The organization Bujinkan Dojo is founded in the seventies in the last century, by soke Masaaki Hatsumi, in honor of his teacher Toshitsugu Takamatsu.
It is an international organization located in the city Noda, in the province Chiba, Japan. Bujinkan dojo translated means „The courtyard of the divine warrior“ or „A place where the divine warrior trains“.
Nine traditional Japanese martial schools (ryu-ha) are taught in Bujinkan. Some of them have samurai roots, and some during the time were adopted and perfected by the legendary ninja warriors.
Transmitted from a generation to a generation, from father to son, from teacher to student, in 1972 Masaaki Hatsumi had inherited all nine schools, thanks to his teacher Takamatsu.
The nine arts, known as Takamatsu-den (the heritage of Takamatsu), have their own history and tradition. Each one of them has specific characteristics, techniques and tactics, as well as specific weapons.
Since the beginning, until 1996, the schools were practiced separately, but afterwards soke Masaaki Hatsumi starts teaching them under one common name – Budo Taijutsu. Since then, greater attention is given to the so called „feeling“ during the performance of the techniques or the adaptation of the kata at the moment of the attack itself (henka). Today, the new hybrid system is accepted widely by the members of the Bujinkan Dojo. But, a few of filiations of the organization, including Bujinkan Macedonia, keep to the „old way“ of studying the arts separately with all of their characteristics.
Sensei Masaaki Hatsumi is the heir of these nine schools:
– Togakure ryu Ninjutsu / 戸隠流忍術 34th Soke
– Gyokko ryu Koshijutsu/ 玉虎流骨指術 28th Soke
– Koto ryu Kopojutsu / 虎倒流骨法術 18th Soke
– Kukishinden ryu Happo Bikenjutsu / 九鬼神伝流八法秘剣術 28th Soke
– Shindenfudo ryu Happo Bikenjutsu / 神伝不動流打拳体術 26th Soke
– Takagiyoshin ryu Jutaijutsu / 高木揚心流柔体術 17th Soke
– Gikan ryu Kopojutsu / 義鑑流骨法術 15th Soke
– Gyokushin ryu Ninjutsu / 玉心流忍術 21th Soke
– Kumogakure ryu Ninjutsu / 雲隠流忍術 14th Soke