What is Budo Taijutsu?
Q. What is the Bujinkan Dojo?
A. The Bujinkan, or Bujinkan Dojo, is a martial arts organization. "Bujinkan Dojo" can be roughly translated to "Warrior Spirit Training Hall" or "House of the Divine Warrior."
Q. What is Budo Taijutsu?
A. Budo Taijutsu is the martial art form practiced within the Bujinkan Dojo organization. It is also known simply as Taijutsu.
Q. How much does it cost to train in the Bujinkan?
A. Adult classes are run in monthly sessions, at the price of $50 per session. Children's classes run in 9 week sessions, at the price of $65 per session. The Bujinkan does not require that students sign a contract.
Q. When are classes held?
A. Classes are held every Monday and Thursday. Children's classes run from 6:30pm to 7:00pm. Adult classes run from 7:00pm - 9:00pm.
Q. Is Budo Taijutsu a good martial art for women?
A. Yes! Because Budo Taijutsu focuses on natural movements and body alignment, rather than on superior strength, it is an ideal martial art for women. Training emphasizes minimum effort for maximum effectiveness.
Q. Can I enroll my child in Budo Taijutsu?
A. Yes. The Bujinkan Shin'Yu Dojo offers classes for children ages 6-12. Students will learn to identify real-world danger and protect themselves from it, while also learning self-discipline, respect for others, and good manners. In a world where children are exposed to stylized violence through television and video games, Budo Taijutsu can provide children with an understanding of what true strength means.
Children will learn how to survive and escape adult attackers. Anti-kidnapping techniques, how to disengage from a fight, and hiding from attackers are all a part of the curriculum for young students.
Q. Will I win trophies?
A. No. Budo Taijutsu is not a competitive or sport martial art. Instead, Budo Taijutsu focuses on traditional training for real life situations. In this spirit, no competitions are held and no trophies are awarded.
Q. How does the belt system work?
A. In the Bujinkan, three different belt colors (white, green, and black) are worn to indicate a student's level of skill and expertise in Budo Taijutsu.
- A white belt is someone who has not been promoted in the Bujinkan system. These students are just beginning their training. Students are typically white belts for the first two to three months of their training before promotion to the first level of green belt.
- A green belt indicates a student who is still working to learn the core materials of the art. There are nine steps, or Kyu, of green belt. 9th Kyu is the lowest stepl and 1st Kyu is the highest. After passing through each of the Kyu, a student reaches the level of black belt.
- A black belt indicates a student who has learned the basic skills of Budo Taijutsu. There are fifteen levels of black belt in the Bujinkan. A first degree black belt is called a shodan.
Q. How are students promoted in the Bujinkan?
A. Students are tested based on a curriculum developed by senior students in Japan. When a student meets the required level of proficiency in the test material, they are promoted.
Q. How is Budo Taijusu different from other martial arts?
A. Budo Taijutsu is different from other martial arts in several ways. First, Budo Taijutsu is a combat martial art, rather than a sport-oriented or point fighting form. In the Bujinkan, students focus on learning to defend themselves and loved ones from attack, rather than on competition with other students. Students of Budo Taijutsu strive to become the archetypal protector.
Another notable difference is that Budo Taijutsu focuses on facing multiple opponents. Students will build the skills necessary to take on multiple opponents in combat simultaneously.
Q. Is Budo Taijutsu the same as Ninjutsu?
A. Budo Taijutsu draws together elements of nine ancient schools of classical Japanese martial culture, known as ryuha, together into a single study. Of the nine schools, three are traditional ninjutsu schools (Togakure Ryu Ninpo, Kumogakure Ryu Ninpo Happo Biken, and Gyokushin Ryu Ninpo Happo Biken). The most important element of ninjutsu that has been integrated into Budo Taijutsu is the philosophy of ninpo, or perseverance.
Q. Who created Budo Taijutsu?
A. Budo Taijutsu is synthesized from traditional Japanese martial art forms. The modern organization was created by the current Soke (Grandmaster), Masaaki Hatsumi, who synthesized the nine ancient schools into one, teachable system.
Q. What traditional Japanese martial arts does Budo Taijutsu encompass?
A. The schools taught under the banner of the Bujinkan Dojo are:
- Togakure Ryu Ninpo
- Koto Ryu Koppojutsu
- Gyokko Ryu Koshijutsu
- Kukishinden Happo Biken
- Takagi Yoshin Ryu Jutaijutsu
- Kumogakure Ryu Ninpo Happo Biken
- Gyokushin Ryu Ninpo Happo Biken
- Shinden Fudo Ryu Dakentaijutsu
- Gikan Ryu Koppojutsu
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