Toshitsugu Takamatsu

The first real name of Toshitsugu Takamatsu was Hisatsugu and later on he changed it for Toshitsugu, most known as Moko No Tora (Mongolian Tiger). He was born in 1888 in Kobe and he was also known under different nicknames, including Jutaro (Pure Water), Kikaku (Demon Horns), Kotaro (Young Tiger), Yokuoh (Running in the Sky Old Man) and many others. So many books and articles tell about him and his life. Toshitsugu Takamatsu is the 33rd Togakure-ryu Patriarch of Ninjutsu and master of as many as 8 styles of Bujutsu and Ninjutsu.

Since early ages he mastered techniques of various martial arts schools thoroughly supervised by his grandfather Toda Shinryuken Masamitsu, the martial artist and a samurai, the 32nd Patriarch of Togakure-ryu. Toda Shinryuken Masamitsu was the first trainer for Toshitsugu Takamatsu. Toda Shinryuken Masamitsu was the head master in Japanese martial arts and Toshitsugu inherited from him such styles as Shinden Fudo Ryu, Gyokushin-ryu and Koto Ryu.

Takamatsu Yosiyosi was the son of Toda Shinryuken Masamitsu and why he was not the one to inherit the secrets of the great martial arts from the legendary Japanese master is still mysterious.

Takakage Matsutaro Isitani, the 26th Patriarch of the school Kukishinden Ryu was the head of security at the match factory belonging to Toda’s family. He happened to be Takamatsu’s second sensei. He taught the talented apprentice the secrets of his ryu and later on Takamatsu was awarded the title of the 27th Patriarch of Kukishinden Ryu. Along with this title Takamatsu got proficient in such school techniques as Gikan Ryu and Kumogakure Ryu.

One of the martial artists, head master of Hontai Takagi Yoshin Ryu, Mitsuta Tadafudza, instructed Takamatsu on the knowledge of the school Yoshin Ryu.

At the age of 15 Takamatsu had a long and serious fight with two masters of Musashi Ryu which resulted in his eardrum rupture. That prevented him to join the army at the age of 21. Then the young martial artist came to the idea he had to find his niche in the world. He was unhappy with the work at the match factory. He aspired for adventurous not still life. He travelled to China and spent there almost ten years, from 1909 to 1918, where he had to survive several times in dangerous situations due to his martial arts skills.

At the age of 30 Toshitsugu Takamatsu was acknowledged as the martial artist when he came to the edge when a Japanese warrior perceives the world of the warrior and the world of spiritual power. He was then called Moko No Tora which stands for the Mongolian Tiger (based to his adventures in China).

When Toshitsugu Takamatsu returned to Japan, he open his own Dojo in Nara. Like his teacher Takakage Matsutaro Isitani, Takamatsu spoke against the tendency to join the traditional martial arts school to the sport. He assumed reasonably that the martial arts school would soon become the contest-based combat schools with exotic techniques to attract people only. Yet, martial art advertising was not the intention set many-many years ago in the concept of Japanese martial arts.

Takamatsu had many apprentices and some of them became Soke in the styles he taught them. Masaaki Hatsumi was one of the best successors of his Dojo who was in apprentice for over 14 years and was given Soke in the nine styles of Bujutsu and Ninjutsu. Hatsumi was officially acknowledged as his follower, 34th Patriarch of Togakure-ryu and the successor of all the schools inherited by Takamatsu in his time.

Toshitsugu Takamatsu passed away in April 2, 1972 leaving several short tractates on his schools and a talented successor he trusted in. He said that the eight gates of the ninja were on his way to train and he did that for over 70 years. This was his true way of life.