Anyone knows anything about Ninjitsu?

Question

Interested in Ninjitsu but not popular in SG.
Does anyone know this graceful art in depth?

Answer 1

Ninjutsu (忍術) is a collection of techniques originally practiced for espionage purposes. It includes methods of gathering information, non-detection, avoidance, and misdirection techniques. Ninjutsu can also involve training in disguise, escape, concealment, archery, medicine, and explosives.



Practitioners of ninjutsu have been seen as assassins for hire, and have been associated in the public imagination with other activities which are considered criminal by modern standards. Even though it was influenced by Chinese spying techniques and the strategic principles of Sun Tzu, ninjutsu is believed by its adherents to be of Japanese origin. One version is that the basis of ninjutsu was taught to a Japanese household who fled to the mountains after losing a battle. There they mixed with a varied lot of people including the descendants of refugees who had fled China. Later, the skills were developed over 300 years to create ninjutsu.



Although the popular view is that ninjutsu is the art of secrecy or stealth, actual practitioners consider it to mean the art of enduring - enduring all of life's hardships. The character nin carries both these meanings, and others.



In the modern world the word ninjutsu usually refers to a certain system (Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu) of self defense, and its offshoots. It is true that ninjutsu has a long and myth-filled history, but today almost anyone is allowed to practice modern ninjutsu. As one makes progress in ninjutsu the system gets more sophisticated, and one might realize that the system contains more than fighting skills. To avoid misunderstandings, "ninjutsu" should just refer to a specific branch of Japanese martial arts, unless it is being used in a historical sense.



18 Ninjutsu Skills (Ninja Juhakkei)

The eighteen disciplines were first stated in the scrolls of Togakure-ryū, and they became definitive for all Ninjutsu schools, providing a complete training of the warrior in various fighting arts and complementary disciplines.



However, Ninja Juhakkei was often studied along with Bugei Juhappan (the 18 Samurai fighting art skills). Though some of them are the same, the techniques of each discipline were used with different approaches by both Samurai and Ninja.



The 18 disciplines are:



Seishin-teki kyōyō (spiritual refinement)

Taijutsu (unarmed combat)

Kyudo (archery)

Ninja ken (sword fighting)

Bōjutsu (stick and staff fighting)

Shurikenjutsu (throwing blades)

Sōjutsu (spear fighting)

Naginatajutsu (naginata fighting)

Kusarigamajutsu (chain weapons)

Kayakujutsu (fire and explosives)

Hensōjutsu (disguise and impersonation)

Shinobi-iri (Stealth and Infiltration methods)

Bajutsu (Horsemanship)

Sui-ren (Training in Water)

Bōryaku (Military Strategy)

Chōhō (Espionage)

Intonjutsu (Escaping and Concealment)

Tenmon (Meteorology)

Chi-mon (Geography)



Schools of ninjutsu

The Bujinkan Dōjō headed by Masaaki Hatsumi is one of three organizations generally accepted as teaching ninjutsu by the Bujinkan's members (under the name Budo Taijutsu). Hatsumi's Bujinkan Dōjō consists of nine separate schools of allegedly traditional Japanese martial arts, only three of which contain ninjutsu teachings. Hatsumi learned a variety of martial arts, including ninjutsu, from Toshitsugu Takamatsu.



There are two other organizations teaching ninjutsu. These are the Genbukan headed by Shoto Tanemura, who left the Bujinkan in 1984, and the Jinenkan headed by Fumio Manaka, who left later. Both had achieved Menkyo Kaiden before leaving due to differences of opinion with regards to the teaching style.



Other extant traditional martial arts such as the Tenshin Shoden Katori Shintō-ryū contain some aspects of ninjutsu in their curriculum, but are not ninjutsu schools per se.



The espionage techniques of ninjutsu are rarely focused on in recent times, since they serve little purpose to the bulk of modern populations, and tend to attract negative publicity and students with unrealistic expectations.



Verified origins

Palestine was one of the first places where Bujinkan ninjutsu was practiced outside Japan, with Doron Navon(Isreali) pioneering it there in 1974. The AKBAN organization uses the Bujinkan curriculum the way it was used when Doron Navon, the first foreign Bujinkan shihan, practiced under Hatsumi sensei.



Stephen K. Hayes studied under Masaaki Hatsumi but teaches an Americanized system, To-Shin Do, in his Quest Centers. Stephen Hayes is no longer a member of the Bujinkan.



Glenn Morris studied under Masaaki Hatsumi but founded the Hoshin Roshi Ryu.



Chadwick Minge trained under Shoto Tanemura but founded the "Yamato Dojo" ("Studio City Martial Arts") based in California.



Brian McCarthy initially trained under Masaaki Hatsumi before leaving to found his own organization (the Bujinkan Brian Dōjō), based in Ireland. Brian McCarthy is no longer a member of the Bujinkan.



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Ancient Ninjitsu is no different from the covet operations being used today by the US Navy SEALS, Marine Force Recon, Army Rangers, Green Berets, British SAS, etc.



The weapons and technology maybe more advanced today but the objectives are still the same which are:



1) Stealth

2) Infiltration

3) Intelligence gathering

4) Counter-terrorism

5) Assassination or termination of targets



Hope this helps.



Peace.

Answer 2

I myself am a practitioner of Bujinkan Ninjutsu, and i must say the popular view of the ninja is completely opposite to the way we train. This art is just that, an art, it is not about getting fitter, nor is it about learning to fight. Sure these things will happen during training but it is an art of movement. And as movement is in everything, it becomes an art of life. And contrary to belief we are taught it with the purpose of preserving life, not taking it.



But if you intend to start this art, please make sure you go to a reputable dojo. Unfortunately there are those who will try to teach you what you want, or what you think you know about ninjutsu, instead of what actually is. There are plenty of reputable dojos out there, run by people trained directly by the grand master Hatsumi-sensei, or by some of the most senior practitioners in the world.



All i can say is, if you are interested in an art that will change your life, go for it.

Answer 3

Brian Mccarthy Ninjutsu

Answer 4

Ninjuts is the art of balance, you mgiht say. Ninjutsu is the best art for balance. In Ninjutsu everything is all about footwork. Students of the art has to move naturally, in the rhythm of the body. There are grappling and strikes in the art also. There are 8 basic techniques called: Kihon Happo. Kihon Happo form the basics of attacks used in Ninjutsu. From thatthere are a millions of combination in combat. Baiscally, Ninjutsu is the art of balance, and also has grapling, strikes, and kicking.

Answer 5

Ninjitsu is a dead art. Beware, anyone that is teaching it is most likely after your money and will not really offer you much in return.

Think about it logically, ninja were a secret order of shadow warriors who did tasks so shameful that they had to cover their faces. Who in America has learned this secret art legitimately?

Why would a secret society show a foreigner their entire system?

I think Hollywood has disillusioned everyone on ninjitsu.

Sorry to burst your bubble.

Answer 6

while there are plenty of schools offering the practice and training in the art of ninjutsu it should be borne in mind that there are no true ninja in the western world today-this is not to say the art isn't still practised in its truest form in the deepest parts of japan-it may be-but not exposed to the western world. the last true ninja (seiko fujita) died in the mid-sixties and any teacher of the ninja way that says he is ninja is either a liar or has been badly mis-informed-there are world authorities and exponents of the ninja way-sensei hatsumi and sensei nawa to name but two-but these gentlemen are not true ninja-a fact to which they would be the first to agree. if you acheive a dan-grade in ninjutsu you merely hold a dan in ninja way-you are not a ninja yourself.

Answer 7

Ninjutsu (忍術) is a collection of techniques originally practiced for espionage purposes. It includes methods of gathering information, non-detection, avoidance, and misdirection techniques. Ninjutsu can also involve training in disguise, escape, concealment, archery, medicine, and explosives.



Continue reading here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ninjutsu



Fascinating stuff!

Answer 8

It's actually a outdated spy/espionage/assassin technique more than anything else. Anyone who claim to be teaching that art is a fraud.

Answer 9

Yeah, but if I told you, I'd have to kill you(with throwing stars).

Answer 10

not in depth.

Answer 11

While there are elements of Ninjutsu still existing in certain branches of Japanese Koryu Bujutsu, Yagyu Shinkage Ryu for example....the only existing martial arts system out of Nippon that teaches Ninpo in it's entirety is the Bujinkan, headed by Soke (headmaster) Masaaki Hatsumi 初見良昭, who recieved his rank of Soke from Toshitsugu Takamatsu (高松寿嗣) the 33rd Soke of the 9 ryūha lineages. Termed the "Mongolian Tiger" due to his active combat experience against Chinese Gung-Fu boxers in China.



Toshitsugu Takamatsu is considered to be the "last combat ninja" by the Bujinkan.



According to historical accounts, his family had both samurai class and ninja roots. Toshitsugu Takamatsu studied under various masters of several ryu, and as a result, became the "only man ever to master all aspects of ninjutsu".



When he was still a young man, Takamatsu gained his notoriety by "singlehandedly stopping a small riot". When he was older, he was involved in espionage in Manchuria and, according to Masaaki Hatsumi, was in connection with Motojiro Akashi. Returning from China, he became a Tendai-shū abbot at Mount Hiei.



He also had ties with the Soke of the Hyōhō Niten Ichi-ryū (I'm not sure which Soke it was : so I'll omit a name) and in turn, tied in dual-sword wielding techniques into the Bujinkan compendium...

titled as such (Nito Seiho.)



Takamatsu passed on his knowledge and legacy to Masaaki Hatsumi, who founded the Bujinkan to continue Takamatsu's teachings.



The Bujinkan (Warrior Spirit Training Hall or House of the Divine Warrior), or more properly the Bujinkan Dōjō (武神館道場.)



And even with the Bujinkan, only Togakure-ryū Ninpō (戸隠流忍法) is taught openly....but Gyokushin-ryū Ninpō (玉心流忍法), and

Kumogakure-ryū Ninpō (雲隠流忍法) are not.



Bujinkan training :



The training is generally referred to as taijutsu, and is composed of both armed and unarmed methods of fighting. Unarmed methods are broken down into three primary categories, dakentaijutsu (striking forms), jūtaijutsu (grappling forms), and taihenjutsu (body movement skills). 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, such as sword (including daito, wakizashi and tanto, bamboo shinai, wooden bokken, iaitō a flexible aluminum replica sword that holds no edge, or swords made by soft modern materials are employed for safety such as padded bokken), staffs of various lengths (bō, jō, hanbō), rope, kusari-fundo (weighted chain), kusarigama (sickle with chain), yari (spear), kamayari (spear with 2 rearward hooking blades), bisento (similar to the naginata), kyoketsu shoge (similar to a kama except it has a dagger point and a rope of several feet attached to an iron ring), jutte (shaped like a sai with just a single prong, at a smaller distance from the shaft of the weapon) tessen (iron fan), naginata (Japanese halberd), kunai (a bladed digging tool), as well various form of shuriken including bo-shuriken and senban shuriken. Weapons are categorized into four primary classes - sticks, blades, flexibles, and projectiles.



18 disciplines of combat taught within the Bujinkan :



Seishin-teki kyōyō (spiritual refinement)

Taijutsu (unarmed combat)

Kyudo (archery)

Ninja ken (sword fighting)

Bōjutsu (stick and staff fighting)

Shurikenjutsu (throwing blades)

Sōjutsu (spear fighting)

Naginatajutsu (naginata fighting)

Kusarigamajutsu (chain weapons)

Kayakujutsu (fire and explosives)

Hensōjutsu (disguise and impersonation)

Shinobi-iri (Stealth and Infiltration methods)

Bajutsu (Horsemanship)

Sui-ren (Training in Water)

Bōryaku (Military Strategy)

Chōhō (Espionage)

Intonjutsu (Escaping and Concealment)

Tenmon (Meteorology)

Chi-mon (Geography)



Nine ryūha lineages of Bujinkan Budō Taijutsu:



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)

Gyokushin-ryū Ninpō (玉心流忍法)

Kumogakure-ryū Ninpō (雲隠流忍法)



The only 3 of those that are ninjutsu schools are the last 3, and only Togakure-ryu is openly practiced. Soke prefers to keep the others relatively untaught until frankly...you're mature enough for them. I think that's a safe way of saying it.



There are derivative off-shoot systems called :



Jinenkan (meaning 自然舘 "Hall of Nature"), headed by Fumio Manaka (formerly a student of Soke Hatsumi's.)



Genbukan (忍法武芸道場、玄武館), meaning 'the place that nurtures the martial artist', headed by Shoto Tanemura (formerly a student of Soke Hatsumi's.)



Now, when it comes to the Genbukan and the Jinenkan....their claims of validity have been highly disputed.



Supposedly, Shoto Tanemura has been claiming to have obtained Menkyo Kaiden, a Japanese term meaning "license of total transmission" of ranking in several schools within the Bujinkan compendium : Kotō-ryū Koppōjutsu (虎倒流骨法術) and

Shinden Fudō-ryū Dakentaijutsu (神伝不動流打拳体術) for example.



As stated above, these claims have been greatly disputed and dismissed by Soke Hatsumi.



That's about all I have on the subject....I hope it helps.



try looking in the "yellow pages" section of http://www.winjutsu.com for a Dojo directory.



Now, there are a lot of flakes within our art....sadly, but there are a ton quality instructors as well...just do your homework.



ninpo ikkan!



Ryan





PS - definitively fraudulent 'ninjitsu' schools :



Ashida Kim (a.k.a.) Christopher Hunter.....basically, it's Karate with Chinese titles under the guise of Ninjutsu....realistically, it's a load of crap.



Also, anything involving the "black dragon society", Frank Dux, or Haha Lung....they're martial arts bubonic plague...