About Todd Ryotoshi Norcross 
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 in 1987.  
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 regular trips to Ohio for weekend seminars with Hayes and Tai Kai's with Soke Masaaki Hatsumi. 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 Kais, Advanced Workshops, Seminars and events with Soke Masaaki Hatsumi, Fumio Manaka, Shoto Tanemura, Toshiro Nagato, Tetsuji Ishizuka, Yukio Noguchi, Hideo Seno, Koryu Muramatsu, 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 his own full-time Samurai/Ninja school (The Dojo Martial Arts) in Mason, Ohio, - 25 miles northeast of Cincinnati.


- 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
- Awarded the warrior name 'Ryotoshi' (Knight of the Clear Blade of Truth) in 2007 by SKH
- 刀 能 流 Tōnō Ryu Sword Style
- Amazon Books Best-selling co-author of Elite Martial Artists in America (2024)


He was a member of the Marishi-Kai protectors guild. He has body-guarded 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.  

He has over 25,000 hours of on-the-mat direct teaching and training experience. *

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 Record 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.

His recent single "Ain't Nothing Gonna Break My Stride" has earned over 1,948,685 streams on Spotify.

He co-authored a chapter in the Amazon best-selling Elite Martial Artists in America Volume 2 book in 2024.

He resides in West Chester, Ohio.
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*Mr.  Norcross has traveled all over the U.S., teaching workshops and seminars on the Martial Arts and Weapons of Budo.  He has many LDS (Long-Distance Students) throughout the world.

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.