Stephen K. Hayes QUOTES

Stephen K. Hayes (born September 9, 1949) is an American martial artist, author, and spiritual teacher renowned for introducing ninjutsu to the Western world. He is the founder of To-Shin Do, a modern martial art system, and the Blue Lotus Assembly, a spiritual organization blending Japanese and Tibetan esoteric traditions.

Born in Wilmington, Delaware, Hayes was raised in Dayton, Ohio. He graduated from Fairmont West High School in 1967 and later earned a Bachelor of Arts in speech and theatre from Miami University in 1971. His initial interest in martial arts began during his university years, leading him to study Tang Soo Do.

In 1975, Hayes traveled to Japan to study authentic ninjutsu. He trained under Tsunehisa Tanemura and later under Masaaki Hatsumi, the 34th Grandmaster of Togakure-ryū. Hayes became the first American accepted into the Bujinkan organization and was awarded a 10th-degree black belt in 1993.

Upon returning to the U.S. in 1980, Hayes began teaching and writing extensively about ninjutsu. In 1985, he was inducted into Black Belt magazine's Hall of Fame as Instructor of the Year.

In 1997, Hayes founded To-Shin Do, a martial art system designed to address modern self-defense needs. It incorporates elements of traditional ninjutsu, focusing on practical techniques for contemporary threats, including hand-to-hand combat, classical weapons, meditation, and security training. The SKH Quest network, teaching To-Shin Do, spans multiple countries.