Ninpo Europe

The Bujinkan

The Bujinkan Dojo is an international organization headed by Masaaki Hatsumi Soke and contains the teachings
and knowledge of 9 martial traditions, as passed down from Takamatsu Toshitsugu, the last known combat ninja.

Ryu-Ha

Masaaki Hatsumi Soke teaches the following martial traditions in the Bujinkan:

Togakure-ryu Ninpo Taijutsu

Gyokko-ryu Kosshijutsu

Kuki Shinden-ryu Happo Bikenjutsu

Koto-ryu Koppojutsu

Shinden Fudo-ryu Dakentaijutsu

Takagi Yoshin-ryu Jutaijutsu

Gikan-ryu Koppojutsu

Gyokushin-ryu Ninpo

Kumogakure-ryu Ninpo

Fighting Skills

Bujinkan Dojo encompasses both armed and unarmed fighting skills. A variety of traditional japanese weapons
are taught, including daito, wakizashi, tanto, bo, hanbo, kyoketsu shoge, yari, naginata and many more.
Following is a list of the fighting arts as taught in the Bujinkan Dojo:

• Taihenjutsu (body movement through harmony and energy)
• Dakentaijutsu (striking method in pressure points)
• Jutaijutsu (Twistings, lockings and throws)
• Bikenjutsu (sword fighting)
• Bojutsu (staff)
• Hanbojutsu (half-staff)
• Sojutsu (Spear)
• Naginatajutsu (Japanese halberd)
• Ninki (weapons such as shuriken, kusarigama, kusarifundo, metsubushi)

Within the Bujinkan, the element of surprise, deception and stealth is prominent, a valuable exercise when practicing awareness.

Grading

The grades in the Bujinkan Dojo are split into kyu and dan grades. A practicioner in the Bujinkan usually starts with
mukyu, and a white belt before moving on the the kyu grades. Practicioners in kyu grades wear a green belt over
a black gi, whereas practitioners in dan grades wear a black belt over a black gi. The dan system is taken from the
Ten-chi-jin ryaku no maki where:

1 - 5 Dan: Ten
6 - 10 Dan: Chi
Judan Levels: Jin

The 5th Dan requires the Sakki  test, which can only be taken in Japan, in presence of the Soke.

In addition to the belt, a patch with the Bujinkan Kanji inscribed and certain stars are used to determine the rank
of the practitioner.

The following table shows how the grading system is defined:

Grade	Title	Belt	Patch	Stars
Mukyu	None	White	None	None
Kukyu	None	Green		None
Hachikyu	None	Green
Shichikyu	None	Green
Rokkukyu	None	Green
Gokyu	None	Green
Yonkyu	None	Green
Sankyu	None	Green
Nikyu	None	Green
Ikkyu	None	Green
Shodan	Shidoshi-ho	Black		None
Nidan	Shidoshi-ho	Black
Sandan	Shidoshi-ho	Black
Yondan	Shidoshi-ho	Black
Godan	Shidoshi	Black		None
Rokkudan	Shidoshi	Black
Shichidan	Shidoshi	Black
Hachidan	Shidoshi	Black
Kudan	Shidoshi	Black
Judan	Shihan	Black		None
Judan-Chigyo	Shihan Chigyo	Black
Judan-Suigyo	Shihan Suigyo	Black
Judan-Kagyo	Shihan Kagyo	Black
Judan-Fugyo	Shihan Fugyo	Black
Judan-Kugyo	Shihan Kugyo	Black