Manaka Sensei
Manaka Fumio was born on the 14th December 1945. During his childhood his health was rather weak. To improve his health & strength, he took up swimming, judo, kendo,...
At the age of 14 he won a local judo-championship, where he was introduced to Masaaki Hatsumi - Soke of the Bujinkan-federation. After this encounter Manaka Fumio became a personal student of Masaaki Hatsumi.
The next few years were very tough. Manaka Sensei was mainly being used as a training-dummy by the other students. During the first three years he only learnt striking, kicking, and ukemi ("receiving with the body"). As time went by, his fellow-students of those days chose different paths. Manaka Fumio became the 'senior' student himself.
After high school Manaka-san chose a career in the military. He graduated from the Japan Defense Academy in March 1968. Manaka Fumio stayed in the army (the Japanese navy to be more specific) for the next 33 years, until he retired as Lieutenant-Colonel in 2001.
During his years in the Navy being a long way from home (and from his teacher) was not a rare occurrence. Thus to compensate this rigorous solo-training was used to perfect what he had already been taught.
Manaka Sensei's time as a student lasted almost four decades, in which he attained menkyo kaiden in Togakure Ryu Ninpo Taijutsu and Gyokko Ryu Kosshijutsu, as well as instructor-licenses in Koto Ryu Koppojutsu, Kukishin Ryu Happo Biken, Takagi Yoshin Ryu Jutaijutsu, and Shinden Fudo Ryu Dakentaijutsu / Jutaijutsu.
In October 1996 his own organisation was founded, the Jinenkan, and Manaka Fumio chose Unsui as his warrior name. At the same time his own school was also founded: Jinen Ryu (Jissen Kobudo).
Having travelled to the United States several times before, Manaka Unsui decided in 2001 to actually go and live there for a few years. This with the purpose of creating a more direct contact with his American and European students, as well as raising the level of the Jinenkan on an international basis. After deciding that this was indeed the case by 2004, he returned to Japan, where the Jinenkan Honbu Dojo has been located henceforth.
Since retiring from the Navy in 2001, training as well as transmitting the old Japanese martial arts has been a full-time job for Manaka Sensei - in an open, honest, and thorough manner.
Twice a year Sensei travels abroad (alternately to the United States and Europe) to lead an international seminar. In May 2007 Manaka Sensei was our guest in Gent for a whole week which resulted in a very successful seminar. In April 2011 Sensei returns to Gent for another (at least as) successful event!
