

When the Land of Flowers was nearly conquered by the Land of Earth, the Land of Lightning saved them from complete annexation. Although Kinkaku and Ginkaku had failed in their attempt at subduing the Nine-Tails, they have managed to become pseudo-Jinchūriki by eating the fox's chakra flesh for two weeks, a feat that a Kumogakure shinobi attempted to replicate with the Eight-Tails' tentacles, which led them to die instead. Among the villages, Kumogakure also possesses the best technology to control a tailed beast, having built a whole temple for that sake. The Eight-Tails' most recent jinchūriki, Killer B, as well as the jinchūriki of the Two-Tails, Yugito Nii, have been able to successfully control their beasts, leaving both highly valued by the village. Because the Eight-Tails was too valuable to destroy, many were killed trying to seal it. The Eight-Tails would prove a particular headache in this regard, routinely rampaging through the village when its jinchūriki could not longer contain it. With the tailed beasts in its possession, Kumo historically struggled to harness the beasts' power in jinchūriki jinchūriki could not gain control of the beasts and would eventually lose control. In the early days of the village, before buying tailed beasts from Konoha, Kumo sent the Gold and Silver Brothers to capture the Nine-Tails, a task at which they ultimately failed. One other method of securing power has been the tailed beasts. Kumogakure ninja restraining the Eight-Tails. In the anime, Kumo made another attempt to acquire the Byakugan amidst the Konoha Crush, but failed yet again thanks to the efforts of Hiashi and Neji Hyūga. In what would be called the Hyūga Affair, Hiashi's twin was given to Kumo instead, as his Byakugan was sealed upon death and making it worthless. When the Head Ninja was killed by Hiashi Hyūga in the attempt, the village still tried to obtain the Byakugan by feigning knowledge of the their soldier's actions and threatening war unless Hiashi's body was turned over to make up for the Head Ninja's death.

A few years after the Third Shinobi World War, Kumo sent its Head Ninja to Konoha to sign a peace treaty, a cover for an attempt to acquire the Byakugan by kidnapping Hinata Hyūga. Several years before the Third Shinobi World War, Kumo shinobi kidnapped Kushina Uzumaki from Konoha in order to study her unique chakra, but were foiled by Minato Namikaze. The Third Tsuchikage notes that other villages learning of this behaviour and deception only provoked the other villages to employ similar tactics in kind. Kumo's efforts to amass power would often entail stealing secrets and even kidnapping shinobi from other villages. While a peace treaty was formed between all the villages to cut back on military budget and reduce the sizes of their forces during times of peace, Kumo secretly did not honour the agreement, seeing this as a chance to ensure that no other village can ever have an upper hand should hostilities later resume. Following the death of the Third Raikage in a battle against 10,000 opposing shinobi, A succeeded him as the Fourth.ĭespite becoming one of the Five Great villages Kumo has gained a rather shameless reputation, always prioritising their military might by any means. Decades later, during the Third Shinobi World War, Kumo and Konoha would fight again, often with A on Kumo's side and Minato Namikaze on Konoha's. Konoha and Kumo ended up on opposing sides during the First Shinobi World War, with Kumo's Kinkaku Force killing the Second Hokage. The Second Raikage and Second Hokage later tried to formally agree to peace between their villages, but the ceremony was interrupted by the Gold and Silver Brothers and the Hokage was nearly killed. Shortly after the formation of their villages, Konoha's First Hokage sold tailed beasts to Kumo as a sign of friendship and to ensure a balance of power amongst their new villages. Kumogakure was founded after the Warring States Period by the First Raikage. Many Kumogakure ninja use Lightning Release techniques. Over this they wear white, one-strapped flak jackets and arm as well as shin-guards. The standard attire for Kumo shinobi consists of a long, grey top which gathers just at the waist to give a sash-like appearance, with a matching coloured bottom. The Raikage works in a large blue structure built into the tallest mountain. The village is located in a range of tall mountains, and is literally hidden in the clouds. As the village of one of the Five Great Shinobi Countries, Kumogakure has a Kage as its leader known as the Raikage, of which there have been five in its history. Kumogakure ( 雲隠れの里, Kumogakure no Sato, English TV: Hidden Cloud Village, literally meaning: Village Hidden by Clouds) is the hidden village of the Land of Lightning and was founded by the First Raikage.
