Budo Mentors

The following teachers are mentors that the Dayton Bujinkan Dojo staff instructors look up to for guidance and training in the Bujinkan. Some of the Mentors are senior teachers under Hatsumi Sensei in Japan. All of the mentors help guide us in our path toward understanding Bujinkan Budo.

Masaaki Hatsumi

Hatsumi Soke is the inheritor (Soke) of nine Japanese Ryu-ha (lineages) from his teacher, Takamatsu Sensei, who passed away in 1972. Hatsumi Soke created the Bujinkan after his teacher died, in order to preserve and continue the ryu-ha he inherited. Because he shares his budo with students from around the world, he has earned countless awards and honors from government agencies and military forces for his teachings. Currently in his 80's, Hatsumi Soke continues to share his budo at the Bujinkan Hombu in Japan.

Yukio Noguchi

Noguchi Shihan is a longtime student of Hatsumi Soke, and teaches at his own dojo or the Hombu twice a week. His skill in Taijutsu, Kenjutsu, Kyojutsu & henka are unparalleled. It is common to have him place you in a position which forces you to fall, only to find him giggling at you as your mind tries to comprehend how he did it.

Toshiro Nagato

Nagato Shihan has been training with Hatsumi Sensei for more than 35 years. His background includes professional Judo & kickboxing tournaments for a number of years, before finding Bujinkan Budo - or real budo, as Nagato Shihan says. Although a naturally large man, Nagato Shihan demonstrates Budo Taijutsu through effortless Kihon Happo & San Shin. Nagato Sensei teaches a few times a week at the Hombu and at a recreational center near Tokyo.

Dan Klug

Dan (10th Dan Bujinkan, Boxer, Brown Belt BJJ) has been training since the 1980's, and was an original student of Kurt Rittenhouse Martial Arts Bujinkan Dojo from the 1990's. He has trained in Japan more than a dozen times with Hatsumi Soke, Nagato Shihan, Noguchi Shihan and in year's past with Muramatsu Sensei and Manaka Sensei. He is recognized as being a well-rounded martial artist with mixed skills in boxing, grappling, and Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu. Currently living near Olympia, Washington State, Dan continues to be a very active in mentoring the Dayton Bujinkan Dojo as he has done so for many years.

Sean Askew

Sean (15th Dan Bujinkan, Kosen Judo 3rd Dan) lived in Japan for ten years (1991-2001), where he spent much of his time training under Hatsumi Sensei and the Bujinkan Shihan. He also graduated from Sophia University with a degree in Japanese Language & History, and a minor in Japanese Religions during his 10-year stay in Japan. His martial background includes Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu, Kosen Judo, and shootfighting. Mr. Askew, creator of the Bujinkan Kokusai Renkoumyo, lived in the US from 2001 through 2006, at which time he moved back to Japan and settled in China. In 2011, he moved to Chicago, IL.

Kurt Rittenhouse

Kurt (8th Dan Bujinkan) began training in Budo Taijutsu in 1983. He originally studied Budo Taijutsu at "The Barn", a dojo near Dayton, Ohio. His instructors were Shawn Havens, a senior student of "The Barn" and Stephen K. Hayes. In the 1990's he studied in Japan with Muramatsu Sensei, Oguri Sensei & Noguchi Sensei. Kurt Rittenhouse Martial Arts was his dojo. Within five years of starting his own school in 1990, Shidoshi Rittenhouse had two dojos (Kettering, OH & Columbus, OH) with over 250 students under him. In the summer of 1997, Shidoshi Rittenhouse chose to close both of his dojos. This is when the Dayton Bujinkan Dojo was created.

Craig Olson, Duncan Stewart, Steve Olsen, Pete Reynolds

These Bujinkan Shihan live and train in Japan, training with the Japanese instructors regularly. They have each come to the Dayton Bujinkan Dojo to instruct training seminars.