What is the Bujinkan?

The Bujinkan Dojo or “Warrior God Training Hall” is an international martial arts organization based in Japan and headed by Masaaki Hatsumi. The system taught is called Bujinkan Budō Taijutsu, consisting of nine separate martial arts traditions with traceable histories from the ninth century and earlier.

Hatsumi Sensei inherited these ryu ha from his teacher, the late Takamatsu Toshitsugu in 1972. The nine schools of the Bujinkan are:

• Togakure Ryu Ninpo Taijutsu
• Gyokko Ryu Kosshijutsu
• Kukishinden Happo Bikenjutsu
• Koto Ryu Kopppjutsu
• Shinden Fudo Ryu Dakentaijutsu
• Takagi Yoshin Ryu Jutaijutsu
• Gikan Ryu Koppojutsu
• Gyokushin Ryu Ninpo
• Kumogakure Ryu Ninpo

What Should I Expect In Training

The Bujinkan Martial Arts emphasizes natural and relaxed body movement to generate power. The training is generally referred to as taijutsu (unarmed body skill/arts), and is composed of both armed and unarmed methods of fighting. Taijutsu also uses the entire body in a natural way to harmonize and amplify simple movements, rather than relying soley on brute force or speed. The subtle destruction of the attacker’s balance and rhythm and proper control of distance and timing are the primary focus of Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu. These principles allow even smaller persons to effectively defeat larger and more powerful opponents. The fighting skills of the Bujinkan Dojo were tested exclusively in combat by the legendary ninja and samurai of Warring States Japan.

Bujinkan Budō Taijutsu practice does not include participation in competitions or contests because of the possibility of injury or even death from the seriousness and danger of techniques, at most we perform in demonstrations showing the art for what it is.

Specifically however, the Bujinkan is mostly known for teaching kosshijutsu (pressure point, muscle attacks/tears and joint dislocations), koppojutsu (bone breaking), jutaijutsu (throwing, grappling, ground fighting), dakentaijutsu (strikes), happo bikenjutsu (various modern and traditional weapons), and ninpo (philosophical higher order)

”The way of the Ninja is the way of enduring, surviving, and prevailing over all that would destroy one. More than merely delivering strikes and slashes, and deeper in significance than the simple out-witting of an enemy; Ninjutsu is the way off attaining that which we need while making the world a better place.

The skill of the Ninja is the art of winning. In the beginning study of any combative art, proper motivation is crucial. Without the proper frame of mind, continuous exposure to fighting techniques can lead to ruin instead of self-development. But this fact is not different from any other beneficial practice in life carried to extremes.”

“If an expert in the fighting arts sincerely pursues the essence of Ninjutsu, devoid of the influence of the ego's desires, the student will progressively come to realize the ultimate secret for becoming invincible - the attainment of the "mind and eyes of god". The combatant who would win must be in harmony with the scheme of totality, and must be guided by an intuitive knowledge of the playing out of fate.”

“In tune with the providence of heaven and the impartial justice of nature, and following a clear and pure heart full of trust in the inevitable, the Ninja captures the insight that will guide him successfully into battle when he must conquer and conceal himself protectively from hostility when he must acquiesce
“The vast universe, beautiful in its coldly impersonal totality, contains all that we call good or bad, all the answers for all the paradoxes we see around us. By opening his eyes and his mind, the Ninja can responsively follow the subtle seasons and reasons of heaven, changing just as change is necessary, adapting always, so that in the end there is no such thing as a surprise for the Ninja.”

-Takamatsu Sensei

Quotes above are taken from and Courtesy of WIN and Tetsuzan