Geography

In the Ninja World, countries operate as separate political entities ruled by Daimyo, or Feudal Lords. Within these countries are hidden villages (隠れ里kakurezato), settlements housing ninja, warriors capable of using super power abilities in combat. A hidden village maintains the economy of the parent country by training ninja from a young age and using them to perform missions for their own, or other countries. Furthermore, separate parties can hire ninja for purposes such as protection. The ninja of a hidden village serve as the military force of their parent country. The leaders of the hidden villages hold equal status with the leaders of their respective countries. Five countries in the Ninja World: the Land of Earth, the Land of Fire, the Land of Lightning, the Land of Water, and the Land of Wind are known as the "Five Great Shinobi Nations". These countries are the most powerful in the Ninja World. They are ruled by a feudal lord and the leaders of the hidden villages in these countries hold the title of Kage.^[ch. 9] During the "Fourth Ninja World War", the hidden villages of all five nations join together to confront Akatsuki's forces as the "Ninja Alliance Army" or "Shinobi Alliance." Other apparently smaller nations have been named in passing, in either the manga or anime, but are yet to be explored in detail.

Land of Fire

The Land of Fire (火の国 Hi no Kuni) is one of the Five Great Shinobi Countries, is where the majority of the Naruto series takes place, getting its name from its bright and hot weather. It is where The Village Hidden In Leaves (木ノ葉隠れの里Konohagakure no Sato), also known as the Hidden Leaf Village (木ノ葉隠れ Konohagakure) or Konoha (木ノ葉 Konoha), is located. The village was founded by the two rival ninja clans descended from the Sage of Six Paths: The Senju led by Hashirama and the Uchiha under Madara.^[ch. 625]When Hashirama was named Konoha's leader, the First Hokage, events led to an epic battle with a furious Madara that led to Konoha obtaining possession of Kurama the Nine-Tailed Fox and the formation of the Valley of the End (終末の谷Shūmatsu no Tani) with large statues of Hashirama and Madara overlooking a waterfall.^[ch. 626] One of Konoha's landmarks is the Hokage mountain where the faces of Hashirama, Tobirama Senju, Hiruzen Sarutobi, Minato Namikaze, Tsunade, Kakashi Hatake, and Naruto Uzumaki were etched into stone.^[ch. 700]

During Part I of the series, Konoha is led by the Third Hokage, Hiruzen, after his successor, Minato, sacrificed himself to save the village from Kurama, who ran rampant as the result of Obito Uchiha's actions. Hiruzen subsequently sacrificed himself to defeat his student, Orochimaru during his invasion of Konoha, and the position of the Fifth Hokage is taken by his other student, Tsunade, who oversees the village's reconstruction. Later in Part II, the Akatsuki's figurehead leader Pain (Nagato) leads an attack on Konoha and destroys most of the village in the process before being stopped by Naruto. After the Fourth Ninja World War, Tsunade passes the title to Kakashi who then passes it to Naruto after a few years.

Within Konoha are a number of locations featured prominently during the series: Naruto Uzumaki's favorite restaurant Ichiraku Ramen (ラーメン一楽Rāmen Ichiraku), the Training Grounds with at least forty four locations existing; two of the most notable are the Third (第三演習場 Daisan Enshūjō)where Team Kakashi and Team Hiruzen once partake in a bell test, and the Forty Fourth (第44演習場 Daiyonjū Enshūjō), also known as the Forest of Death (死の森 Shi no Mori) used for the biyearly Chunin Exams, the Naka Shrine (南賀ノ神社 Naka no Jinja) where the tablet containing information about the Sage of the Six Paths is located, the Fire Temple (火ノ寺 Hi no Tera) only housed for ninja monks, led by Chiriku, former Twelve Guardian Ninja (守護忍十二士 Shugonin Jūnishi), including Asuma Sarutobi, and the long abandoned Uzumaki Clan's Mask Storage Temple (うずまき一族の納面堂 Uzumaki Ichizoku no Nōmendō) which stores various ancient masks such as the one which could summon the Death Seal. After the war, the village has overall grown in size and a modern city has grown from it complete with towering skyscrapers right behind the Hokage Monument and experienced a technical revolution.

Land of Wind

The Land of Wind (風の国 Kaze no Kuni), one of the Five Great Shinobi Nations, is a large desert country whose cities are found near water sources. While much of the country is inhospitable, the population is large and prosperous due to frequent trade with the Land of Fire. Its resident ninja village is Sunagakure (砂隠れの里 Sunagakure no Sato, lit. "Village Hidden Among Sand" or "Village Hidden in the Sand"), also known as Suna, which is ruled by the Kazekage and possesses the Shukaku, the One-Tail. Before the start of the series, the Land of Wind's feudal lord began to reduce Sunagakure's budget, and send mission requests to Konoha instead of Sunagakure. This led the Fourth Kazekage to forge an alliance with the village of Otogakure to wipe out Konoha during the Chunin Exams. However, the attack fails with Sunagakure becoming allies with Konoha upon learning that Orochimaru, the leader of Otogakure, murdered the Fourth Kazekage before the attack began. In Part II of the series, Gaara, the son of the Fourth Kazekage and the One-Tail's Jinchuriki, succeeds his father as the Fifth Kazekage prior to losing Shukaku to the Akatsuki. Other than Gaara's brother Kankuro and their sister Temari, members of Sunagakure include the Sand Siblings' teacher Baki (バキ), the Akatsuki's Sasori, his grandmother Chiyo, and Pakura (パクラ), a famed kunoichi who possessed the advanced Kekkei Genkai Scorch Style and was killed during an incident with Kirigakure.

Land of Water

The Land of Water (水の国 Mizu no Kuni) is one of the Five Great Shinobi Nations, composed of many islands with each having its own unique traditions. Within the Land of Water is Kirigakure (霧隠れの里Kirigakure no Sato, lit. "Village Hidden in Mist"), currently ruled by the Fifth Mizukage Mei Terumī (照美 メイ Terumī Mei). Prior to the series, Kirigakure possessed Isobu, the Three-Tails and Saiken, the Six-Tails. Isobu's last Jinchuriki was Mei's predecessor, the Fourth Mizukage Yagura Karatachi (枸橘やぐら Karatachi Yagura) who gave his village the moniker "Blood Mist" due to the use of death fights among graduating ninja until Zabuza Momochi killed all the students in his class discontinued the process. He is later revealed to had been under the influence of Obito, though the village had obtained the moniker long before Obito changed allegiance.

Kirigakure is also known for its strongest ninja, the members of the Seven Shinobi Swordsmen of the Mist (霧の忍刀七人衆 Kiri no Shinobigatana Nananin Shū). Each member carries a blade of great power: Kubikiribōchō (首斬り包丁 "Decapitating Carving Knife) which uses the iron from the blood of its victims to restore itself, the sentient Samehada (鮫肌, Sharkskin) which feeds on an enemy's chakra, the needle-shaped Nuibari (縫い針, "Sewing Needle)that pierces enemies and "sews" them together in human bundles, the defense destroying Kabutowari (兜割, "Helmet Splitter"), the explosive Shibuki (飛沫, "Splash"), the lightning-imbued twin blades Kiba (牙, "Fangs") and Hiramekarei (ヒラメカレイ) that can store the user's chakra to assume any form. The weapons are passed down from one generation of Swordsmen to the next.

However, the group disbanded with only Hiramekarei remaining in service to Kirigakure. Members of the last generation include Zabuza, the Akatsuki's Kisame Hoshigaki, Raiga Kurosuki (黒鋤 雷牙 Kurosuki Raiga) who possessed Kiba prior to his death, Mangetsu Hozuki (鬼灯 満月 Hōzuki Mangetsu) who trained to use all seven swords, and a youth named Chojuro (長十郎 Chōjūrō) who became Mei's bodyguard and possesses Hiramekarei. During the Fourth Ninja World War, other than Zabuza and Kisame, Kabuto reanimated the strongest generation of Swordsmen: Zabuza's previous teammates Kushimaru Kuriarare (栗霰 串丸 Kuriarare Kushimaru), Ameyuri Ringo (林檎 雨由利 Ringo Ameyuri), Jinpachi Munashi (無梨 甚八Munashi Jinpachi), Jinin Akebino (通草野 餌人Akebino Jinin), and Fuguki Suikazan (西瓜山 河豚鬼Suikazan Fuguki). Suigetsu, Mangetsu's younger brother, made it his goal to reclaim the swords of the Seven Swordsmen to revive the group.

Other ninja from Kirigakure include Ao (青), Mei's bodyguard who had a functional Byakugan implanted on him and had fought Shisui Uchiha in his life, Zabuza's apprentice Haku, who hailed from the Yuki clan and had the advanced Kekkei Genkai Ice Release, the Demon Brothers Gozu (牛頭 Gōzu)and Meizu (冥頭) who were working under Zabuza, Chūkichi (中吉), a renowned shinobi who had strong hatred with the organization Akatsuki, and Gengetsu Hōzuki (鬼灯幻月 Hōzuki Gengetsu) the Second Mizukage, who hailed from the Hōzuki clan and had a long-standing rivalry with the Second Tsuchikage, Mū.

Land of Lightning

The Land of Lightning (雷の国 Kaminari no Kuni) is one of the Five Great Shinobi Nations, consisting of numerous mountain ranges with one of the highest mountains being where Kumogakure (雲隠れの里Kumogakure no sato, lit. "Village Hidden in the Clouds") is located. The village is occupied by lightning using ninja under the leadership of the Fourth Raikage Ay (エー Ē). Years prior to the series, a leader of Kumogakure used an alliance with Konoha as an excuse to get close enough to abduct Hinata Hyūga for her Byakugan. Though the leader was killed by Hiashi Hyūga, Hinata's father, Kumogakure demand the clan head's life with threat of war. However, the twin brother of the Hyuga clan head and Neji's father, Hizashi Hyūga, takes his brother's place so Kumogakure could not obtain the Byakugan.

As the series began, Kumogakure had two Tailed Beasts in its possession: Matatabi the Two Tails and Gyūki the Eight-Tails. During the time of Hashirama Senju, Kumogakure attempted to capture Kurama with the traitorous Gold and Silver Brothers, Kinkaku (金角) and Ginkaku (銀角) who only managed to ingest the demon fox's flesh to increase their powers and stole five of the Ninja Treasures of the Sage of the Six Paths, weapons that require huge amounts of chakra to wield. In Part II, the Akatsuki captured Matatabi's Jinchuriki Yugito Nii (二位 ユギト Nii Yugito) and later send Taka in an attempt to obtain Gyūki from Ay's adopted younger brother, Killer Bee, though they failed and only managed to obtain Gyūki's tentacle. Other ninja from Kumogakure include: Ay's bodyguards Darui (ダルイ), a white-haired Jōnin who wields a giant blade similar to the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist and Cee (シー Shī), a medical ninja, Samui (サムイ) and her brother Atsui (アツイ), Ay's secretary Mabui (マブイ), Killer Bee's students Karui (カルイ) and Omoi (オモイ), and Toroi (トロイ), a famed Kumogakure shinobi who possessed the advanced Kekkei Genkai Magnet Release.

Land of Earth

The Land of Earth (土の国 Tsuchi no Kuni) is one of the Five Great Shinobi Nations, mostly made up of rock formations with a rocky mountain range blocking communication with other countries and Iwagakure (岩隠れの里 Iwagakure no sato, lit. "Village Hidden Among the Rocks") located in the center of mountain ranges. The leader is called the Tsuchikage, and the current leader is Onoki (オオノキ Ōnoki), the Third Tsuchikage. Trained by his mentor Mū (無), the Second Tsuchikage, Onoki had a student named Deidara before he ran off and joined the Akatsuki. Not much is known about Iwagakure other than its ninja who specialize in earth-based jutsu and had two Tailed Beasts in its possession: Son Gokū, the Four-Tails, sealed within an old man named Rōshi; and Kokuō, the Five-Tails, sealed within a large, armor-clad man named Han, both of which had already been captured by Akatsuki. Other members of Iwagakure include Onoki's granddaughter Kurotsuchi (黒ツチ), who serves as Onoki's bodyguard alongside Akatsuchi (赤ツチ), her father Kitsuchi (黄ツチ), and Gari (ガリ), a renowned Iwagakura shinobi who had the advanced Kekkei Genkai Explosion Release and was part of Iwagakure Explosion Corps.

Land of Waves

The Land of Waves (波の国 Nami no Kuni) is a poor nation, and as a result does not have a hidden village. It is an isolated island that prosperous until it was taken over by the crime lord Gato, who monopolized the economy and ruled it like a despot. The Land of Waves is introduced early in Part I as the site of Naruto Uzumaki's first high ranking mission as a member of Team 7 where they serve as bodyguards for a bridge builder who Gato saw as a threat to the point of hiring Zabuza and later deeming him disposable. With the aid of the populace of the Land of Waves, Gato killed by a dying Zabuza prior, Team 7 manage to drive off Gato's army of thugs and restore the country to its former status. As a sign of gratitude, the bridge is named the "Great Naruto Bridge" (ナルト大橋Naruto Ōhashi) in honor of Naruto for being the peoples' inspiration in reclaiming their home.

Land of Sound

Originally known as the Land of Rice Fields (田の国Ta no Kuni, English TV: "Land of Rice Paddies"), a small country sharing a border with the Land of Fire. But when Orochimaru took control of the country, he renamed it the Land of Sound (音の国Oto no Kuni) and founded Otogakure (音隠れの里Otogakure no Sato, lit. "Village Hidden in Sound"). Though Orochimaru claimed that it was created so any ninja can find purpose without subjugation to the Five Ninja Nations, Otogakure is actually multiple assorted lairs and laboratories located within the Land of Sound and outside it meant to enable Orochimaru to utilize the ninja he took under his wing in a series of experiments to achieve his goals.

Land of Iron

The Land of Iron (鉄の国 Tetsu no Kuni) is a smaller, snowy country, which lies between three large mountains, named the Three Wolves. Its leader is Mifune (ミフネ), an elderly samurai who specializes in Iaido, and had fought Hanzo of the Salamader in his youth. This country is unusual for its military being made up of samurai, instead of ninja. The samurai, adept in kenjutsu, utilize their chakra by streaming it into their swords. The country is neutral among the Five Great Shinobi Nations and never start wars with them, which contributes to its stable security and makes it the ideal place for the Five Kage Summit. The samurai later join the Shinobi Alliance in the Fourth Ninja World War against the criminal organization Akatsuki.

Land of Whirlpools

The Land of Whirlpools (渦の国 Uzu no Kuni), located on an island off the Land of Fire's coast, is the site of the ruins of an ancient shinobi village called Uzushiogakure (渦潮隠れの里 Uzushiogakure no Sato, lit. "Village Hidden In Whirlpools") or "The Village of Longevity" (長寿の里 Chōju no Sato). It is also Naruto's ancestral home through the Uzumaki Clan, the distant relatives of the Senju Clan who are composed of red-haired ninja with longevity who invented various Sealing Jutsus. When Uzushiogakure fell, the Uzumaki scattered to the winds with Mito Uzumaki (うずまき ミト Uzumaki Mito) marrying the First Hokage Hashirama Senjuand the becoming the first Jinchuriki of Kurama, before passing it to Kushina Uzumaki (うずまき クシナ Uzumaki Kushina), the wife of the Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze who passed on the task to their son Naruto. Mito's only living descendant is Tsunade, who inherited her grandmother's long life. Other members of the Uzumaki Clan include Nagato from Amegakure, also known as Pain of the Akatsuki who had Rinnegan implanted to him by Madara Uchiha, and Karin, a member of Sasuke's Taka and former subordinate of Orochimaru.

Other Locations

Kusagakure

Kusagakure (草隠れの里 Kusagakure no Sato, lit. "Village Hidden in Grass") is a ninja village located in an unnamed country, bordered by two Great Shinobi Nations: the Land of Fire and Land of Earth to the east and northwest, respectively, Takigakure to the northeast, and Amegakure to the south. It is dominated with large amount of Plantaeenvironment, consisting of large trees and mushrooms, which may contribute to its naming. Although the village has never been formally introduced in the series, many of its country locations are vital to the story. Many Kusagakure ninja have also been seen, particularly during the Chūnin Exams, suggesting that the village has good diplomatic relationship with the Five Great Shinobi Nations. Point of interest in the country include the Kannabi Bridge (神無毘橋 Kannabi-kyō), which was used as Iwagakure's line of supply during the Third Ninja World War after Kusagakure had been dominated by them. It was destroyed by Team Minato of Konohagakure, though at the cost of one of its member, Obito Uchiha. Orochimaru had also built a hideout somewhere in the country, with the Tenchi Bridge (天地橋 Tenchi-kyō) located near it, which is used by Kabuto Yakushi to meet with his employer, Sasori. The bridge is later destroyed by Naruto in his Four-Tails form. The country is also used as the setting for the fifth Naruto Shippūden film Naruto the Movie: Blood Prison, where it is revealed that Kusagakure had once attained dominance of the world during the time of the Sage of the Six Paths through the use of Box of Enlightenment, though they eventually fell when the Great Shinobi Nations unite to stop them. A prison called the Hōzuki-jo (鬼灯城) is built in the country, which is used to contain high-ranking criminals, though it is unknowingly used to hide the Box, which required chakra extracted from the prisoners.

Takigakure

Takigakure (滝隠れの里 Takigakure no Sato, lit. "Village Hidden in Waterfall") is a ninja village situated in an unnamed country. It has yet to be explored much in the series, though the anime depicts the village being built around a giant tree with many waterfalls scattered around, which gave the village their name. Despite being surrounded by four countries (two of which are Great Shinobi Nations), it has never been invaded, a feat which they frequently boast for. Takigakure is the only ninja village of a non-Shinobi Nation to be in possession of a Tailed Beast: Chōmei, the Seven Tails, who was sealed in Fū. The village is led by Shibuki, who provided care for Fū. However, she became one of the first Jinchuriki to be captured by Akatsuki. The only other ninja known from Takigakure is Kakuzu, who defected from the village after a failure of certain mission and stole the Earth Grudge technique, before joining Akatsuki.

Amegakure

Amegakure (雨隠れの里 Amegakure no Sato, lit. "Village Hidden in Rain"), named for the continuous rain in its skies, is situated in an unknown country. The country's borders are highly defended, and those wishing to pass through it are subject to constant surveillance for the duration of their stay. As it is situated between three of the Five Great Shinobi Nations, it serves as a battlefield for their wars. Most of the population consists of war refugees under the dictatorship of Hanzo the Salamander, who christened Hiruzen Sarutobi's students as the Sannin (伝説の三忍 Densetsu no Sannin, lit. The Legendary Three Ninja) when only they survive an attack that wipe out their entire platoon during the Second Ninja World War. At the time of the Third Ninja World War, Amegakure was the site of a civil war with Hanzo killed by Nagato of the Akatsuki which was a liberation group prior to becoming a criminal organization. Following the war's conclusion, going by the name of Pain, Nagato becomes the leader of the village and uses it as a base for the Akatsuki while eliminating would be assassins loyal to the former Amegakure regime. The inhabitants of Amegakure consider Pain to be a god due to his ability to briefly stop the rain, following his aide Konan when she takes leadership after his death. However, after Tobi kills Konan to obtain Nagato's Rinnegan eyes, it is unknown who succeeded her as Amegakure's leader.

Sage regions

Mount Myōboku (妙木山 Myōbokuzan) is one of the three sage locations. It is the land of the toads and the place where Jiraya trains to become a sage, and his student Naruto masters the sage Jutsu. The highest authority in this region is the Great Toad Sage. Also, Hagoromo went there to train in order to defeat his mother Kaguya. Shikkotsu Forest (湿骨林, Shikkotsurin) is the second sage region and the home of Tsunade summoning slug, Katsuyu. Ryūchi Cave (龍地洞, Ryūchidō) is the third sage region and the places where snakes like Manda (summoned by Orochimaru during combat) live. Kabuto and Orochimaru trained in this region to master sage mode, but the latter couldn't achieve it.