A new 2026 Amazon best-selling philosophy book featuring a chapter by Shihan Todd Ryotoshi Norcross is now available.
Congratulations to Sensei Norcross,
who was awarded the Best Seller
Elite Martial Artists From White Belt to Wisdom Volume IV: Life Lessons on the Journey to Mastery
in 35 categories across the US, Canada, Australia, and the UK on Amazon Books
Signed Copies by Sensei Norcross are now available in Hardback or Soft Cover ($19.95 or $14.95)
Biography of Todd Ryotoshi Norcross (Awarded the title "Knight of the Clear Blade of Truth" in 2006)
トッド ノークロス
Sensei Norcross began studying Uechi-Ryu Karate at the age of ten in Massachusetts. He earned his first Black Belt in Karate at the age of seventeen.
Looking for a Martial Art with more depth, he began traveling the U.S. to train in Ninjutsu at the Kinryu "Barn Dojo" with An-Shu Stephen K. Hayes in 1984. He continued to make regular trips to Ohio for weekend seminars with Hayes and various Tai Kai around the U.S., as well as to Soke Masaaki Hatsumi's seminars. He was first published at the age of seventeen in the Musubi Journal, conducting a training interview with An Shu Stephen K. Hayes. He began training with Shihan Mark Davis at the Boston dojo in 1986. Throughout the years, Mr. Norcross has attended dozens of Tai Kai, Advanced Workshops, Seminars, and events with Soke Masaaki Hatsumi, Fumio Manaka, Shoto Tanemura, Toshiro Nagato, Tetsuji Ishizuka, Yukio Noguchi, Hideo Seno, Koryu Muramatsu, and Arnaud Cousergue in Japan and Mitsunari Kanai Sensei (New England Aikikai) in Boston, MA.
In 1999, he moved permanently from Massachusetts to Dayton, Ohio, to become a personal student of Black Belt Hall of Fame member An-Shu Stephen K. Hayes.
In 2006, he opened a full-time Samurai/Ninja school (The Dojo Martial Arts) in Mason, Ohio, 25 miles northeast of Cincinnati.
His hit single "Ain't Nothing Gonna Break My Stride" has earned a double-platinum award on Spotify with over 2,300,000 streams.
- Bujinkan Budo (9th Dan) - Sakki Test given by Dai Shihan Arnaud Cousergue (France)
- Budo Taijutsu Shihan 9th Dan (Hanshi)
- Awarded Bujinkan Shidoshi Teaching License by Masaaki Hatsumi in Japan
- To-Shin Do (3rd Dan in 2007) awarded by Stephen K. Hayes
- Uechi Ryu Karate (Shodan in 1987)
- Presented the Eastern Name 'Ho-Un' (Dharma Cloud) in 2004
- Member of Stephen K. Hayes' Marishi Kai Instructors Guild Dignitary Protection Team
- Awarded the warrior name 'Ryotoshi' (Knight of the Clear Blade of Truth) in 2007 by SKH
- 刀 能 流 Tōnō Ryu Sword Style Founder (2011)
- Amazon Books Best-selling co-author of Elite Martial Artists in America (2024)
- Co-Author of Elite Martial Artists Worldwide (2025)
- 2025 International Best-Selling Contributing Author (Elite Martial Artist Worldwide Compilation Book) Award Winner.
- 9.75 million song streams achievement award on Spotify
He was a member of the Marishi-Kai protectors guild. He has bodyguarded several times for the Dalai Lama, Muhammad Ali, and other celebrities and dignitaries.
He is certified through Wright State University in Anti-Bullying Psychology. From 2002-2005, he co-founded and taught hundreds of students at Spirit Quest - a non-profit inner-city youth program with 5 locations.
Throughout the decades, he has taught self-defense courses for Local and State Law Enforcement, the U.S. Military, and various Public and Private School systems.
Outside of the dojo, Mr. Norcross has Degrees in Philosophy and Recording Engineering (Recording Workshop, Chillicothe, Ohio).
He hosted the YouTube learning series "Relaxation Oil Painting" - based on the techniques of television artist Bob Ross.
He has written and recorded 32 original albums of music (including the popular 'Taiken' Taiko Drum training music Series I-IV) and instrumental compositions for television and film.
He co-authored a chapter in the 2024 Amazon best-selling Elite Martial Artists in America Volume 2.
In 2025, Sensei Norcross was awarded the "Best Seller Elite Martial Artist Worldwide Volume 3 in 35 categories across the US, Canada, Australia, and the UK on Amazon Books.
In 2026, Sensei Norcross was awarded the "Best Seller" Elite Martial Artists From White Belt to Wisdom Volume IV: Life Lessons on the Journey to Mastery. Sensei wrote a chapter in the book. Get your copy today on Amazon!
He resides in West Chester, Ohio.
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*Mr. Norcross has traveled throughout the U.S., teaching workshops and seminars on the Martial Arts and the Weapons of Budo. He has many LDS (Long-Distance Students) worldwide.
If your dojo or training organization wishes to host a continuing education seminar with Mr. Norcross, contact thedojocincinnati@gmail.com for more details and hourly/daily/weekend pricing.
Sensei instructing at the Ninja Gathering Seminar in Dayton, Ohio in October 2024
Sensei training with Soke Masaaki Hatsumi, The Grandmaster of Ninjutsu in Japan.
Dojo Sr. Instructors training at a private lesson at An Shu Stephen K. Hayes' home dojo.
Black Belt Hall of Fame member Hayes is considered the "Father of American Ninjutsu" and has written over twenty books on the subject of samurai and ninja martial arts.
Sensei Norcross has been a dedicated student of Mr. Hayes for more than 40 years.
Todd Norcross was studying Uechi Ryu Karate at age 14.
Todd Norcross with Ninjutsu teacher Mark Davis
training in Boston in 1985
Todd and Mark have both run professional martial arts schools
for several decades.
Todd Norcross practicing with a Ninja sword in 1985/86
Photo of Sensei Norcross practicing with nature in 1987
A young Shodan -meditating in 1987.
Todd Norcross (in Kasumi no Kamae) with a Gunto sword from an article from 1988. (Photo from The Brockton Enterprise Newspaper)
Photo:
Sensei at his Kenjutsu dojo training in Hasso no Kamae (1999)
Fan Art
Sensei Norcross with
Soke Masaaki Hatsumi in Atago, Japan
Bujinkan Rank - 9th Dan
Todd Norcross
Signed
Soke Masaaki Hatsumi
Studying under Stephen K. Hayes
2001
Sensei Norcross
with two of his teachers
An Shu Stephen K. Hayes and
Rumiko Urata Hayes
after a seminar
at The Dojo.
Mr. Norcross
Sword Training with
Yukio Noguchi
19th Soke Koto Ryu
in Tokyo, Japan
Mr. N. training with
Tetsuji Ishizuka
29th Soke Gyokko Ryu
Mr. N. with the late
Seno Sensei,
after class in Tokyo.
Soke Masaaki Hatsumi explaining the meaning of the scroll he drew
for Sensei Norcross' dojo.
T.N. with Sword Teacher
Dai Shihan
Arnaud Cousergue
(Paris, France)
with
Pencak Silat Master
Richard Crabbe De-Bordes
seminar at The Dojo
1990's news article featuring Sensei Norcross and his musical talents.
Mr. N. teaching a Ninjutsu demonstrating on stage
at a Comicon
in Boise, Idaho 2004.
with Physicist
Michio Kaku
After a lecture with Science Communicator/
Physicist Michio Kaku
Mr. N. at a shrine in
Toshiki, Japan
40 plus years on the Budo path.
Sensei Norcross with a Suburi-to, stomp-kicking tree in 1984.
Mr. N training in the 1980's.
1986 Massachusetts Newspaper photo accompanying an article on the Ninja featuring Mr. Norcross
39 years later...
Marishi Kai
Bodyguard Guild
detail for the Dalai Lama
-2001-20022
Sensei Norcross with other teachers
at Stephen K. Hayes Dojo (around 2001)
Todd Norcross training with Bo, Sword and Taijutsu
in the 1980's
Sparring with Stephen K. Hayes 2002
Studying Meditation with friend Stephen K. Hayes and a Tibetan Monk (2007)
Listening to a story about Toshitsugu Takamtatsu from Masaaki Hatsumi in Japan.
Visiting Masaaki Hatsumi's home in Noda City, Japan.
.
Around 2002,
Mr. N and
Black Belt friends
private training at the home of Stephen K. Hayes.
Hosting a seminar with Rumiko Urata Hayes and Stephen K. Hayes
Mr. N. as a "modern-day shinobi" at a ninja camping event
Sensei Norcross takes down an opponent with advanced triple techniques -
osoto gake, an omote gyaku and a shuto hand strike
all at the same moment
A cover collage of T. N. Albums
Sensei training outdoors with the 6' Bo
Teaching Edo period Sword Draws of the Samurai and Ninja in his Mason, Ohio school
Teaching Iaido
Fast Draw of the Sword.
Practicing the
Togakure Ryu escaping methods
of the ninja
with teacher An Shu Hayes.
Sensei Norcross performs an Ouchi Gake (major inner hook) on an opponent
Sensei Norcross practicing his morning kicks at his dojo in Mason, Ohio.
Sensei Norcross training in Japan with the 34th Ninjutsu Grandmaster,
Soke Masaaki Hatsumi
Sensei Norcross using Shinobi climbing methods.
He has been painting since the 1980's.
Justin B. purchases one of Sensei Norcross'
landscape paintings.
"Winter Moon"
Mr. Norcross paints
in the style of his late teacher,
Bob Ross.
Feb 2024 - Sensei Norcross with his 40-plus-year teachers An Shu Stephen K Hayes and An Shu Rumiko Urata Hayes in Bellbrook, Ohio.
2025 Photo:
Shihan Norcross flies with the Naginata.
Sensei Norcross talking with one of his mentors/teachers,
An Shu Stephen K. Hayes
