In The Ninja and Their Secret Fighting Art , SKH writes that: Is this really true? How does he manage to teach at Daikomyosai and Taikai if he never leaves his house? And if he lives in anonymity, how did SKH hear about him? And how did the producers of Shinobi no Mono and You Only Live Twice come to hear of him. Also: Is this true? I dunno ... it just sounds a bit like Batman to me.
Hendry, as a generic (rather than specific) answer, look at the date of the book's publication. In those days, there WERE no Tai Kai, Daikomyosai etc.
besides if he did leave his house... who would know...I mean using all that ninja stealth and whatnot.... he'd pop down to the corner store and back for a six pack and you'd nor anyone else would the wiser.
As it happens to be, I just re-read that book a few days ago. First of all, isn't Mr Hayes talking about 1975? I think Hatsumi, like everyone, has changed in 30 years. And in any case, I highly doubt Mr Hayes meant every word he wrote literally. He wrote about that in the same chapter Read it again... Maybe he did, maybe he didn't. Sôke himself is the only one who can answer that.
Quite apart from that book, aren't there descriptions by Pedro Fleitas in one of his articles for Sanmyaku where he discusses going out for late walks with Hatsumi sensei? Didn't Bo Munthe write about something similar in his book "Traditional Ninjutsu"? I don't have references to hand because I'm in work but if no one has dug them out by the time I get home, I'll sort them out.
Many of the people who were training with him around that time have told stories of going out with him for walks with his dogs quite frequently. Also, around that time Hatsumi was seen on television occasionally, etc.
The idea that Hatsumi-sensei is some hermit that never leaves his house is pure fantasy. Hatsumi-sensei is extremely busy. There has been more than one occasion when Soke got stuck in traffic on the freeway, and couldn't make it to class.... People who are hermits don't get stuck on freeways and they don't have cell phones. As for his nightly walks, this is true. Soke takes very long walks with his dogs. Sometimes his walks around Noda can take several *HOURS.* That is one of the ways that he stays so fit and limber, despite being 70+ years of age. Hayes had a way of taking liberties with truth and fiction in most of his books.... This is not the exception. -ben
Certainly he gets out. I can recall him and his wife coming into the same restaurant for dinner where I'd just sat down to eat with some of my students. Kept having big-**** bottles of beer sent to our table. We explained we were going to train with Noguchi sensei at Hombu after dinner. He just gave an evil grin and chuckle. And kept sending beer over.
I distinctly remember Noguchi-Sensei putting his arms around us and saying, " don't worry, I've been drinking too". That was a very painful class.
Ben Cole posted But as MWDAndy posted Ben Cole posted We should remember that when Mr Hayes first wrote those books Dr Hatsumi was still working full time in his clinic and teaching an art that was unknown outside of a small circle of people in Noda and had probably never been outside of Japan. Today Hatsumi is a multimillionaire and has been paid by people to travel and teach international seminars. He has been very fortunate in that he was able to stop practicing his medicine and instead teach his art full time. Hell my gran lived and worked in the same town all her life and never ventured more than a mile from here front door. Since she retired she's been all over the world. Garth
Hatsumi Sensei was very wealthy back then as well for whatever it is worth to the discussion. He always has been...
Hatsumi has even mentioned how he spent huge amounts of money to train with many martial arts teachers before meeting Takamatsu.
Magokoro Dojo posted I asked Magokoro Dojo if he was sure about that, he said he was. OK lets look at that the term "very Wealthy". now I don't know about others here, but I get by, and I can support myself and my family adequately but I am not "Very Wealthy". Now I don't know what people would say is very wealthy. I guess someone with money enough to buy a porsche,and a nice house in cash I would consider wealthy, Paul Mcartney, Steven Spielberg however i would consider to be "Very Wealthy" maybe very wealthy might be millionaire status. So Dr Hatsumi is "very wealthy" according to Magoro dojo. OK. Sanmyaku issue 9, page 14 an article by Tetsuji Ishizuka. Now this does not sound like the actions of a very wealthy man. Surely if you have students and you can afford it you get a professional in. Even I do that when something in my property goes wrong, and i'm not wealthy. Ishizuka continues Hell even I manage to support my wife and 2 children adequately but i am not VERY WEALTHY. he continues So with his money he managed to buy some weapons and written documents little by little. Little by little. Thats what I do. Thats what we all do. But I tell you what if i was rich, like Dr Hatsumi was supposed to be, I would be buying up everything I have always wanted. Garth
Seriously..... I mean seriously..... no...no....I mean REALLY...... To bring a few threads together...I can not only avoid a strike from behind, I can also predict where this is going. In fact I saw it before the last post. See it's not magic. It's just being perceptive and not allowing you own *stuff* to get in the way of seeing things how they are.
I hate to inform you of this, but it's not like you can pick up quality budo documents and weaponry at any corner convenience store in Japan. Things pop up every once in a while. And when they do (or did), Hatsumi-sensei would purchase them. Thus, "little by little." -ben
