# 18 Disciplines of Budo Taijutsu!



## geode1000 (Dec 26, 2008)

hey, i have a question. i heard this ninjutsu expert 
*Masaaki Hatsumi*

is the last person on earth to master all 18 disiplines of ninjutsu which are 


_Seishin-teki ky&#333;y&#333;_ (spiritual refinement)
_Taijutsu_ (unarmed combat, using one's body as the only weapon)
_Kenjutsu_ (sword fighting)
_B&#333;jutsu_ (stick and staff fighting)
_Shurikenjutsu_ (throwing _shuriken_)
_S&#333;jutsu_ (spear fighting)
_Naginatajutsu_ (_naginata_ fighting)
_Kusarigamajutsu_ (_kusarigama_ fighting)
_Kayakujutsu_ (pyrotechnics and explosives)
_Hens&#333;jutsu_ (disguise and impersonation)
_Shinobi-iri_ (stealth and entering methods)
_Bajutsu_ (horsemanship)
_Sui-ren_ (water training)
_B&#333;ryaku_ (tactic)
_Ch&#333;h&#333;_ (espionage)
_Intonjutsu_ (escaping and concealment)
_Tenmon_ (meteorology)
_Chi-mon_ (geography)
if you were to train at the bujinkan dogo would you learn all 18 of these skills or just a few of them? or none at all?


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## jks9199 (Dec 26, 2008)

geode1000 said:


> hey, i have a question. i heard this ninjutsu expert
> *Masaaki Hatsumi*
> 
> is the last person on earth to master all 18 disiplines of ninjutsu which are
> ...


I think if you look through some of the threads here, in the Ninjutsu-Traditional Ryu forum, you'll find several discussions about the current teaching practices of the Bujinkan.

My limited understanding is that the teaching methods of the Bujinkan today are focused on learning Budo Taijutsu, the arts of armed and unarmed combat and body movement, primarily.  It seems that each year, Hatsumi focuses on a theme, sometimes a particular ryu within the Bujinkan arts, other times particular aspects.  Other aspects may or may not be taught to interested students.

Perhaps some of our BBT practitioners here can answer more fully.


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## Obi Wan Shinobi (Dec 28, 2008)

*From what my teacher told me is that out of the 18 disciplines you are now taught the first 8. The clandestine military aspect of Ninjutsu training is no longer taught for the most part. I'm not sure if you were looking for that type of training. *


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## Chris Parker (Dec 29, 2008)

Hi,

The various skills, as I understand it, are representative of the development of a total warrior, or in modern context, a complete person. The reason for 18 being chosen as the number probably has a fair bit to do with the Japanese reverance for the number 9, being the highest number you can get to without starting again. The 18 skills of the classical Japanese warrior, then, is really 2 groups of 9. The Bugei Juhappan are the skills of the Samurai, the ninja had a slightly different set (listed above), called the Ninja Juhakkei. Ideally, a complete warrior had mastered both, making it actually 36 skills.

As for teaching it, most stories I have heard indicate that Hatsumi Sensei doesn't overtly teach these other aspects, but when the situation lends itself, or he simply feels like it, the lessons are taught. There are stories in Stephen Hayes' books on things like Hatsumi teaching stealth skills to Hayes when approaching students for a Tai Kai, and my own teacher was out with Hatsumi Sensei and other practitioners in Japan many years ago, walking Hatsumi's dogs (my teacher was actually carrying two of the older animals), and Hatsumi simply starting lecturing and demonstrating on various Ninja walking methods.

But by and large, it is assumed that the dojo is a place to practice and perfect your (physical) art, taijutsu and bukijutsu (weaponry), and other interests you may have are encouraged to be explored outside of the class.


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## kenjutsushi (Dec 29, 2008)

In my experience the "other skills" you have mentioned are not taught "openly" like they were in the eighties.  However, that doesn't mean they are not taught. The cross step of ninpo is used quite often in taijutsu as are a lot of the other walking techniques.  Using your toes to feel the ground in the dark or your opponents foot in a fight is done pretty much the same way.   However, if you want to learn to use a breathing tube under water or to shoot arrows from horseback, you won't get much of that from Soke these days


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## ljdevo (Jan 1, 2009)

geode1000 said:


> hey, i have a question. i heard this ninjutsu expert
> *Masaaki Hatsumi*
> 
> is the last person on earth to master all 18 disiplines of ninjutsu which are
> ...


 
I am not entirely sure about what teachings you would recieve, but if you are interested in Masatti Hatsumi (i think that's how you spell it), he has written a book called "The secret art of the Ninja". If you are interested in these things then it is well worth a read, and i thorougly enjoyd it. However it does not reveal too much information about the real "secret" teaching's, and places a huge emphisis on ancient teaching ways and Masatti Hatsumi's philosophy of Taijutsu.


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## jks9199 (Jan 1, 2009)

Hatsumi has written several books, as have several of his students other than Hayes.  Most or many are available on Amazon.


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## Shizen Shigoku (Mar 27, 2009)

From that list, the only ones that I *have not* experienced in a Bujinkan dojo are
hensojutsu, bajutsu, & choho
The rest you can learn from the right teacher.


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## Aiki Lee (Apr 21, 2009)

geode1000 said:


> _Seishin-teki ky&#333;y&#333;_ (spiritual refinement)
> _Taijutsu_ (unarmed combat, using one's body as the only weapon)
> _Kenjutsu_ (sword fighting)
> _B&#333;jutsu_ (stick and staff fighting)
> ...


 
In the jizaikan we work on numbers 1-5 and 14 constantly. 6-9 and 11-15 are covered mostly through seminars. The other sutff we haven't had a chance to work on yet.


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## bfine (Apr 21, 2009)

Disguise was touched upon by Hatsumi-sensei at the 2008 Daikomyosai...


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## Albertus (Oct 4, 2009)

Most of the 18 skills are still taught today, some in the Dojo and some outside. Maybe not all of them constantly through the teachers but you can study them by yourself the rest of the time. They are all interconnected so if you leave some out your total training will be unballanced. Maybe the only one that is in need of modernization is nr.12 Bajutsu or Horsemanship which can be replaced by good driving skills.

Keep training


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## runnerninja (Oct 12, 2009)

bfine said:


> Disguise was touched upon by Hatsumi-sensei at the 2008 Daikomyosai...




What did he say/teach?


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## nitflegal (Oct 13, 2009)

Albertus said:


> Most of the 18 skills are still taught today, some in the Dojo and some outside. Maybe not all of them constantly through the teachers but you can study them by yourself the rest of the time. They are all interconnected so if you leave some out your total training will be unballanced. Maybe the only one that is in need of modernization is nr.12 Bajutsu or Horsemanship which can be replaced by good driving skills.
> 
> Keep training


 
Yeah, I think the key is finding teachers who were active in what became the Bujinkan back when these skills were taught, say late 80's to early/mid 90's.  I think the problem is that once these things were placed on the sidelines for new students by soke, we've got a lot of people who have never been exposed to these who are getting up there in rank.

The trick, I think, is tracking down the teachers who were taught these skills.  Nobody said learning this stuff was going to be straightforward!

Matt


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