The Bujinkan Dojo 武神館道場 ("Warrior God Training Hall") comprises nine distinct schools of ancient Japanese martial arts with traceable histories from the ninth century and earlier.  Hatsumi Masaaki Sensei, the soke of the Bujinkan, inherited these ryu ha from his teacher, the late Takamatsu Toshitsugu.

The nine schools of the Bujinkan are as follows:

- Togakure Ryu Ninjutsu, Founded by Daisuke Nishina in the Late 1100's

- Gyokko Ryu Koshijutsu, Founded by Tozawa Hakunsai in the Mid 1100's

- Kukishinden Ryu Happo Hikenjutsu, Founded by Izumo Kanja Yoshiteru in the Mid 1300's

- Shinden Fudo Ryu Dakentaijutsu, Founded by Izumo Kanja Yoshiteru in the Early 1100's

- Gyokushin Ryu Ninjutsu, Founded by Sasaki Goemon Teruyoshi in the Mid 1500's

- Koto Ryu Koppojutsu, Founded by Sakagami Taro Kunishige in the Mid 1500's

- Gikan Ryu Koppojutsu, Founded by Uryu Hangan Gikanbo in the Mid 1500's

- Takagi Yoshin Ryu Jutaijutsu, Founded by Takagi Oriuemon Shigenobu in the Mid 1600's

- Kumogakure Ryu Ninjutsu, Founded by Iga Heinaizaemon No Jo Ienaga in the Mid 1500's

The International Bujinkan Dojo is directly supervised by Hatsumi Massaki Soke.  Hatsumi Sensei actively teaches every week at the Ayase Budokan in northern Tokyo and at the Bujinkan Hombu Dojo in Noda, Japan.

HATSUMI MASAAKI

Hatsumi Masaaki 初見昭 (originally Yoshiaki) Sensei was born on December 2, 1931 in Chiba Prefecture, Japan.  He studied Asian and Western martial arts (judo, karate, and boxing) as well as fine arts.  His tutelage under Takamatsu Toshitsugu began at the age of 27 (approximately 1958), and as his last and only "true" student, Hatsumi Sensei succeeded to Takamatsu Sensei's nine schools of ancient Japanese martial arts in 1972. He founded the Bujinkan Dojo, where he teaches the martial art derived from these traditions called "Budo Taijutsu."

Hatsumi Sensei has been widely decorated for his contributions.  His list of titles and awards is, quite frankly, stunning.  He received a doctorate in Philosophy (USA) after he submitted his study entitled "Find that Bushido is to Die", and also holds a doctorate in Human Science (USA). 

Hatsumi Sensei received the title of Knight from the German government in May of 1994. 

On November 22, 1999, a representative of the Imperial Household presented Hatsumi Sensei with the International Culture Award; this is the highest honor given by the Japanese government for cultural exchange.  

Furthermore, on May of 2001, he was also presented with an award from Pope John Paul II for his achievements in promoting kind relations among the world's people; this is the first time such an award was given to a martial artist.

TAKAMATSU TOSHITSUGU

Takamatsu Toshitsugu 高松寿嗣 was born on March 10, 1889 in Hyogo Prefecture Japan.  He began studying martial arts at the age of nine and mastered the various styles from his grandfather Toda Shinryuken, Ishitani Matsutaro, and Mizuta Yoshitaro Tadafusa.  As a teenager, Takamatsu Sensei was already an accomplished budoka.  In his twenties, he continued his rigorous physical and spiritual training along the mountains of Kobe.   Thereafter, Takamatsu Sensei moved to China and, for the following 10 years, encountered many life and death situations in true fighting.  It is reported that he fought many strong Chinese martial artists in mortal combat.

Takamatsu Sensei returned to Japan in 1919 in order to master spiritual studies.  He became the head monk at a mountain temple of esoteric Buddhism in the Yamato district.  In 1957 Takamatsu Sensei met Hatsumi Yoshiaki, which he groomed to be the successor to his legacy.  Takamatsu Toshitsugu, the "last true combat ninja," passed away in May of 1972, at the age of 84 years.