Masaaki Hatsumi, soke
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. 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. He has written many martial arts books focusing on both ninja and samurai martial arts.
Joe Maurantonio, shihan
Maurantonio-sensei was born in New York. After years of martial arts training, he found his passion in ninjutsu. In 1983, he formally began training with Stephen K. Hayes. Maurantonio-sensei met Hatsumi-soke in 1986 and founded the Bujinkan New York Dojo a year later. In 1991, he was awarded the title of shidoshi (teacher of the warrior ways). He is a member of the Shidoshi Kai and is editor of Ninpo: Wisdom for Life. He regularly trains with Hatsumi-soke and other senior Bujinkan instructors from Japan, Australia, Europe, and USA.
Glenn Catania, shidoshi
Catania-sensei is a lifelong New Yorker but moved to Long Island in 2003. He has been training in Togakure ninpo taijutsu since 1986 when he joined a small Bujinkan training group in the Bronx. Catania-sensei first met Hatsumi-soke at the 1991 Texas Taikai. He is the oldest, most senior student of Maurantonio-shihan and currently runs a small training group of his own called the Bujinkan Nassau Dojo. Catania-sensei continues his weekly training at the Bujinkan New York Dojo.
Fred Feddeck, shidoshi
Feddeck-sensei lives and works in Westchester, NY. He has been studying the Bujinkan martial arts since 1993 when he began training at the Bujinkan New York Dojo with Maurantonio-shihan. He has been one of the most dedicated students that the BNYD has had since its inception and regularly helps other students dig deep, to find their own way in the martial arts. He received his Shidoshi menkyo in 2003 and continues to train with his sempai. Feddeck-sensei runs the Bujinkan Shinmyoken Dojo martial arts study group.
Don Houle, shidoshi
Houle-sensei began his Bujinkan training in 1986 while living in Massachusetts. After relocating to New Jersey in 1994, he joined the Bujinkan New York Dojo. At the 2003 NJ Tai Kai, he passed the shidoshi test and a year later founded the Bujinkan Happo Dojo (which was a natural outgrowth of his 1995 training group. Don continues his studies in New York with Joe Maurantonio-shihan, in Japan with Hatsumi-soke and takes advantage of the many training opportunities offered by other senior Bujinkan instructors.
Phil Noto, shodan
Noto-sensei was born in NY and his very first interest was in martial arts. He found and joined the Bujinkan New York Dojo in 1995 at the age of 18. He has trained at a diverse number of Bujinkan events with Hatsumi-soke, shihan and many senior instructors. Noto-sempai is known for his desire to understand the essence of the human condition where medicine and martial arts overlap.
Bill Lami, nidan
Lami-sensei is a native of New Jersey and began martial arts training in 1985. After 15 years of searching he found the Bujinkan New York Dojo. He first met Hatsumi-soke at the 2001 Tai Kai in Washington, DC. In 2007, enamoured with Bujinkan training, he made his first trip to Japan. Lami-sempai has trained with many senior Bujinkan instructors and often attends seminars in the USA.
John Sarantakos, shodan
Sarantakos-sensei first began karate training in 1987 at the age of 9. It wasn't for him. Five years later, he visited the Bujinkan New York Dojo to watch class with his brother. Though he didn't join, it left enough of a lasting impression that he returned to join in 2003. John was awarded his Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu shodan menkyo in September 2009.
Will Tejera, shodan
Tejera-sensei was born and raised in the NY/NJ area. He started in the Bujinkan back in 1990, and trained with a several instructors before taking time off in 2001 to focus on starting a family and his career. In 2007, he returned to training by joining the Bujinkan New York Dojo.
Jesse Lipscher, sempai
Lipscher-sempai joined the Bujinkan New York Dojo in the summer of 2005 after a short hiatus from martial arts training. Discouraged by the commercial nature of most martial arts schools he was drawn to Bujinkan New York Dojo for its authentic martial training and history. Now, years later he enjoys the dojo training and people as much as he did on his first day of class. He is looking forward to many more years.
