What is Ninjutsu?

The name Ninjutsu is composed of two Japanese words: nin (忍), meaning perseverance or endurance; and jutsu (術), meaning art, skill, technique or craft. Ninjutsu is the art of persevering and enduring (surviving). Martial arts are studied for self-defense and self-improvement but Ninjutsu is different from other martial arts in that practitioners seek to defend themselves by disabling an attacker (&/or removing their desire/ability to continue) as efficiently as possible.

Taijutsu and Modernity

Taijutsu (body combat art) is the Bujinkan system of unarmed defense using strikes, throws, holds, chokes and joint locks. It encompasses skills such as:  dakentai jutsu which emphasizes strikes, kicks and blocks (subdivided into both koppo jutsu – the "way of attacking and/or using the skeletal structure" and kosshi jutsu – the way of attacking muscles and weak points on the body) and jutai jutsu is the "relaxed body method" teaching throwing, grappling and choking techniques.

The first levels of training, emphasize ukemi techniques such as leaping, tumbling, break fall techniques and body conditioning to form the basis for taijutsu. They are needed to progress into other techniques such as unarmed combat and the use of tools and weapons. Once learned, taijutsu techniques can be applied to any situation, armed or unarmed.

Ninjutsu is not a sport. There are no competitive tournaments. Budoka train to better themselves without belittling others, and as our primary concern is ethical protection; training is done in a manner that entails little risk of permanent injury. Ninjutsu is one of the oldest traditional Japanese martial arts, but its emphasis on adaptability has allowed it to evolve and adjust to modern times.