History of the Art

Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu

Budo Taijutsu is a combat Martial Art with over 3000 years of tradition, with no sporting connotations Taijutsu is not about competitions but about survival.

There are many reasons that people train in Taijutsu, protection of yourself, your family, your community or your country. Some are drawn to train by curiosity, some because they know of its origins and application in Japan and China but after a short time those training realise what a real, gracious and deep Martial Art they have found.

Previous Soke Takamatsu

The nine schools that make up the Bujinkan, came together for the first time in one remarkable man named Toshitsugu Takamatsu. ` Moko no Tora (Mongolian Tiger) was without a doubt one of the greatest martial artists of all time. He was recognized as the last practicing ninja, he was employed as such by the emperors of both Japan and China.
Born in 1887 into a family of warriors, he was taught by his uncle Masamitsu Toda, a phenomenal warrior of samurai lineage, from whom Takamatsu Sensei inherited the martial art schools of Shinden Fudo Ryu, Gyokko Ryu, Togakure Ryu, Koto Ryu, Kumogakure Ryu and Gyokushin Ryu.

Soon after, Takamatsu entered the dojo of the Takagi Yoshin Ryu, where he learnt Jujutsu from its master, Mizuta Yoshitaro. He mastered it and went onto inherit this school as well.

When he was 17, an old master came to work at his fathers match factory as security. This old man was Ishitani Matsutaro, possibly the greatest of Takamatsu`s teachers. Ishitani’s sword style of Kukishin Ryu was stronger that Takamatsu had already mastered. Ishitani passed onto Takamatsu the schools of Kukishinden Happo Hiken and Gikan Ryu.

A year before his death at the age of 85, he told his student Masaaki Hatsumi that he had taught him everything he knew. He had faithfully transmitted the lineages that were in his custody.

So the 9 schools are taught collectively as Budo Taijutsu

Togakure Ryū Ninpo 戸隠流

Koto Ryu Koppojutsu 虎倒流

Gyokko Ryū Koshijutsu 玉虎流

Kukishinden Happo Biken 九鬼神伝流

Takagi Yoshin Ryu Jutaijutsu 高木揚心流

Kumogakure Ryū Ninpo Happō Biken 雲隠流

Gyokushin Ryū Ninpo Happō Biken 玉心流

Shinden Fudo Ryu Dakentaijutsu 神伝不動流

Gikan Ryū Koppōjutsu 義鑑流

Present Soke Hatsumi

Soke Masaaki Hatsumi was born in 1931, after progressing through various martial arts, he found his life’s mentor, Takamatsu Toshitsugu and studied under him for the next fifteen years, becoming the 34^th Grandmaster of Togakure Ryu Ninjutsu and eight other martial arts, which he unified into the Bujinkan system.

The Bujinkan (The hall of the divine warrior gods) is headed by Hatsumi and comprises of the 9 Ko Ryu (Old Schools). Each school is represented for its specialty, 3 being of Chinese origin and 6 Japanese. Out of the 6 Japanese schools, 3 are Bushido (Samurai) and 3 Ninjutsu (Ninja)

While traveling the world, teaching thousands of individual students, as well as law enforcement agencies, he received numerous accolades from politicians and spiritual leaders of many nationalities. He has worked a professional osteopath, acted in a popular television series, and as the author of many books on Ninjutsu. For many years he was Chairman of the International Department of the Japan Literary Artists Club.