To-Shin Do is a martial art founded by Black Belt Hall of Fame instructor Stephen K. Hayes in 1997.[1][2] It is a modernized version of ninjutsu, and differs from the traditional form taught by Masaaki Hatsumi’s Bujinkan organization.[3] Instruction focuses on threats found in contemporary western society.[4] In addition to hand-to-hand combat skills, students are exposed to: methods for survival in hostile environments, security protection for dignitaries, how to instruct classes and run a school, classical Japanese weapons, meditation mind science, and health restoration yoga.[5] The headquarters school (hombu) is located in Dayton, Ohio, USA.
In 1975, Hayes traveled to Japan to seek out authentic Ninja masters.[6] He met Masaaki Hatsumi, the 34th grandmaster of the Togakure-ryū (戸隠流) ("School of the Hidden Door") lineage and became the first American to be accepted into the Ninja tradition.[7]
Hayes returned to the U.S. in 1981, with a black belt in the Bujinkan organization under his teacher, Masaaki Hatsumi, who is the 34th Grandmaster of Togakure Ryu Ninpo Taijutsu.[8] He founded the Shadows of Iga Society to serve as an organization for ninjutsu enthusiasts. During the 1980s Hayes gave seminars around the country, maintained a training group in Ohio, and often visited Japan for training with Hatsumi.
Retiring the Shadows of Iga Society, Hayes founded the Kasumi-An system of warrior training in 1989 on the first day of the Japanese Heisei (平成) Imperial era.[9][10]Kasumi translates to English as "mist," which is supposed to evoke images of the misty Iga mountain home of the Ninja, as well as being a heterograph of the founder's name. An means hermitage or mountain retreat.[11] The name reflects more permanency in Hayes' U.S. teachings, which were until this point limited to seminars and a small training group in the Dayton area.
In 1997, the first Quest Center was opened in Dayton, OH.
Etymology
There is intended symbolism behind the To-Shin name.[12] When written, To-Shin Do is formed of three kanji:
The literal Japanese to English translation of To-Shin Do is “Sword Spirit Path”.[13] Practitioners of the art use a more developed translation where To = sword, Shin = the focused spirit of intention, and Do = the path to mastery.[14]
The kanji for to and the kanji for shin combine within the kanji symbol nin忍, pronounced shinobi,[15] which is the symbol for the ninja, although the top half of 忍 is actually ha/yaiba刃 not tō刀.[16]
Training
According to the To-Shin Do training workbook, Enlightened Self-Protection,[17] color belts focus on the following five areas:[18]
grappling: throwing, choking, and joint-locking
striking: kicking, and punching
weapons: stick, blade, cord, and projectile
application: handling multiple assailants and surprise attacks
preservation: overcoming psychological intimidation or bullying[19][20]
Students practice striking against pads, targets, and instructors clad in protective armor.[21] However, there is no sparring as seen in many other combat systems. And as in ninjutsu, To-Shin Do does not include tournament competition in its training curriculum.[22]
Once a student attains the rank of black belt, the following optional advanced courses are offered:
To-Shin Do is not a part of Hatsumi's Bujinkan organization. Consequently, speculation on various martial arts web discussion boards and blogs have theorized To-Shin Do represents a split between Hayes and Hatsumi.[25][26] However published interviews do not support these rumors.
In interviews, Hatsumi explained that he did not feel it was appropriate to modify traditional techniques to apply to contemporary society or locales. Instead, he charged his trainees to make these adaptations. Black Belt magazine notes that as early as 1979, Hatsumi told his senior black belts that "it is the duty of every senior instructor to create a unique teaching vehicle from the historical material."[27][28] Hatsumi reiterated when interviewed for Tales from a Grand Master, and that traditional weapons (e.g. tekagi, kusari gama, or toami) are still part of the core Bujinkan training.
Conversely, Hayes expressed a desire to apply ancient ninja tactics to modern Western society. In his 2008 book The Way of the Warrior: Martial Arts and Fighting Styles from Around the World author Chris Crudelli quotes Hayes as saying founding "To-Shin Do is the greatest tribute he can pay to Hatsumi."[29] Clearly, it can be said that the two men disagreed on the topic of contemporary application of the art. But this disagreement did not sever the men's relationship. For Hayes' sixtieth birthday (in 2009), Hatsumi sent a rare hand-written card and painting to congratulate his American student.[30]
School locations
To-Shin Do has established presences on five continents.[31] Because the style is licensed from SKH Incorporated, three are different levels of participation: Affiliate Instructors, Affiliate Schools, and Training Clubs.
Affiliate Instructors operate as independently owned businesses authorized to train the To-Shin Do martial arts curriculum under license agreement with SKH Inc.
Affiliate Schools are professionally run academies, with full-time facilities dedicated for To-Shin Do instruction, and are authorized to award To-Shin Do belt rank.
Training Clubs are groups of up to 35 members training together in the To-Shin Do martial arts curriculum under direction of either the Dayton Hombu Dojo, or a licensed Affiliate Instructor. Training Clubs are not professional schools, and often use shared facilities not exclusively dedicated for To-Shin Do instruction. Most clubs do not award belt ranks however, some have done so through their sponsoring teachers.[32]
Long Distance Learning allows students to purchase courses for color belts from white leading to black. Students test for promotion by travelling to a licensed school or by submitting a video test to the hombu dojo. Black belt tests must be conducted in person.[33]
According to the Organization's web site, locations include:
North America: US (20 schools), Canada
Europe: Italy, Belgium, United Kingdom
Africa: South Africa
Australia: Australia
Asia: Iran ([www.toshindo.ir])
Warrior scholar priests
Throughout To-Shin Do literature (in print, interview, or on the web) is an identification with ancient warrior-scholar-priests.[34] Although other martial arts styles have ascribed to monastic or religious roots (e.g. Shaolin Kung Fu or Kalarippayattu), this concept manifests in senior To-Shin Do practitioners in two ways.
First, Black Belts promoted to 3rd Degree and higher become members of the Order of To-Shi (刀士), which means "sword" – "warrior, knight, gentleman" or succinctly, "Knight of the Sword." It is tradition that upon promotion, the candidate is given a 'warrior' name (Bugō), uniquely chosen by the Co-Founders.
Second, senior black belts have also taken the 'scholar' title literally, with several publishing books or articles in either martial arts or advanced psychological studies. Specific authors among the black belts include:
Casey, Kevin Keitoshi. The Ninja Mind: Harnessing the Mental Strength and Physical Abilities of the Ninjutsu Masters. Tuttle Publishing. 2013. ISBN978-4805312735.
Isler, Hakim. Modern Hand To Hand Combat: Ancient Samurai Techniques on the Battlefield and in the Street. Tuttle Press. 2010. ISBN978-0-8048-4127-6.
Sears, R. W. "Integrating Spirituality Into Clinical Practice." Innovations in Clinical Practice: A 21st Century Sourcebook, Vol. 2. E.M. Wolf, J.B. Allen, and L. Van de Creek, eds. Professional Resource Press. 2010. ISBN978-1-56887-130-1.
Denton, R.B., and R.W. Sears. "Use of Mindfulness in Clinical Practice." Innovations in Clinical Practice: A 21st Century Sourcebook, Vol 1. J.B. Allen and E.M. Wolf, eds. Professional Resource Press. 2008.
Eldridge, Tori Myotoshi. Empowered Living. Publish America. 2005. ISBN978-1-4137-8499-2.
Russo, Mark Sentoshi. The Crap in my Cap. TQ Publishing. 2001. ISBN1-59712-040-5.
Belt ranking
Below black belt, there are 15-levels of color belt rankings. Ranks are based on the go-dai elemental system, historically used as a counting system in Japan.
A ninja or shinobi was a covert agent, mercenary, or guerrilla warfare expert in feudal Japan. The functions of a ninja included reconnaissance, espionage, infiltration, deception, ambush, and later bodyguarding and their fighting skills in martial arts, including ninjutsu. Their covert methods of waging irregular warfare were deemed dishonorable and beneath the honor of the samurai. Though shinobi proper, as specially trained warriors, spies, and mercenaries, appeared in the 15th century during the Sengoku period, antecedents may have existed as early as the 12th century.
Ninjutsu (忍術), sometimes used interchangeably with the modern term ninpō (忍法), is the martial art strategy and tactics of unconventional warfare, guerrilla warfare and espionage purportedly practised by the ninja. Ninjutsu was a separate discipline in some traditional Japanese schools, which integrated study of more conventional martial arts (taijutsu) along with shurikenjutsu, kenjutsu, sōjutsu, bōjutsu and others.
The Bujinkan is an international martial arts organization based in Japan and headed by Masaaki Hatsumi. The combat system taught by this organization comprises nine separate ryūha, or schools, which are collectively referred to as Bujinkan Budō Taijutsu. The Bujinkan is most commonly associated with ninjutsu. However, Masaaki Hatsumi uses the term Budo as he says the ryūha are descended from historical samurai schools that teach samurai martial tactics and ninjutsu schools that teach ninja tactics.
Masaaki Hatsumi, formerly Yoshiaki Hatsumi, is the founder of the Bujinkan Organization and is the former Togakure-ryū soke (grandmaster). He no longer teaches, but currently resides in Noda, Chiba, Japan.
The hanbō is a staff used in martial arts. Traditionally, the hanbō was approximately three shaku or about 90 centimetres (35 in) long, half the length of the usual staff, the rokushakubō. Diameter was 2.4 to 3 centimetres. However, depending on the school the length and diameter varied.
The ninjatō (忍者刀), ninjaken (忍者剣), or shinobigatana (忍刀), are the preferred weapon that the shinobi of feudal Japan carried, usually carried on the persons back, specifically horizontally at a height of around that of the person's waist. It is portrayed by modern ninjutsu practitioners as the weapon of the ninja, and is prominently featured in popular culture. Replicas of this sword are displayed at the Ninja Museum of Igaryu, established in the mid-1960s., at the Koka Ninja Village Museum in Kōka, Shiga, and at the Gifu Castle Archives Museum in Gifu, Gifu Prefecture, Japan
Stephen K. Hayes is an American martial artist and writer.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to martial arts:
A kunai is a Japanese tool thought to be originally derived from the masonry trowel. The two widely recognized variations of the kunai are short kunai and the big kunai. Although a basic tool, in the hands of a martial arts expert, the kunai could be used as a multi-functional weapon. The kunai is commonly associated with the ninja, who used it to gouge holes in walls.
Akban (光番) is an international educational non-profit martial arts school. The school's name origins comes from the acronyms of Budo Ninjutsu Groups Association in Hebrew the name "AKBAN" also comes from the Turkish word for light and the Japanese word for protection, A.K.A. the "Light guard". It is now used as a two syllable name.
Toshitsugu Takamatsu was a Japanese martial artist and teacher of Bujinkan founder Masaaki Hatsumi. He has been called "The Last Shinobi" by Bujinkan instructor Wolfgang Ettig.
William Paul Durbin Jr. is a martial artist and Baptist minister, known for founding Kiyojute Ryu Kempo Bugei, meaning "spiritually positive gentle person system of martial arts", a form of Kempo, in 1982. It is a Gendai Budō martial art in the James Mitose lineage intended to provide for all aspects of self-defense. The Hombu Dojo, or headquarters, is located in Frankfort, Kentucky.
The kyoketsu-shoge, which could be roughly translated as "long-distance lithe weapon", is a double-edged blade, with another curved blade attached near the hilt at a 45–60 degree angle. This is attached to approximately 10 to 18 feet (3–5 m) of rope, chain, or hair which then ends in a large metal ring. Likely used by ninja of the Iga province, it is thought to be a forerunner to the later more widely known kusarigama. Ninja were often recruited from the class of rural peasantry who resided on remote farmland, and the tool's resemblance to farming equipment and high versatility in combat gave it many benefits in stealth combat.
Mind, Body & Kick Ass Moves is a television programme broadcast on BBC Three. Presented by Chris Crudelli the documentary series travels around the Far East exploring different martial arts and learning the secret skills and knowledge of the 'Grandmasters'. The series investigates aspects of each different martial art by filming the masters demonstrating their style and skills. There is one series of 10 episodes. Each episode focuses on a mix of different martial arts and masters and shows Crudelli taking some martial arts and tricks to the streets, in a style similar to street magic. The opening narration states Crudelli is a master of combat and esoteric energies.
Toda Shinryuken Masamitsu (戸田真竜軒正光) (1824–1909) is mentioned in the Bugei Ryuha Daijiten as being the head master of several styles of Japanese martial arts, including:
Modern schools of ninjutsu are schools which offer instruction in martial arts. To a larger or smaller degree, the curriculum is derived from the practice of ninjutsu, the arts of the ninja; covert agents or assassins of feudal Japan.
Togakure-ryū (戸隠流) is a historical tradition of ninjutsu known as the "School of the Hidden Door", allegedly founded during the Oho period (1161–1162) by Daisuke Nishina (仁科大助), 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 and its claimed historicity has been disputed by Watatani Kiyoshi, writer for the Bugei Ryūha Daijiten. After Togakure, the title of Sōke was recorded by Toda Shinryuken Masamitsu to have been passed down through other practitioners that kept the style secret from the outside world.
Taijutsu is a Japanese martial art blanket term for any combat skill, technique or system of martial art using body movements that are described as an empty-hand combat skill or system. Taijutsu is a synonym for Jujutsu. The words jujutsu, taijutsu, and yawara can be used interchangeably. The term is commonly used when referring to a traditional Japanese martial art but has also been used in the naming of modern martial arts such as Gendai Goshin Jutsu, Yamabujin Goshin-Jutsu and Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu. Taijutsu is similar to Karate but is more focused on the body techniques. More specific names than taijutsu are typically used when describing a martial art: Judo, Aikido as well as Karate and Kenpō.
Bugō are nicknames used in the Japanese martial arts. The word is composed of the symbols 武 and 号. In English, the term is sometimes translated as "martial name" or "warrior name" with similar equivalents in other languages.
References
↑ St. Petersburg Times (Florida) September 19, 1997. p 4. Snow Smith, Katherine. "Nothing like the movies." "It wasn't Bruce Lee or Chuck Norris who first inspired Stephen Hayes to devote his life to the martial arts and ultimately become a Black Belt Hall of Fame member and widely recognized teacher of the Japanese art of ninjutsu."
↑ Staff. USA Dojo. "STEPHEN K. HAYES." "In 1997, exactly 30 years after beginning his formal training in the martial arts, Stephen K. Hayes founded the martial art of To-Shin Do." 2012. September 4, 2013. Archived from the original on February 1, 2016 on the Wayback Machine.
↑ Crudelli, Chris. "The Way of the Warrior: Martial Arts and Fighting Styles from Around the World." DK ADULT. 2008. p.329 ISBN978-0-7566-6862-4 "To shin do was founded by the legendary US ninja Stephen K. Hayes. The system is a departure from ninjustu (see pp. 208–9) as taught by the Bujinkan Organization in Japan…"
↑ Crudelli. p. 329 "Advanced students are offered optional courses on the use of classical Japanese weapons, meditation and yoga, as well as courses aimed at the security and protection industries."
↑ primary source: Hayes, Stephen K. The Ninja and Their Secret Fighting Art. Tuttle Publishing. 1984. ISBN0-8048-1656-5
↑ The Dayton Daily News. "DREAM BIG, AMERICAN NINJA SAYS (Bellbrook resident, author of 18 books, encourages students)" p. 24. Treadway, Marcia J. "By realizing his dream, Hayes may have been the first Togakure ninja guinea pig as well as the first American ninja."
↑ Sporting News "The Bible of Baseball": McCoy, Bob "The American Ninja." June 5, 1989, P. 8 "Hayes, a 40-year-old Ohioan and a graduate of Miami University, is the only Westerner ever granted all nine levels of teaching credentials in ninjutsu, a 900-year-old martial art practiced by the Ninjas."
↑ "Stephen Hayes". Usadojo.com. Archived from the original on February 1, 2016. Retrieved 2012-07-27.
↑ primary source: Hayes, Stephen K. Enlightened Self-Protection. SKH Quest Center Publishing. 1992. p. 3. ISBN0963247395
↑ reference to entomology of shinobi: Lung, Haha, Black Science: Ancient and Modern Techniques of Ninja Mind Manipulation. Paladin Press. p. 18. ISBN1-58160-262-6.
↑ reference to Stephen Hayes, not To-Shin Do: Toller. P. 36.
↑ Hayes, Stephen (2008). Enlightened self-protection: To-Shin Do martial arts tradition. Dayton, OH: Stephen K. Hayes Quest Center. ISBN978-0963247391.
↑ Staff Writer. Thousand Oaks Acorn. Martial Arts Studio Owner Writes Ninja Book. August 8, 2013. Business Section. "…martial arts training system that includes instruction in techniques and strategies for dealing with grappling, throwing, choking, joint-locking, striking, kicking, punching, as well as stick, blade, cord and projectile weapons… the personal protection system of To-Shin Do."
↑ 60th Birthday Celebration. Posted September 8, 2009. Quote: "Last week my martial arts teacher Masaaki Hatsumi mailed me birthday greetings for my 60th. In his letter, he enclosed a photo of himself at his own 60th birthday bash in 1991. In his kanreki red suit – a western tuxedo no less – he salutes his past and future." "Hayes-san, I hear this year is your Kanreki birthday. A Kabuku actor considers 60 years old as the beginning for mastery of their art. Zeami, famous Noh actor, says that you will return to the beginning at age 80. Becoming old is wonderful. You may lose your eyesight but your eyes will see the truth and authenticity. I wish you health and long life. A couple is like having eyes together. Rumiko-san, enjoy the journey with Hayes-san, together. Congratulation on your Kanreki birthday. Heisei 21st Year September 9th. Masaaki Hatsumi"
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