About Soke Masaaki Hatsumi

Bujinkan founder and grandmaster Masaaki Hatsumi is the teacher of To-Shin Do founder Stephen K. Hayes. Born on December 2, 1931 as Yoshiaki Hatsumi, he grew up learning the martial arts as part personal quest and part necessity. Throughout his early years, including his medical studies at Meiji University in Tokyo, he pursed the martial arts with great passion, earning an exceptionally rare yondan degree in judo while only in his mid-20s.

Despite his abilities, Hatsumi never quite found what he was looking for, until he met Takamatsu Toshitsugu soke. Takamatsu sensei was the teacher Hatsumi had been searching for all his life, a teacher that could impart and instruct him in authentic, effective martial arts.

Hatsumi studied rigorously with Takamatsu sensei for 15 years, from 1957 - 1972, when Takamatsu sensei passed away. Before he passed away, Takamatsu sensei had designated Hatsumi as his successor in nine martial lineages:

• Togakure Ryu Ninjutsu
• Gyokko Ryu Koshijutsu
• Kukishinden Ryu Taijutsu Happo Hiken
• Shinden Fudo Ryu Dakentaijutsu
• Gyokushin Ryu Ninjutsu
• Koto Ryu Koppojutsu
• Takagi Yoshin Ryu Jutaijutsu
• Gikan Ryu Koppojutsu
• Kumogakure Ryu Ninjutsu

Hatsumi sensei continues to teach today to thousands of practitioners around the world, including his senior-most American student, Stephen K. Hayes.