Bujinkan Curriculum

[Chris Parker]

Chris,

Having received my BB in another style, I am now contemplating training in the Bujinkan. Of the research I have done thus far, I find it fascinating, steeped in tradition and history,
drawing its curriculum from the 9 ryūha of feudal Japan.

I recently visited a class at the only x-kan dojo near me (40 minutes away). New England Ninjutsu in Wallingford, CT. This is Shidoshi Kowalski's dojo, although he currently has some
very impressive 4th degree Shidoshi-ho teaching class. Having a background in Chinese Kempo, I find Budo Taijutsu is very much outside my comfort zone, but that is exactly
what appeals to me.

Sorry, what I meant was that there is no consistency in the Bujinkan, with all Shidoshi being able to create their own requirements/training program/curriculum from the material they've been taught (or not, in some cases...). And with the idea of "completeness of study", there are big debates on what that actually even is... with the most senior Shihan adding to the idea that Hatsumi hasn't shown everything yet... and others claiming to teach complete sections of some of the Ryu that are otherwise unknown... along with confusion and debate on what Menkyo Kaiden (certificate of complete transmission) actually indicates...

In other words, despite any sense that there might "need to be" any idea of consistency, or any assurance that what you're getting is the material in it's complete form, there's really nothing like that there. This is why one of the most immediate questions is going to be who you're training with, and from all reports I've come across, Greg Kowalski is a very good choice for the Bujinkan.

 

[Jigoku]

There used to be in an old translation of the Ten Chi Jin Ryaku no Maki an Kyu grade ranking, apparently the one that Ishizuka Sensei used...talking late 80ies, early 90ies..

best
Stefan Marcec

PS: in the 90ies in Europe there some Kyu Rankings floating around, sb got a hold of Tanemuras Taijutsus book and just copied it....

 

[1992]

The Shidoshi of my Bujinkan dojo put together a complete curriculum for the Kyu levels in a downloadable PDF file format. What we have is a private membership Facebook group, and this curriculum along with any other information or reference material is available there. You can reference the curriculum from a smartphone, tablet, laptop, etc or print it out and make your own physical handbook. Along with that, our Shidoshi will post the waza, kata, and topics that were explored in each class the next day for those who want a review or missed class. Also things he finds online that are relevant to training he will post. I think its a great format using Facebook, because we are all on there and can interact with each other when we are not all together in the dojo.

 

[Fritz]

I would switch the word curriculum to skill set, and that skill set can be found in an outline called the tenchijin ryaku no maki.

Internalize that and everything else falls into place without asking.

 

[Fritz]

I have had the chance to train with Mr. Kowalski and his dojo in the mid to late 1990's and I would reccomend them without hesitation. That said, despite being a reccomendation from a guy on the internet- check them out and see what you think. They will be friendly and inviting.

 

[yorukage]

The RVD course was made in the early 90s I think, maybe even late 80s. This was a time of huge growth for the westerners in Bujinkan and we've come along way since then. The Course teaches things the way they were done then, at least the way they were understood to be done then. Heck, the Bujinkan has grown since 1999 when I started to now. Hatsumi is teaching more and more to the westerners and we are growing more every year thanks to dedicated teachers who go to Japan for more than just a short trip a year.

 

[Troy Wideman]

I have had the chance to train with Mr. Kowalski and his dojo in the mid to late 1990's and I would reccomend them without hesitation. That said, despite being a reccomendation from a guy on the internet- check them out and see what you think. They will be friendly and inviting.

Although I am in another organization. I trained with Greg Kowalski back in the 80's when he had first come back from Japan. I found him to be a great teacher and technician back then. He was also very approachable.I am sure that would be a good place to train.

Kind Regards,

Troy Wideman