Takamatsu Sensei
People with rigid attitude show also rigid movement in their Taijutsu. Those who seek victory and use power are on a hard way that could get them killed in real battle.
Takamatsu Sensei
Takamatsu Ryu-ha
Takamatsu Sensei, due to his determination and dedication to his three great masters, received comprehensive training in a large number of family martial traditions, including:
- Shinden Fudo Ryu
- Koto Ryu
- Gyokko Ryu
- Gyokushin Ryu
- Togakure Ryu
- Kumogakure Ryu
- Takagi Yoshin Ryu
- Kukishinden Ryu
- Kijin Chosui Ryu
- Hontai Takagi Yoshin Ryu
- Hontai Kukishin Ryu
- Gikan Ryu
- Shinden Tatara Ryu
Ueno Takashi Sensei
Takamatsu Sensei met in early 50's Ueno Takashi. They developed each other a mutual teacher-student relationship, which led to Takamatsu's additional training in various koryu, including:
- Asayama Ichiden Ryu
- Yagyu Shingan Ryu
- Bokuden Ryu
- Kashima Shinto Ryu
Ueno Sensei (1899-1976) descended from an old lineage of warriors (bushi) from Iga province, who have been successors of the traditions of many martial arts. Ueno himself is said to have been holder of a large number of historical documents and scrolls (Densho) of these arts. Ueno had also travelled to Ryukyu islands, Taiwan and China to further improve his training into martial arts. He has been the teacher of Seiko Fujita, the 14th and last soke of Koga-Ryu Ninpo Taijutsu.
The two masters had met each other through a common student of theirs named Sato Kinbei. Also, it has been through Ueno Sensei that Takamatsu had met his later student and successor of his tradition, Hatsumi Masaaki.
Avoid rage from obscuring your personality. Develop a personality through humbleness. Avoid becoming overly worried to maintain your peace. Do not occupy your thoughts with trivial matters as this will make you undecisive. Stress less and maintain your calmness.
Takamatsu Sensei
Toshitsugu Takamatsu (高松 寿嗣)? was the teacher of Bujinkan founder Masaaki Hatsumi, and one of the last active shinobi.
Born on March 10, 1889 in Akashi (approximately 20 km from the city Kobe), Takamatsu began practicing martial arts at the age of nine under the direct instruction of his grandfather Toda Shinryuken Sensei.
He received his first training in Shinden Fudo Ryu Jutaijutsu and used to practise in Dojo every day after school. When started, he served for one year as Uke for Toda Sensei before being taught any techniques.
Despite various difficulties encountered, he received his teaching license (Menkyo kaiden, 免许皆伝) in Shinden Fudo Ryu at the age of 13. Toda Sensei then taught him various other martial traditions that had been existing in the Toda family for a number of generations.
Takamatsu Sensei also studied with Mizuta Yoshitaro Sensei in the art of Takagi Yoshin Ryu, an integrated Jujutsu system that was developed primarily for use in castles or indoors, three centuries earlier. Due to its close nature, Takagi Yoshin Ryu makes use of direct and abrupt handles, locks and throws, which are difficult for the defender to avoid or breakfall.
When he was 17, the young Takamatsu went to work at his father's match factory in Kobe. It was during that period that he had the good fortune to meet the famous fighter Ishitani Takeo Sensei, who instructed him in the art of Kuki Happo Biken no Jutsu, a sprawling armed and unarmed bujutsu system, developed by monk warriors (yamabushi) of the mountainous region Kumano. Ishitani Sensei was employed as security officer to the match factory, so along with Takamatsu they founded a small Dojo.
Takamatsu Sensei had also received training in healing arts from his teachers. His grandfather was particularly adept at addressing bone diseases (sekkotsu) and a healing system known as Hichi Buku Goshin Jutsu. It is believed that Toda Sensei had learned the secrets of Goshin jutsu as part of his training in Ninpo.
Toda Sensei and Ishitani Sensei both died in 1909, leaving the twenty-year old Takamatsu a guardian to various systems from their teachers. Takamatsu took this responsibility rather seriously, and then spent the rest of his life learning from the historical texts (Densho) and from the knowledge that his teachers had imparted to him.
Takamatsu Sensei respected the value of training and spent a period of his life isolated in the mountains to improve his skills and understanding of nature. He lived in a small hut in the size of 2 tatami, close to Kame no Taki of Mount Maya. There he practiced his tobijutsu skills (jump techniques) in combination with Taijutsu methods he had learned from Togakure Ryu and Koto Ryu. During this period he lived mostly on chestnuts, raw vegetables and raw rice.
Takamatsu spent a decade traveling to China, where he lived many adventures. He also became president of the Japan Martial Arts Federation in China and reached having more than 1,000 students, with 70-80 people per class to attend every night. He always had been saying that he taught the art of war, but also the art of peace.
In contrast to the busy life in China, after Takamatsu Sensei returned home, he only maintained a small group of students, including Hatsumi Masaaki (who founded Bujinkan) and Tanemura Shoto (founded Genbukan). He has also been the teacher of other notable teachers such as Akimoto Fumio and Sato Kinbei.
In addition to the martial arts, Takamatsu Sensei and his wife maintained a traditional Japanese hotel. Also, Takamatsu spent three years of his life in a monastery, where he was ordained in the Tendai Buddhism. During this period, he began to teach the arts of Hontai Takagi Yoshin Ryu Jujutsu and Kukishin Ryu Bojutsu under the monk Kimura Masaji. It is believed that no other student has received so much training from this great teacher.
Takamatsu Sensei stated: 'The most important thing is to keep one's essence of true heart.' He named his school besides Sakushin Dojo (meaning the place of the way of the cultivation of the spirit).
He passed away on 2 April 1972.
