Toshitsugu Takamatsu
Background of Toshitsugu Takamatsu
Toshitsugu Takamatsu is considered to be the "last ninja" by the Bujinkan.
Biography of Toshitsugu Takamatsu
He was married to Mrs. Uno Tane who was born on 28 June 1897 and who passed away on 4 February 1991. They adopted a girl named Yoshiko. His father (Takamatsu Gishin Yasaburo) owned a match-factory and received Dai-Ajari (Master) title in Shingon Buddhism from the mountain priest Kumano Shugendo[citation needed]. His Dojo was named "Sakushin" (Cultivating Spirit).
His family had both samurai class and ninja roots. Toshitsugu Takamatsu studied under various masters of several ryu, and as a result, became the "only man ever to master all aspects of ninjutsu"[citation needed].
When he was still a young man, Takamatsu gained his notoriety by "singlehandedly stopping a small riot"[citation needed]. When he was older, he was involved in espionage in Manchuria and, according to Masaaki Hatsumi, was in connection with General Motojiro Akashi. Returning from China, he became a Tendai-shū abbot at Mount Hiei.
He taught and formed many next generation Grandmasters such as Akimoto Fumio (considered the senior student of Takamatsu), Kimura Masaji (It is possible that no other student of Takamatsu has had more training with the Grandmaster), Sato Kinbei (introduced Ueno Takashi to Takamatsu), Takashi Ueno, Yoshiaki Hatsumi former name of Hatsumi who was Ueno's personal student and others.
Takamatsu passed on his knowledge and legacy to Masaaki Hatsumi, who founded the Bujinkan to continue Takamatsu's teachings.