The Hichi Buku Goshinjutsu Ryu, known in the west as ‘Amatsu Tatara’ which means ‘sky harbour’ , or literally Divine Residence is a collaboration of martial arts, medicine, philosophy, strategy and religion that has been practiced in Japan for over 2000 years. It is the defence of the self on the physical, emotional and spiritual level.

Traditional Japanese Medicine (TJM) has evolved under the guidance of two key masters; Soke Takamatsu and Soke Hatsumi (Who was Takamatsu’s apprentice).

TJM was introduced to the West in the mid 1980’s by Dr Chris Roworth who was taught by Soke Hatsumi himself after suffering 10 compressed discs in his spine. Dr Roworth is the only westerner to be granted full teaching rights of this ancient therapy by Soke Hatsumi.

This tradition which uses the methods of heaven (jap. Ten) and earth (jap. Chi) contain among others the martial ways (Hichi Buku Bumon), the medical ways (Hichi Buku Ryoho) and the spiritual ways (Hichi Buku Shumon). From ancient times on we humans (jap. Jin) used these ways to defend ourselves and the ones we love against every kind of problem, to keep balance/health and to restore it in ourselves and others if it was lost.
The Amatsu Tatara Hibumi (secret scrolls) are special scrolls about all Martial Arts, Spiritualism and Humanism. These were written about 700 BC by the King of Mima as the history of Japan. Tatara Isuzu Hime-no-Mikoto was given these scrolls and it is believed she founded the Hichi Buku Goshin Jutsu Ryu about 2700 years ago. She then married the first emperor Jinmu who learned these ways and methods from the Ayrian People. It is said that these people came from present day Siberia, bringing with them the skills and knowledge of an older civilization that has long ago disappeared. Because of their history they settled in the area of Nara, within the hills.
They lived by hunting and gathering nuts and seed. After some time a few of them descended to the plain where they lived by fishing and farming, but some of them remained true to their tradition and stayed in the mountains, where they were closer to the god(s). Their tradition was based on living within Amatsu, which can mean heaven and/or nature. In these days tradition was passed down orally (jap. Kuden) and from heart to heart (jap. Shinden). And in terms of the Hichi Buku Goshinjutsu Ryu these way of passing skills and methods on to the next generation has been kept as the main way of transmission.

In ancient Japan three main groups were highly skilled in the ways and methods of the Hichi Buku Goshinjutsu. Thus were the Yamabushi (warrior-doctor-monks, who lived in the sacred mountains of Japan), the Ninja (famous shadow-warriors of Japan) and some members of Japan’s elite Samurai-families, including the royal family.

We know that in the Edo period (1603 – 1867) Tokugawa Ieyasu was appointed as Shogun of Japan and that the Tokugawa family ruled Japan for the next 250 years under what can only be described as rigid control. Initially Tokugawa Ieyasu permitted only limited trade through the port of Nagasaki and banned all foreign books. The next Shogun forbade travelling abroad and by 1700 Japan had become virtually isolated. The new Samurai class, which was formed, no longer had battles to fight or wars to discuss and was engaged in poetry, literacy and things like the tea ceremony.

Within a century these warriors had transformed their martial skills into safer practices, no longer seeking ultimate combat. They spend their days developing the way or Do, as it is known. But some of the traditions, including the Hichi Buku Goshin Jutsu Ryu, resisted these changes and continued their ways secretly. In 1853 and again in 1854 admiral Perry and other western nations virtually forced Japan into re-establishing trade. However this trade remained very limited until 1868.

It is around this time that we find Takamatsu Toshitsugu Soke`s (the teacher of Hatsumi Masaaki Soke) grandfather Toda Shinryuken Masamitsu Soke retiring from palace duties to run his bone clinic and martial arts dojo.

Toda Soke had been for many years the teacher of martial arts to the imperial guard of emperor Komei and instructor for Bikenshin Ryu Kenjutsu (the sword school of the Japanese Shogun). He was also Grandmaster of the Hichi Buku Goshin Jutsu Ryu and other martial traditions and a direct descendant from Tozawa Hakuunsai, founder of the martial tradition known as the Gyokko Ryu.

Takamatsu Soke learned the martial, medical and spiritual ways mainly from his grandfather Toda Shinryuken Masamitsu Soke, Ishitani Matsutaro Takekage Soke and Mizuta Yoshiteru Todafusa Soke. In addition he spent over ten years in Mongolia, Korea and China, working, tracing the origin of his traditions and studying more medicine, martial arts and philosophy. Following the Second World War, General Mc Arthur forbade the practice of martial arts in Japan. However many of the American serviceman stationed in post war Japan, requested training in modern martial arts like Judo and Aikido.

In response, the Japanese martial community formed an association of peaceful martial arts, which met with Mc Arthur’s approval. Takamatsu Toshitsugu was elected to the first president of this association and the title he used was master of the defence of the self (Hichi Buku Goshinjutsu)!

Hatsumi Masaaki Soke, who is at the same time not only the Soke of the Hichi Buku Goshinjutsu Ryu, but of 9 other martial traditions Toshitsugu Takamatsu Soke passed on to him, began his study under Takamatsu Soke in the area of Nara in the 1950´s. In these days it took him fifteen hours to travel from his hometown in Noda, where he still lives and teaches, to Nara and he made this journey regularly for fifteen years. One day Takamatsu Soke said to him: “Go and learn Chinese medicine, learn about herbs, acupuncture, massage and things like that.” He did as he was instructed and graduated as a Doctor. But as he took his results proudly to Takamatsu Soke, he just said: “Good, now you can learn real medicine!” Hatsumi Soke said one day about his training with Takamatsu Soke the following:

“He taught me many things to do with martial arts, medicine, philosophy and how to life live as a human being, but it was years later that I realised that he taught me how to be a complete and natural person (jap. Tatsujin)! “

TJM’s breakthrough in the West began when Three Westerners, Dennis Bartram, Christopher Roworth and William Doolan made history as Dr. Hatsumi Masaaki PhD broke with Japanese Tradition in 1995. He granted them full teaching rights of the ancient school of Hi Chi Bu Ku Goshin Jutsu.


Chris Roworth, Wiliam Doolan, Dennis Bartram -Throughout its 2,000 year old history its principles and secrets were handed down from Master to pupil. Dr Hatsumi Masaaki is listed by the Japanese Government as a Natural living treasure.