsy was one of the main members of the Handmade Consortium, a 2007 effort to encourage buying handmade holiday gifts. Etsy has partnered with the retail chain West Elm to sell some Etsy products in its stores. In December 2012, Etsy opened a temporary holiday storefront in SoHo, New York City. In 2019, the UK's first Etsy store was opened in Didcot, Oxfordshire. The store features over 50 local makers & small businesses and an eco refill station, selling packaging free groceries including dry foods, toiletries, and cleaning products.


title: Etsy

text: The site was launched in June 2005 by iospace, a small company composed of Robert Kalin, Chris Maguire, and Haim Schoppik. The initial version had taken two and a half months to build. Later Jared Tarbell joined the team. Former NPR executive Maria Thomas joined as COO in 2008, was promoted to CEO and left Etsy in December 2009. Robert Kalin resumed his role as CEO from December 2009 until July 2011. Investors include Sean Meenan, Albert Wenger, Spencer and Judson Ain, Union Square Ventures, and founders of Flickr and Delicious.


title: Etsy

text: Kalin said that he named the site Etsy because he "wanted a nonsense word because I wanted to build the brand from scratch. I was watching Fellini's "8 ½" and writing down what I was hearing. In Italian, you say "etsi" a lot. It means 'oh, yes' (actually it's ""eh, si""). And in Latin and French, it means 'what if'." In Greek, Etsy means "just because".


title: Etsy

text: In Etsy's first year, it attracted attention for frequently adding new tools and functionality to the site to help sellers gain exposure and traffic, including Adobe Flash-based visualizations and a taxonomy of categories with tags. Etsy passed $1.7 million in sales in May 2007. On July 29, Etsy had its one-millionth sale and anticipated its two-millionth sale would occur mid-December 2007. In November 2007, buyers spent $4.3 million purchasing 300,000 items for sale on Etsy, an increase of 43 percent from October 2007. In June 2007, it expected to be profitable by the fall, but in December 2007 it was not a profitable company. In January 2008, Etsy received an additional $27 million in funding from Union Square Ventures, Hubert Burda Media, and Jim Breyer.


title: Etsy

text: In February 2008, trouble at eBay, including a strike by some dissatisfied sellers, brought speculation that Etsy could be an increasing competitor. At the same time, however, some Etsy sellers expressed discontentment with how Etsy was handling complaints about stores. At the time, a comparison of the two websites included complaints that on Etsy, items are difficult to find, the interface "feels slow", and the buying and selling process is United States-centric. Other reviewers enjoyed using Etsy's specialized search options, including the "Shop Local" tool.


title: Etsy

text: In July 2008, Rob Kalin ceded the position of CEO to Maria Thomas. Some longtime Etsy employees left the company in August 2008, including founders Haim Schoppik and Chris Maguire. In September 2008, Etsy hired Chad Dickerson, who formerly worked at Yahoo!, as Chief Technology Officer. The company acknowledged concerns about vendors selling other people's work as their own.


title: Etsy

text: In April 2009, users organized an "etsyday" promotion on Twitter that brought extra attention to the site. As of May 2009, it had approximately 60 employees and sales of $10 to 13 million per month, possibly boosted by consumer interest in cheaper and more personalized goods due to the United States recession.


title: Etsy

text: In March 2010, Kalin said that the company is profitable and "plans to go public, though not until at least next year". Financial statements required to be filed by Etsy in order to go public show that due to reinvestment of annually increasing gross profits in marketing, product development, and management, the company has not reported a net profit as of 2015.


title: Etsy

text: In December 2010, Etsy said it had seven million registered users, and that it would continue to focus on a personal community feel as it grows larger, as that is part of what distinguishes it from eBay.


title: Etsy

text: In March 2011, Etsy "introduced a Facebook-style social networking system called People Search...to help buyers and sellers connect with each other and become friends". By doing so, Etsy made any past purchase with feedback easily searchable, which caused many complaints. Etsy then made changes to the site to better guard information regarding users' purchases.


title: Etsy

text: In July 2011, Chad Dickerson, CTO since September 2008, became CEO, upon the firing of Rob Kalin. Later CTOs were Kellan Elliot-McCrea and John Allspaw.


title: Etsy

text: In April 2012, a newspaper article about Etsy covered its fraud detection efforts; Etsy had been criticized in the past for inconsistently applying its rules about items having to be handmade. Later in April 2012, the writer of Regretsy, a popular blog, did independent research into a specific featured vendor, Ecologica Malibu, and found evidence to accuse the vendor of being a reseller, which would be against the Etsy Terms of Service. The vendor asserted that it was in line with the Terms of Service, stating that the shop had simply failed to identify itself as a "collective" that included the work of several individuals, and many Etsy community members posted on the Etsy forum expressing unhappiness with the action (or lack of action) taken by Etsy. As of June 2012, the vendor's account is no longer active on Etsy.


title: Etsy

text: In May 2012, Etsy raised $40 million in Series F funding, and announced the company had become a B Corp. This B Lab certification lapsed in 2017. Etsy's 2012 funds went towards expanding Etsy in international markets, including France, Germany, and Australia.


title: Etsy

text: On October 1, 2013, Dickerson held an online Town Hall Meeting to announce that Etsy would now permit factory-made goods and drop shipping, provided the seller either designed or hired designers of the items, disclosed to Etsy their factory, disclosed that they used factories and took "ownership" of the process. In that meeting and afterward, Etsy claimed the meaning of the word "handmade" should be redefined to encompass factory made.


title: Etsy

text: In June 2014, Etsy purchased A Little Market, a French e-commerce site for handmade goods, foods, and wine, for a mix of cash and stock valued at less than $100 million. At the time the acquisition was the company's largest.


title: Etsy

text: On March 3, 2015, Etsy announced that it had filed for a $100 million IPO. As of 2015, Etsy generated transactions worth US$1.93 billion on its platform, which has 54 million members. Etsy went public on April 16, 2015, selling 13.3 million shares, while other stockholders including venture capital firms such as Accel and Acton Capital Partners were selling the rest. The company's valuation was $1.8 billion and raised $237 million in IPO proceeds. Less than a month later, Etsy stock dropped more than 8%. The stock closed at $30 on its first day of trading on April 16 and dropped down to $20.32 as of May 11.


title: Etsy

text: Shortly after the IPO in 2015, a group of investors filed a class action lawsuit against Etsy claiming fraud. The suit claimed that Etsy's CEO and officers failed to disclose numerous problems with the site which could affect the stock price, among them that "more than 5 percent of all merchandise for sale on Etsy’s website may be either counterfeit or constitute trademark or copyright infringement" and that "brands are increasingly pursuing sellers on Etsy for trademark or copyright infringement, jeopardizing listing fees and commissions". The suit also claimed that Etsy management knew of the rampant trademark and copyright infringement but did little to stop it, and in fact worked to hide this information from potential investors.


title: Etsy

text: In November 2016, Etsy disclosed that it paid US$32.5 million to purchase Blackbird Technologies, a startup that developed AI software used for shopping context/search applications. After experiencing a first-quarter loss in May 2017, Etsy replaced its chief executive and cut 8% of its workforce. In May 2017, Board member Josh Silverman was appointed CEO over Chad Dickerson, citing pressure from shareholders and poor profits.


title: Etsy

text: In April 2020, Etsy issues a call to all sellers on the site to start making cloth face masks to combat COVID-19. Masks accounted for around 11% of gross-merchandise sales in the third quarter, selling roughly 24 million. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, shares in Etsy more than quadrupled, with the company's forward multiple going up around 90 times what analysts had expected from forward earning. Equity analyst at D.A. Davidson Tom Forte stated the pandemic gave customers incentive to return to the website multiple times, rather than the usual occasional purchase of a unique product.


title: Etsy

text: On June 2, 2021, Etsy announced that it had agreed to acquire shopping app Depop, the global fashion resell marketplace for $1.63 billion.


title: Etsy

text: In most locations where Etsy Payments is not available, new shops are unable to onboard to Etsy. As of April 26, 2021, most sellers opening new shops on Etsy are required to onboard with Etsy Payments, which brings limitations on creating new shops in some countries.


title: Etsy

text: In June 2022, Etsy announced the upcoming August launch of a purchase protection program for buyers and sellers. The company stated that an item that arrives damaged, does not arrive or does not match a description, will be refunded in full for the buyer. Etsy also reported it would invest $25 million to cover the refunds for cases where the seller is not at fault for item damage or loss.


title: Etsy

text: In an interview in August 2013, CEO Chad Dickerson emphasized the importance of human interaction and meaning from creativity in regard to his perspective on Etsy. Dickerson described the website as "a platform that provides meaning to people, and an opportunity to validate their art, their craft", and after spending time with Etsy users, Dickerson learned that "all commerce is about real human interaction". Dickerson also provided a summation of Etsy that is a further reflection of the company's relationship- and meaning-based ethos: "At the end of every transaction, you get something real from a real person. There is an existential satisfaction to that."


title: Etsy

text: In 2008, Etsy received a B Corporation certification but later lost it in 2017. This certification was a recognition of the company abiding by transparent and accountable practices, which includes environmental practices. The environmental impact from depends greatly on the individual seller usage of wholesale retailer and large manufacturers. In Etsy's Supplier Code of Conduct, it states that sellers are obligated to follow environmental laws and regulations and that sellers must conduct business in a sustainable and responsible manner. Esty's 2020 Climate Change Response outlines the company's annual plan for climate related issues and how it achieves the motto of "keep commerce human". In 2019, the board that oversees climate change at Esty made a goal of becoming a carbon neutral company in 2020. To achieve this, Etsy is offering eco-friendly packaging to its sellers through a partnership with EcoEnclose. This provides sellers with the option to use certified 100% recycled packaging. Buyers are also given a carbon offsetting option when selecting shipping. Etsy, partnered with multiple companies including Apple, pledged to purchase 165 Megawatts of solar energy through Spotsylvania. By 2025, Etsy's goal is to reduce energy intensity by 25%.


title: Etsy

text: As of March 2016, Etsy's top three competitors according to Hoovers Online are Amazon Handmade, Craigslist, and eBay. Etsy has been compared to "a crafty cross between Amazon and eBay", and to "your grandma's basement". Etsy also has a number of direct competitors. DaWanda, based in Germany, closed in August 2018, Druzza is a global competitor, Bonanza (formerly Bonanzle and 1000 Markets) is based in the United States and focuses on clothing and fashion, Zibbet and Made It which are based in Australia, iCraft is based in Canada, Artfire is based in the United States, and Hello Pretty is an online craft marketplace targeted at South Africans. Tindie is based in Portland, Oregon, and focuses on technology and electronics. Apple Creek Lane, a Canadian-based online marketplace that focuses on health, fitness & wellness products. ArtYah, based in California, United States brought together sellers and consumers of handmade items, vintage and some craft supplies prior to closing in December, 2019.


title: Etsy

text: Asked about competitors, Etsy's European CEO said, "As far as I am concerned, the more people highlighting the value of supporting micro-producers and buying handmade and vintage directly from them, the better."


title: Etsy

text: In 2011, in an effort to add social networking features to Etsy, the company implemented features that allowed users to search other users' buying histories and to trace their purchasing transactions. Etsy thought this feature would allow Etsy users to connect to individuals with similar buying and/or selling histories and an automatic opt-in was applied to all users without the attainment of prior permission. Users of the service raised concerns over the feature's violation of privacy rights, but an official response was not released by the company.


title: Etsy

text: On October 1, 2013, Etsy changed its policy to allow sellers to outsource production to third parties and factories and to use shipping or fulfillment services. The new rules allow products to be labeled "handmade" as long as the original idea for that item—or its "authorship" as C.E.O. Dickerson says—comes from its respective seller. Further, the policy changes allow Etsy businesses to hire as many employees as they deem necessary (including workers in different locations) and allow sellers to ship orders via third-party couriers rather than the post office.


title: Etsy

text: The move has prompted at least one Etsy competitor to distinguish itself by committing never to sell manufactured items.


title: Etsy

text: In September 2015, Etsy made further changes to its manufacturing policy with the launch of Etsy Manufacturing, a marketplace allowing sellers to connect with outside manufacturers to fabricate their products. Manufacturers must be reviewed and approved by Etsy to ensure they adhere to certain criteria, although Etsy will not conduct visits or in-person inspections. Sellers must apply and be approved to work with any partners listed on Etsy Manufacturing and are required to disclose their use of outside manufacturers on their pages.


title: Etsy

text: In February 2020, Etsy announced a new "risk free" product advertising program, replacing an existing system allowing sellers to purchase ads on platforms such as Google Shopping from within Etsy. The company will automatically purchase advertising for products on "high-traffic" websites, with sales generated by these leads subject to a 15% cut of revenue from the total of the order. Etsy expected at least "1 in 10" leads to come from these ads. All sellers will be automatically opted into this program, but sellers with an annual revenue of $10,000 or higher (which will be subject to a 12% cut instead) are required to participate and may not opt out. The system has faced criticism from sellers, who have characterized the new system as a means for the company to further siphon revenue from its sellers.


title: Etsy

text: Etsy reviews are permanent, and Etsy does not fact-check reviews. Many sellers have complained about false or misleading statements in reviews.


title: Etsy

text: On 10 March 2022, due to banking sanctions, Etsy blocked accounts of all Russian customers including those living abroad and delisted all their goods, with the message of "Expanding business restrictions in the sellers' region".


title: Mushroom

text: A mushroom or toadstool is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground, on soil, or on its food source. "Toadstool" generally denotes one poisonous to humans.


title: Mushroom

text: The standard for the name "mushroom" is the cultivated white button mushroom, "Agaricus bisporus"; hence the word "mushroom" is most often applied to those fungi (Basidiomycota, Agaricomycetes) that have a stem (stipe), a cap (pileus), and gills (lamellae, sing. lamella) on the underside of the cap. "Mushroom" also describes a variety of other gilled fungi, with or without stems, therefore the term is used to describe the fleshy fruiting bodies of some Ascomycota. These gills produce microscopic spores that help the fungus spread across the ground or its occupant surface.


title: Mushroom

text: Forms deviating from the standard morphology usually have more specific names, such as "bolete", "puffball", "stinkhorn", and "morel", and gilled mushrooms themselves are often called "agarics" in reference to their similarity to "Agaricus" or their order Agaricales. By extension, the term "mushroom" can also refer to either the entire fungus when in culture, the thallus (called mycelium) of species forming the fruiting bodies called mushrooms, or the species itself.


title: Mushroom

text: The terms "mushroom" and "toadstool" go back centuries and were never precisely defined, nor was there consensus on application. During the 15th and 16th centuries, the terms "mushrom, mushrum, muscheron, mousheroms, mussheron, or musserouns" were used.


title: Mushroom

text: The term "mushroom" and its variations may have been derived from the French word "mousseron" in reference to moss ("mousse"). Delineation between edible and poisonous fungi is not clear-cut, so a "mushroom" may be edible, poisonous, or unpalatable. The word "toadstool" appeared first in 14th century England as a reference for a "stool" for toads, possibly implying an inedible poisonous fungus.


title: Mushroom

text: Identifying what is and is not a mushroom requires a basic understanding of their macroscopic structure. Most are basidiomycetes and gilled. Their spores, called basidiospores, are produced on the gills and fall in a fine rain of powder from under the caps as a result. At the microscopic level, the basidiospores are shot off basidia and then fall between the gills in the dead air space. As a result, for most mushrooms, if the cap is cut off and placed gill-side-down overnight, a powdery impression reflecting the shape of the gills (or pores, or spines, etc.) is formed (when the fruit body is sporulating). The color of the powdery print, called a spore print, is useful in both classifying and identifying mushrooms. Spore print colors include white (most common), brown, black, purple-brown, pink, yellow, and creamy, but almost never blue, green, or red.


title: Mushroom

text: While modern identification of mushrooms is quickly becoming molecular, the standard methods for identification are still used by most and have developed into a fine art harking back to medieval times and the Victorian era, combined with microscopic examination. The presence of juices upon breaking, bruising-reactions, odors, tastes, shades of color, habitat, habit, and season are all considered by both amateur and professional mycologists. Tasting and smelling mushrooms carries its own hazards because of poisons and allergens. Chemical tests are also used for some genera.


title: Mushroom

text: In general, identification to genus can often be accomplished in the field using a local field guide. Identification to species, however, requires more effort. A mushroom develops from a button stage into a mature structure, and only the latter can provide certain characteristics needed for the identification of the species. However, over-mature specimens lose features and cease producing spores. Many novices have mistaken humid water marks on paper for white spore prints, or discolored paper from oozing liquids on lamella edges for colored spored prints.


title: Mushroom

text: Typical mushrooms are the fruit bodies of members of the order Agaricales, whose type genus is "Agaricus" and type species is the field mushroom, "Agaricus campestris". However, in modern molecularly defined classifications, not all members of the order Agaricales produce mushroom fruit bodies, and many other gilled fungi, collectively called mushrooms, occur in other orders of the class Agaricomycetes. For example, chanterelles are in the Cantharellales, false chanterelles such as "Gomphus" are in the Gomphales, milk-cap mushrooms ("Lactarius", "Lactifluus") and russulas ("Russula"), as well as "Lentinellus", are in the Russulales, while the tough, leathery genera "Lentinus" and "Panus" are among the Polyporales, but "Neolentinus" is in the Gloeophyllales, and the little pin-mushroom genus, "Rickenella", along with similar genera, are in the Hymenochaetales.


title: Mushroom

text: Within the main body of mushrooms, in the Agaricales, are common fungi like the common fairy-ring mushroom, shiitake, enoki, oyster mushrooms, fly agarics and other Amanitas, magic mushrooms like species of "Psilocybe", paddy straw mushrooms, shaggy manes, etc.


title: Mushroom

text: An atypical mushroom is the lobster mushroom, which is a deformed, cooked-lobster-colored parasitized fruitbody of a "Russula" or "Lactarius", colored and deformed by the mycoparasitic Ascomycete "Hypomyces lactifluorum".


title: Mushroom

text: Other mushrooms are not gilled, so the term "mushroom" is loosely used, and giving a full account of their classifications is difficult. Some have pores underneath (and are usually called boletes), others have spines, such as the hedgehog mushroom and other tooth fungi, and so on. "Mushroom" has been used for polypores, puffballs, jelly fungi, coral fungi, bracket fungi, stinkhorns, and cup fungi. Thus, the term is more one of common application to macroscopic fungal fruiting bodies than one having precise taxonomic meaning. Approximately 14,000 species of mushrooms are described.


title: Mushroom

text: A mushroom develops from a nodule, or pinhead, less than two millimeters in diameter, called a primordium, which is typically found on or near the surface of the substrate. It is formed within the mycelium, the mass of threadlike hyphae that make up the fungus. The primordium enlarges into a roundish structure of interwoven hyphae roughly resembling an egg, called a "button". The button has a cottony roll of mycelium, the universal veil, that surrounds the developing fruit body. As the egg expands, the universal veil ruptures and may remain as a cup, or volva, at the base of the stalk, or as warts or volval patches on the cap. Many mushrooms lack a universal veil, therefore they do not have either a volva or volval patches. Often, a second layer of tissue, the partial veil, covers the bladelike gills that bear spores. As the cap expands, the veil breaks, and remnants of the partial veil may remain as a ring, or annulus, around the middle of the stalk or as fragments hanging from the margin of the cap. The ring may be skirt-like as in some species of "Amanita", collar-like as in many species of "Lepiota", or merely the faint remnants of a cortina (a partial veil composed of filaments resembling a spiderweb), which is typical of the genus "Cortinarius". Mushrooms lacking partial veils do not form an annulus.


title: Mushroom

text: The stalk (also called the stipe, or stem) may be central and support the cap in the middle, or it may be off-center and/or lateral, as in species of "Pleurotus" and "Panus". In other mushrooms, a stalk may be absent, as in the polypores that form shelf-like brackets. Puffballs lack a stalk, but may have a supporting base. Other mushrooms, such as truffles, jellies, earthstars, and bird's nests, usually do not have stalks, and a specialized mycological vocabulary exists to describe their parts.


title: Mushroom

text: The way the gills attach to the top of the stalk is an important feature of mushroom morphology. Mushrooms in the genera "Agaricus", "Amanita", "Lepiota" and "Pluteus", among others, have free gills that do not extend to the top of the stalk. Others have decurrent gills that extend down the stalk, as in the genera "Omphalotus" and "Pleurotus". There are a great number of variations between the extremes of free and decurrent, collectively called attached gills. Finer distinctions are often made to distinguish the types of attached gills: adnate gills, which adjoin squarely to the stalk; notched gills, which are notched where they join the top of the stalk; adnexed gills, which curve upward to meet the stalk, and so on. These distinctions between attached gills are sometimes difficult to interpret, since gill attachment may change as the mushroom matures, or with different environmental conditions.


title: Mushroom

text: A hymenium is a layer of microscopic spore-bearing cells that covers the surface of gills. In the nongilled mushrooms, the hymenium lines the inner surfaces of the tubes of boletes and polypores, or covers the teeth of spine fungi and the branches of corals. In the Ascomycota, spores develop within microscopic elongated, sac-like cells called asci, which typically contain eight spores in each ascus. The Discomycetes, which contain the cup, sponge, brain, and some club-like fungi, develop an exposed layer of asci, as on the inner surfaces of cup fungi or within the pits of morels. The Pyrenomycetes, tiny dark-colored fungi that live on a wide range of substrates including soil, dung, leaf litter, and decaying wood, as well as other fungi, produce minute, flask-shaped structures called perithecia, within which the asci develop.


title: Mushroom

text: In the basidiomycetes, usually four spores develop on the tips of thin projections called sterigmata, which extend from club-shaped cells called a basidia. The fertile portion of the Gasteromycetes, called a gleba, may become powdery as in the puffballs or slimy as in the stinkhorns. Interspersed among the asci are threadlike sterile cells called paraphyses. Similar structures called cystidia often occur within the hymenium of the Basidiomycota. Many types of cystidia exist, and assessing their presence, shape, and size is often used to verify the identification of a mushroom.


title: Mushroom

text: The most important microscopic feature for identification of mushrooms is the spores. Their color, shape, size, attachment, ornamentation, and reaction to chemical tests often can be the crux of an identification. A spore often has a protrusion at one end, called an apiculus, which is the point of attachment to the basidium, termed the apical germ pore, from which the hypha emerges when the spore germinates.


title: Mushroom

text: Many species of mushrooms seemingly appear overnight, growing or expanding rapidly. This phenomenon is the source of several common expressions in the English language including "to mushroom" or "mushrooming" (expanding rapidly in size or scope) and "to pop up like a mushroom" (to appear unexpectedly and quickly). In reality, all species of mushrooms take several days to form primordial mushroom fruit bodies, though they do expand rapidly by the absorption of fluids.


title: Mushroom

text: The cultivated mushroom, as well as the common field mushroom, initially form a minute fruiting body, referred to as the pin stage because of their small size. Slightly expanded, they are called buttons, once again because of the relative size and shape. Once such stages are formed, the mushroom can rapidly pull in water from its mycelium and expand, mainly by inflating preformed cells that took several days to form in the primordia.


title: Mushroom

text: Similarly, there are other mushrooms, like "Parasola plicatilis" (formerly "Coprinus plicatlis"), that grow rapidly overnight and may disappear by late afternoon on a hot day after rainfall. The primordia form at ground level in lawns in humid spaces under the thatch and after heavy rainfall or in dewy conditions balloon to full size in a few hours, release spores, and then collapse. They "mushroom" to full size.


title: Mushroom

text: Not all mushrooms expand overnight; some grow very slowly and add tissue to their fruiting bodies by growing from the edges of the colony or by inserting hyphae. For example, "Pleurotus nebrodensis" grows slowly, and because of this combined with human collection, it is now critically endangered.


title: Mushroom

text: Though mushroom fruiting bodies are short-lived, the underlying mycelium can itself be long-lived and massive. A colony of "Armillaria solidipes" (formerly known as "Armillaria ostoyae") in Malheur National Forest in the United States is estimated to be 2,400 years old, possibly older, and spans an estimated . Most of the fungus is underground and in decaying wood or dying tree roots in the form of white mycelia combined with black shoelace-like rhizomorphs that bridge colonized separated woody substrates.


title: Mushroom

text: Raw brown mushrooms are 92% water, 4% carbohydrates, 2% protein and less than 1% fat. In a 100 gram (3.5 ounce) amount, raw mushrooms provide 22 calories and are a rich source (20% or more of the Daily Value, DV) of B vitamins, such as riboflavin, niacin and pantothenic acid, selenium (37% DV) and copper (25% DV), and a moderate source (10-19% DV) of phosphorus, zinc and potassium (table). They have minimal or no vitamin C and sodium content.


title: Mushroom

text: The vitamin D content of a mushroom depends on postharvest handling, in particular the unintended exposure to sunlight. The US Department of Agriculture provided evidence that UV-exposed mushrooms contain substantial amounts of vitamin D. When exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light, even after harvesting, ergosterol in mushrooms is converted to vitamin D, a process now used intentionally to supply fresh vitamin D mushrooms for the functional food grocery market. In a comprehensive safety assessment of producing vitamin D in fresh mushrooms, researchers showed that artificial UV light technologies were equally effective for vitamin D production as in mushrooms exposed to natural sunlight, and that UV light has a long record of safe use for production of vitamin D in food.


title: Mushroom

text: Mushrooms are used extensively in cooking, in many cuisines (notably Chinese, Korean, European, and Japanese). Humans have valued them as food since antiquity.


title: Mushroom

text: Most mushrooms sold in supermarkets have been commercially grown on mushroom farms. The most popular of these, "Agaricus bisporus", is considered safe for most people to eat because it is grown in controlled, sterilized environments. Several varieties of "A. bisporus" are grown commercially, including whites, crimini, and portobello. Other cultivated species available at many grocers include "Hericium erinaceus", shiitake, maitake (hen-of-the-woods), "Pleurotus", and enoki. In recent years, increasing affluence in developing countries has led to a considerable growth in interest in mushroom cultivation, which is now seen as a potentially important economic activity for small farmers.


title: Mushroom

text: China is a major edible mushroom producer. The country produces about half of all cultivated mushrooms, and around of mushrooms are consumed per person per year by 1.4 billion people. In 2014, Poland was the world's largest mushroom exporter, reporting an estimated annually.


title: Mushroom

text: Separating edible from poisonous species requires meticulous attention to detail; there is no single trait by which all toxic mushrooms can be identified, nor one by which all edible mushrooms can be identified. People who collect mushrooms for consumption are known as mycophagists, and the act of collecting them for such is known as mushroom hunting, or simply "mushrooming". Even edible mushrooms may produce allergic reactions in susceptible individuals, from a mild asthmatic response to severe anaphylactic shock. Even the cultivated "A. bisporus" contains small amounts of hydrazines, the most abundant of which is agaritine (a mycotoxin and carcinogen). However, the hydrazines are destroyed by moderate heat when cooking.


title: Mushroom

text: A number of species of mushrooms are poisonous; although some resemble certain edible species, consuming them could be fatal. Eating mushrooms gathered in the wild is risky and should only be undertaken by individuals knowledgeable in mushroom identification. Common best practice is for wild mushroom pickers to focus on collecting a small number of visually distinctive, edible mushroom species that cannot be easily confused with poisonous varieties. Common mushroom hunting advice is that if a mushroom cannot be positively identified, it should be considered poisonous and not eaten.


title: Mushroom

text: Many mushroom species produce secondary metabolites that can be toxic, mind-altering, antibiotic, antiviral, or bioluminescent. Although there are only a small number of deadly species, several others can cause particularly severe and unpleasant symptoms. Toxicity likely plays a role in protecting the function of the basidiocarp: the mycelium has expended considerable energy and protoplasmic material to develop a structure to efficiently distribute its spores. One defense against consumption and premature destruction is the evolution of chemicals that render the mushroom inedible, either causing the consumer to vomit the meal (see emetics), or to learn to avoid consumption altogether. In addition, due to the propensity of mushrooms to absorb heavy metals, including those that are radioactive, as late as 2008, European mushrooms may have included toxicity from the 1986 Chernobyl disaster and continued to be studied.


title: Mushroom

text: Mushrooms with psychoactive properties have long played a role in various native medicine traditions in cultures all around the world. They have been used as sacrament in rituals aimed at mental and physical healing, and to facilitate visionary states. One such ritual is the "velada" ceremony. A practitioner of traditional mushroom use is the "shaman" or "curandera" (priest-healer).


title: Mushroom

text: Psilocybin mushrooms, also referred to as psychedelic mushrooms, possess psychedelic properties. Commonly known as "magic mushrooms" or shrooms", they are openly available in smart shops in many parts of the world, or on the black market in those countries that have outlawed their sale. Psilocybin mushrooms have been reported as facilitating profound and life-changing insights often described as mystical experiences. Recent scientific work has supported these claims, as well as the long-lasting effects of such induced spiritual experiences.


title: Mushroom

text: Psilocybin, a naturally occurring chemical in certain psychedelic mushrooms such as "Psilocybe cubensis", is being studied for its ability to help people suffering from psychological disorders, such as obsessive–compulsive disorder. Minute amounts have been reported to stop cluster and migraine headaches. A double-blind study, done by the Johns Hopkins Hospital, showed psychedelic mushrooms could provide people an experience with substantial personal meaning and spiritual significance. In the study, one third of the subjects reported ingestion of psychedelic mushrooms was the single most spiritually significant event of their lives. Over two-thirds reported it among their five most meaningful and spiritually significant events. On the other hand, one-third of the subjects reported extreme anxiety. However, the anxiety went away after a short period of time. Psilocybin mushrooms have also shown to be successful in treating addiction, specifically with alcohol and cigarettes.


title: Mushroom

text: A few species in the genus "Amanita", most recognizably "A. muscaria", but also "A. pantherina", among others, contain the psychoactive compound muscimol. The muscimol-containing chemotaxonomic group of "Amanitas" contains no amatoxins or phallotoxins, and as such are not hepatoxic, though if not properly cured will be non-lethally neurotoxic due to the presence of ibotenic acid. The "Amanita" intoxication is similar to Z-drugs in that it includes CNS depressant and sedative-hypnotic effects, but also dissociation and delirium in high doses.


title: Mushroom

text: Some mushrooms are used in folk medicine. In a few countries, extracts, such as polysaccharide-K, schizophyllan, polysaccharide peptide, or lentinan, are government-registered adjuvant cancer therapies, but clinical evidence for efficacy and safety of these extracts in humans has not been confirmed. Although some mushroom species or their extracts may be consumed for therapeutic effects, some regulatory agencies, such as the US Food and Drug Administration, regard such use as a dietary supplement, which does not have government approval or common clinical use as a prescription drug.


title: Mushroom

text: Mushrooms can be used for dyeing wool and other natural fibers. The chromophores of mushroom dyes are organic compounds and produce strong and vivid colors, and all colors of the spectrum can be achieved with mushroom dyes. Before the invention of synthetic dyes, mushrooms were the source of many textile dyes.


title: Mushroom

text: Some fungi, types of polypores loosely called mushrooms, have been used as fire starters (known as tinder fungi).


title: Mushroom

text: Mushrooms and other fungi play a role in the development of new biological remediation techniques (e.g., using mycorrhizae to spur plant growth) and filtration technologies (e.g. using fungi to lower bacterial levels in contaminated water).


title: Mushroom

text: There is an ongoing research in the field of genetic engineering aimed towards creation of the enhanced qualities of mushrooms for such domains as nutritional value enhancement, as well as medical use.