So, the ########### gunsmith allows gunpowder units to just be pulled out of thin air. And by the dozen.
In the meantime, the shinobi do not get a similiar ability to recruit them. And when you DO recruit them, you can’t deploy them easily where they are needed to go.
I think that the koka township should be able to deploy shinobi in an area around itself, AND an area around every japanese castle you own on the ENTIRE map. And you don’t train shinobi. They automatically stack up over time. For free. Just like those bombards are doing for gunpowder. In the meantime the bombards not costing gold and wood is insane for a civ bonus and probably needs to be looked at. And the japanese bombards do need a buff to be competitive.
TLDR: Shinobi need a change in the way they are priced, deployed, and used.