Toshitsugu Takamatsu

Toshitsugu Takamatsu was born on the 10th March 1887 in Akashi town, Hyogo province, as Hisatsugu Takamatsu. He later changed his name into Toshitsugu, which is written with the same Kanji, but is pronounced differently. His father Yasaburo (also known as Gishin) Takamatsu owned a match factory in city of Kobe. His mother was named Fushi, and was one of nine wifes, to which Toshitsugu was married during his life. Young Takamatsu spent most of his time at his grandparents, who also took care of him. His grandfather was Toda Shinryuken Masamitsu. Toda owned a chiropractic clinic in Kobe and also a Budo Dojo, where he was known as Soke of Shinden Fudo ryu. His family had a Samurai rank, despite the fact, that their ancestors were Ninjas. That was of course a great secret, which became public after Takamatsu's death. He was the last member of Toda family, who inherited their Ninja tradition.

Young Takamatsu, who was also called Jutaro, was very weak and shy boy. His father wanted him to go to the army when he would be old enough, so he thought, thet it would be good for his son, if he would try practicing Budo (martial arts), which would help with developing of his self consiousness and would strengthen him. That is how Toshitsugu at nine years got involved with his first lessons in his grandfather's Dojo, where he started training Shinden Fudo ryu. He went there every evening after school. But he was not taught much for the first year. Toda and his students only used to throw him around the Dojo. Despite that he returned to train every day. After one year has passed, the first technique was shown to him. In those days it was custom, that senior students worked with beginners. But took upon himself Toda to train Takamatsu. At the age of thirteen he got Menkyo Kaiden for Shinden Fudo ryu from his grandfather. After Shinden Fudo ryu, Toda taught him also Koto ryu, Gyokko ryu, Gyokushin ryu, Kumogakure ryu and Togakure ryu. But Takamatsu wasn't interested in Ninjutsu at that time. Around that time Takamatsu also met Mizuta Yoshitaru Tadafusa, who taught Takagi Yoshin ryu. Takamatsu used to train regulary with him, too and had received Menkyo Kaiden from Mizuta when he was seventeen years old. In those times, teachers used to give Menkyo Kaiden even if their student wasn't yet ready. That forced student to train even harder. That custom was called Sakizuke. Also at that time, Takamatsu's father employed an old safeguard named Ishitani Matsutaro Takekage, who was known around all Japan because of his excellence in martial arts. From him Takamatsu had the opportunity to learn Kuki Happo Biken no jutsu. He was also taught various forms of Ninjutsu and also Hon Tai Yoshin ryu, Gikan ryu and Shinden Muso ryu. Ishitani was Soke of them all.

When Takamatsu was twenty years old, he ceased working at his father's factory and left to China, where he wanted to test his skills. He went there across Korea, where he met teacher Kim Kei_mei_a and he learned from him. Later he mastered eighteen Korean and Chinese martial arts. After some years he returned home because of his illness. There he was cured by Yamabushi (mountain priest). After he was cured, he returned to China. There Takamatsu found his knowledge very useful, as he had to put it to use several times. He fought in lots of fights. It was then that he was given a nickname Moku no Tora, which stands for Mongolian tiger. He fought in nineteen fights, out of which only seven were competitions. Mortal combats were a consequence of teasing by other martial artists, who heard for his fame. Takamatsu lost an eye in one of those combats. It was replaced by one made of glass. To make his living possible, he taught martial arts all over China. At the time, he had around eight hundred Chinese, Japanese, French and American students. He taught about eighty students per day. That way, he earned quite a lot money for those times. He returned to Japan and became the president of Nippon Minkoku Seinen Botoku Kai (japanese martial arts organization).

All this happened before he was thirty years old. After he spent ten years in China, Takamatsu returned to Japan in 1919 and there he went in Tendai monastery on Hiei mountain near Kyoto and became a monk. He later became one of the representatives of the monastery. That way he subjugated for the sins of his youth. He was married to Tane Takamatsu, who was born in 1896 in Hirakata region. Her maiden last name was Uno. They did not have any direct descendants, so they adopted two girls. Takamatsu also taught a lot of students in Japan, although he was formally known as master of Ju Jutsu and Bo jutsu. Of all schools he succeeded, he was only known for Kukishinden ryu. His first Dojo was called Sukisha Dojo (place for people, who enjoy training martial arts). He trained people such as Koba Koshiro, Sato Kimbei, Hanaoka Nangaku, Ueno Takashi, Takeuchi Kikakusai, Kimura Masaharu, Fukumoto, Akimoto Fumio in others. His last student was Dr. Masaaki Hatsumi, who also became his only student for the rest of his life. He also succeeded Takamatsu's traditions. Hatsumi started to train with Takamatsu in fifty's. Takamatsu taught him things, he taught never before. There was no worming up. Even though Takamatsu didn't train after he was eighty, he still looked over Hatsumi's development. One year before he died, he said to Hatsumi, that he has taught him everything he knows and that he has repaid Toda Sans, Ishuitani Sensei in Mizuta Sensei for their kindness. Hatsumi has already been given the title Soke, but he still stayed and trained with his teacher. Toshitsugu Takamatsu died on the 2nd of April, 1972 at the age of 85. He is buried on Kumedra cemetery near the city of Nara, which was the last place, where he lived. He was a great man and a living example of a true martial artist. He was the last of the real Ninja warriors, who were involved in a real combat.

*Material taken from Quest