Step inside and, in a scene reminiscent of feudal Japan, a dozen students are practising body throws and high kicks against a backdrop of rice-paper screens, a miniature shrine with offerings dedicated to the gods, and walls lined with replicas of medieval weapons. This is Bujinkan Dojo, the last redoubt in Japan for the mysterious assassins of yore, the ninja. During their heyday in the 16th century, ninja spies roamed Japan working as ruthless mercenaries for feudal warlords. But today's ninja must be just as comfortable in a black tie as a black tunic. And instead of teaching devious methods of attack, Hatsumi stresses self-defence.
Some lessons are better off unlearned.
Hatsumi is the only surviving pupil of Toshitsugu Takamatsu, an infamous ninja grandmaster who served as bodyguard for the head of Japanese-occupied Manchuria before Word War II and died in 1973. But few Japanese are interested in following in his footsteps. Gazing into the eyes of a pet owl in his cluttered home not far from the training centre, Hatsumi acknowledges that few of his fellow countrymen take his calling seriously. Japanese are getting involved in all sorts of new hobbies. Ironically, Hatsumi has a bigger following overseas than at home, thanks in part to his work as an adviser for Hollywood productions such as the 1967 James Bond movie You Only Live Twice and 1980 television mini-series Shogun.