The Ninja and Their Secret Fighting Art

The author is a good teacher. The content is easy to understand and complete.

This was the first book on ninpo I read as a youth. Thankfully, I believe it did a lot to innoculate me against much of the...other stuff out there claiming to be "ninjutsu". Author Stephen K. Hayes actually was proficient in Karate (3rd dan), running a dojo in Atlanta, Georgia before hanging up everything and flying off to Japan to find Masaaki Hatsumi, a Ninja historian and one of the few holders of a legitimate titles of proficiency in traditional Japanese martial arts associated with the ninja of Old Japan. In Noda City, Hayes meets Master Teacher Hatsumi, and the two discuss martial arts. At one point Hayes is discussing the intricacies of a particular kata (form), when Hatsumi shows an exact imitation of it. For the first time Hayes is struck by the stiffness of the movements. During their initial meeting, in a discussion concerning the varied physical aspects of Taijutsu in Ninpo, Hatsumi describes making use of striking as well as locking techniques, when Hayes interjects, "Like karate and Judo combined". Hayes ruminates on how his original assumptions probably appeared to Hatsumi a lot like "...comparing ninjutsu to wine tasting and insect collecting" (page 40). What sets this book apart from others is the personal tone, the recounting of actual experiences and situations Hayes encountered. He does his darndest to paint a true picture and keep grandstanding and ego out of the picture. This is not an repetitive pedantic self help book (thankfully!). Hayes telling of his various encounters in ninjutsu training, with the Grandmaster and other teachers and students in Japan, and Japanese culture--new and old, are the best teaching tools. Hayes went on to return to the United States and pioneer the legitimate teaching of Ninjutsu. Whether you practice martial arts or not, this book is an eye opening experience, a real education.

This is one of the first books that I read about ninjutsu back in the day as a teenager and it still is fun to pull off the shelf and skip around. It recounts Hayes's first encounter with Hatsumi, his finding himself being one of the few non-Japanese to study the art before the big ninja boom of the 80s when everything got so stupid in the public's eye, the brutality of early training under Hatsumi, some recollections of unconventional training and a few demonstrations of techniques. There are also many great photos from the old school, which you may find as interesting as I do. I would highly recommend Hatsumi's "Secrets form the Grandmaster" recently re-issued, "Essence of Ninjutsu", as well as a highly illustrated, if also slightly inaccurate text by Lewis on the subject entitled "Ninja". Below you will read many reviews that tear the book up for not being clear, not teaching enough, etc. Fine. But how much can a person learn about movement from a book unless they already know how to move? Same goes for fighting. So dismiss those reviews as not understanding the point of the text. Then of course there is the person who suggests the Ashida Kim books are the real deal and that the techniques of Hatsumi and Hayes are "too weak". Well, anyone can do bad Japanese karate in a black uniform with a mask while holding exotic weapons and call it ninjutsu, but that is not the case with the legitimate instruction of the Bujinkan. If soft equals weak, then that's enough said. But for those with eyes to see and ears to hear, the truth is evident. Moreover, I would suspect that those who have ever trained with Hayes or Hatsumi in person would not say such things, at least the pain in their body would tell them they are lying!

This book is one of the best introductions on the Ninja Art I have ever read. It is written from the authors point of view as he was first introduced to the art and learned it. Very well written. Gives a great insight of the art. Has a narrative comparrison of the more traditional arts vs ninjutsu. The book contains seven sections. Starts with Perspective, the authors search for Ninja, unarmed combat, weapons,deception, commando tactics and psychology. A book you will read over and over again.

This book is a great introduction to the world of ninjutsu for those not already involved. The book, however, does not contain step by step fighting examples as some of Mr. Hayes' other books do. This book, although different in set-up, is just as valuable, perhaps more so. The book takes your along with Mr. Hayes on his odyssey in search for the last remaining ninja master. It is the details of his experiences training in Japan with Soke Hatsumi. The style of the book is to explain what he went through in his training, but not how to go about doing it. This may be a slight put-off to some people, but for ninjutsu practitioners, or those hoping for a chance to become one, it is a great addition to your library for background history and information. I did find the last several chapters to be particularaly enlightening; those chapters containing the philosophical viewpoints and spiritual outlooks of the ninja. Bravo to Mr. Hayes for this fine piece of work. This book was the first book on the Ninja that I ever purchased, only two years ago, when I was 13. It has become a sort of cornerstone in my martial arts library, and an inspiration to me to keep training every day.

After 16 years of training, this is still my favorite ninjutsu book. The story of how Hayes searched out real ninjutsu and became accepted in what had been a closed system is the heart of its honesty. If you're looking for "How to Kill in 6 Easy Steps", then this is not it. But if you've done the sport arts, the belts, and the ego strokes of other arts (I did) and are looking for the real thing, here's where to start. As his first book after returning from years in Japan, it is not as polished as his later books but it is so honest and you come away with a feeling of his respect for the art and Grandmaster Hatsumi. It's a great read whether you ever train or not and the beginning of the path for those that do.