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| About Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu |
Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu is a ancient Japanese martial art dating back 900 years that focuses on weapons, unarmed combat techniques and using multiple attackers. Commonly known as ninjutsu, Bujinkan actually incorporates nine ryu (schools) of martial arts, 3 of which are ninjutsu ryu and the other 6 are samurai ryu. The art therefore encompasses a wide range of traditional and modern applications of armed and unarmed fighting techniques. (More detail about these ryu and the skills learnt can be read below). The Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu is founded and directed by Dr. Masaaki Hatsumi. The Bujinkan Dojo is located in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. The Bujinkan Dojo can be translated as "The Warrior Gods Training Hall". The organisation that the Komichi Dojo comes under in Australia is called Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu, Australia. There are a number of organisations in Australia, but the BBTA is the only one with Japan trained instructors and we also help those who want to go to Japan. The highest graded persons in Australia are Ed Lomax and Tim Bathurst, who are graded 15th Dan and act as a co-ordinator's for this nation wide group and are the sole representatives of Dr. Masaaki Hatsumi in this country. Throughout the year, seminars are held by various dojos from around the country to host special guests visiting our country who have trained in Japan for a considerable amount of time and show a wide range of different techniques being taught in Japan to the present day.
A Brief Modern History of Bujinkan In 1957, young Yoshiaki Hatsumi (Masaaki Hatsumi) was an avid martial artist working as a bone doctor in Chiba Prefecture, roughly two hours outside of Tokyo, the capital of Japan. Since childhood, martial arts had held his fascination, leading him to study various styles under several teachers. But Hatsumi was looking for something special and found himself drawn to an ideal that continually eluded him no matter how many teachers he studied with. He wished to explore real martial arts - the art of war - ancestor of modern sport versions. He was told about an aging master of martial arts named Toshitsugu Takamatsu. The scant details of Takamatsu's life sounded like an adventure novel as he had spent 12 years as a young man inside a chaotic China instructing martial arts, eventually becoming a personal bodyguard of Pu Yi, the last emperor of China. His prowess as a master of Budo, the martial way, led him to be known as “Moko no Tora,” or the “Mongolian Tiger.” At the height of his notoriety in China, he was said to have thousands of students. The article enthralled Hatsumi, who immediately set out to journey the half-day train ride south to the ancient city of Kashihara, in Nara Prefecture, to meet this remarkable man. Little did Hatsumi realize exactly who he was seeking out. Takamatsu was in fact the world's last “combat ninja,” trained since childhood in the ancient teachings of the legendary ninja warrior tradition. Incredibly, many of Takamatsu's exploits are still secret to this day, lest they challenge the accepted version of history in modern China. Upon first meeting Takamatsu, Hatsumi had a match with him. Takamatsu, in his 70s and the owner of a small, unassuming tea house, tossed young Hatsumi around like a child and he experienced what he called "hot pain," a feeling like he would explode. Takamatsu, who was not accepting any students, agreed to begin teaching Hatsumi. Thus began a 15-year odyssey between master and disciple. Each weekend during that time, Hatsumi made the half-day journey from his home to study with Takamatsu, who initiated him into Ninpo Taijutsu, ninja techniques and strategies passed down for generations. After many years under Takamatsu's tutelage, Hatsumi was becoming a strong Budoka, student of Budo. One weekend, as Hatsumi sat sipping tea with Takamatsu, the old master quietly left the room without explanation. Hatsumi waited patiently for his return - his back to the doorway. Suddenly, Hatsumi felt the need to duck. As he slipped to his side, a live sword blade passed through the space his body had occupied only a moment before. Takamatsu had approached unnoticed from behind and given his student one final test. Shortly after, Takamatsu granted Hatsumi the title of 34th generational Soke, "head of the family," of Togakure Ryu Ninpo Taijutsu, one of the last surviving schools of Ninjutsu dating back nearly 900-years. Eventually, Hatsumi would inherit eight more ancient traditions, comprising all of Takamatsu's collective knowledge. Takamatsu died on April 2nd, 1972. Yoshiaki Hatsumi, who had changed his name to Masaaki on Takamatsu's advice, founded the Bujinkan Dojo, or “warrior god training hall,” to honor his teacher. Hatsumi then spent the next 10 years studying the teachings of his master, with a small group of dedicated Japanese and foreign students. In 1982, he traveled to America for a series of seminars where his skills, energy, and message reached thousands of people and helped fuel the “ninja boom.” This explosion of popularity consisting of television, movies, and magazines was a double-edged sword, granting Hatsumi a media platform for his wisdom and experience, but also gave opportunists - inexperienced or unlicensed instructors as well as outright frauds - bait to lure eager students into negative, costly, or even dangerous training. In time, these charlatans and false teachings succumbed to the legitimate skills and dedication of serious practitioners, who had quietly kept training around the world, maintaining ties with Hatsumi and his Shihan, top instructors, in Japan. Slowly, they formed strong groups and eventually their own schools. Today, the Bujinkan flourishes, having matured with tens of thousands of students around the world. Long-time students have come to realize that the ideals, skills, and philosophy of this once secret and enigmatic art are not learned simply for self-defense, but rather personal growth. The physical lessons of Taijutsu forge the heart, mind, and spirit into tools to live a sincere and just life. - Thanks to James Morganelli for the above history description.
Focus of the Training The training focus of Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu is body movement and weapons. This martial art is not a sport, however the participant can make the training as energetic as he/she feels. There are no rules. There are rules however to learning the basics! First the beginner will learn how to walk, roll (all directions), evade and posture stances. Progressing from there punching, kicking, grappling and using weapons (all types). When the teacher feels the student has improved in his/her training they will be graded to a higher level. The training is generally referred to as taijutsu, and is composed of both armed and unarmed methods of fighting. Much of the basic taijutsu taught to beginners comes from six primary lineages in the Bujinkan compendium, namely Kotō-ryū, Gyokko-ryū, Shinden Fudō-ryū, Takagi Yōshin-ryū, Kuki Shinden-ryū, and Togakure-ryū. A large variety of weapons are taught and these are categorised into four primary classes - sticks, blades, flexibles, and projectiles. See the weapons/clothing page for more information about weapons. Bujinkan Budō Taijutsu practitioners don't engage in competitions or contests.
The Historical Ninja For more information on the "Historical Ninja" please read this excellent article written by Masaaki Hatsumi.
Nine Ryūha of the Bujinkan Bujinkan has within its curriculum nine ryūha (styles) of martial arts. Dr. Masaaki Hatsumi, is the current grandmaster of all these schools. Gyokko-ryū Kosshijutsu (玉虎流骨指術) Kotō-ryū Koppōjutsu (虎倒流骨法術) Shinden Fudō-ryū Dakentaijutsu (神伝不動流打拳体術) Takagi Yōshin-ryū Jūtaijutsu (高木揚心流柔体術) Kuki Shinden-ryū Happō Bikenjutsu (九鬼神伝流八法秘剣術) Gikan-ryū Koppōjutsu (義鑑流骨法術) Togakure-ryū Ninpō (戸隠流忍法) The school contained Yon-po Hiden (Four Secrets): Senban Shuriken (Four pointed throwing star), Shuko and Ashiko (Spiked bands worn on hands {Shuko} and sometimes feet {Ashiko}, for climbing), Shinodake (A tube used as a snorkel or blowgun) and Kyoketsu Shoge (A peculiar blade attached to cord which is in turn attached to a heavy ring) and taijutsu. Gyokushin-ryū Ninpō (玉心流忍法) Kumogakure-ryū Ninpō (雲隠流忍法) A good listing of the lineages for each school can be found here
The 18 Disciplines of Bujinkan Ninjutsu, which makes up 3 of the ryu (styles) within Bujinkan, contains eighteen disciplines, forminng a complete and complimentary training for the warrior in martial arts. Sumarai and Ninja used these same disciplines although some techniques within each disciplined varied slightly. The 18 disciplines are:
Ranks and Gradings The Bujinkan Dōjō establishes a series of nine kyū grades below the rank of black belt, starting with Mukyu (no grade/white belt) and then from Kukyu (9th kyu) to Ikkyu (1st kyu). Kyū ranks usually wear green or red belts: green for men and red for women, although there is some variety amongst teachers and dōjō. There were originally 10 dan grades, as with many other martial arts using the kyū/dan ranking system, but this was changed by sōke Masaaki Hatsumi to 15 dan grades of black belt. The grades are divided into three groupings; 1st-5th dan Ten (heaven), 6th-10th dan Chi (earth), 11th-15th dan Jin (man). The last five are further divided into the five elements; Chi (earth), Sui (water), Ka (fire), Fū (wind) and Kū (void). Since there are generally only two belt colors, the practitioner's rank is displayed by the color of the art's emblem, called wappen (ワッペン, from the German Wappen), which has the kanji "bu"(武) and "jin" (神) on it. There are four kinds of wappen (9th to 1st kyū, 1st to 4th dan, 5th to 9th dan, and 10th to 15th dan) sometimes augmented with up to four silver or gold stars (called hoshi) above or around the emblem, representing the individual ranks. At 5th dan (godan), practitioners submit to a test before the sōke to establish that they are able to sense the presence of danger and evade it, considered to be a fundamental survival skill. This is called the sakki. A practitioner ranked as godan or above has the option of becoming a licenced teacher (shidōshi). A shidōshi is entitled to open his own dōjō, and hand out ranks up to 4th dan at the premises he wishes. A practitioner ranked as 1st to 4th dan may become a licenced "assistant teacher" (shidōshi-ho), if backed by and acting under the supervision of a shidōshi 5th to 9th dan or a person who has been given 10th dan (jūdan). In the Bujinkan a 10th to 15th dan is often referred to as a shihan. In addition to the kyū/dan ranking system, a few select senior master practitioners have earned older menkyo kaiden certificates of mastery in individual school lineages. These menkyo kaiden certificates essentially establish that the master practitioner has learned all that there is to learn about the particular lineage. Whereas the kyū/dan ranks are often made public, those select practitioners who have earned menkyo kaiden rarely divulge their status. 10th Kyu - Mukyu 無 級 Shidoshi-Ho 士 道 師 補 An excellent FAQ about Bujinkan is available here
Want to Read More? A good collection of articles, interviews, biographies can be found in our links section. |
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