Stephen K. Hayes

Stephen K. Hayes (born September 9, 1949 in Delaware) is an American martial arts teacher, Buddhist priest, and author of over fifteen books. In June of 1975, while in Japan, he met and began training under Masaaki Hatsumi, the founder of the Bujinkan martial arts organization. Hayes returned to the United States with his wife Rumiko in late 1980 when his Japan residency visa ran out, and began teaching and authoring numerous books and magazine a... more

Stephen K. Hayes (born September 9, 1949 in Delaware) is an American martial arts teacher, Buddhist priest, and author of over fifteen books. In June of 1975, while in Japan, he met and began training under Masaaki Hatsumi, the founder of the Bujinkan martial arts organization. Hayes returned to the United States with his wife Rumiko in late 1980 when his Japan residency visa ran out, and began teaching and authoring numerous books and magazine articles. There is some evidence that he visited and taught in the United States on ninjutsu as early as 1976. Hayes apprenticed beneath Clark Jikai Choffy, an ordained Tendai priest and personal disciple of Archbishop Jion Haba of the Tokyo Reisho-in Tendai temple. He received empowerments and teachings from Rev. Choffy, received transmission in the Homan-Ryu school of Tendai esoteric Buddhism, and in 1991 he received Tokudo priesthood ordination in Tendai Buddhism from Rev. Choffy. In the 1990s, Hayes regularly served as personal protection... less