Masaaki Hatsumi been involved in martial arts since his youth. As a seven year old boy he started training with his father’s Bokken (wooden sword) which formed his first steps in his martial arts way. As he was growing up, he learned more and more about the warrior way, as martial arts became his love and passion. He trained basically every martial art he found. He learned about Judo, Kendo, Aikido, Karate (Shito ryu and Zen_Bei Butokukai style), Okinavan Kobudo, Jukendo (fighting with gun and bayonet), Chinese Kempo and even western boxing. He achieved a masters degree in almost every one of them, in Judo even 4th Dan and in Shito ryu Karate 6th Dan. Those were really high grades for someone at his age in that time. During his school ages he also played soccer in a school team, which improved his kicking abilities.

As a recognized Judo teacher, he was invited to teach soldier’s in an American military base. He thought, that there were a lot of things he could learn there, but he soon recognized that taller and stronger Americans needed to put less time and effort to master certain techniques than Japanese would have to. What took Japanese years to master, took Americans only a few months. That made young Hatsumi sad, and therefore he decided that he will seek out an art, which will not depend on a person’s structure and physical power. He spent a lot of money searching for the art, he was looking for.

He trained with many teachers, but he hadn’t found, what he wanted to see. At last he met an old Kobudo teacher Ueno Takashi. Takashi taught him about old Budo arts, such as Asayama Ichiden ryu, Shinto Tenshin ryu, Bokuden ryu, Takagi Yoshin ryu, Kukishinden ryu and Gyokushin ryu and after three years of training with him, Takashi gave Hatsumi Menkyo Kaiden (license, which states that the bearer has mastered certain martial arts and is allowed to teach it). Hatsumi was also the leader of Takashi’s group in Noda for some time. The group included some of later recognized teachers. Ueno Takashi was a student of Toshitsugu Takamatsu. That was the link, which guided Hatsumi into contact with the only living Ninja warrior left in the world. Takamatsu Sensei took him for his student. Hatsumi ceased to train with Takashi, which meant, that Hatsumi was given Hamon, which meant, that Menkyo Kaiden was no longer valid. That is how Hatsumi in his twenties started to train with a man, who later became the inspiration of his life.

For fifteen year’s Hatsumi travelled each weekend several hours by train to the city of Kashiwabara, south of Kyoto and Nara, to learn from the greatest martial art’s master, he had ever known. Hatsumi says, that the training with Takamatsu was unbelievable, and that Takamatsu showed perfect techniques despite his age. The old tradition was, that every warrior had his own Bugo (warrior name) and that is how Takamatsu Sensei started to call Hatsumi Byakuryu which stands for white dragon.

After Takamatsu died, Hatsumi added Oh to his name. He took that word from Takamtsu’s name. That made him Byakuryuoh, honourable white dragon. Until today he changed his warrior name a few more times, and is today known by his Bugo Hisamune (eternal seeker). Among other things, he also changed his name from Yoshiaki into Masaaki. That is a usual thing among martial art masters. Right before he died, Takamatsu Sensei passed the traditional, way of life and direct inheritance of nine warrior traditions, which he passed onto Hatsumi. Masaaki Hatsumi became Soke (grandmaster) in the following nine martial traditions:

• 1. 34th Grandmaster of Togakure Ryu Ninpo Taijutsu
• 2. 28th Grandmaster of Gyokko Ryu Kosshijutsu
• 3. 26th Grandmaster of Kukishinden Ryu Happo Hikenjutsu
• 4. 26th Grandmaster of Shindenfudo Ryu Dakentaijutsu
• 5. 21st Grandmaster of Gyokushin Ryu Ninjutsu
• 6. 18th Grandmaster of Koto Ryu Koppojutsu
• 7. 17th Grandmaster of Takagi Yoshin Ryu Jutaijutsu
• 8. 15th Grandmaster of Gikan Ryu Koppojutsu
• 9. 14th Grandmaster of Kumogakure Ryu Ninjutsu
• and the only true Ninja of our time.

At that time Hatsumi didn’t feel capable enough, to show himself as Soke (grandmaster, direct successor) in public. Therefore he remained isolated with his students from inquisitive eyes. Even his neighbours didn’t know that he was a successor of so many old traditions.