Masaaki Hatsumi

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Masaaki Hatsumi is a Japanese martial arts expert and teacher. At 81, he is the founder of the Bujinkan Organization in Noda, Japan, and the headmaster of nine schools of martial arts he inherited from his martial arts mentor Toshitsugu Takamatsu who, in his lifetime was known as the Tiger of Mongolia. He is one of Japan’s two most famous ninja with Seiko Fujita being the other one.

Early life. Hatsumi, born Yoshiaki Hatsumi in Noda, Japan started learning martial arts at age seven. During his school years, he participated in martial arts activities, theatre, and sports for which he once became a soccer team captain. While he was at the Meiji University in Tokyo, he rose to the judoka rank of judo expert, and found time to teach the discipline to some US soldiers stationed at the Yokota Air Base. He finished his university education with majors in theater studies and osteopathic medicine for bone doctors, and later opened a bone clinic in his hometown Noda, which operated until 1990. At 26, or in 1957, Hatsumi became a ...
... student of Takamatsu, then known as Tiger of Mongolia, from whom he learned various ninjutsu styles in addition to his mastery of judo, karate, aikido, and kobudo martial arts.

Nine schools of martial arts, and the Bujinkan Dojo. When Takamatsu died in 1972, Hatsumi inherited the nine schools of martial arts, three of which were ancient ninja schools and six were samurai schools of martial arts. At that time, he had already been bestowed the position and authority of soke, or headmaster of all the schools. These schools were the (a) Togakure-ryu, (b) Gyokko-ryu kosshi jutsu, (c) Kuki Shinden Happo Biken jutsu, (d) Koto-ryu Koppo jutsu, (e) Sinden Fudo ryu Dakentai jutsu, (f) Takagi Yoshin-ryu Jutai jutsu, (g) Giken-ryu Koppo jutsu, (h) Gyokushin-ryu Ninpo, and (i) Kumogakure-ryu Ninpo. Hatsumi then founded the Bujinkan dojo to teach the nine schools of martial arts focusing on taijutsu as a ninja art more than the other arts of ninja. The taijutsu is an unarmed martial arts defense that uses throws, holds, chokes and joint locks techniques.

Awards and ranks. Now at 81, Hatsumi holds the following positions or ranks:

34th Grandmaster, Togakure Ryu Ninpo Happo Hiken

24th Grandmaster, Gyokko Ryu Kosshijutsu Happo Hiken

18th Grandmaster, Koto Ryu Koppo jutsu Happo Hiken

26th Grandmaster, Shinden Fudo Ryu Daken Taijutsu Happo Hiken

28th Commander, Kukishin Ryu, Taijutsu Hapo Hiken

17th Grandmaster, Takagiyoshin Ryu Jutai Jitsu Happo Hiken

14th Grandmaster, Kumogakure Ryu Ninpo Happo Hiken

21st Grandmaster, Gyokushin Ryu Ninpo Hasppo Hiken

75th Grandmaster, Gikan Ryu Koppo jutsu Happo Hiken

Hatsumi is also a recipient of the following awards: (a) Instructor of the Year, Black Belt magazine, 1986, (b) Honorary Doctorate of Philosophy, World Association of Universities and Colleges, 1993, (c) Knighthood, Germany, 1994, (d) International Cultural Award, Japan Cultural Promotion Association, given by the Japanese Imperial family 1n 2000, and (e) Lifetime Achievement Award, United States Military Academy International Hall of Fame.

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