Bujinkan New York Dojo
Masaaki Hatsumi (b. Dec. 2, 1931) is the founder and current head of the Bujinkan Dojo martial arts organization. He currently resides and teaches in Noda, Chiba Prefecture (Japan). He grew up with an avid love of the martial arts.
In 1957, he began making regular (15 hour train rides) trips to learn from Takamatsu. For over fifteen years Hatsumi-soke trained under the supervision of Toshitsugu Takamatsu and in 1972, with the death of his teacher, Hatsumi Sensei became the heir to our authentic ninja tradition.
Hatsumi has written numerous books and articles on philosophy and martial arts that have been translated into many languages. He wrote a weekly column for his newspaper and was the recurring subject of a major Japanese martial arts magazine, Hiden. An accomplished actor and director of both movies and television, he starred in the TV series, coached and directed notable martial arts film stars and spread the martial arts of the Bujinkan throughout the world. He has been recognized by many governments, private organizations and distinguished individuals.
Toshitsugu Takamatsu was born on 10 March 1889 in Japan. At age nine, he joined his grandfather, Toda Shinryuken Masamitsu, dojo. From his grandfather he learned several martial arts, including ninjutsu.
From Mizuta Yoshitaro Tadafusa he became menkyo in Hontai Takagi Yoshin Ryu Jutaijutsu and from Ishitani Matsutaro Takakage he mastered Kukishinden Ryu and Gikan Ryu Koppojutsu.
At age 21, he traveled through Mongolia to China, taught martial arts and fought many battles. He taught martial arts at an English school in China and had over 1000 students. He was the bodyguard of the last Chinese Emperor Puyi. He became a Tendai Buddhist priest in 1919. In 1921, he was permitted to copy the Kukishin-ryu and Amatsu Tatara scrolls of the Kuki family. He was a friend of Jigoro Kano (Judo).
During World War 2, the original scrolls were destroyed. He presented new scrolls to the Kuki family in 1949. He was well known in Japan as a grandmaster of Jujutsu and Bojutsu. He died on 2 April 1972.
May 2012. Yonkers, NY.
May 2012. Yonkers, NY.
May 2012. Yonkers, NY.
May - July, 2012.