Toshiro Nagato is a prominent master of the Japanese martial arts, having been training for well over 60 years. His martial arts journey started with Judo, where he attained a high ranked black belt and was teaching Judo to army officers and war veterans in the US. Later, he ventured into kickboxing, where he won a Japanese middleweight newcomer champion title back in the 1970s. Despite these remarkable accomplishments, Nagato Sensei says that Judo and kickboxing, while enjoyable, always felt more like sports to him and not the real martial arts, which he was longing to experience.

During Nagato sensei’s Judo teaching years in the US, one of his students and good friends, a professional soldier and Vietnam war veteran, mentioned Ninjutsu – an ancient Japanese martial art and strategy, with a much more holistic approach encompassing not only physical combat but also mental discipline, spiritual awareness, and self-reliance. The war veteran pondered that as a Japanese, Nagato sensei had a duty to learn Ninjutsu. These words stuck in Nagato sensei’s head and he eventually came back to Japan yearning to learn and experience real martial arts. This yearning led him to Masaaki Hatsumi, a renowned grandmaster of ninjutsu and founder of the Bujinkan. Nagato sensei says his first encounter with Hatsumi sensei was scary, yet he immediately felt that Bujinkan/ninjutsu was very different from everything else he had experienced before. It was not a sport, but training for life, survival and happiness. Under Hatsumi’s direct guidance, Nagato Sensei embarked on a lifelong pursuit of mastery, dedicating nearly five decades to immersing himself in the intricate teachings of Bujinkan. His unwavering commitment and dedication were rewarded in 2019 when he succeeded Hatsumi sensei as a head of Shinden Fudo Ryu, one of the 9 schools of Bujinkan.

Within the Bujinkan community, Nagato Sensei is also known as the “gentle giant” – a towering figure with a well-muscled physique, the type of person you might imagine as a security guard. Yet, when he moves, it becomes apparent that he wields his strength with finesse and precision. His movements are so fluid and graceful that it’s sometimes difficult to discern whether he’s fighting or dancing. While his imposing stature might strike fear in some, Nagato Sensei’s humbleness, kind-heartedness and resolute tranquility embody the true essence of martial arts.

In his everyday life, Nagato Sensei used to work as a professional bodyguard before transitioning into the field of bone setting and opening his own clinic. He is still working there even today, at the age of 75. Nagato sensei resides happily in Saitama prefecture, Japan, with his wife and three sons. He is also an avid animal lover, especially dogs and the Doberman breed.