Masaaki Hatsumi was born on December 2, 1931, in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. As a child he studied Asian and Western martial arts (including judo, karate, aikido and boxing). At the age of 27 he began studying the martial art traditions taught by Toshitsugu Takamatsu. In 1972 Hatsumi-sensei succeeded Takamatsu-sensei as lineal head of his nine arts and founded the Bujinkan Dojo, where he teaches the martial art derived from these traditions, which he has named “Budo Taijutsu.” In 1982, Hatsumi-sensei began to travel overseas to share his martial art with the world.

Hatsumi-Sensei's numerous honors include:

• 1986 Black Belt Instructor of the Year
• Honorary Texas Ranger and Arizona Ranger
• Japan International Culture Award
• Numerous letters of appreciation from many agencies around the world, including the FBI, CIA, NSA, the Pentagon, London Metropolitan Police, British SAS, Spanish Intelligence Agency, and the Israeli Air Force.

In 2019, around the time of Soke Hatsumi’s 88th birthday, he began to announce his successors to the nine schools ensuring his art would continue on to future generations.

THE NINE SCHOOLS OF THE BUJINKAN DOJO:

1. Togakure-ryu Ninpo Taijutsu
2. Gyokko-ryu Kosshijutsu
3. Kukishinden-ryu Daken Taijutsu
4. Koto-ryu Koppojutsu
5. Shinden Fudo-ryu Daken Taijutsu
6. Takagi Yoshin-ryu Jutaijutsu
7. Gikan-ryu Koppojuts
8. Gyokushin-ryu Ninpo
9. Kumogakure-ryu Ninpo