About the Project
An international initiative for the research, preservation and connection of the worldwide Bujinkan community — gathering, reviewing and organizing decades of transmitted knowledge into a rigorous, useful and ever-evolving body of documentation.
The project grows from years of research, study of 伝書 (densho), examination of historical sources, translation of documents, archival and library research, martial practice, and the direct transmission of teachings received from Japanese teachers.
Its purpose is to gather, contextualize and preserve knowledge in a rigorous, accessible and responsible manner, while clearly distinguishing between historical documentation, transmitted tradition, academic interpretation and personal experience.
The platform is also a natural evolution of the work begun on 1 February 2021 by the 武風研究所 (Bufū Kenkyūsho), a research group formed by four Bujinkan Dai Shihan —Alex Esteve, Sean Askew, Alex Meehan and Morla Ballesteros— devoted to the joint study of Japanese martial culture, 流派 (ryūha), densho and the historical traditions connected with the Bujinkan.
Since its establishment, the exchange of documents, translations, historical research, primary sources and personal experiences related to Hatsumi Masaaki Sensei and other Japanese teachers has contributed to numerous studies, technical articles and publications.
This platform seeks to continue that spirit: to bring knowledge together, examine it critically, preserve it and make it available to those who wish to study these traditions seriously and respectfully.
What this is — and what it is not
The Living Transmission is not a new martial arts organization, nor a parallel structure within the Bujinkan. It does not create ranks. It does not issue teaching licenses. It does not establish new hierarchies. It does not replace any dōjō, instructor or existing structure — and it does not officially represent the Bujinkan or the Bujinkan Honbu Dōjō.
It is an independent initiative of research, documentation and service to the community, built with deep respect for Masaaki Hatsumi Sensei, the Bujinkan Honbu Dōjō, and the Japanese teachers who have transmitted — and continue to transmit — their Budō.
Japan remains at the heart of the transmission.
Free to access. Open to contribute. Curated to preserve quality.
Founding principle
The Living Transmission exists to help preserve and understand what has been received, to support serious study, and to connect the people who keep this transmission alive. It does not seek to own it. It does not seek to replace it. It seeks to serve it.