Togakure-ryū
Encyclopedia
is a historical tradition of Ninjutsu
known as the "School of the Hidden Door", founded during the Oho period (1161-1162) by Daisuke Nishina (Togakure), who learned his original fighting techniques from a Chinese
monk named Kain Dōshi. However, the history and early lineage of Togakure-ryū may be impossible to verify due to the antiquity of the time period. After Togakure, the title of Sōke (grand master) was stated by Toda Shinryuken Masamitsu to have been passed down through other practitioners that kept the style secret from the outside world.
Toshitsugu Takamatsu is the stated 33rd Sōke of this style. According to Bujinkan sources he became well-known throughout China and Japan for his martial arts abilities and also his knowledge from studying Ninjutsu that he then imparted on various Chinese nobles. Passing on the title of Sōke to Masaaki Hatsumi, the stated 34th Sōke, it was Hatsumi who took the style public, which has resulted in the high amount of media and public attention on ninjas in the Western world.
The style of Togakure-ryū has been described by its practitioners as being less restricted into certain training regimens like other styles and instead encourages questions and individual, personal training. One of the main goals of the training is to teach students the ability of shin shin shin gan (God's eyes, God's mind) so that they can learn to properly know their opponents and defend themselves.
Togakure ryu Ninjutsu Hidensho is a Japanese
manuscript written by Takamatsu, in the possession of Masaaki Hatsumi, that documents modern Togakure-ryū. The document is purported to contain the origin of the "18 skills of Ninjutsu". Modern Togakure-ryu is taught in the syllabi of the Bujinkan
, Genbukan, Jinenkan, and To-Shin Do
.
with its creator, Daisuke Nishina. Morris explains that it was started in 1162, as a way of fighting in the war between the Genji and Heike
(Taira) clans. The style itself would go on to be known as the origination of ninjutsu
and its various fighting styles. Nishina was a samurai
and a member of the Genji clan, which had been staging a revolt
against the Heike clan because of their oppression against the Genji people. The revolt, however, was crushed and Nishina fled his home village of Togakure in Shinano Province
to save his children.
Hatsumi Masaaki indicates that Nishina then changed his name to Togakure to reflect where he had come from and settled down in the forests on the Kii Peninsula
in the Iga Province
. This account indicates that it was there that Nishina met Kain Dōshi, a warrior-monk who had been politically exiled from China. From Kain, Togakure learned the fighting styles of China and Tibet and put aside his 'samurai code'. Articles written using Hatsumi as a source indicate that Togakure's first successor was his son, Rokosuke. They also indicate that he trained a deshi
called Shima, who would become the third master of the style after Rokosuke.
According to Hatsumi, since historical times, the Togakure-ryū style has been passed down through the years until it was given mastership to Shinryuken Toda, the 32nd Sōke of Togakure-ryū. He began teaching the style to his grandson, Toshitsugu Takamatsu, since Takamatsu was five in 1893. When he turned 19, Takamatsu was announced as the next successor of the Togakure-ryū style, becoming the 33rd Sōke. After this pronouncement, Takamatsu decided to spend a year meditating in the "mountains between Kyoto and Nara". Upon his return, he set out again, this time to China where he spent time in the courts of nobles as an important adviser because of his extensive knowledge from his ninja training. It is stated by Hatsumi that because of a series of incidents that occurred throughout China, Takamatsu became infamous throughout the region by the age of 25. When he turned 28, he was elected as the "Head of Japanese martial arts in China".
Bujinkan sources indicate that Toshitsugu Takamatsu (the stated 33rd Sōke), became well-known throughout China and Japan for his martial arts abilities and also his knowledge from studying Ninjutsu that he then imparted to various Chinese nobles. Passing on the title of Sōke to Masaaki Hatsumi (the stated 34th Sōke) it was Hatsumi who took the style public, which has resulted in the high amount of media and public attention on ninjas in the Western world.Masaaki also went on to found the Bujinkan
, an international martial arts organization, in Noda, Chiba
. The group combines modern Togakure-ryū and the eight other martial arts styles.
As of 1986, there were 20 dojos for Togakure-ryū in Japan that house 100 instructors and around 100,000 students. There were also around 50 international dojos teaching Togakure-ryū outside of Japan.
, Togakure-ryū in antiquity featured three different levels of organizations or ranks. The highest level was occupied by the master in charge of the specific operation, who was given the title of Jonin (wise man), and sent out his soldiers while remaining hidden himself, for the enemy was never to know who was in charge of a group of ninjas. The level below the Jonin was occupied by the Chunin, who were the "middle men" in an operation and relayed messages and objectives to the rest of the lower ranks. The lowest and most extensive rank was the Genin, known as "field agents
", who conducted the missions. When not sent out on a mission, the Genin could often be found "in remote mountainous areas where they posed as farmers, but spent their time training".
and aikido
in that they require an attacker to attack to initiate the movements. Much of the "formality" that other styles contain is also not present in modern Togakure-ryū. Stephen K. Hayes
, famed Bujinkan
instructor, explained that it is likely this "freer, more flexible structure" that makes it different, as the style has an atmosphere where "questions are encouraged, but there isn't one pat answer for every question".
In a different manner, modern Togakure-ryū has resemblances to other martial arts styles as well in that there is certain "footwork and dynamics" that all styles utilize because of how the human body moves and works. Stephen K. Hayes stated that a main goal of the style is shin shin shin gan (God's eyes, God's mind) refers to "development of a broad vision or knowledge". This is in relation to learning to anticipate the moves that an opponent will make and to also be able to sense danger.
Ninjutsu
or may be:*the arts associated with espionage and assassination in feudal Japan, see Ninja*modern schools of martial arts claiming to be based in these traditions, see Modern Schools of Ninjutsu*fictional depictions, see Ninja in popular culture...
known as the "School of the Hidden Door", founded during the Oho period (1161-1162) by Daisuke Nishina (Togakure), who learned his original fighting techniques from a Chinese
Chinese people
The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People with Han Chinese ethnicity ....
monk named Kain Dōshi. However, the history and early lineage of Togakure-ryū may be impossible to verify due to the antiquity of the time period. After Togakure, the title of Sōke (grand master) was stated by Toda Shinryuken Masamitsu to have been passed down through other practitioners that kept the style secret from the outside world.
Toshitsugu Takamatsu is the stated 33rd Sōke of this style. According to Bujinkan sources he became well-known throughout China and Japan for his martial arts abilities and also his knowledge from studying Ninjutsu that he then imparted on various Chinese nobles. Passing on the title of Sōke to Masaaki Hatsumi, the stated 34th Sōke, it was Hatsumi who took the style public, which has resulted in the high amount of media and public attention on ninjas in the Western world.
The style of Togakure-ryū has been described by its practitioners as being less restricted into certain training regimens like other styles and instead encourages questions and individual, personal training. One of the main goals of the training is to teach students the ability of shin shin shin gan (God's eyes, God's mind) so that they can learn to properly know their opponents and defend themselves.
Togakure ryu Ninjutsu Hidensho is a Japanese
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
manuscript written by Takamatsu, in the possession of Masaaki Hatsumi, that documents modern Togakure-ryū. The document is purported to contain the origin of the "18 skills of Ninjutsu". Modern Togakure-ryu is taught in the syllabi of the Bujinkan
Bujinkan
The Bujinkan is an international martial arts organization based in Japan and headed by Masaaki Hatsumi, it is best known for its association with ninjutsu. The system taught by this group, called Bujinkan Budō Tai jutsu, consists of nine separate martial arts traditions .-Origins:Hatsumi's...
, Genbukan, Jinenkan, and To-Shin Do
To-Shin Do
To-Shin Do is a martial art founded by Black Belt Hall of Fame instructor Stephen K. Hayes in 1997. It is a modernized version of ninjutsu, and differs from the traditional form taught by Masaaki Hatsumi’s Bujinkan organization. Instruction focuses on threats found in contemporary western society...
.
History
According to Bujinkan researcher Glen Morris, Togakure-ryu originated in the Mie PrefectureMie Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan which is part of the Kansai regions on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Tsu.- History :Until the Meiji Restoration, Mie prefecture was known as Ise Province and Iga Province....
with its creator, Daisuke Nishina. Morris explains that it was started in 1162, as a way of fighting in the war between the Genji and Heike
Taira clan
The was a major Japanese clan of samurai in historical Japan.In reference to Japanese history, along with Minamoto, Taira was a hereditary clan name bestowed by the emperors of the Heian Period to certain ex-members of the imperial family when they became subjects...
(Taira) clans. The style itself would go on to be known as the origination of ninjutsu
Ninjutsu
or may be:*the arts associated with espionage and assassination in feudal Japan, see Ninja*modern schools of martial arts claiming to be based in these traditions, see Modern Schools of Ninjutsu*fictional depictions, see Ninja in popular culture...
and its various fighting styles. Nishina was a samurai
Samurai
is the term for the military nobility of pre-industrial Japan. According to translator William Scott Wilson: "In Chinese, the character 侍 was originally a verb meaning to wait upon or accompany a person in the upper ranks of society, and this is also true of the original term in Japanese, saburau...
and a member of the Genji clan, which had been staging a revolt
Hogen Rebellion
The was a short civil war fought in order to resolve a dispute about Japanese Imperial succession. The dispute was also about the degree of control exercised by the Fujiwara clan who had become hereditary Imperial regents during the Heian period....
against the Heike clan because of their oppression against the Genji people. The revolt, however, was crushed and Nishina fled his home village of Togakure in Shinano Province
Shinano Province
or is an old province of Japan that is now present day Nagano Prefecture.Shinano bordered on Echigo, Etchū, Hida, Kai, Kōzuke, Mikawa, Mino, Musashi, Suruga, and Tōtōmi Provinces...
to save his children.
Hatsumi Masaaki indicates that Nishina then changed his name to Togakure to reflect where he had come from and settled down in the forests on the Kii Peninsula
Kii Peninsula
The is the largest peninsula on the island of Honshū in Japan. The area south of the “Central Tectonic Line” is called Nankii , and includes the most poleward living coral reefs in the world due to the presence of the warm Kuroshio Current, though these are threatened by global warming and human...
in the Iga Province
Iga Province
was an old province of Japan in the area that is today western Mie Prefecture. It was sometimes called . Iga bordered on Ise, Ōmi, Yamato, and Yamashiro Provinces.-Geography:...
. This account indicates that it was there that Nishina met Kain Dōshi, a warrior-monk who had been politically exiled from China. From Kain, Togakure learned the fighting styles of China and Tibet and put aside his 'samurai code'. Articles written using Hatsumi as a source indicate that Togakure's first successor was his son, Rokosuke. They also indicate that he trained a deshi
Uchi-deshi
Uchi-deshi is a Japanese term for a live-in student/apprentice who trains under and assists a sensei on a full-time basis...
called Shima, who would become the third master of the style after Rokosuke.
According to Hatsumi, since historical times, the Togakure-ryū style has been passed down through the years until it was given mastership to Shinryuken Toda, the 32nd Sōke of Togakure-ryū. He began teaching the style to his grandson, Toshitsugu Takamatsu, since Takamatsu was five in 1893. When he turned 19, Takamatsu was announced as the next successor of the Togakure-ryū style, becoming the 33rd Sōke. After this pronouncement, Takamatsu decided to spend a year meditating in the "mountains between Kyoto and Nara". Upon his return, he set out again, this time to China where he spent time in the courts of nobles as an important adviser because of his extensive knowledge from his ninja training. It is stated by Hatsumi that because of a series of incidents that occurred throughout China, Takamatsu became infamous throughout the region by the age of 25. When he turned 28, he was elected as the "Head of Japanese martial arts in China".
Bujinkan sources indicate that Toshitsugu Takamatsu (the stated 33rd Sōke), became well-known throughout China and Japan for his martial arts abilities and also his knowledge from studying Ninjutsu that he then imparted to various Chinese nobles. Passing on the title of Sōke to Masaaki Hatsumi (the stated 34th Sōke) it was Hatsumi who took the style public, which has resulted in the high amount of media and public attention on ninjas in the Western world.Masaaki also went on to found the Bujinkan
Bujinkan
The Bujinkan is an international martial arts organization based in Japan and headed by Masaaki Hatsumi, it is best known for its association with ninjutsu. The system taught by this group, called Bujinkan Budō Tai jutsu, consists of nine separate martial arts traditions .-Origins:Hatsumi's...
, an international martial arts organization, in Noda, Chiba
Noda, Chiba
is a city located in the far northwestern corner Chiba Prefecture, Japan. As of February 2011, the city had an estimated population of 155,431 and a population density of 1500 persons per km²...
. The group combines modern Togakure-ryū and the eight other martial arts styles.
As of 1986, there were 20 dojos for Togakure-ryū in Japan that house 100 instructors and around 100,000 students. There were also around 50 international dojos teaching Togakure-ryū outside of Japan.
Lineage
As stated by the Bujinkan organization, the lineage in the line of Sōke (grand masters) of Togakure-ryū, beginning with Daisuke Togakure, is as follows:- Daisuke Togakure (1161)
- Shima Kosanta Minamoto no Kanesada (1180)
- Goro Togakure (1200)
- Kosanta Togakure
- Kisanta Koga
- Tomoharu Kaneko
- Ryuho Togakure
- Gakuun Togakure
- Koseki Kido
- Tenryu Iga
- Rihei Ueno
- Senri Ueno
- Majiro Ueno
- Saburo Iisuka
- Goro Sawada)
- Ippei Ozaru
- Hachiro Kimata
- Heizaemon Kataoka
- Ugenta Mori
- Gobei Toda
- Seiun Kobe
- Kobei Momochi
- Tenzen Tobari
- Seiryu Nobutsuna Toda (1624-1658)
- Fudo Nobuchika Toda (1658-1681)
- Kangoro Nobuyasu Toda (1681-1704)
- Eisaburo Nobumasa Toda (1704-1711)
- Shinbei Masachika Toda (1711-1736)
- Shingoro Masayoshi Toda (1736-1764)
- Daigoro Chikahide Toda (1764-1804)
- Daisaburo Chikashige Toda (1804)
- Shinryuken Masamitsu TodaToda Shinryuken Masamitsuwas a martial artist, and a samurai, who lived in the Meiji era . He is widely known to have been an instructor of the Shinden Fudo Ryu and also a direct decedent of the founder of Gyokko Ryu...
(born 1824 - died 1909) - Toshitsugu TakamatsuToshitsugu Takamatsuwas born on 10 March 1889 in Akashi, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan and died on 2 April 1972. He was a martial artist who taught future Bujinkan founder Masaaki Hatsumi. He has been called "The Last Shinobi" by Bujinkan instructor Wolfgang Ettig....
(born 1887 - died 1972) - Masaaki HatsumiMasaaki HatsumiMasaaki Hatsumi Masaaki Hatsumi Masaaki Hatsumi (初見良昭 Hatsumi Masaaki, (born 2 December 1931) refers to himself (and is generally recognised) as the 34th Togakure-ryū ninpo Soke (Grandmaster), and is the founder of the Bujinkan Organization. He currently resides and teaches in the city of Noda,...
(born 1931 - Present)
Organization
Similar, if not identical, to the eight other Schools of NinjutsuSchools of Ninjutsu
There are several modern martial arts schools that claim to teach martial arts derived from Ninjutsu, the historical arts of the Ninja covert agents or assassins of feudal Japan....
, Togakure-ryū in antiquity featured three different levels of organizations or ranks. The highest level was occupied by the master in charge of the specific operation, who was given the title of Jonin (wise man), and sent out his soldiers while remaining hidden himself, for the enemy was never to know who was in charge of a group of ninjas. The level below the Jonin was occupied by the Chunin, who were the "middle men" in an operation and relayed messages and objectives to the rest of the lower ranks. The lowest and most extensive rank was the Genin, known as "field agents
Field agent
In espionage, a field agent is an agent who works in the field as opposed to one who works at the office or headquarters. A field agent can work alone or in a group but usually has a case officer who is in charge....
", who conducted the missions. When not sent out on a mission, the Genin could often be found "in remote mountainous areas where they posed as farmers, but spent their time training".
Style
Modern Togakure-ryū is described as being "fundamentally different" from other styles of Japanese martial art that are currently taught in Japan and around the world. This is largely because, unlike these other styles, Togakure-ryū does not have a "tightly regimated organizational structure". The Bujinkan teaches that Togakure-ryū contains some "historical kata". These kata are similar to the training in judoJudo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
and aikido
Aikido
is a Japanese martial art developed by Morihei Ueshiba as a synthesis of his martial studies, philosophy, and religious beliefs. Aikido is often translated as "the Way of unifying life energy" or as "the Way of harmonious spirit." Ueshiba's goal was to create an art that practitioners could use to...
in that they require an attacker to attack to initiate the movements. Much of the "formality" that other styles contain is also not present in modern Togakure-ryū. Stephen K. Hayes
Stephen K. Hayes
Stephen K. Hayes is an American Bujinkan ninjutsu master, Buddhist priest and writer.-Life and martial arts:Stephen K. Hayes was born in Wilmington, Delaware and raised in Dayton, Ohio. He graduated from Fairmont West High School, Kettering, Ohio in 1967. He began formal training in the martial...
, famed Bujinkan
Bujinkan
The Bujinkan is an international martial arts organization based in Japan and headed by Masaaki Hatsumi, it is best known for its association with ninjutsu. The system taught by this group, called Bujinkan Budō Tai jutsu, consists of nine separate martial arts traditions .-Origins:Hatsumi's...
instructor, explained that it is likely this "freer, more flexible structure" that makes it different, as the style has an atmosphere where "questions are encouraged, but there isn't one pat answer for every question".
In a different manner, modern Togakure-ryū has resemblances to other martial arts styles as well in that there is certain "footwork and dynamics" that all styles utilize because of how the human body moves and works. Stephen K. Hayes stated that a main goal of the style is shin shin shin gan (God's eyes, God's mind) refers to "development of a broad vision or knowledge". This is in relation to learning to anticipate the moves that an opponent will make and to also be able to sense danger.
Weapons
The Bujinkan organization believes that the original Togakure-ryū dojo utilized four special weapons. The first was the shuko, which is a "spiked iron band worn around the hand". It enabled the wearer to use it as a defense against sword attacks and also to reach higher terrain, as it could be used to climb trees or walls. The second weapon was the tetsubishi (a type of caltrop), which was a "small spiked weapon used to slow pursuers or protect doorways". The third was the kyoketsu-shoge, a blade from a double-bladed spear that was then tied to the rope that also had an iron ring attached at the other end to hold onto. It could be used to "wedge open a door, climb into a tree or over a wall, or tie up an opponent" as well as for fighting.Training areas
There are 18 training areas that modern Togakure-ryū focuses on. The areas are constantly updated to remain relevant to modern threats that practitioners will need to face. The training areas include:- Seishin teki kyoyo (spiritual refinement)
- Tai jutsu (unarmed combat)
- KenjutsuKenjutsu, meaning "the method, or technique, of the sword." This is opposed to kendo, which means the way of the sword. Kenjutsu is the umbrella term for all traditional schools of Japanese swordsmanship, in particular those that predate the Meiji Restoration...
(sword techniques) - Bo-jutsuBojutsu, translated from Japanese as "staff technique", is the martial art of using a staff weapon called bō which simply means "staff". Staffs are perhaps one of the earliest weapons used by humankind. They have been in use for thousands of years in Eastern Asia. Some techniques involve slashing,...
(stick and staff fighting) - Shuriken-jutsu (throwing blades)
- Yari-jutsuSojutsu, meaning "art of the spear" is the Japanese martial art of fighting with the Japanese .-Origins:Although the spear had a profound role in early Japanese mythology, where the islands of Japan themselves were said to be created by salt water dripping from the tip of a spear, as a weapon the first...
(spear fighting) - Naginata-jutsuNaginatajutsuis the Japanese martial art of wielding the . This is a weapon resembling the medieval European glaive. Most naginatajutsu practiced today is in a modernized form, a gendai budō, in which competitions also are held.-Debated origins:...
(halberd fighting) - Kusari-gamaKusarigamajutsuis the art of using the Japanese weapon kusarigama.Kusarigamajutsu is featured in several separate martial arts such as Koga Ha Kurokawa Ryū Heiho Ninjutsu, Suio Ryū and Shintō Musō-ryū...
(chain and sickle weapon) - Kayaku-jutsuKayakujutsuis the use of firearms, gunpowder and explosives especially by Ninja.The history and mythology surrounding ninjutsu and kayakujutsu are similar to the history of chemistry and the mythology surrounding Alchemy...
(fire and explosives) - Henso-jutsuHensojutsuwas a Japanese martial art skill involving disguise, impersonation, and infiltration.In some ninja clans it was known as the or, "seven ways of going" . A ninja had to appear either as a priest, samurai, merchant, craftsman, performer, puppeteer, or farmer...
(disguise and impersonation) - Shinobi-iriShinobi-iriare ninjutsu techniques for silent movement and climbing for covert infiltration....
(stealth and entering methods) - Ba-jutsu (horsemanship)
- Sui-ren (water training)
- Bo-ryakuBoryakuis one of the alleged 18 fundamental skills of the Togakure-ryū school of ninjutsu.Alongside more orthodox and mainstream measures, Bōryaku includes use of unorthodox strategies and tactics, as well as manipulation of politics and exploitation of other current events to assist in subtle influence...
(strategy) - Cho hoChoho, literally meaning "secret information" or "intelligence", is the art of espionage, and one of the alleged 18 fundamental skills of the Togakure-ryū school of ninjutsu....
(espionage) - Inton-jutsuIntonjutsuIntonjutsu is the ninja art of "disappearing" and has many walking and stealth techniques. It also comprises wilderness survival, field craft, and Shinobi-aruki ....
(escape and concealment) - Ten-monTenmonis the ninja art of understanding and using meteorology as a strategic weapon. It allowed ninja to foresee weather changes and to use them as an advantage. By knowing nature's changes, animal behaviour, or atmospheric signs, one could use rainy weather or a hot sunny period as strategic elements to...
(meteorology) - Chi-monChi-monis the Ninja discipline of geography....
(geography)
Criticism of historical claims regarding modern Togakure-ryu
Modern Togakure-ryu and various historical claims are taught by Masaaki Hatsumi (Takamatsu's successor) and the Bujinkan organization. Criticism regarding the historical accuracy of the Bujinkan's claims of lineage have arisen from several sources:- The 1978 version of the Bugei Ryūha DaijitenBugei Ryuha DaijitenThe or "Encyclopedia of Martial art schools", originally Bugei Ryuha Jiten , is a catalog of Koryū Bujutsu and Gendai Budō of Japanese martial arts...
indicates that Takamatsu's Togakure-ryu "genealogy includes embellishments by referring to data and kuden about persons whose existence is based on written materials and traditions in order to appear older than it actually is." - The 1969 version of the Bugei Ryūha DaijitenBugei Ryuha DaijitenThe or "Encyclopedia of Martial art schools", originally Bugei Ryuha Jiten , is a catalog of Koryū Bujutsu and Gendai Budō of Japanese martial arts...
indicates that Takamatsu's Togakure-ryu "is a genealogy newly put together by Takamatsu Toshitsugu, who made use of (took advantage of) the popularity of written materials on ninjutsu after the Taishō era" and that "there are many points where it has added embellishments, it has made people whose real existence is based on written records older than is actually the case, and so it is a product of very considerable labor". - The 1963 version of the Bugei Ryūha DaijitenBugei Ryuha DaijitenThe or "Encyclopedia of Martial art schools", originally Bugei Ryuha Jiten , is a catalog of Koryū Bujutsu and Gendai Budō of Japanese martial arts...
indicates of Takamatsu's Togakure-ryu "this genealogy refers to various written records and oral transmissions and there are many points/places where embellishments have been added and people appearing in the genealogy are also made older than they actually are". - Donn Draeger described the role of the ninja as being "espionage agents". He wrote that there were no longer any living ninja, saying that Fujita Seiko was the last. He also stated that "modern authorities" like Hatsumi are "responsible for most research being done on ninjutsu."
- Koryu Books, a publisher of Koryū BujutsuKoryuis a Japanese word that is used in association with the ancient Japanese martial arts. This word literally translates as "old school" or "traditional school"...
("old school") books and related materials, states on its website that it does not consider modern Ninjutsu teachings to be koryū and, thus, does not sell books related to them. - Dr. Karl Friday of the University of Georgia (specializing in feudal history in Japan) refers to the documentation of the Bujinkan as 'highly suspect' and decries the lack of evidence for historical links provided by Hatsumi.
- Ellis Amdur (martial arts researcher) indicates that "there are uncertain areas in Dr. Hatsumi’s lineage" and that "[Hatsumi] was not able to provide documentation which proved his lineage".
- The Iga-ryū Ninja MuseumIga-ryu Ninja MuseumThe located in Iga, Mie Prefecture, Japan, is a museum dedicated to the history of the ninja and ninjutsu. It is located near Iga Ueno Castle.The museum's collection includes ancient ninjutsu writings analyzed scientifically along with ancient ninjutsu weapons. The museum has audiovisuals, models...
of Japan claims that the only surviving ninja of historical heritage is Kawakami Jinichi, director of the museum..
Further reading
- Hatsumi, M. (1981) Ninjutsu: History and Tradition. Burbank, CA: Unique Publications. ISBN 0865680272.
- Wolfgang Ettig: Takamatsu Toshitsugu. The last shinobi. 2006, ISBN 3-924862-10-9.