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Robert G
15th April 2010, 22:26
Here is an interesting article from a old magazine called The Asahi Picture News dated December 1950. I recently purchased this magazine since I was told there was an small article on Ninjutsu. Needless to say I was really very surprised since it features pictures of Fujita Seiko, his wife and daughter.

Here is the translation of the captions.

magazine 1950 A: on the biggest photo's sentence "Teaching a ninjutsu "How to walk with the top side of the feet", but it's not a easy ninjutsu"

the biggest Character on the center "I hear voice but the form of the body doesn't disappear."

left side of photo1) "even though she was tighten really carefully, she is a Mr. Seiko's wife"

photo 2) "She can release herself within 2 minutes and 30 seconds."

photo right side in the middle, "Also Mr. Seiko's daughter is trained so well that she is fine when she steps on the broken glasses"

smallest photo on the bottom, "These are Mr. Seiko's secret texts"

Right side bottom article. -----

Mr. Seiko who lives Nezu area in Tokyo is the most mysterious person in the world. Mr. Seiko is 52 years old. People know him as a healer of serious illness. However, he claims that he is the head of the Kouga Ryu Ninjutsu the 14th descendent. Needless to say that he has mysterious and magical skills, he can even walk through in the fire or water and he is totally fine. He always tells 20 of his students “Although, this is called Ninjutsu, Ninjutsu is also a rational skill. You need to train your body and soul since your childhood to improve your skill.” Therefore, those bad guys such as Sarutobi are crying in the hell saying “This is the end of the world!”

Magazine_1950 B:

photo1) ---- person like Mr. Seiko always smoke from his nose.

photo2) ---- then, he exhales slowly

Left side top --- When he says "EEII", Chicken passes out as if it's dead.

left with cat and women ---- Mr. Seiko eats broken glasses.

on the bottom photo ---- Mr. Seiko is wearing Nin-head gear and holding Nin-rake. Spider ladder, anchor with rope and rope-ladder(from left to right) are vertically hanging on the wall. Another thing hanging diagonally is floating bridge. All of these are Kouga Ryu Ninjutsu tools!

Bruno
16th April 2010, 07:03
Thanks for sharing this.

derobec
17th April 2010, 09:45
So,

Can anyone name any of the white clad trainees learning to walk on the sides of their feet? I'm thinking that this is his 'Karate' class, maybe just doing a 'one off' publicity shoot to help promote his knowledge of ninjutsu. Failing that, it would imply that he was running some kind of ninja dojo.

Regards,
William

derobec
17th April 2010, 10:25
Hi,

For clarity, in using the term 'Karate' here I'm referring to whatever generic/specific art other than ninjutsu that he would have been teaching in the early '50's.

Best Wishes,
William

EWBell
19th April 2010, 05:48
Hi,

For clarity, in using the term 'Karate' here I'm referring to whatever generic/specific art other than ninjutsu that he would have been teaching in the early '50's.

Best Wishes,
William

Is that really ninjutsu he's showing or circus tricks?

derobec
19th April 2010, 09:10
Is that really ninjutsu he's showing or circus tricks?

Hi,

Fair point. But the 'students' appear to be learning in a sort of systematized manner hence my question. there's really no mileage to be gained in this one but curiosity being what it is...

All the Best,
William

EWBell
19th April 2010, 13:38
Hi,

Fair point. But the 'students' appear to be learning in a sort of systematized manner hence my question. there's really no mileage to be gained in this one but curiosity being what it is...

All the Best,
William

Oh don't misunderstand me, I definitely see what you're saying. I can see how this could also open the door for replies like, "See we told you Fujita Seiko taught his ninjutsu to people."

derobec
19th April 2010, 15:19
Oh don't misunderstand me, I definitely see what you're saying. I can see how this could also open the door for replies like, "See we told you Fujita Seiko taught his ninjutsu to people."

Hi, yeah, I fully understand where you're coming from on that one. I did wonder after my original post whether it would simply have been best not to ask.

Could be a bit of a mine field in the sense that it may allow the more dubious members of the martial art world to try and pass themselves off as grand-students, or whatever. Maybe clarification of who the students in the photo are would put paid to that. Inoue sensei or such like? We all know that Fujita had legitimate students -they just didn't learn 'ninjutsu' (so far as I'm aware). Hence my original suggestion that it may have been a one-off publicity shot rather than a view of one of his standard lessons.

Maybe it is best to just let this one fade into the archives unless someone can offer positive suggestions as to the participants.

All the Best,
William

EWBell
19th April 2010, 15:34
I think Fujita Seiko was always adamant about not teaching what he knew as far as ninjutsu was concerned. At least that's what I've gathered from reading bits and pieces about him here and there.

Bruno
20th April 2010, 11:42
I think Fujita Seiko was always adamant about not teaching what he knew as far as ninjutsu was concerned. At least that's what I've gathered from reading bits and pieces about him here and there.

From what I learned (mainly the excellent biography written by Philip T Hevener, but also various bits and pieces on the net) he was indeed not ambiguous about this: koga ryu wada-ha would die with him.

The walking on the top of his feet was indeed something that is mentioned as basic training in the book, but iirc the book also mentioned that most (or possibly everything) showed in public by Fujita Seiko were endurance techniques he learned during the time his spent with the Yamabushi.

If you are at all interested in the person Fujita Seiko, buy the book. It is dirt cheap, and contains lots of interesting stuff and pictures.

henso
20th April 2010, 18:30
Robert,

Thank you for an excellent post. As concerns the matter of Fujita having trained anyone, he was very clear from his statements that he never trained anyone to a degree that his ninjutsu could have been passed on. Fujita did, however, claim that he taught aspects of his art at the Nakano School.

I was also told by Murayama Kunio, the uchi deshi of Fujita's uchi deshi, Iwata Manzo, that Fujita did a demonstration for his karate club that contained many of the elements mentioned in the article. I will ask him if he recognizes any of the men in the picture with fujita and get back to you.

Shinobi
21st April 2010, 21:04
Thank you Robert for the wonderful pics and article.

Lets not forget that Saito Satoshi (5th & current headmaster of Negishi-ryu shurikenjutsu) also learned some sensu "fan" techniques of Koga-ryu from Fujita Seiko as noted in the excellent interview in the book (“Sword & Spirit: Classical Warrior Traditions of Japan” Volume 2, 1999, Koryu Books). So it appears he taught elements to some people but apparently not the whole system in a way as to officially pass it onto someone.

EWBell
21st April 2010, 21:36
Thank you Robert for the wonderful pics and article.

Lets not forget that Saito Satoshi (5th & current headmaster of Negishi-ryu shurikenjutsu) also learned some sensu "fan" techniques of Koga-ryu from Fujita Seiko as noted in the excellent interview in the book (“Sword & Spirit: Classical Warrior Traditions of Japan” Volume 2, 1999, Koryu Books). So it appears he taught elements to some people but apparently not the whole system in a way as to officially pass it onto someone.

That's very interesting, considering there are a couple of knuckleheads on YouTube going around to the various ninpo/ninjutsu videos, and saying there are no fighting techniques in ninjutsu.

Ron Beaubien
22nd April 2010, 14:05
Thank you Robert for the wonderful pics and article.

Lets not forget that Saito Satoshi (5th & current headmaster of Negishi-ryu shurikenjutsu) also learned some sensu "fan" techniques of Koga-ryu from Fujita Seiko as noted in the excellent interview in the book (“Sword & Spirit: Classical Warrior Traditions of Japan” Volume 2, 1999, Koryu Books). So it appears he taught elements to some people but apparently not the whole system in a way as to officially pass it onto someone.


That's very interesting, considering there are a couple of knuckleheads on YouTube going around to the various ninpo/ninjutsu videos, and saying there are no fighting techniques in ninjutsu.

You might want to read the interview before drawing any conclusions. Saito sensei didn't actually mention anything about fan fighting techniques in Koga-ryu.

Instead, the most specific thing Saito sensei said was: "So the ninjutsu fan, which was used as a measuring device, had nine spines, which were used to generate a system of trigonometric functions, including sines and cosines." (Page 104). Saito sensei was discussion surveying and mathematics.

I hope that helps.

Regards,

Ron Beaubien

EWBell
22nd April 2010, 15:19
Thank you for clearing that up. The reason I brought up the youtube guys was because they're doing everything to discredit Takamatsu Sensei, but are totally ok with Fujita Seiko.

Shinobi
22nd April 2010, 17:11
You might want to read the interview before drawing any conclusions. Saito sensei didn't actually mention anything about fan fighting techniques in Koga-ryu.


Just to be clear Ron as seen above, I never drew any conclusions that Saito-sensei learned any fighting techniques with the sensu from Fujita-sensei, just that he learned techniques/methods of how to use it (and yes in this case as a measuring device), I didn't say how as I wanted people to go read the interview and not have to post the whole thing here. Sorry that Eric Bell or others might have drawn that conclusion, that was not my intent. I hope that clears things up.

ElfTengu
22nd April 2010, 18:10
The saddest thing is that Kouga/Koga/Koka/Cola claimants will probably misuse this very thread to propentiate their 'authenticity'.

Ron Beaubien
23rd April 2010, 05:04
Just to be clear Ron as seen above, I never drew any conclusions that Saito-sensei learned any fighting techniques with the sensu from Fujita-sensei, just that he learned techniques/methods of how to use it (and yes in this case as a measuring device), I didn't say how as I wanted people to go read the interview and not have to post the whole thing here. Sorry that Eric Bell or others might have drawn that conclusion, that was not my intent. I hope that clears things up.

Eric Weil,

Sorry, I should have been more specific.

My post was never intended for you, but for the other Eric, Eric Bell, instead. I clearly undertood what you had written, and a quote from your post was only included as it was necessary to add the proper context (i.e. the book's title and specific interview) for the latter, much shorter post by Eric Bell, which I was responding to.

Next time, I'll try to remember to specifically address my post when quoting two earlier ones. Thanks again.

Regards,

Ron Beaubien