About Bujinkan (武神館)

 

The meaning of the word Bujinkan is: Divined Warriors Hall. The Bujinkan is a school of traditional Ninjutsu, Samuraijutsu and Budo taijutsu as taught by Grandmaster Masaaki Hatsumi. Bujinkan Ninjutsu is a combination of 9 ryu intermixed all together. Six ryus are traditional Samurai Family and 3 are traditional Ninjutsu and Ninpo. Bujinkan training is about putting together the mind body and spirit in a more than a 1000 years of lifeform.

Few people refer to Bujinkan as Ninjutsu, because 3 of the 9 schools were founded by warriors, who were called by their known name the „ninjas”. Understandably, this is just a part of our teaching methods, the other 6 schools come from samurai roots.

We often refer to Bujinkan as a living art, because it improves with the age and the person who practices it. Training a lot can give you the physical virtue, but cannot substitute the knowledge and experience. That’s the reason why this martial art is getting more effective, as the practicioner gets older.

 

9 schools of Bujinkan


Togakure Ryu ninpo taijutsu - 戸隠流忍法体術
Gyokko Ryu kosshijutsu - 玉虎流骨指術
Kukishinden Ryu - 九鬼神伝流八法秘剣術
Koto Ryu koppojutsu - 虎倒流骨法術
Shinden Fudo Ryu dakentaijutsu - 神伝不動流打拳体術
Takagi Yoshin Ryu jutaijutsu - 高木揚心流柔体術
Gikan Ryu koppojutsu - 義鑑流骨法術
Gyokushin Ryu ninpo - 玉心流忍法
Kumogakure Ryu ninpo - 雲隠流忍法

 

  • • Togakure-Ryu Ninpo Taijutsu (Ninjutsu) - (the hidden door school)
    Founded in the Ôho-era by 戸隠大助 Togakure Daisuke. This school is known in the Bujinkan as the school where all the Ninjutsu techniques come from. In the 80's everything that was taught in Bujinkan was called Togakure-ryu, but the truth is that most of the things that was taught was from the schools above. You could say that the name was used to attract many students. - Hatsumi sôke is the 34'th generation grandmaster

    • Gyokko-Ryu Kosshijutsu (jeweled tiger school) (Specializing in the muscular system)
    Founded in the Hogen-era (1156-1159) by 戸沢白雲斎 Tozawa Hakûnsai. This school is perhaps the school that have the biggest influence of the unarmed basics in Bujinkan, such as Sanshin no kata, and Kihon-happô. Striking with the fingers and toes is very characteristic of this style of fighting.- Hatsumi sôke is the 28'th generation grandmaster

    • Koto-Ryu Koppojutsu (tiger knocking down school) (Specializing in the skeletal structure)
    Founded in the Tenbun-era (1532) by 坂上太郎国重 Sakagami Taro Kunishige. This school's speciality is the art of manipulating the bone structure. The foot work is also quite unique by cross stepping, quite similar to the chinese styles. Also the use of the sword in this school is quite unorthodox. - Hatsumi sôke is the 18'th generation grandmaster

    • Shindenfudo-Ryu Dakentaijutsu (tradition of the immovable god school) (Specializing in natural movements)
    Founded in the Yeikyu-era (1113 a.d.) by 出雲冠者義照 Izumo Kanja Yoshiteru. The school is characterized as a style that emphasizes natural movements, and the study of nature is important.- Hatsumi sôke is the 26'th generation grandmaster

    • Gyokushin-Ryu Ninpo Happo Biken (Ninjutsu) (jeweled heart school)
    Founded in the Tenbun-era (1532) by 佐々木 Sasaki Goeman Teruyoshi. This school has not been taught that much yet. - Hatsumi sôke is the 21'st generation grandmaster

    • Kukishinden-Ryu Dakentaijutsu Happo Bikken (Samurai) (Tradition of the Nine Demon Gods school)
    Founded at the end of the Kamakura-era (1336) by 出雲冠者義照 Izumo Kanja Yoshiteru. The school is most famous in Bujinkan for it's many weapons techniques such as sword, spear, halberd and staffs of various lengths. - Hatsumi sôke is the 28'th generation grandmaster

    • Gikan-Ryu Koppo Taijutsu (    Regard for Justice school) (Specializing in the skeletal structure - 18th Generation)
    Founded in the Yeiroku-era (1558-1570) by 瓜生判官義鑑房 Uryu Hangan Gikanbo. This school has not been taught to ANYONE. - Hatsumi sôke is the 15'th generation grandmaster

    • Takagiyoshin-Ryu Jutaijutsu (Samurai style jujutsu) (the school of High Tree Willow Spirit)
    Founded in the Yeiroku-era (1625-1711) by 高木折右衛門重俊 Takagi Oriemon Shigenobu. The school is a self defence style both Jûjutsu unarmed close combat techniques, and mûtô-dori unarmed against sword attacks. - Hatsumi sôke is the 26'th generation grandmaster

    • Kumogakure-Ryu Ninpo Happo Bikken (Ninjutsu) (Hidden Cloud school)

Founded in the Tenmon-era (1532-1554) by 伊賀平内左衛門家長 Iga Heinaizaemon Ienaga This school has not been taught that much yet. - Hatsumi sôke is the 15'th generation grandmaster