Nine classical Japanese schools are taught as part of the Bujinkan curriculum. These ryu trace their roots back 900 years to the battlefields of feudal Japan. The techniques include strikes, kicks, holds, throws, grappling & ground fighting. Some of the weapons used in the system are bo (six foot staff), ken (sword), jo (stick), hanbo (4 foot staff), yari (spear), kusarigama (sickle & chain), tant
o (knife), shoto (short sword), & shuriken. There are six samurai schools & three ninja schools:
Togakure Ryu
Gyokko Ryu
Koto Ryu
Kukishinden Ryu
Shinden Fudo Ryu
Takagi Yoshin Ryu
Gikan Ryu
Gyokoshin Ryu
Kumogakure Ryu
The head of the Bujinkan is Grandmaster Masaaki Hatsumi. Soke inherited the schools from his teacher Takamatsu Sensei. Now in his 80s, Hatsumi Sensei still actively teaches at the Hombu Dojo in Noda, Japan.
