THE BUJINKAN

The Bujinkan Dojo is a new martial arts organization, having been established by Hatsumi Soke (Founder) in the last 30 years. The literal translation of Bujinkan is "Hall of the Divine Warrior." Hatsumi Soke gave his organization this name to honour his teacher Takamatsu Toshitsugu, the first person to receive the title Soke in all of the nine Ryu of which the Bujinkan is composed and which have histories dating from the eighth century onwards.

The teachings of these schools have been handed down in direct teacher/disciple relationships throughout a lineage of some twohundred and one Soke and thousands of warriors under their tutelage. In brief, bujutsu refers to the classical martial arts/systems (pre-1600's), while ninjutsu is a section within bujutsu.

To think of ninjutsu as being something outside of bujutsu is incorrect, as is thinking of the Bujinkan Dojo as teaching only ninjutsu. Hatsumi Masaaki received the teachings of the nine schools of the Bujinkan from Takamatsu Toshitsugu. Takamatsu Sensei received these teachings from three sources: Toda Shinryuken, Ishitani Matsutaro, and Mizuta Yoshitaro. A brief description of each school is essential to an understanding of the Bujinkan as a whole.

Masaaki Hatsumi is the founder and current Soke, or Grandmaster, of the Bujinkan Martial Arts Organization, currently residing and teaching in the city of Noda, Chiba, Japan. He is also a doctor of oriental medicine, specializing in the mending of bones.

Takamatsu Toshitsugu,Masaaki Hatsumi's teacher, began his training at an early age. His grandfather, Toda Shinryuken Masamitsu, had a bone clinic, and a Budo Dojo in Kobe. In this Dojo he was a Soke of a fighting system known as Shindenfudo Ryu. Toda was of Samurai rank, and originally came from Iga province.

Some of Takamatsu's family had come from Takao, a mountainous part of Iga. Above the door of the dojo was a plaque that read "Shindenfudo Ryu Jutaijutsu". Toda also taught Shinden Koto Ryu Karate (later changed to Koto Ryu Koppojutsu), Gyokko Ryu Kosshijutsu, Kumogakure Ryu Ninpo, Gyokushin Ryu Ninpo, and the Togakure Ryu Ninpo Taijutsu.

Grandfather Toda was also a senior instructor in Bikenshin Ryu Kenjutsu, a school that taught the Tokugawa shoguns and he taught at a military academy in Nakano.

Togakure Ryu Ninjutsu - founded  in the late 1100's AD by Daisuke Nishina
Gyokko Ryu Koshijutsu - mid 1100's by Tozawa Hakuunsai
Koto Ryu Koppojutsu - mid 1500's by Sakagami Taro Kunishige
Kukishinden Ryu Happo Hikenjutsu -mid 1300's by Izumo Kanja Yoshitero
Tagaki Yoshin Ryu Jutaijutsu - early 1600's by Takagi Oriuemon Shigenobu
Shinden Fudo Ryu - mid 1300's by Izumo Kanja Yoshiteru
Gikan Ryu Koppojutsu - mid 1500 by Uryu Hangan Gikanbo
Kumogakure Ryu Ninpo - mid 1500's by Iga Heinaizaemon no Jo Ienaga
Gyokushin Ryu Ninpo - mid 1500's by Sasaki Goemon Teruyoshi