The Gikan Ryu Koppojutsu is the most unknown of the arts within the Bujinkan and is often translated as ‘The School of Truth, Loyalty & Justice‘. Possibly the main reason for this is that the secret techniques were only handed down from one Soke to the next Soke, (this would often be from father to […]

Meaning “Hiding in the Clouds School“, Kumogakure Ryu was founded by Heinaizaemon Ienaga Iga (of the Iga clan) in the middle 16th century. Like Togakure Ryu, which was paired with Kumogakure Ryu by the Toda family in the 17th Century, it is a ninjutsu school of thinking. Both schools teach that violence can basically be […]

The ‘Tiger Knocking Down School‘ does not really have an exact origin. Like Gyokko Ryu, it is thought to have originated from China, being brought to Japan by a monk called Chan Busho, but when, or even if this is true, remains a mystery. This makes it hard to really tell what influenced it from […]

The Gyokko Ryu, meaning “School of the Jeweled Tiger”, is one of the oldest Japanese martial arts and one of the few that claims its origins from China. This is of particular interest to me, since I also practice Baji Zhandao kungfu, which like the Bujinkan, is made up of many different schools of martial […]