Dojo
Trainings
The 9 schools of Bujinkan are taught at the dojo, of which Soke Hatsumi Masaaki is the heir. Training takes place under the supervision of Dr. Kacem Zoughari, student of Ishizuka Testsuji, Daishihan of Bujinkan and 36th Soke of Gyokko Ryu Kosshijutsu.
The Masters
Hatsumi Masaaki
Born in Chiba Prefecture in 1931. The 34th great master of the tradition of Togakushi Ninjutsu. At the age of 27, after having trained in different martial arts since his early childhood, he became involved with the teachings of Takamatsu Toshitsugu. It is under the rule of this master that he practices kobudô, ancient martial arts, for 15 years. In 1958, he inherited from Takamatsu 9 martial arts traditions which he refounded under the name “Martial Way of Bujinkan” (Bujinkan budô), and established the eponymous dôjô.
Ishizuka Tetsuji
Born February 22, 1948 in Noda, he is one of the oldest students of Sôke and one of the few to have participated in training with Takamatsu Tooshitsugu.
He met Hatsumi Masaaki in the summer of 1964 after dislocating his arm during a judo match. At that time Soke had an osteopathy practice where he received his patients, it was there that he invited Ishizuka to come and train in his dojo. He waited until he graduated to join the dojo in February 1966, at age 17.
Despite practicing several martial arts, such as Judo, Kendo and Shorinji Kempo, the beginnings were very difficult. What he learned at the dôjô was completely different from what he knew, but seemed so much more natural to him.
Now retired, he is no less active. With more than 50 years of practice, he continues to teach in his dojo in Noda. He recently obtained the title of Sôke from the Gyokko Ryû school of Masaaki Hatsumi.
Kacem Zoughari
Doctor Kacem Zoughari began the study of the Nine ryu-ha of Bujinkan in 1986. He undertook his first trip to Japan between 1989 and 1990. There he met Ishizuka Tetsuji who took him as a student. With him, he discovered a new dimension of art which subsequently pushed him to stop studying electronics to start studying Japanese in order to be able to communicate with his master.
In 2008, he obtained a Doctorate in Japanese language, history and literature from INALCO. In 2011, he was invited as a researcher to Kyoto University, Nichibunken, where his area of research is the history of classical combat techniques and military strategies.
He eventually joined the Nihon Budo Gakkai. In the meantime, he has written more than 25 articles for several magazines around the world such as Traditional Martial Arts of Asia, Karate-Bushido and Martial Arts & Sports Magazine.
He published several books including “Ninpo, Ninjutsu: The Shadow of Light” in 2003 and “The Ninja” in 2009. He also gives numerous conferences in several universities such as Osaka, Cambridge, Georgetown, Montreal and Wellington on history of Ninjutsu and classical combat schools.