Best Ninjutsu Book?

[RoninX]

Hello!

I´d like to know your opinion on which is the best Ninjutsu book available!

Thanks

 

[Bruno@MT]

That needs some qualification. What are you looking for?

The only books I have are:
'Fujiate Seiko: the last koga ninja' which is a biography on Fujita Seiko
and
'Fundamental taijutsu, vol 1', which is suitable as a guide to remember techniques, but not to learn new ones. Btw it's a Genbukan book so not much use outside of Genbukan training.

You can't learn ninjutsu from a book. At all. The only thing you can learn from books is ninja history. And for that, the book I already mentioned is good. it is a bit thin, but I liked it a lot. There are also some books by Tanemura sensei and Hatsumi sensei.

For all other authors, it would probably be wise to check out the credentials of the author first. I would rather trust a book written by a Japanese author, than one written by a foreigner. But that is just my opinion of course.

 

[JadecloudAlchemist]

Japanese or English?

Then depends on what you are looking for.

I really think The way of the Ninja and Advance stick fighting are very well done. Fujita Seiko by Phillip Hevener is well done too.Unarmed fighting techniques of the Samurai well done.Ninpo Secrets By Shoto Tanemura is well done. Takamatsu Toshitsugu: http://www.ninjutsustore.com/store/product.php?productid=6201&cat=86&page=1

I don't know how good the translations are but these are very good books the Japanese versions are great early writings of Hatsumi:
http://www.ninjutsustore.com/store/home.php?cat=154

Paul Richardson's book: http://www.budoya.org/Books/Buj-history.html
This site has some good stuff.

I would love to find Takamatsu poetry book that is suppose to have been published.

Kukishinden ryu bojutsu: http://www.amazon.com/Kukishin-Ryu-...=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1241099363&sr=8-2

If you can find this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bugei_Ryuha_Daijiten

 

[RoninX]

That needs some qualification. What are you looking for?

The only books I have are:
'Fujiate Seiko: the last koga ninja' which is a biography on Fujita Seiko
and
'Fundamental taijutsu, vol 1', which is suitable as a guide to remember techniques, but not to learn new ones. Btw it's a Genbukan book so not much use outside of Genbukan training.

You can't learn ninjutsu from a book. At all. The only thing you can learn from books is ninja history. And for that, the book I already mentioned is good. it is a bit thin, but I liked it a lot. There are also some books by Tanemura sensei and Hatsumi sensei.

For all other authors, it would probably be wise to check out the credentials of the author first. I would rather trust a book written by a Japanese author, than one written by a foreigner. But that is just my opinion of course.

Who said i wanted to learn Ninjutsu from books? Are you dreaming?

 

[Bruno@MT]

Who said i wanted to learn Ninjutsu from books? Are you dreaming?

No offense. You post a single line message, asking for the best ninjutsu book available. Noone said anything. I just asked what you were looking for. I didn't know what you meant because you didn't specify what you wanted to get out of the book: techniques, history, or fiction.

So I list the 2 books that I have, explain that you can't learn ninjutsu from a book, and then proceed to tell you that if it is history that you are after, then the book on fujita seiko is good, as well as (probably) others by Japanese authors.

As far as I can tell, there was nothing offensive in my post. I asked what you were looking for, and my remark that you cannot learn techniques from books did not imply that you were trying to do this. It was only meant to indicate that IF this was what you were looking for, then this is not possible.
And since there are many people who think you can learn from books or videos, my remark was not farfetched.

So imo there was nothing in my post that warranted this remark:

Are you dreaming?

 

[WesternCiv]

Surprised that "Ninja Mind Control" by Haha Lung hasn't made the list! :uhyeah:

 

[RoninX]

I´m just looking for opinions.
I´m thinking about Ninpo Secrets.

 

[EWBell]

I´m just looking for opinions.
I´m thinking about Ninpo Secrets.

Ninpo Secrets is excellent. You won't be disappointed!

 

[Bruno@MT]

I'd go for Ninpo secrets or Takamatsu Toshitsugu then.

Ninpo secrets because it's written by Tanemura sensei (I am in Genbukan), and the book on Takamatsu because he is the last ninja in my lineage who actually served as a ninja, and because he is the source of all Xkan ninpo.

 

[RoninX]

Isn´t Ninpo Secrets the most complete one?

 

[EWBell]

Isn´t Ninpo Secrets the most complete one?

Not having read all of the books on ninjutsu, I can't say that for 100%. I can say that there is a boat load of great information in it. I need to buy it as well, since my sensei allowed me to borrow his copy a couple of years ago.

 

[canit]

Takamatsu Toshitsugu: http://www.ninjutsustore.com/store/product.php?productid=6201&cat=86&page=1

This book is very poorly written and self-contradicting throughout. Save your money and do a google search on Takamatsu.

If you can find it, 'Ninja: The True Story of Japan's Secret Warrior Cult' by Stephen Turnbull (1991) is a good read. Much more factual information in it than the title above.

 

[Albertus]

For all other authors, it would probably be wise to check out the credentials of the author first. I would rather trust a book written by a Japanese author, than one written by a foreigner. But that is just my opinion of course.]

Just a small warning, not every Japanese name is what it looks like. Don't get fooled just by the sound of it.
To name a few oriental like names that are (probably) not authentic: Toshitora Yamashiro ; Yukishiro Sanada ; Yoshi Yamamoto ; Katsumi Toda ; Li Hsing ; Atemo Lin ; Ashida Kim ; Lee San ; Terry Shimura...

 

[kaizasosei]

Probably one of the best Ninjutsu books ever is 'essence of ninjutsu' by Hatsumi Sensei. -although it is a tad controversial, i find that 'ninjutsu, history and tradition' is a good book too, especialy for people new to the tradition- i mean the red book with the sun behind a ninjaic figuire holding a huge sickle.


j

 

[Randy Strausbaugh]

I'm not a ninjutsu practitioner, but I found Alex Yeo's book on the subject to be well done. Good photos, well written, covers basics well. Emphsizes physical skills, but gives a little theory, too. He's part of the Bujinkan, I believe. Can't remember the exact title right off, but if you go to Amazon.com and search his name, you should come up with the book, no problem. If not, let me know and I'll try to kickstart my old braincells into gear (of course, kicks may be the reason I'm forgetful ).

 

[ElfTengu]

I'm not a ninjutsu practitioner, but I found Alex Yeo's book on the subject to be well done. Good photos, well written, covers basics well. Emphsizes physical skills, but gives a little theory, too. He's part of the Bujinkan, I believe. Can't remember the exact title right off, but if you go to Amazon.com and search his name, you should come up with the book, no problem. If not, let me know and I'll try to kickstart my old braincells into gear (of course, kicks may be the reason I'm forgetful ).

It's Simon Yeo, and yes I agree it is an ideal choice of first book.

The basics may not be exactly as you are taught them by your own teacher, and are largely not the way I perform them myself, but are well within the confines of acceptable interpretation, and the author himself indicates that although in print, the content of the book should not be taken as the be all and end all of basic taijutsu and that he himself is still learning at 10th dan.

If you want mumbo jumbo and vague historical accounts of characters who were ninja-esque but probably not actually ninja then there is a wealth of material out there.

This book has recieved praise and criticism in equal measure but at the end of the day nobody else has been brave enough to put anything out there that is of practical use to the novice and intermediate student.

I doubt if any black belts will learn anything from it but I am happy to own a copy.

 

[seninoniwashi]

Probably one of the best Ninjutsu books ever is 'essence of ninjutsu' by Hatsumi Sensei. -although it is a tad controversial, i find that 'ninjutsu, history and tradition' is a good book too, especialy for people new to the tradition- i mean the red book with the sun behind a ninjaic figuire holding a huge sickle.

What makes it controversial? You'll have to forgive me, I'm from the other side of the fence.

 

[kaizasosei]

Most of this political stuff i find is nonsense myself, but some people say that the book not so much by Hatsumisensei but rather by Hayessensei. That, in my opinion, is a compliment to Hayessensei because i think the book does a good job of presenting an asortment of materials that relate to the various arts of ninjutsu.

I must admit that i don't understand the controversy myself. Something to do with names and rights....?


j

 

[EWBell]

Most of this political stuff i find is nonsense myself, but some people say that the book not so much by Hatsumisensei but rather by Hayessensei. That, in my opinion, is a compliment to Hayessensei because i think the book does a good job of presenting an asortment of materials that relate to the various arts of ninjutsu.

I must admit that i don't understand the controversy myself. Something to do with names and rights....?


j

Essence of Ninjutsu is not the one that was supposedly ghost written by Stephen Hayes. It was Ninjutsu: History and Tradition.

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

This book is very poorly written and self-contradicting throughout. Save your money and do a google search on Takamatsu.

If you can find it, 'Ninja: The True Story of Japan's Secret Warrior Cult' by Stephen Turnbull (1991) is a good read. Much more factual information in it than the title above.

Actually the author worked pretty hard to paint an over all picture of the life of Takamatsu Sensei. While being far from perfect and not an authorized biography from Hatsumi Sensei I still think it has value! Most of the sources are from Hatsumi Sensei in the end and it would appear that he did not make anything up but instead showed how life was and events that happened based on the writings from other books. An interesting read if nothing else.