The Tengu Dojo Lineage

please click on each picture for details

  

                                                                        Soke Dr Masaaki Hatsumi

               

              Shihan Pedro Fleitas                                                                                 Shihan Pedro Gomez

 

 

 

Shihan Alfredo Castan

The Tengu Dojo History

The Tengu Dojo is headed Shihan (Master) Alfredo Castan.  He commenced the study of martial arts back in 1971 at the age of 9 and became a martial arts instructor in 1984 in Karate after winning various competitions in Spain.

In 1986 Shihan Castan was given the honour of becoming a student of the original ancient warrior traditions of Japan, under the guidance of Soke Dr Masaaki Hatsumi, Shihan Pedro Fleitas and Shihan Pedro Gomez.

With  their support, Alfredo was granted the rank of Shidoshi (teacher) of the Warrior Traditions or that one who guides the path of the warrior in 1995, directly from Soke Dr Masaaki Hatsumi, after passing the historical Ninja test known as Sakki.  At that time there were some 400 people with equal rank worldwide.

Shihan Castan mainly earns his living working in the application of contemporary Ninjutsu with in the field of Rescue Fire Fighting, Close Protection Officer (bodyguard) for the Saudi Royal Family as well as serving time in the army.  Combining this experience with his teaching of Budo at his own Dojo's and as a martial science teacher in colleges Shihan Alfredo teaches from his first hand experience of how to apply Ninjutsu to survive which is a very rare characterisitic in modern days.  This experience and constant use of Ninjutsu has gained Shihan Castan the nickname with some Shihan as 'The Ninja Who Does It For Real!!'

Shihan Castan has taught many students throughout his life time, including police officers, bodyguards and military personnel.  Of these only those with special qualities managed to stay in the way of true Budo.  Under the guidance of Shihan Castan many students have overcome the test of truth or Sakki and become teachers themselves of the Warrior Ways. 

The Dojo has not been named "Tengu" by mere chance or because it sounds nice.  On the 2nd of June 2000, David, Alfredo's brother also passed the Sakki test.  But what is significant about David's, is that he was the '1000'th Tengu roaming the world', as Soke Hatsumi described.  Unknown to everyone, Hatsumi had fulfilled his intention to ensure the survival of the Warrior Traditions in future generations by achieving his goal of having 1000 Shidoshi.  To commemorate this, Soke Hatsumi gave David the Golden Medal of the Tengu Warrior and a poem written by Soke Himself.  Therefore as Sensei named Alfredo's brother 'Tengu,' in honour of this all Castan Dojo's were to be named as such. 

Shihan Alfredo felt greatly honoured by serving as an instrument for having not just one of his students, but his own brother finally complete  Sensei's wishes.

From that day on all Bujinkan Castan Dojo's were named Bujinkan Tengu Dojo 'Mystical Guardians of the Divine Warrior Traditions' in commemoration to Sensei and such a historical event.

Shihan Alfredo continues his path in Budo with balanced determination, inspiring the members of his Dojo to achieve enlightend development as excellent human beings.