Sooooo ..... a couple of tips when visiting the Iga ninja village:

1. Take the time to talk with the locals, especially the Tomasu sisters (see attached pictures). They're a treasure trove of village history and gossip, which will be really helpful for your meeting with the elders.

2. Be careful when sneaking around Master Benji's blacksmith shop. He has squeaky floorboards, so be sure to activate stealth mode.

3. When helping Satsuke the Wandering Ninja Bard, there are 27 different permutations to his haikus, 3 of which grant you rewards. Keep trying different options even after you succeed.

Lastly, if you adequately prepared for the meeting, you can get through it without too much difficulty.  Otherwise, be prepared to flex a little muscle. Good luck!