When you know you are Winning...

Nothing says success like, the crying of internet trolls... I think I can hear the sobbing now, or maybe its the lack of oxygen from laughing so hard... This will be a short post.

So the administrator of Ron Collins Facts who I believe is Donald James Roley... The "researcher" I showed didn't know as much about Fujita Seiko was me, muchless everyone else on the internet. Sent me these lovely images...

 What did they do, stay up all night watching SNL looking at images of men exposing themselves and/or gay porn to make this... (above) Really who has the time and puts in that much effort..?

Well this one (above) is titled Ron's Sword when downloaded it... At least we know its a "Long Sword" and not a "Short Sword" but I think my cyber-stalkers are sporting "boot knives." Oh and the screenshot of e-mail is below... Cause I don't much care what they say, and even though I said they bored me... This got a good laugh out of.

Though none of this is as funny as Don Roley's tears and threats to bring in the FBI... No seriously, because I said I intended to stump him and prove hie does half-ass research, by stating Fujita Seiko was military intelligence in Ninja's are Bull Shit 1 and then dumbfounded him with the Image of what appears to Fujita Seiko in a Military Uniform with the founder of Soke of Shito Ryu Karate and one of its must well known and respected master Iwata Manzo. I even included a link to Jesse Enkamp's Saigo No Ninja blog about Seiko Fujita (he did two more before this linked in blog here) to prove my point. And Jesse Enkamp is someone who has travelled to Japan and Okinawa to study Karate in both countries and travels the world teaching, training and learning karate, as well as researching karate and those involved such as Seiko Fujita who oddly had a hand in shaping most modern Karate Styles.

In fact, even though Fujita Seiko didn't pass on the Soke title to anyone in his ninjutsu style he did teach a few people including Mabani Kenei according to the Mabuni family. Mabani Kenei Soke has taught a handful of people a Kata (allegedly) developed by Fujita Seiko for his recreation of Koga Ryu Wada-Ha Ninjutsu... Now this makes sense as Fujita found Okinawan Karate & Kobudo in many way superior to Japanese martial arts and had a hue influence on modern Karate. Which in turn no doubt had such a huge influence on him & certainly Fujita Seiko wasn't Xenophobic person some "researchers" have made him out to be...

Now this goes back to the claims of George Sosa, Sr. who claims he was taught this Kata and other elements of Koga Ryu Ninjutsu from Mabani Kenei. Now this is important well... These people have trained in Koga Ryu Ninjutsu (or claim to) in Japan and pictures of themselves in Japan (in the video). Now I don't know these people, nor do I stand by any of this as indisputable facts but, if one is doing "real research" on Fujita Seiko and their concern is with real information, I would the Manbani family would be the best place to start.

Oh and before I forget here is the insane rant of Don Roley claiming he can prove "intent" of what I don't know... Which got a good laugh out of and after the e-mail from Ron Collins Facts, which got a good laugh out of me. You boys are awesome, you are making my day and I took a whole 30 minutes out my day to post this, just to tell you... "Good work and oh Don, as an "ex-mental patient" who "has never touched a girl" (your mom doesn't count, I was drunk and thought she was a man; with that beard thicker then mine and I only shook her hand) who is also a "fraud," the fact that I am claiming to have known about the Fujita Seiko connection to Shito Ryu back in 2010 (ask Johnny Hunter about that one) a whole 6 years before I brought to your attention is irrelevant. The fact that Jesse Enkamp's blog article is from 2010 shows that the information has been online for six years before I proved you know just a little bit less then me and a lot more "then everyone else online" about Fujita Seiko...

That means, you do half ass research that only goes so far as to substantiate your claims and that is why YOU WILL NOT POST THE ORIGINAL JAPANESE TEXT to substantiate what you say the original text claims as facts.

Ninjas are Bullshit! The Root of the Problem.

I can see everyone reading this and thinking "WTF Now!?" Did Ron Collins the Black Dragon Ninjitsu guy just say Ninjas are Bullshit!? And the answer is, yes... yes, I did. Ninjutsu is the most bastardized system on the planet and you have to understand why and how...

Now don't go getting your happy in this, just yet. You see, when I say Ninjas... I mean every ninjutsu practicer on the planet is full of it. Allow me to explain this whole problem begins with Fujita Seiko "The Last Ninja." Now that title of "the last ninja" is a shorthand for what he was "the Last Ninja employed by Japan." So Fujita Seiko claims to have been a "ninja" and he tough ninjutsu at the Nakano Espionage School in Japan from the Bansenshukai. However, Fujita Seiko was a Japanese Naval Intelligence Officer. This means his was military intelligence, so to give you an idea there are 3 types of Mission Intelligence;

Tactical Intelligence is gathered, analyzed and prepared at the soldiers in the field level. This is things like using scouts to provide over watch security for a main force of soldiers on their way to engage an objective. If the scouts can find and mark enemy defenses on the map, the main forces can simply avoid them. If they need to hit one position with a raid to draw enemy for there to create an opening this is also produced at the Tactical Level.

Operational Intelligence deals with the support and planning of a strategic operation. So while tactical intelligence deals with providing an idea of what soldiers in the field will engage on their mission and how to complete the mission. Operational Intelligence deals with supporting them so that they can complete the mission and this branches into things like counter-intelligence (providing the enemy false or misleading information or outright denying them intelligence all to gather) operations.

Finally there is Strategic Intelligence, and this deals with forming a strategy to win the war. This comes into evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of an enemy and knowing how to attack them. This means examining the Economic Strength, Technological Strength, Military Strength and other aspects like diplomatic relations, national/religious ideologies and cultural traditions in this as well. A strategy is just a plan and a strategy is simply planning in reverse. Look at the end result and figure out what you have to do to reach that goal. Then what steps you need to take to reach that point and the steps needed to reach that point and you just keep doing.
Given that Fujita Seiko was an officer and an instructor at Nakano, I can pretty safely assume he was dealing with Tactical & Operational Intelligence. So Fujita Seiko was a Ninja Master & a military intelligence officer. So he had the then modern equivalent job of being a ninja and a claim to a Ninjutsu lineage. Now if you understand what I am saying, its like saying you have Army Survival Training from SEREs School and all your merit badges from the boy scouts.

But, Fujita Seiko got some stuff wrong and tried to fill in his gaps with other systems of martial arts and other areas of study. There was a great deal of interest with the historical ninjutsu documents and Fujita Seiko even made a partial translation of the Bansenshukai in the 1930s as well as published his partial translation as Ninjutsu Hiroku (Secret Notes about Ninjutsu in 1936), in 1942 Fujita Seiko published Ninjutsu Kara Spy Sen He (From Ninjutsu to Spy Warfare) & in 1958 published Doronron: Saigo no Ninja. There is no translation for Doronron, it is an reference to a particular Taiko (drum) roll used in plays and Japanese theater when a ghost appears and disappears from stage. Saigo No Ninja means "The Last Ninja."  Doronron: Saigo no Ninja is a Japanese phrase for a Taiko drum series and words Saigo no Ninja or The Last Ninja. Fujits Seiko also produced a book on Naban Sato Ryu Kenpo in 1958 called Kenpo Gokui Atemi Sappo Kappo Meikai or The Technique to strike vital points from the kenpo to kill and revive. These same points are reference to Dim Mak points or Kyusho points. Different names but same arts. I have explained the intricacies of Kenpo as a Japanese term already, in Okinawan martial arts, they are drawn from Chinese White Crane Gung-fu which at the higher levels does teach Dim Mak. And Fujita Seiko's Naban Sato Ryu Kenpo was developed from Okinawan fighting systems. So it is possible that those who have read Fujita's works, as well as the many Okinawan martial artists he associated with might have used the Chinese term Dim Mak which was a reference to the original system used in Kung-fu.

Regardless Fujita Seiko was an instructor at the Nakano Espionage School and a Military Intelligence Officer in addition to being a "Ninja." Japan experienced a Ninja Boom in the media akin to the 1980s ninja boom in American media and cinema. Fujita's book Ninjutsu Kara Spy Sen He states that ninjutsu is in essence a form of espionage or intelligence warfare. Je was an intelligence officer and as such will always be the Last Ninja to serve the Japanese Government.

However, the 1960s Ninja Boom in Japan used to hype, the folk image of the Ninja as a Sorcerer or Magician who could fly, shape shift into animals, become invisible or summon demons. Fujita Seiko had no proof of his claim to ninjutsu and he mixed other elements to said ninjutsu. One such element was the addition of Shugendo.

Now this comes from a friend in Japan who has visited the Yamabushi temple in Togakoshi village in Japan. Shugendo and the Yamabushi, specifically those Yamabushi have no connection to ninjutsu except for that a Ninja trained with them a ninja named Fujita Seiko. Fujita Seiko mixed the Yamabushi art of Shugendo, the way of gaining great mystical power. Many people doubted Fujita Seiko and many researchers noted that Fujita's demonstrations of ninjutsu was simply common Yamabushi demonstrations of their mystical powers, by historical researchers in Japan.

Now it could be speculated that Fujita Seiko was playing the role of a entertainer to gather information about the crowd via observations and then tell them these observations. It is also possible that Fujita Seiko lacking the training of a true ninja used Shugendo to supplement said training to allow him to go without food, sleep and withstand long periods of discomfort. This is not necessarily a bad thing. Regardless the Yamabushi temple in Togakoshi is important because Takamatsu "misspelled"  the kanji calling it Togakure, as in Togakure Ryu and, claiming an older lineage to a non-existent school of ninjutsu. Takamatsu blended elements of his Kukishenden Ryu, pirated from the Kuki family's shrine and his transcribed copies of the Kuki family scrolls. Bastardizing the Kuki family tradition with elements of his own made up Shugendo style and created 5 other schools of martial arts, including two other schools of ninjutsu. I have already addressed the incestuous nature of these 5 schools coming from Toda Shinryuken (who was a bone setter, like Hatsumi which is only one point of reference that Hatsumi might have conspired with Takamatsu to create this Ninja Mythology).

Now it should be noted that there is a pattern here that shows that Takamatsu used Fujita Seiko's research, and to a native Japanese it would be easy to follow Fujita's research. As well as the work of other researchers...

Fujita Seiko says he learned Ninjutsu from his grandfather...

Takamatsu claims he learned ot from his grandfather or, uncle, accounts vary, named Toda Shinryuken.

This isn't important... But, other similarities exist...

Fujita Seiko adds Shugendo to fill in gaps in his Ninjutsu training and trains at the Yamabushi temple in Togakushi Japan.

Takamatsu claims his ninjutsu is Togakure Ryu from Togakoshi and claims a link to the Yamabushi in Togakushi Japan. This means that Takamatsu is claiming his Ninjutsu is older then Fujita Seiko's ninjutsu and comes from the same root and claiming that he (Takamatsu) gained full transmission means he is insinuating a purer and more complete form of ninjutsu. The issue is the Yamabushi of Togakoshi claim no connection to Ninjutsu, except that Fujita Seiko trained with them and added their brand of Shugendo to his Ninjutsu.

This goes into the bastardized form of Kukishin Ryu Kenpo (kanji here means Sword Law) which refers to the a Sword Combat art and a combat philosophy as well, called Togakure Ryu Ninpo. It is important to note I have addressed this in the past in detail here. So Takamatsu attached his art to Fujita Seiko for legitimacy by claiming an older tradition and using Fujita's research as a base.

Shugendo however also applies a similar philosophy of facing danger to gain enlightenment. These ritualistic tests of courage and endurance are known as Shugyo, such as piercing the body with needles and meditating under waterfalls in mod winter. Shugenja also embark on a dangerous pilgrimage known be the same name, which involves passing along dangerous mountain paths and praying to various gods (kami) at different shrines along the way. Regarded as a form of sorcerery this has nothing to do with the Art of Military Strategy or Ninjutsu the art of espionage, though it might as well...

However, like Takamatsu many modern Ninjutsu schools copy this Shugendo link to Ninjutsu. Additionally, many Bujinkan trolls online began harassing those claiming ninjutsu and demanding they prove their lineage (something Takamatsu couldn't do) and stating that all other ninjutsu schools should resemble their art. Many people did exactly that copying the Bujinkan theme of Ninjutsu.

This is all made up by the way... As the only connection to Shugendo and the Yamabushi is Fujita Seiko. This makes Hatsumi's ninja museum in Togakushi Japan look like a stunt to appear legitimate, especially given that Kawakami of the Koga Ban Ryu (not proven either) would be named an expert by the Iga Ninja Museum. Creating the additional conflict that the Iga Ninja Museum says ninjutsu is not a martial art but ancient Japanese espionage methods.

Fujita Seiko was a Naval Intelligence officer who acting served in Japan's military and as as an instructor at the infamous Nakano Espionage school.

Takamatsu spent many years in China and is claimed to have written letters home describing his spy missions for the Japanese government.

The Fujita Seiko and Takamatsu pattern:
1. Both men claim to have learned there art from a family elder...
2. Both men have a history of covert operations, Takamatsu claimed bt himself by writing letters home about his secret ninja missions in Japan. Fujita Seiko by enlisting in the Japanese Navy and training covert and clandestine operations operators at the Nakano Espionage School.
3. Both men apply certain "mystical practices" to their arts.
4. Both were amateur researchers, Takamatsu copying the Kuki family scrolls, copying various ninjutsu documents available to the public. Fujita published a partial translation of the Bansenshukai, researched various other documents and even wrote books on Ninjutsu.

Where the pattern breaks up is that, Fujita Seiko having studied Naban Sato Ryu Kenpo had a certain respect and favored the Okinawan Kenpo (general term for any striking dominant art) and Kobudo arts as a martial arts system. This goes into Fujita Seiko's huge influence on karate.

Takamatsu and Hatsumi claim their art is better then Okinawan arts of Karate/Kenpo and Kobudo.

While Fujita's ninjutsu was claimed to be a partial study of the art, for which he researched historical documents and esoteric practices to fill in the gaps. Takamatsu researched the same historical documents and plagiarizing Fujita claimed a complete esoteric system of martial arts called ninpo.

The biggest difference is timing Fujita claimed his Ninjutsu before he even published his Partial Translation of the Bansenshukai in 1936. And thanks to Anthony Cummins research we know Fujita got some stuff wrong like the Genin, Chunin and Jonin rank structure of the ninja.

The 60's US Servicemen Ninja Connection:
What gets better is that US Servicemen and women stationed in Japan saw the cinema image of the Ninja during the Ninja Boom in Japan in the 1960s. Many were training in Shotokan, Judo, Aikido and so on.

When Americans showed an interest in Ninjutsu and the ninja. Some instructors offered classes on "ninjutsu." Their information came mainly from the Fujita Seiko's works and research.

For example, Ashida Kim claims he learned Ninjutsu from his Shotokan Instructor in Hawaii. That all he had to do was break a break, to prove he was skilled enough in Karate (which was offered only to Judoka as an advanced course on military posts).

The late great Ronald Duncan learned ninjutsu in the service and used it to create his Way of the Winds system of Koga Ryu Ninjutsu.

Mark Allen who only people in the local area will know, told he learned ninjutsu refering to it as "Japanese James Bond Bull shit." When he studied Karate in the US Army during his time with the 75th Rangers (only Ranger unit under USSOC, US Special Operations Command out of Fort Bragg in Greensboro North Carolina) during his service during Vietnam. As it provided an Asian doctrine of clandestine and covert warfare similar to what the Viet Cong were using.

This is why the Bujinkan, trolls online have demanded any "would be ninjas" online look like their style of fighting. Though it could be argued anyone using anything from the Fujita influenced systems would resemble established arts like Judo, Karate and Kobudo.

In fact, Fujita's association with Karate is why Donn F. Draeger in Ninjutsu The Art of Invisibility on page 75 refers to Karate as the Ninja's martial arts. In fact, the Takamatsu-den claims can also be viewed on page 76 when refering to te-kagi or hand claws.

Recreating Ninjutsu:
In recreating ninjutsu Fujita drew a lot from Okinawan martial arts,  which have an influence in Chinese Kung-fu and Wushu, as well as Okinawan peasant weapons like nunchaku, sai and kama. It's also possible the urban myth that Karate developed as a peasant fighting art, was also imposed on ninjutsu being invented as a peasant fighting art due to Fujita Seiko's influence.

Takamatsu however seems to have drawn elements from Chinese arts like Chinese Long Fist Kung fu and did invent some rather interesting tools. Te-kagi for example are rather useless for scaling castle walls almost useless for climbing trees but obviously influenced by modern ice hooks used in ice houses. The Shoge is another ingenious ninja device invented by Takamatsu. The Shoge's name means to "run over hills and valley's" influenced by the mitsukagi or three hooked spear mentioned in the Bansenshukai, used to thrust and hook enemies in battle but also to hook onto trees and ledges or stabbed into the ground and pull the shinobi up for traveling up mountain passes. And single hook grappling hook. The Shoge of Takamatsu's design is unique weapon which could be used in the same or similar manner. Best of all it could be easily concealed. And of course always wanting to be unique Takamatsu claimed a 3rd unique item, the four pointed shuriken unique to Togakure Ryu.

Addressing the long fist kung fu aspects, all kung fu can be classed as long fist or short fist striking arts. Long fist kung fu is associated with striking with the lead hand. According to Takamatsu two of his incestuous five arts, are Gyokko Ryu Koshijutsu which os the parent art of Koto Ryu Koppojutsu. Gyokko Ryu is a long diatance striking art... Much like Paochui Chaun or Cannon Fist which uses the lead hand like a spear to strike from distance using the advantage of long reach. Koto Ryu claims to be a close range style and both schools claim a lineage centuries before the Japanese codified their arts into fixed schools. With Gyokko being listed as an art brought to Japan from China to explain the similarities. The infamously unique skills of Chinese Chin Na or grappling arts also includes Dim Mak or pressure points (another reason for the ise of the term Dim Mak). The muscle and tendon tearing chin na, is called Fen Jin or Zhua Jin Chin Na. The basis of Gyokko Ryu Kushijutsu and Koto Ryu Koppojutsu seems to focus on the bone misplacing or Cuo gu, which involves not only joint manipulation/destruction, but also the striking the weak points in the bone structure such as the xyphoid process or the floating ribs.

Aspects not seen in Japanese Jujutsu because the samurai wore armor and related more to the Chinese arts Takamatsu would have studied in China. Arts Takamatsu would have wanted to claim as Japanese because the of Ultra Nationalist attitude of the Japanese in the late 19th and early 20th century. Claiming to know Ninjutsu or its "Higher Order" Ninpo to make a quick buck or get some notoriety would also allow Takamatsu to invent some schools tied to his study of Chinese arts and systems in the decade he spent in China.

So if you are looking at Ninjutsu thinking it is all bull shit. Now you know why and what all the childish drama is over... Frauds declaring others, and yes... Other frauds, frauds.  All to hide the truth that they are frauds. Ninjutsu and Ninja lineage claims are all Bull Shit... So called "Ninjas" are either liars or lied to.

Stay tuned for Ninjas are Bullshit! Black Dragon Ninjitsu & Omoto Ryu Budo...

Investigating Fujita Seiko leads to more Takamatsu conflicts with his Ninjutsu/Ninpo claims

This was brought up in a forum and I'm going to put the information right here to be saved for future reference. This whole affair started off as a debate as to whether Fujita Seiko was the Soke of all Koga Ryu Ninjutsu or just Koga Ryu Wada-ha Ninjutsu/Wada Ryu Bujutsu. Now this came about from a translation of Fujita Seiko's autobiography by Don Roley...

Anyone who knows Don Roley knows he has an agenda of trying to push the Bujinkan and the Takamatsu-den arts as the only legitimate sources of ninjutsu. Mr. Roley is also a high ranked Bujinkan member, or so he claims. Now if might come as a surprise but the portion of the translation by Don Roley I don't really have any problems with except at two minor points which have been brought by fellow "ninja-geeks". The image of origional Japanese is below...

And this is what Mr. Roley stated...

Ok, so I have been told that there are accusations against me regarding my translation of Fujita Seiko's biography. People are trying to say I am making stuff up and that Fujita never said that he was the last, etc.
Well, here is a picture of the page from his book in Japanese, along with my translation. I do tend to edit things so the story flows better without need to keep checking footnotes to understand things, but those who can read both languages can tell that the information about the history is intact.
Here is the English translation. Parts in brackets are from the prior page.
("My family founder, Wada Iga-no-kami.

Today we know of the Iga ryu and Ko)ga ryu, but these were not names used for the schools originally. The birthplaces of ninjutsu are Koga in Shiga prefecture and nearby Iga in Mie prefecture. The area is composed of sharply rising mountain ranges and in their narrow valleys are the remains of fortresses and strong points cover about 1000 meters. While trying to continue their lifestyle, they kept themselves sharp, preparing for conflict and searching out any piece of information they could on possible enemy moves. Thus, in their precarious position, they were well placed to put great importance and research into developing the skills of espionage and scouting.
And, in 1487 when the Ashikaga Shogun Yoshihiki attacked Sasaki Kourou the Iga and Koga served him a defeat so spectacular that their name and the skill they possessed became known and sought after among the various warlords in the nation and the Iga and Koga traditions were born.
In the times that followed, with the nation plunged into war the skills of the ninja became more and more into demand and the traditions extended into schools such as the Akutagawa ryu, Negoro ryu, Mafuu ryu, Ninkou ryu, Kouyou ryu, Kishu ryu and others. About 25 schools of ninjutsu came into being.
But, all these schools came from the two main sources of the Iga and Koga. And even when talking about the Iga, they themselves were composed of 49 traditions while the Koga had 53 families passing down their skills.
My family was one of those 53, and more specifically part of the 6 families of Minamiyama, also known as the six great names of Koga. From Wada Iga-no-kami 14 generations passed down. In olden days this was how important ninjutsu was, but today it has all but died out and I am the last."

Now the issues my "ninja geek" friends addressed was that
a) Mr. Roley's translation refers to 49 Iga traditions. Anyone who knows Japanese history Iga ninjutsu was traced to 49 families of kokujin or Ji-Samurai (country samurai) and Koga ninjutsu is traced back to the 53 families of Kokujin. So their arguement is that Mr. Roley is in fact suggesting/implying that the 49 families of Iga were in fact a seperate tradition  and the 53 families of Koga had only one tradition.
b) That Mr. Roley was excusing his implied difference in the tradition/family by posting the origional Japanese when he said "Ok, so I have been told that there are accusations against me regarding my translation of Fujita Seiko's biography. People are trying to say I am making stuff up and that Fujita never said that he was the last, etc."

The issue is simple, anyone who is seeking to do legitimate historical research on ninjutsu doesn't discount that Seiko Fujita said he was the last. The big debate comes over whether Fujita Seiko (proper Japanese, with the Surname first) was the last of the Wada line or all of Koga Ryu.

Now the issue rests on this matter, Fujita Seiko had no proof he was Soke of Koga Ryu Wada Ha ninjutsu. As Fujita clearly states in the translation provided by Mr. Roley, his family was one of the 53 families and his line began with Wada Iga no Kami. You'll notice first that Seiko states that "Today we know of the Iga ryu and Koga ryu, but these were not names used for the schools originally. The birthplaces of ninjutsu are Koga in Shiga prefecture and nearby Iga in Mie prefecture."

Now to any ninjutsu researcher, we understand that Fujita Seiko was explaining that Iga Ryu & Koga Ryu is a blanket term for schools arising from those areas. And many feel that Don Roley is translating the text to account for why there are multiple ninjutsu schools in the Bujinkan that would be referred to as Iga Ryu: Togakure Ryu, Gyokushin Ryu & Kumogakure Ryu. However, Koga Ryu in Japan only goes so far as Fujita Seiko's Wada Ryu.

A very in depth article on Koga Ryu Ninjutsu by the Shuto Karate Club, the article notes that there is a mention of 3 Wada schools in the Bugei Ryuha Daijiten, a listing for Koga Ryu Wada Ha on page 273, a mention of Wada Ryu on page 921 & a mention of another school called "Wada To" on page 273. Watatani Kiyoshi stated in the Bugei Ryuha Daijiten he believed Fujita Seiko was only expertise extended only to Koga Ryu Wada Ha. Meaning it is possible for other Koga Ryu Ninjutsu lines to exist...

Now as a person associated with Frank Dux and Ashida Kim, both claiming Koga Ryu lineages what I feel about Fujita Seiko being the last of the Wada line and last Soke of Wada Ryu could be seen as my own bias. But, what about Watatani Kiyoshi who has nothing invested in any such systems? More so, it is my belief as an amateur researcher & "ninja geek" that Fujita Seiko may have been the last ninja period... end of story. We all know I think Takamatsu made up his ninjutsu and when I got into researching Fujita I found some interesting facts...

1. Fujita Seiko's first book on ninjutsu in 1936, during Japan's own Ninja Boom (50 years before America's 1980s Ninja Boom) in pop-culture.

2. That Takamatsu's claims in China cannot be verified, most of his claims in Japan cannot be verified. However, Takamatsu's autobiography states on interesting things.

First, that Takamatsu wrote this brief autobiography in 1955, nearly 20 years before his death...

Second, that Takamatsu claims to have learn ninjutsu from both Ishitani and Toda Shinryuken. However, Takamatsu only lists Ishintani Matsutaro Takekage as him teaching Kuki Happo Biken no Jutsu (this is a reference to the Kuki family's art of Kukishin Happo Biken Jutsu). He attributes Toda to teaching him Koto Ryu and Togakure Ryu and Koshijutsu. With no mention of the other schools...

This is mainly irrelevant except when you look at the claim to Takamatsu learning ninjutsu from both men. Why is this important? Because Takamatsu was never known for ninjutsu in his early days. Takamatsu had a hand in creating a Japanese Martial Arts Organization known as the Minoku Seinen Botoku-kai but he was known as a master of Jujutsu & Bojutsu not Ninjutsu...

Now according to Takamatsu's Autobiography which can also be found here & here... He didn't open his private dojo: Sukisha Dojo until after he came back from China. The Biography at USDojo.com states Takamatsu spent 10 years in China & left when he was 20. So lets assume he was 29, for a man born in 1887 + 20 years... is 1907 and 10 years in China would put his return at 1917. A Genbukan site states Takamatsu returned from China in 1919 but says he started his personal school in May of 1950. Which means Takamatsu would have been 63. It is important to note that Takamatsu's ninjutsu legacy rests mostly with Masaki Hatsumi as Takamatsu was not known for ninjutsu previously... His first published article on ninjutsu was in the later 1960s and the article on Fujita cites his displeasure at Hatsumi and Takamatsu for openly teaching ninjutsu, but this was in 1967.

Now let us compare dates... Hatsumi and Takamatsu hold public demonstrations in the 1960s, I'll even offer the 1950 date. Takamatsu's first private Dojo (Sukisha Dojo) was opened in 1950 & before this he was know as a Jujutsu and Bojutsu master. His first, written article came in the later 1960s (1967 perhaps?).

The Historical Ninjutsu texts of the Bansenshukai, Ninpiden and Shoninki were translated in the later 1930s, Fujita Seiko had already written 3 books on ninjutsu by the time Takamatsu made his first appearance and already stated he was the last of the Wada line of Koga Ryu Ninjutsu.
Ninjutsu Hiroku 1939
Ninjutsu Kara Spy Sen He 1942
Saigo no Ninja 1954
Plus the entries in the Bugei Ryuha Daijiten as earily as 1963 (1st Edition)...

Fujita Seiko was ninjutsu researcher and known as the "last ninja" 11 years before Takamatsu formulated his own scrolls and claimed to have learned Ninjutsu. With the historical text being translated in the later 1920s and early 1930s, Japan's pop culture ninja boom occurring in the 1930s, Takamatsu's claim is suspect. This doesn't account for the pattern of behavior concerning his "theft" of the  Kuki families art and lineage or other claims which cannot be proven that sound very much unlikely and grandiose.

The problem with legitimately researching history, is that you have to work with the facts and not try to present facts to protect your own bias & opinion. The fact remains, no evidence of an existing ninjutsu school from history being in existence today exists. At best they are all modern creations, except where proven Koryu schools such as Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto Ryu have it as part of their kuden (verbal teachings) usually only passed down to from Soke to Soke.

Update: 
So my addressing the information about Takamatsu I seemed to ruffled some feathers. As it turned out I was arguing with Don Roley's troll account Simon Edwards. Who (being Don Roley and Bujinkan member) was trying to declare all Koga Ryu extinct because Fujita Seiko was the last know practicer to come forward, apparently Don does not count Americans who claim Koga Ryu or Kawakami Jinichi. I was waiting on Don to make a few more argument before addressing a final trump card I had been holding.

You see there are 2 distinct points I chose to withhold both come from an older article written by Don Roley entitled: History of the Koga Ryu...
First someone letting it slip Simon Edwards is Don Roley:

Now comes the important points that reinforce my earlier statements concern the issue of Mr. Roley's translation. In Mr. Roley's article using the same material he translated from Japanese to English to argue that all Koga Ryu died off with Fujita Seiko, Don Roley explains Fujita Seiko own worlds stating that Iga & Koga Ryu were not part of a formal ryu or school like classical Koryu martial arts where.

So here Don Roley explaining that there was no formal schools of ninjutsu and that they were all associated by families. Don Roley states they would have names like Iga Ryu (family name)-ha or Koga Ryu (family name)-ha but notes these names didn't exist until after the warring states (Sengoku) period.

This brings us to my points; first there was no formal school of ninjutsu and by Mr. Roley's own statements how does the Bujinkan claim three distinct Ninjutsu Ryu; Togakure Ryu, Kumogakure Ryu & Gyokushin Ryu?

Now why does Don Roley say this, you might ask but answer is because Fujita Seiko said as much and Roley was quoting Fujita. This is reinforced by Bansenshukai who Don Roley's troll account Simon Edwards refers to as a "notebook" and I feel down plays the historical text conceal information that conflicts with his claims (but thats just). On Page 25 of the Bansenshukai translation by Athony Cummins and Yoshie Minami title The Book Of The Ninja states "The people of Iga and Koka (alternate spelling of Koga) had never had a shugo governor and each clan was self-governing; they constructed small castles in each estate independently and had free rien. As having no shugo or a lord, there was not a governor to oversee them. There were numerous instances of them fighting with each other to take away the other's land. Therefore, their main concentration was set on battles each morning and every evening, and their life revolved around armament and defence."

The second issue, is with each of 49 Iga families having a tradition and each of the 53 Koga families having a tradition, Fujita Seiko was only one line. Now I will say he never had a proven lineage, yet in the case of Mr. Kawakami he was historically correct. A big glaring issue here is not only later time in the 1960s of Takamatsu claiming a ninjutsu lineage, he also claims "ninjutsu ryu." So our second issue is the huge hole in the information Don Roley is presenting. Remember Takamatsu's own friend Watatani Kiyoshi said Takamatsu made use of modern information availabel on ninjutsu at the time.

Finally, because I will be called a liar by some concerning Don Roley's gaps in information, here is the entire article, via screen shots from the article at http://www.jigokudojo.org/koga.htm beginning with a close up of Don Roley's name as the author of this work...

Fujita Seiko was the last Soke of Koga Ryu Wada-ha Ninjutsu, he left no successor to his art. However if he was the only/last of the Koga families to practice ninjutsu or if more survived, I do not know. If his grandfather lied to him or if he himself was lying, as Mr. Roley addresses in his article, I do not know. Fujita was sometimes called a mere researcher and other times a ninja. You can believe what you like, I am merely presenting evidence for my belief that Bujinkan members readily run about internet calling out others as frauds, real and imagined because their own art is fraudulent, the pot calling the kettle black kind of thing.

What I do know is that Fujita Seiko, was a researcher and an author, an instructor at spy school and had a hand in making a partial translation of the Bansenshukai. He was Soke of Taien Ryu Jojutsu (short staff art), Shingetsu Ryu Shueikenjutsu (throwing blade art), Ichiden Ryu Toritejutsu (restraining or escaping from restraint by an attacker art) & Naban Satto Ryu Kenpo (lit. "Foreign Killing School" Kenpo) in addition to Koga Ryu Wada Ha Ninjutsu.

Seiko Fujita was also taught at the following...

• Kokumin Seishin Bunka Kenkyusho (Cultural Institute of National Spirit)
• Kobo Kinmu-in Joseisho
• The Nakano Gakko/Espionage School
• Toyama Japanese Army Academy
• Rikugun Shikan Gakko/Military Officers Academy
• Instructor in Police Bujutsu at the Tokyo Headquarters of Regimented Military Police
• Educational Facilities of the Japanese Navy (existed from 1888 to 1945)
• Adviser to Nihon Kararte-do Kai

I'm ending my updated information here. I more then doubled the length of the origional blog post.