Seiko Fujita

Seiko Fujita
Born	Isamu Fujita 1898 Tokyo, Japan
Died	4 January 1966 (1966-01-05) (aged 68) Liver cirrhosis
Style	Kōga-ryū Ninjutsu
Notable students	Motokatsu Inoue, Mabuni Kenwa, Fujitani Masatoshi, Tomisaburo Wakayama, Manzo Iwata

Seiko Fujita (藤田 西湖, 1898 – 4 January 1966), born Isamu Fujita, was a Japanese martial artist who was 14th Headmaster or Soke of Kōga-ryū Ninjutsu and considered by some to be the last true ninja.^[1]

Biography

Isamu Fujita was born in Tokyo, and studied Kōga-ryū Wada Ha (Kōga-ryū Ninjutsu) with his grandfather Fujita Shintazaemon, 13th Soke of the Kōga-ryū. He studied at Waseda and Meiji Universities, and after leaving school, worked at a newspaper company. He went on to study several other martial arts and was also noted as an author, researcher and collector of ancient scrolls. According to some references, "opinions are divided if he was a real ninja or a mere budō researcher."^[2]

During World War II, Fujita taught strategy in the Army Academy of Nakano (Rikugun Nakano Gakkō). Fujita later worked as a government security specialist. In later years he was influential in teaching many traditional Japanese arts. Notable students include Motokatsu Inoue, Mabuni Kenwa, Fujitani Masatoshi, actor Tomisaburo Wakayama and Manzo Iwata, who became heir to some of his styles. Fujita left no heir for Kōga-ryū Wada Ha.

Fujita Seiko published Zukai Torinawajutsu showing hundreds of Hojōjutsu ties from many different schools, and several other texts on ninjutsu and martial arts. He died of cirrhosis of the liver at about the age of 68 and likely suffered from hereditary angioedema (which can preclude the practice of martial arts, although Fujita may have demonstrated the ability to overcome some disease symptoms).^[3] His collection, the Fujita Seiko Bunko, is housed at Iga-Ueno Museum, Odawara Castle.^[4]

Bibliography of the main works

Title in Japanese kanji / Transcription of the Japanese title with occidental alphabet / Translation of the Japanese title / Year of publication

• 法術行り方繪解 (in Japanese). 1928.  "Hôjutsu yarikata zukai", "Illustrated guidance of Budo tricks" ;
• 忍術秘録 (in Japanese). 千代天書. 1936.  "Ninjutsu hiroku", "Secrets notes about ninjutsu" ;
• 忍術からスパイ戦へ (in Japanese). 1942.  « Ninjutsu kara spy sen he » « From ninjutsu to spy warfare »
• 神道夢想流杖術図解 (in Japanese). 1953.  "Shindô Musô Ryû Jôjutsu Zukai", "The illustrated technique of the heavenly way of the short staff from the Musô's School »
• どろんろん最後の忍者 (in Japanese). October 1958.  "Doronron : Saigo no Ninja", "The last ninja"
• 拳法極意當身殺活法明解 (in Japanese). 1958. , "Kenpô Gokui Atemi Sappô Kappô Meikai", "The technique of strike the vital points from the Kenpō for kill or revive"

In 1972, a big part of this book has been translated in French by Jacques Devêvre, and published by the editions « Judo international », with the title : « Les points vitaux secrets du corps humain » (« The secret vital points of the human body »), then re-published in 1998, by « Budo editions », with the title : « L’art ultime et sublime des points vitaux » (« The magnificent and ultimate art of the vital points ») (with commentaries by Henry Plée)

• 図解 手裏剣術 (in Japanese). June 1964.  "Zukai Shurikenjutsu", "The illustrated technique of the shuriken"
• 図解 捕縄術 (in Japanese). Autumn 1964.  "Zukai Hojōjutsu" / "Zukai Torinawajutsu", "The illustrated technique of the binding rope"

References

Further reading

• Fujita Seiko:: The Last Koga Ninja by Phillip T. Hevener (19 February 2008) ISBN 978-1436301763