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Master Maui Saito's History I was born and raised in Hawaii. My Birth name was Hans Chirstopher Vera Cruz. After Grauduating from High School I had changed my name to Hans Chirstopher Vera Cruz Saito. I added our Saito Family name from Fukushima Valley Japan. In 2003 I changed my name again to pick up my Hawaiian heritage. My full name is now Maui Kekoaali'iokalanikuikala'akea Hans Chirstopher Saito. I studied Aikido and Judo at a very young age. It wasn't until I was fifteen when I had the opportunity to study with my father. That summer a light went on for me. Born and raised in Hawaii, I surfed most of my childhood. Yes, I played a lot of sports; however, there was nothing like surfing. Every wave I caught was a beautiful gift from nature, free form and God's energy in motion. There was nothing like it in the world; the deep blue sea, big waves, and a thrill seeking ride that would take my breath away. I always felt as if mother earth were holding me in the palms of her hands with her wind in my face. Nothing else existed. My spirit in mother nature 's arms and a God force guiding the way. Even my wipe outs were incredible, God always brought me to the surface for my next much needed breath of air. When I started training with my father, it was the same feeling, a much needed next breath of air. In 1972 I was fifteen years old and had a free summer, I went to California and started training with my father. I spent 8 to 10 hours a day at the Dojo 5 to 6 days a week. This was my choice, I did not have to do this. I studied and practiced every bit of this family Art. This lasted 3 months then I was back in Hawaii a sophmore in high school. I noticed a change in myself and so did all of my friends. My confidence had gone up quite a bit. I learned how to protect myself; I learned self defense. An internal shift had occurred and a doorway had opened. My confidence was rooted and I could reach farther than I ever had before. I went back to California and studied with my father the following summer. It was great! I got to study Martial Arts 8 to 10 hours a day. My Senior year in High School my Academics went up to almost straight A's, a first for me! After I graduated in Hawaii it was straight back to California to my father's Dojo to earn my Black Belt. I trained for many years under my father, bouncing back and forth from Hawaii to California. I visited a lot of Dojos and even studied a few Arts under other Sensei's. I kept my mouth shut, went in as a white belt and learned huge differences between what my father taught me and what others had to offer. There was no comparison. After 13 years of teaching, in 1985, I found myself to be very powerful and very good at fighting. At that time I realized an imbalance existed, that went something like this... I knew the next time I got into a fight, I would hit him, he would fall to the ground, he would not get up and I would spend the rest of my life in jail. Wow, something was not right. At that time I put down my weapons and stopped teaching. Wouldn't you know it, as life unfolds it's mysteries to us, the next year I found myself back in California training under my father. In 1986 my father took a handful of students and taught the Philosophy and the Spiritual aspects of our Family Art, which was taught to him in secrecy by his grandfather Hanshichi Saito. He had never before taught at this high a level. I was very fortunate to be invited to this particular class. My father expressed patience. He expressed the willingness to believe. There were large pieces of paper taped to the wall stretched out across the room. He lectured philosophy and spirit as he wrote on the walls from one end of the room to the other. Back and forth tying everything together. He revealed moves to us in some of the dances we learned that he had never shown us before. We trained and practiced at a different level. He taught more self defense and fighting. Every night he had taken all the Martial Arts he had taught over the years and tied it all together with the Philosophy that was passed to him from his granfather. His words were... "This is the magic! This is what's missing in all the other Arts. This is what the others have been dying to learn. This is not written, nor is it taught anywhere in the world." Mark Saito Sr.  The level my father taught me at that time is far superior than anything else out there. It has taken me years to comprehend and develop these skills at a much higher level, to understand the philosophy. It has taken me years to understand it well enough to teach it. I've taught for many years in Hawaii and California. I've even taught at the Master's Dojo nickmaned "The Dungeon". There was a lot of blood, sweat and tears in our training days. This gave me a great foundation. The philosophy he taught me in 1986 was invaluable. I spent the first 13 years of my training learning how to take a person apart and got very good at it. I spent the next 21 years learning how to put that same person back together. That has brought me forward to this day. I now feel in balance enough to teach our Saito Ninjitsu Family Art. "It's a Family Tradition" For more Info please call us at (480) 284-5592 |
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