The Secrets of Koga-ryu Ninjutsu

Just finished reading this excellent book from Don Roley about sadly, an art that doesn't exist anymore, it's a fantastic book, full of information and insights, especially about the last soke of the art, it's a shame he died before he was able to pass on his knowledge, as I said, an excellent read👍

not the best book on ninja

Don Roley is the man and this book is a goldmine of information.

This book is in the genre of the Bansenshukai and the Shoninki. The book from which it was translated was written in 1937, as Japan was embarking on the Second World War. It was written by Fujita Seiko, last living master of Koga-ryu ninjutsu and instructor at the Nakano Spy School that trained the Japanese counterparts to the Jedburghs and OSS. The book is not about martial arts per se, but more about the infiltration, scouting, and spying techniques used by the ninja. The translator, Don Roley, is uniquely qualified to translate the material. Not only is Don fluent in Japanese, he is fluent in ninjutsu. Don holds the highest possible rank (15th dan black belt) in the three ninja ryu and six samurai ryu that compose the Bujinkan. Nowhere else will you find the combination of academic rigor, linguistic skill, and subject matter expertise that Don Roley lends to the translation of this work. This book is a must-have for anyone interested in ninjutsu and the ninja. No collection is complete without it.

Essencial leitura para estudantes de artes marciais

This is the only martial arts book that I own at the moment. And that is saying a lot. I love martial arts. I studied 8 martial arts in high school and went on to study BJJ as an adult. This was a competent historical book on the inner workings of Ninjutsu. Not only did it satisfy the "fact nerd" in me, but it also satisfied my need for mystery. The reason why I didn't give it five stars was because 1) The book advertises snake oil in some places, and 2) The original author seems to think that "fighting to the death" is a better learning tool than participating in regulated sports. I beg to differ!

I rather would get a complete translation. Without editorials but nevertheless, good work.