Photo= The tourism planning and promotion office staff working in ninja costumes. The atmosphere is full of secrecy (Koka City Hall, Minakuchi-cho, Koka City, Shiga Prefecture)

In order to publicize "Ninja no Hi," or the day of ninja on February 22, and the event "Koka-ryu Ninja Fukkatsusai," or Koka-style ninja revival festival, scheduled one day earlier on February 21, that are hosted by Koka City, Shiga Prefecture, six staff members of its tourism planning and promotion office have been working in the government office attired in ninja costumes since February 15. They will continue to do so until February 22, excluding Saturdays and Sundays.

"Ninja no Hi" was approved by the Japan Anniversary Association last year, after the tourist associations of both Koka City and Iga City in Mie Prefecture applied for official recognition in autumn of the year before last. The date has the numeral 2 in a line and it is similar to the sound "Nin Nin Nin" which has a connection to ninja.

The ninja costumes are black, red, or navy-blue, and they lend a perfectly mysterious atmosphere as staff efficiently handle their tasks, such as telephoning, organizing materials via computer and so on. A staff member living near the city hall commuted to work by bicycle in the ninja costume on this day.

A staff member in ninja costume also promoted the efficiency, saying "I feel that the costume makes me brisker and the speed of my work faster than usual." The festival "Koka-ryu Ninja Fukkatsusai" sponsored by Koka City will be held at "Shinobi no Sato PLALA" in Ryuboshi, Konan-cho, Koka City, from 10:00 a.m. on February 21.

A cartwheeling grandmother? Videos uploaded by Koka City.

Photo= In a short movie released by Koka City, an elderly couple shows ninja-like action moves

In order to enhance the image that "Ninjas are still alive in our city," Koka City in Shiga Prefecture has uploaded seven short movies to the video-sharing website "YouTube" since mid-January. One shows an elderly couple strolling in the city suddenly making ninja-like moves. The popular movie has been viewed more than 13,000 times.

Every video has been uploaded through the official website of "Koka-ryu Ninja Finders" formed by Koka City, and lasts for approximately 50 seconds. The videos are shot just like images from a security camera in order to create a sense of reality.

The most popular video is one in which an old woman worshipping at the tower gate of Aburahi Shrine in Koka-cho, Koka City, formerly revered by Koka samurai warriors (ninjas), suddenly does a cartwheel on the stairs. In another video, an elderly couple walking with great effort abruptly move nimbly after spying some playground equipment.

The tourism planning and promotion office of Koka City said, "We hope that people browsing for information related to ninja happen to see our videos, and then become interested and wonder, 'Where are these scenes?'"

Photo= The tourism planning and promotion office staff working in ninja costumes. The atmosphere is full of secrecy (Koka City Hall, Minakuchi-cho, Koka City, Shiga Prefecture)

Photo= In a short movie released by Koka City, an elderly couple shows ninja-like action moves