Historical Document Overview

This archival document presents the complete six-page feature “This is Ninjutsu!” (これが忍術だ) published in the March 1, 1965 issue of Kodomo no Hikari (こどもの光). The article records one of the final published interviews with Fujita Seiko (藤田西湖), the 14th-generation Kōga-ryū Ninjutsu Grandmaster, completed only days before his death on January 4, 1965. Written for a young audience, the feature explains the historical purpose of ninjutsu, dispels popular misconceptions created by film and television, and emphasizes discipline, psychology, observation, and moral character over fantasy. Presented here are the original Japanese pages, English translations, historical annotations, and editorial notes to preserve this important primary source for researchers and students of Japanese martial history.