Takamatsu used to go to sleep at 9pm, and his cat, a Siamese called "Jiro",
given to him by Ichiro Kode, via
Hatsumi Masaaki would sleep with him. He would then rise at 6:30am, and
preform a ritual called "Reisui
Masatsu", this is rubbing the body with a cold wet towel, a daily ritual he
had done since 1926. In all those
years he was never ill. Takamatsu did comment that his lack of illness was
partially due to luck, and not the
wet towel treatment. He would walk everyday for one hour, covering
approximately 8 miles, usually taking his
dogs (he had 20 Spitzes). He also said that he was a very bad time keeper.
Just for his own pleasure he
would paint everyday, just because he enjoyed ft. He once said he made lots
of mistakes in his youth.
Takamatsu had very low blood pressure, so for this he drank "Yomeishu", and
a glass of salt water, which he
said was for his nerves.
When Takamatsu was young his class mates made him get down on his hands,
and knees, and tie a rope to
him. They would then whip him until he cried, at school he was called "cry
baby".
One of these occasions was when he was in the third grade at school. He was
forced to take part in a class
Sumo competition As he was forced to take part, he started to cry. His
classmates noticed this, and started to
tease him. When his turn came he reluctantly entered the ring, his opponent
saw how I frightened he was,
and teased him even further. The boy rushed Takamatsu, and without
realizing it, he moved to the side. The
boy missed him, and ran straight out of the ring. The teacher shouted aloud
"Takamatsu is the winner". After
this he had to fight more of his classmates. Eventually the biggest boy in
the class came to the ring. By now
the class had started to cheer Takamatsu. The boy charged, and in fright
Takamatsu put his hands up in front
of himself, by doing so the large boy ran into him, and was knocked by the
collision onto his back. Takamatsu
was the winner. Then everyone said that Takamatsu was now the strongest.
His Grandfather, Toda Shinryuken Masamitsu, had a bone clinic, and a Budo
Dojo in Kobe. In this Dojo he
was a Soke of a fighting system known as Shindenfudo Ryu. Toda was a 8th
generation of Tozawa Ryu Taro,
who himself was a direct descendant of Tozawa Hakuunsai, the original
founder of Gyokko Ryu Kosshijutsu.
Takamatsu's father, Yasaburo, during his life time had nine different
wives, he also owned a Match factory in
Kobe. Yasaburo was also known as Takamatsu Gishin (Yukichi). Takamatsu
Sensei's natural mother was
Takamatsu Fushi.
The Takamatsu family originated from Matsugashima in Ise. At one point in
their family history the
Takamatsu's had been the Daimyo of this area, owing the Hosokubi castle.
One of their ancestors was
Takamatsu Masatoshi. The family were also connected to the Amsuta Shrine.
Fujiwara Toshihiro gave the
Takamatsu family a makimono scroll called "Amatsu Tatara. This was kept at
the shrine. Takamatsu's father
received from Kumano Shugendo a Dai-Ajari (master degree). Later he because
a company president in
Akashi, and moving the family there. He was also to become a local
government officer. The Amatsu Tatara
scroll connected the Takamatsu family to the Kuki family. Many people
believe the Kuki family to be hereditary
heirs to the Kukishinden Ryu. They are in fact the heirs to the Kukishin
Ryu, a different martial school. In 1920
the Kuki family, permitted Takamatsu to copy all of their scrolls,
including their copy of the Amatsu Tatara.
Takamatsu later recopied the Amatsu Tatara scroll for the Kuki family,
after theirs was destroyed in the war.
3rd April 1959 he presented them with a new copy written by him. He later
explained the contents of the scroll
to the Kuki.
Yasaburo wanted Takamatsu to join the military, but Takamatsu was such a
timid child, and a "cry baby", he
consulted Toda. Toda said that Budo (Martial Arts), would make him strong.
and give him self confidence.
From then on Takamatsu was sent to the Shindenfudo Ryu Dojo every night
after school. He said, later, that
he felt like a lamb being led to the slaughter house.