Masaaki Hatsumi (初見良昭 Hatsumi Masaak) is the founder and current Soke, or Grandmaster, of the Bujinkan Organization, currently residing and teaching in the city of Noda, Chiba, Japan. He is also a doctor of oriental medicine, specializing in the mending of bones. He is sometimes called "the last ninja", as after the death of his teacher Toshitsugu Takamatsu in 1972 he was the only person in the world who mastered all the eighteen disciplines of ninjutsu.
Beginning in childhood, Masaaki Hatsumi studied several popular martial arts. After teaching martial arts to American soldiers stationed in Japan he noticed that the larger and stronger Americans had an advantage in battles when using the same techniques. He began to question the legitimacy of modern martial arts training and started to search for a one where persons of equal skill truly were equals, even if the other one was stronger. It was after this time, while studying ancient Japanese weaponry, that he learned of ninjutsu and a martial artist named Toshitsugu Takamatsu who still knew it.
In 1957 he began making regular trips to train with his new teacher (who resided at the time in Kashiwabara, in Nara), taking a 15-hour train ride from his hometown of Noda in Chiba. This one-on-one training continued for 15 years until the passing of Toshitsugu Takamatsu in 1972.
Dr. Masaaki Hatsumi is the 34th Grandmaster in an unbroken line of the last nine living traditions of authentic ninjutsu, some of which are over 1000 years old. He is considered a living national treasure by the Japanese government. Dr. Hatsumi is also an internationally know painter, whose works have been exhibited in galleries from Tokyo, Japan to Paris, France. With more than 45 years of experience in the martial arts, Dr. Hatsumi has written numerous books on ninjutsu, is the author of several children's books and is the former chairman of the Writers Guild of Japan. He personally owns the world's most extensive collection of ninja artifacts, which are on loan to museums throughout Japan. Living in Noda City, Japan, he practices medicine and directs the International Bujinkan organization. He travels the world to share the teachings taught to him by his teacher, Toshitsugu Takamatsu, of Budo Taijutsu. Dr. Hatsumi holds two international Taikai (gatherings) for training each year. One is normally held in Europe and the other in the United States. Furthermore, students and scholars travel to Japan from many countries in order to train with this “mystical” man throughout the year.
(read less)Masaaki Hatsumi (初見良昭 Hatsumi Masaak) is the founder and current Soke, or Grandmaster, of the Bujinkan Organization, currently residing and teaching in the city of Noda, Chiba, Japan. He is also a doctor of oriental medicine, specializing in the mending of bones. He is sometimes called "the last ninja", as after the death of his teacher Toshitsugu Takamatsu in 1972 he was the only person in the world who mastered all the eighteen disciplines of ninjutsu.
Beginning in childhood, Masaaki Hatsumi...
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