 Dr. Masaaki Hatsumi, Sôke
Hatsumi Masaaki was born during Shôwa 6 Era, December 2, 1931 in Noda Shi Japan. He was born as Yoshiaki Hatsumi and later changed his
name to Masaaki Hatsumi (changing one's name in Japan is not an uncommon
practice). He attended Higashikatsu High School in Kashiwa City located in
Chiba Prefecture. In high school he played on the soccer team.
After graduating high school, he attended the Department of Literature at
Meiji University in Tokyo, majoring in theater studies, and also the Department of
Reposition at the Advanced Acupuncture and Mixibustion Medical School located in Yotsuya.
Hatsumi Sensei has many additional accomplishments and interests too. He
has produced many books and video tapes in both Japanese and English language. He is also
a recognized artist and has been involved in many community organizations. This
includes the Japan Writers Club and Japan's Foreign Delegate Society to name a few. He is
currently retired from his full time profession as a chiropractor.
He had begun his martial arts training early in his youth. Hatsumi has
trained in boxing and several different Japanese martial arts, earning several teaching
certifications. He practiced Judô (4th Dan), Karate, Aikidô, and Kendô. After
some time he realized that all of these martial arts were teaching Kata, or forms, and not
true martial art skills. In search of a "true" martial art be began studying
various schools of Kobudô (ancient martial arts).
One of Hatsumi's Koryû teachers told him that if he wanted to learn real
Budô, he needed to learn from Takamatsu Sensei. This same instructor introduced Hatsumi
to Takamatsu Sensei.
In Shôwa 33 Era (March 1957 or '58) [one source states 1943] Hatsumi met
and became a student of Takamatsu Toshisugu who was a grandmaster of several different
Kobudô martial arts. During his first meeting, and training session, with Takamatsu
Sensei, Hatsumi had realized that he had finally found someone that could teach true
martial art skills.
According to a 1963 newspaper report in the "Tokyo Sports
Newspaper," Takamatsu Sensei had handed Hatsumi the Togakure Ryû Ninpô Taijutsu
scrolls during this first meeting. Two (2) years later ('59-'60) he was awarded a Menkyo
Kaiden (full proficiency rank) for Ninjutsu. For the next 15 years Hatsumi had traveled to
Kashiwabara City, Nara Prefecture to train with Takamatsu Sensei. This was reported as a
15 hour trip, by train. According to the above newspaper report with Hatsumi in 1963, he
would travel to Kaihara to train with Takamatsu Sensei once every three months (some
reports indicate weekly). It is also reported that Hatsumi would begin his train trip
Saturday evening, traveling overnight, and return home very late Sunday evening.
Hatsumi had stated that even though he didn't see his instructor often,
Takamatsu would always know what he was practicing. Takamatsu would write a letter to
Hatsumi every two (2) days, discussing his view on many different martial arts topics and
techniques.
Hatsumi Sensei had chosen the name Bujinkan Dôjô (Divine Warrior Training Hall) for
the name of his school and system. For many years this "system" of skills was
referred to as Bujinkan Ninjutsu. This was based on the fact that Togakure Ryû Ninjutsu
was the "original" style of martial art that, over a several hundred year
period, eight (8) other Ryû, or styles, were later added. Hatsumi has since changed the
name to Bujinkan Budô Taijutsu, to reflect the overall emphasis in the Budô, in
comparison to Ninjutsu, content of most of the nine Ryû.
In the early 1970's the first foreigners had traveled to Japan and to
begin training in the Bujinkan system. From it's slow but steady growth it has grown into
an internationally taught and recognized system with thousands of practitioners found
around the world.
Hatsumi Sensei continues to teach his skills to a wide variety of people.
Many people, of all ranks, travel to Japan to train with Hatsumi Sensei. Each year Hatsumi
Sensei makes trips to various countries to conduct training seminars. These seminars are
called Tai Kai's (literally, convention or large party).
According to various published accounts it would seem that Hatsumi was
awarded the position of Sôke in the following Ryû over a period of years. Very early
reports list five (5) Ryû, later eight (8), and finally nine (9). Below is a list of the
nine (9) Ryû that Hatsumi Sensei is the current Sôke.
This is a link to Hatsumi
Sensei's Web site. It does not have a lot of information on it, but there it
is.
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