FUKUOKA >> An American man who loves ninja is teaching ninjutsu, the martial art strategy and tactics practiced by the ninja, as a grand master.

Matt Keiser, 49, who has long admired ninja in anime and magazines, and studied at a dojo in Chiba prefecture since 1999, opened Fukuoka Tenjin Bujinkan Dojo in July 2022, where he has taught about 30 students.

Ninjutsu does not involve superhuman techniques such as disappearing or running across rooftops. Rather, students learn how to defend themselves against attacks with a minimum of movement and force, using bare hands and wooden sticks. According to Keiser, an important mission for a ninja is to gather information, and a key priority is “not to fight” in order to deliver the information safely.

At the dojo, half of the training is devoted to learning how to communicate well with others and how to control emotions. The fee for one two-hour practice session is 3,000 yen (about $22).

Keiser said that ninjutsu trains both mind and body, and he hopes people will be able to use it to improve their lives.