Inner3

                                  Origins of Taka Seigi                           _

Shihan Phillip Legare founded the Taka-Seigi Dojo in 1987 by appointment of Hatsumi Soke, Grandmaster of the nine schools of the Bujinkan, to help bring Americans together in budo fellowship and to transmit Soke's martial arts directly to America.

Taka (Hawk): exemplifies these ideals.
Seigi (Justice): the result of these ideals.

The philosophy of the Taka-Seigi Dojo is to help individuals, families, communities and countries come together in budo spirit to meet their needs and counter the threats of today by combining historical martial arts and practical combat applications.

Shinkengata (real combat methods) was originally developed by Takamatsu Soke and then refined by Hatsumi Soke.

In 1997, through Menkyo Kaiden, Shinkengata was given to the Taka-Seigi Dojo Founder, Phillip Legare, for the purpose of further developed it into Shinken Taijutsu to be a relavent art in the 21st century.

ShinkenTaijutsu was formed from the Shinken of Shinkengata, the Taijutsu of the Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu and the modern applications of many combat methods.


"The hidden sounds of the octave teach us the sounds of the inner secrets."

Dr. Masaaki Hatsumi, Soke

Shihan Phil Legare, 15th Dan

 Phillip Legare Shihan is the senior instructor and founder of the Bujinkan Taka-Seigi Dojo. Legare Shihan started his martial arts training in 1969 under SiLum Kung Fu Sifu Jerry Gibson. He started training in the Bujinkan in 1982 and has been a personal student of Soke Hatsumi since the summer of 1987. He is currently a Judan-Go (15th degree black belt) and licensed master instructor of Budo Taijutsu, in the Bujinkan Dojo, under Soke Masaaki Hatsumi. Soke Hatsumi also awarded Mr. Legare a Judan Menkyo Kaiden (master's license) in Shinken Taijutsu (modern warfare). His experience in various martial arts spans more than 30 years and continues to this day. He has trained with such diverse instuctors as Dan Inosanto and Stephen K. Hayes of the United States, Doron Novan of Israel, Wilderness Survival and Tracking Instructor Tom Brown, the late KuKenpo Soke Shoen Fukuda, and many of the senior Bujinkan Dojo instructors of Japan. Legare Shihan has a Rokudan in Judo, awarded by Grandmaster Philip S. Porter and a Sandan in Kukenpo from Soke Fukuda. In August of 1993, he co-hosted Soke Hatsumi for the highly acclaimed Washington Tai Kai. In December 1993, he earned his first Bujinkan Golden Dragon medal, the Bujinkan's highest award, in recognition of his contributions to better the art of Budo Taijutsu. In 1996, Soke Hatsumi was recognized by the prestigious USMAA and Legare Shihan was appointed the Bujinkan's senior representative and chief examiner to the USMAA. Legare Shihan was awarded a second gold medal for his work with the USMAA. In September 1998, he co-hosted Soke Hatsumi for another highly successful Tai Kai, this time in the Smokey Mountains of Tennessee. Legare Shihan was awarded his third gold medal in December of 1998, for creating Shinken Taijutsu and teaching it to personnel who travel to high threat environments for the U.S. Government.
In 1998, Legare Shihan was named Master Instuctor of the Year and then in 2000, Senior Master Instructor, by the USMAA-Martial Arts Hall of Fame. In 2001, Legare Shihan hosted Hatsumi Soke for a 3rd Tai Kai, this time in Washington DC. This event stands out as the first time Hatsumi Soke has shown his warrior art collection outside of Japan. The Washington Tai Kai 2001 training video earned Legare Shihan an award from the Japanese Art and Film Society for best sports film of the year. Also in 2001, Legare Shihan was awarded an unprecedented fourth Bujinkan Golden Dragon medal.
Mr. Legare has  a Bachelor's Degree in Sociology from New York State University and recently finished a Master's at the prestigious War School. He has written numerous articles that have appeared in several martial arts related magazines. He is a sought after speaker and lecturer on personal protection and the Warrior Ethos. He has lectured at the US Naval Academy on several occasions and will be featured in an upcoming documentary on the Modern Warrior. Legare Shihan has authored a Budo Taijutsu Instructor Manual as well as produced numerous video training videos.
A combat veteran, Master Sergeant Legare retired from the United States Marine Corps in 1996, with more than 22 years honorable service. Mr. Legare now works for the U.S. Government.