The Nine Ryûha
Aforementioned nine schools of which the art of Bujinkan Budô Taijutsu and the Bujinkan Dôjô organisation consist are as follows:
- Gyokko-ryû Kosshijutsu
- Kotô-ryû Koppôjutsu
- Gikan-ryû Koppôjutsu
- Takagi Yôshin-ryû Jûtaijutsu
- Shinden Fudô-ryû Dakentaijutsu
- Kukishinden-ryû Happô Bikenjutsu
- Togakure-ryû Ninjutsu
- Kumogakure-ryû Ninjutsu
- Gyokushin-ryû Ninjutsu
While there is far too much information to cover each ryûha in detail here, they each merit at least an overview of what they are.
玉虎流骨指術 Gyokko-ryû Kosshijutsu
This school emphasises kosshijutsu, or shitôjutsu, which is—crudely put—attacking the soft and semi-soft tissue of the body. It incorporates much circular movement and kuzushi (balance-breaking) as a method of being able to deal with enemies that are larger and physically more powerful. This ryûha provides most of the unarmed combat fundamentals in the Bujinkan.
Hatsumi-sensei is the 28th sôke of Gyokko-ryû, but he has now passed on the lineage thereof to Ishizuka Tetsuji-sensei who is now the 29th sôke.
虎倒流骨法術 Kotô-ryû Koppôjutsu
As the twin sibling, but of contrary qualities, to Gyokko-ryû, this ryûha encompasses more linear and direct movement with short distancing a powerful striking; and its focal point is attacking the bones of the human body. It is said that he who masters Gyokko-ryû and Kotô-ryû together will master all aspects of unarmed combat.
Hatsumi-sensei is the 18th sôke of this school, but has now passed on the lineage thereof to Noguchi Yukio-sensei who is now the 19th family head.
義鑑流骨法術 Gikan-ryû Koppôjutsu
This school, while being of the art of koppôjutsu like Kotô-ryû, is different not only in techniques but also in principles. Like Kotô-ryû, it also attacks the bone structure with strikes as well as joint-breaks, and what is recognisable about this particular ryûha is its footwork as this is employed widely within Bujinkan Budô Taijutsu in general.
Hatsumi-sensei is the 15th sôke of Gikan-ryû, but has now passed on the lineage to Sakasai Norio-sensei, who is thus the 16th sôke of the school.
高木楊心流柔体術 Takagi Yôshin-ryû Jûtaijutsu
A large number of our throwing techniques (though several exist in the other ryûha as well) originate with this school, as does the principle of throwing the enemy in ways that make it difficult for him to execute breakfalls. It was a style of jûtaijutsu created for use inside buildings such as houses, castle corridors etc., as opposed to those created for fighting outdoors, which is reflected in its techniques of throwing the enemy close to with smaller movements and keeping him/her under submission following the throw.
Hatsumi-sensei is the 17th sôke, but has passed on the lineage to Sakasai Norio-sensei (the only individual in the Bujinkan who has inherited two ryûha), who is now the 18th family head of Takagi Yôshin-ryû.
神伝不動流打拳体術 Shinden Fudô-ryû Dakentaijutsu
While this ryûha is has the word “dakentaijutsu” in its name—which roughly means “Body Technique/Art of Fist-Striking”—it actually emphasises grappling (jûtaijutsu) as much as it does striking techniques.
Hatsumi-sensei is the 26th family head of this school, but has now passed the lineage thereof on to Nagato Toshiro-sensei, making him the 27th sôke.
九鬼神伝流八法秘剣術 Kukishinden-ryû Happô Bikenjutsu
The majority of our sword, spear and staff techniques are derived from this school, and it is also from here we have much of our practice of learning how to fight in traditional Japanese yoroi (armour). Other weapons encountered in Kukishinden-ryû are the bisentô, a large halberd resembling an oversized naginata, which is said to have been imported from China. This ryûha also contains shurikenjutsu (throwing blade art/technique).
Hatsumi-sensei is the 28th family head of Kukishinden-ryû, but has passed on the lineage thereof to Iwata Yoshi-san, thus making him the 29th sôke.
戸隠流忍術 Togakure-ryû Ninjutsu
One of our most famous ryûha as it is one of the three schools of shinobi no jutsu (an older term for ninjutsu) in the Bujinkan, and the oldest of those. It is from here we have most of our more “exotic” techniques of stealth movement, concealment techniques, escape tactics, the use of metsubushi (blinding powder), principles of infiltration etc.
Hatsumi-sensei is the 34th sôke of Togakure-ryû, but has now passed on the lineage to Tsutsui Takumi-sensei, who is now the 35th sôke of the school.
雲隠流忍術 Kumogakure-ryû Ninjutsu
Another ryûha of shinobi no jutsu/ninjutsu which contains the same kind of techniques, strategies and tactics as Togakure-ryû. One specialty of Kumogakure-ryû is the ippon sugi nobori, which is a tool used for climbing trees which carries a function not unlike that of the ropes employed by western lumberjacks. A rather famous character from Japanese history (though whose actual existence has not yet been confirmed) is the shinobi no mono, Sarutobi Sasuke—one of the “Seven Braves” of Sanada Yukimura—who is mentioned in the hidensho (secret written transmissions) of Kumogakure-ryû and is believed to have trained in this ryûha originally.
Hatsumi-sensei is the 14th sôke of this ryûha, but has now made Furuta Kôji-sensei the new, and thus 15th sôke.
玉心流忍術 Gyokushin-ryû Ninjutsu
The last of the three ryûha of shinobi no jutsu in the Bujinkan, and one that had been kept highly secret for several generations of family heads as eight sôke of Gyokushin-ryû remain unknown to this day. It is believed that the Sasaki family who founded the school were responsible for keeping it as secret as it was (and thus those eight “missing” sôke may very well all have been from that family), and it was when it came into possession of the Toda family that it came a bit more out into the open.
Hatsumi-sensei is the 21st sôke of this ryûha, and has now passed on the lineage thereof to Kan Jun’ichi-sensei, thus making him the 22nd family head.