Biodata
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| Name | Senju Clan (千手家) |
| Affiliation | Konohagakure 31 |
| Role | Co-founder of Konoha alongside the Uchiha Clan 31 |
| Status | Greatly diminished after the Second Great Ninja War; still present in Konoha 498 563 |
| First Appearance | Mentioned in Chapter 1 1 |
History
The Senju and Uchiha fought throughout the Warring States period before jointly founding Konoha. Hashirama Senju became the First Hokage and Tobirama Senju the Second. The Senju were more successful than the Uchiha at building alliances with other clans, a difference Hikaru cites when discussing their rivalry 31 101 390 638.
Tobirama consolidated the Hokage’s authority by reducing the power of major clans, including his own. After his death, some Senju objected to his choice of the Third Hokage as successor and wanted the office to remain within the clan 32 155.
Senju numbers began declining after the First Great Ninja War, and the clan gradually withdrew from prominence. During the later war against Sunagakure, it deployed most of its members. Its fighters inflicted heavy losses on Sunagakure’s Puppet Corps but suffered losses severe enough to endanger the clan’s standing as a great clan. It remained in Konoha afterward as a much smaller, less influential family 1 461 465 498 563.
Leadership and Clan Affairs
- Great Elder — The clan was led by its Great Elder after Tobirama’s death rather than electing another clan head. Senju Naoko held the position during Hikaru’s Chunin Exam assessment 117.
- Mito Uzumaki — Her presence and the clan’s trust in her made a new clan-head election seem unnecessary. She lived in the compound associated with the clan head 117 462.
- Mito’s death — Senju members serving at the front could not all return for her funeral. With Tsunade unable to leave the battlefield, her younger brother Nawaki represented the family in Konoha 479.
Abilities and Techniques
Chakra Reserves
- The Senju are renowned, alongside the Uzumaki, for their large chakra reserves 6.
- Clan members also retain Water Style techniques that cannot be obtained through the village’s contribution-point system 120.
Wood Release
- Wood Release is closely associated with Hashirama Senju, but his descendants did not inherit it; even Tobirama’s attempts to obtain the ability failed 301 308 309.
- Its reputation as a Senju-exclusive power was challenged when Uchiha Hikaru used it. Naoko subsequently questioned him about how he possessed it 301 302 309.
- Ordinary Senju members cannot be assumed capable of controlling tailed beasts: the Wood Release techniques suited to that task are exceptionally rare within the clan 163.
Relationships
- Uchiha Clan — Konoha’s co-founders and the Senju’s longstanding rivals. Their tension persists in village politics and even limits attendance at one another’s funerals 31 117 479.
- Uzumaki Clan — Distant relatives and close allies. Senju members reacted with shock and anger to news of the Uzumaki Clan’s annihilation 301 478.
- Hyuga Clan — At the time of the Seven-Tails search, the Third Hokage expected the Senju and Hyuga to side together against any Uchiha placed on the team 173.