"American Yoshinkan," Yutashi Hasaka, Stephen W. Hatfield and Bret Gordon

[MTTKDGUY]

American Yoshinkan -- supposedly a style of Aiki Jujutsu founded by a "Yutashi Hasaka" in 1957, whom I can't find any information about (the very few references that come up all seem to track back to this American Yoshinkan group). Anyone ever heard of this supposedly revered aiki jujutsu pioneer?

Link to their web site: https://www.americanyoshinkan.com/

The supposed inheritor of this style is someone named Bret Gordon, who runs a school called Trio Martial Arts in Florida (he has a thread on Bullshido from 2008).

Bret Gordon links: http://www.triomartialarts.com/ and one of his organizations: http://www.join-usama.com/

He "inherited" the style from a guy named Stephen W. Hatfield who is still alive, runs a school called "Technician Dojo" in Columbus Ohio, and has as of today at the age of 35 earned enough black belts and founded enough styles to make Bob Yoder blush. For example, here's one of Hatfield's resumes (this was posted on a survivalist forum, taken from Hatfield's Black Dragon Fighting Society bio, which has since been removed from the BDFS site):

· 09 Received P.H.D in Martial Science From the International School Of Martial Science
· 09 Received Award of Thanks from Prince Bader Bin Saud Bin Mohammad Mogren Ai-Saud, From Saudi Arabia
· W.A.T.E.R.S Knife Self-Defense Program (Founder) 10th Dan Grandmaster
· Flowing Hands Ju-Jitsu Edged Weapons Expert Master
· A.J.K.F Certified Ryu-Saiichi-Do Karate 10th Dan (Founder)
· W.A.R Free safety classes for the abused (Founder)
· K.A.S.E Child Safety Program (Founder)
· J.P.K.F Certified Combat Hanki 8th Dan Sokedai (Fathers system)
· W.T.F Certified Tae-Kwon-Do 8th Dan
· I.T.F Certified Tang-Soo-Do 6th Dan Master
· U.A.F Certified Ueshiba Aikido 5th Dan Master
· American Bujikan Ninjitsu 5th Dan Master
· Daito Ryu Ju-Jitsu 6th Dan Master
· W.I.F Certified Iaido 4th Dan Apprentice Master
· Kemibudoki Certified Goju Ryu Karate 5th Dan Master
· W.B.B.B American Goju Ryu Karate Do 5th Dan Master
· West Karate Systems Certified Wae-Kune-Do Karate Yudansha Black Belt
· W.O.M.A Certified Soke Founder Of Ryu-Saiichi-Do Karate Do 10th Dan Master
· Chinese Sokeship Licensing Board Certified Tenshi-Akuma-Do Sword Style 10th Dan Master (Founder)
· Vice President/Co Founder of The Ohio School of Martial Science
· A.S.C American Sokeship Council 10th Degree Black Belt (Founder) of Tenshi-Akuma-Do Karate Sub Branch
· Te-Ashi-Do Goshinjitsu Organization (Founder)

He also makes claims of being a LEO and that doesn't even include claims of being up to a 5th or 7th dan in Kodokan Judo (depending on the story he was telling) that he recently had to admit were false...Hatfield's dojo is wallpapered with certs, some of which are easily identified as Bullshido. He clearly has a fake credentials addiction, it seems...some links:

http://www.thetechniciandojo.com/
https://www.facebook.com/HatfieldSensei/
https://www.facebook.com/steve.hatfield.9212

Hatfield and Gordon actually have quite a spiderweb of organizations going on with the usual self and cross-certification nonsense, like this Jidokwan association they're running now: http://www.americanjidokwan.com/

Anyway...anyone know anything about this supposed Yoshinkan founder?

[scipio]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoshinkan

[scipio]

Did some Google fu - other than this organisations websites little mention. There was some mention in a French website (blocked by work firewall). Yoshinkan is a well known hard Aikido style (if there is such a thing). I do wonder if you rocked up at the dojo you would end up doing a lot of Aikido.

Link to Yoshinkan Aikido

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoshinkan

Double post - sorry

[NeilG]

Yoshinkan is not necessarily specific to aikido. There’s a kendo dojo in Vancouver called Youshinkan, they are completely legit.

[MTTKDGUY]

They are claiming their style is partially based on Yoshinkan Aikido despite the fact they and the style's "founder" (a "Yutashi Husaka") have no training in the style. They tell a pretty wild and improbable story regarding it's history up to it being inherited by this Hatfield guy (in 2007) who has since handed it down (secret scrolls and all) to Gordon. Gordon is interesting in that at age 16, Bullshido looked at him and let him off the hook regarding bogus ranks and claims...looks like he didn't learn his lesson and never stopped shopping around for ranks and recognition...

https://www.bullshido.net/forums/for...l-arts-academy

[GG Greysmith]

So I came across this thread as I recently completed a blog entry reviewing their their claims against a legitimate Judoka as well as their American Yoshinkan Aikijujutsu on my blog.

It seems the Yoshinkan Aikido Hombu even stated by email to me that Hasake Yutashi didn't even sound Japanese to them though they claim he had multiple names throughout his life.

http://greysmithinvestigations.blogspot.com

It won't let me link the article but it is my most recent one, "The Log in Your Eye" if anyone wants to see the emails. They're at the bottom of the entry. Gordon released a blog entry himself stating that the name comes from "kari kari" and would be pronounced "Yutaki" though translators who work with me say that's incredibly false.