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Do you ever get the feeling you were born too late in history? I mean think about it, if you’d come into the world, say, five centuries sooner, you could have been a ninja, plying your trade by offering your shadow warrior skills to one of the warlords of Japan’s Sengoku period.

But hey, that doesn’t mean there are no fights left for would-be shinobi! It just means that instead of taking on enemy armies, your adversaries are instead harsh UV rays and annoying mosquitos, and what better way to gear up for such modern battles than with a Ninja Parka?

The Ninja Parka, like the ninja themselves, employs a number of clever techniques and hidden capabilities. With harsh, skin-damagingly intense sunlight and rampant mosquitos both being unpleasant realities of a Japanese summer, the parka, which can also be worn like an ordinary zip-up, features a masked hood that covers the checks and forehead, as well as hand coverings that can be adjusted to two different lengths.

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Lightweight and easy to move about in, the manufacturer nevertheless claims the polyester/urethane material blocks out 99 percent of UV rays. The fabric is also processed with natural bug-repelling components, which should be a blessing when the humidity is up and the mosquitos are out.

▼ The mask portion is made from a lightweight mesh, allowing you to breathe easily while obscuring your face from the sun’s rays/shogun’s guards.

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On the forearm, you’ll find a stitched shuriken. This is more than just a decorative touch, though. It’s also a UV indicator, which changes from silver to pink in the presence of stronger ultraviolet rays.

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Being outside in the summertime in Japan usually means being wet, either from the sweltering, sweat-producing humidity or one of the frequent squalls that come with it. In either case, you’ll be happy to know that the Ninja Parka is made with fast-drying material. Even better, it’s also got interior pockets next to the underarms and on the back where you can slip in an ice pack (purchased separately) to give yourself some allies in beating the heat.

▼ The parka can also be folded up into its own back pocket, as shown on the right.

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Finally, the designers point out that the garment is long enough to cover your backside, making it a viable choice for avoiding sunburns during a ninja day at the beach.

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The Ninja Parka is being sold through online retailers Cecile (here) and Dinos (here), in sizes medium to extra-extra-large. Both sites have it priced at 4,212 yen (US$35), although only Dinos currently has the unstealthy, but cute, pink variant

Sources: Cecile, Dinos
Images: Cecile (edited by RocketNews24)