Interview
HAYES HITS THE STREETS—THE ONGOING JOURNEY OF STEPHEN K. HAYES
America’s top ninjutsu authority reflects on past and present seminars. Part I.
By Mike Replogle
Excerpt:
“Shadow and stealth. Darkness and black-cloaked silence. Deadly, swift, effective.
Ninja.
The ninjutsu phenomenon burst upon the American public in a flash of publicity and an onslaught of merchandising exploitation, sometimes more reminiscent of a three-ring circus than the silent and secretive art of ancient Japan. The once obscure system of martial arts has captured the public’s imagination and run wild.
Often misunderstood, maligned, or shunned by the more “traditional” martial art systems, ninjutsu has nonetheless caught the fancy of the American public, and is proving to be an art with staying power. As such, it is far better understood than ignored.
As late as five years ago, ninjutsu was a little-understood, rarely seen art in the U.S. There were no schools In this country teaching the system, and the mere mention of a “ninja” brought a puzzled expression to the faces of most people—martial artists included.
We recently spoke with Stephen K. Hayes, the man credited with bringing this ancient and mysterious martial arts form to the United States. He has become known as the Western world’s leading authority on togakure-ryu ninjutsu.
Dubbed “The Father of American Ninjutsu, ” Hayes sat down with us after a recent
seminar in San Diego.”
“Hayes Hits the Streets- The Ongoing Journey of Stephen K. Hayes Part 1″, by Mike Replogle”- Fighting Stars August 1985 VOL. XII, No. 4