23/09/2025
A personal reflection...
From an early age (and nearly 50 years ago) I started on my martial arts journey...
Having initial beginnings in the arts of Judo then Karate (with a mix of Boxing in between also) - participating with Shotokan Karate full contact martial arts competition along the way - I had reached a point where these arts were not enough for me and what I was looking for, given the environment we live in (then and as is now)...
Later and after initial research of various combat/ military based martial arts that taught/ used various weapon categories/ types and applied advanced defensive tactics being totally street innovative/ applicable, I made the decision to transition to the art of the Ninja and set off on a path to study the authentic martial art associated to the lineage of the Japanese Bujinkan association.
Since that time, I never looked back - my personal objectives and desires having been met with ever more learning across the Bujinkan's unique 9 different ryu-ha (styles), the historic and modern use of weapons in the training, philosophy, martial science, advanced strategy and tactics, the development of wisdom in the use of Spirit-Mind-Body, innovative application/ responses to unplanned/ unexpected situations and the like, etc...
..in short, I personally went on to travel to Japan meeting/ training and later being tested/ assessed and accredited by Soke Hatsumi the 34th Soke of Tokagure Ninjutsu through my various Black Belt degree ranks (including for example earning 5th Degree Black Belt and menkyo teaching license as a Shidoshi meaning teacher of the warrior ways to enlightenment).
It was in 2004 though - after having been asked by various members of my local community to open my own martial arts school based on these teachings - that I felt the need/ started the Hands On Defence Spirit Of Ninjutsu school incorporating Bujinkan Melbourne.
Sure, over the following years my knowledge and application of the training advanced including attending many classes with numerous other senior Japanese masters (albeit some having since been lost to us through age/ illness) whereby my skills/ experience had expanded greatly. I had connected spiritual studies of mainstream Zen Buddhism (becoming an advanced Zen disciple at a monastery) and studied/ practiced numerous areas of esoteric Buddhism including attaining a priesthood ordination as an Acharya (master) whilst maintaining my Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu / Ninjutsu purest studies e.g. as presented through Soke Hatsumi and his international organisation (and all whilst maintaining a career/ completing various postgraduate studies including adult teaching/ vocational education related diplomas).
Today, I continue to offer the teachings of Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu / Ninjutsu to people who want to also take a look at the authentic art of the ninja - as I once did. I present this including a diverse portfolio of related offerings, to the public and private/ corporate sectors - refer my website for more details and call me if interested in what we offer.
Hodson Sensei
Dai-Shihan (Senior Master), 15th Dan Black Belt
Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu / Ninjutsu
Chief Executive & Master Instructor
Hands On Defence - Spirit Of Ninjutsu (incorporating Bujinkan Melbourne)
More information at:
Simply the Best School offering in Australia - Ninjutsu & Budo Taijutsu, Bujinkan Ninjutsu.
