10th degree black belt from the Bujinkan dojo, awarded 1993. Considered the "father of American ninjutsu" by Black Belt magazine.

A noted martial arts author that has sold 1.3 million copies of 19 books translated into 5 languages. He is a 1971 graduate of Miami University (Ohio) with a bachelor of arts degree in theater, and is a noted actor with parts in movies such as Shogun. Married to Rumiko Urata with two daughters, Reina and Marissa, Mr. Hayes is considered to be one of the world's foremost authorities on ninjutsu and esoteric Tendai mikkyo Buddhist studies. Today, Mr. Hayes lives and works in Dayton, Ohio.

Biography from Quest-L.com

Stephen K. Hayes was born in Ohio on September 9, 1949 to Ira and Carolyn Hayes. After graduating from Miami University in 1971, he spent time in search of authentic martial traditions, working his way up to sandan in the Korean art of Tang Soo Do. However, frustrated with the limitations he'd encountered in his training, he packed his bags and headed for Japan.

In June of 1975, he finally met the teacher he'd been seeking all his life in Soke Masaaki Hatsumi, the 34th grandmaster of the Togakure Ryu ninjutsu tradition and 8 other traditions. For the next few years, he would undergo the most strenuous training of his life as he gained proficiency in the martial arts of the last ninjutsu traditions alive alongside many of the Bujinkan Dojo's seniormost practitioners. In 1979, he met his future wife and To-Shin Do an-shu, Rumiko Urata, and married her the following year.

Shidoshi Hayes returned to the United States on and off for years, setting off the "ninja boom" of the 1980s and creating one of the largest martial arts phenomena since Bruce Lee. During this time, he introduced ninjutsu to America and Western Europe, seeding knowledge of his training in the Warrior Quest seminar series. Virtually all of today's senior American Bujinkan practitioners began training during this time period, such as Jack Hoban, Bud Malmstrom, Mark Davis, Jean-Pierre Seibel, Courtland Elliott, and many, many more.

In 1993, Shidoshi Hayes earned the rare ju-dan (tenth degree black belt) degree from Soke Hatsumi. He founded the Nine Gates Institute to help formalize and disseminate much of the knowledge and research he'd accumulated.

In 1997, Shidoshi Hayes, dissatisfied with the incongruence between authentic martial arts and education technology, founded the martial art of To-Shin Do, an art based in his long research of budo taijutsu and life experiences. He founded the SKH Quest Centers and the modern martial art brand of To-Shin Do, a system designed to bring a pleasant, empowering experience to students everywhere.

Since then, Shidoshi Hayes and the SKH Quest Corporation have continued with their work of making authentic martial arts accessible to people everywhere. The SKH Quest network now spans 18 schools in 12 states.

Reprinted with permission from Quest-L.com

External Sites

• Official Stephen K. Hayes sites
• Quest Mailing List in support of Mr. Hayes' work