The Bujinkan Happo Dojo is an officially recognized training group operating under the authority of the Bujinkan Hombu Dojo (headquarters school) in Japan. We offer instruction in the traditional martial arts of the Bujinkan Dojo as taught by Soke (grandmaster) Masaaki Hatsumi in Japan.

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Our School

The Bujinkan Happo Dojo is one of the few martial arts schools in the Garden State that is authorized to pass on the teachings of the Bujinkan Dojo. We currently offer classes for adults and teens (ages 14 and up, with some restrictions). No previous martial arts experience is required.

Unlike many other "martial arts schools", we are not a commercial venture. Our main concern is to faithfully pass on our martial art and ensure that our students develop a strong foundation that will aid them in continuing their training through the rest of their lives. Therefore, there are a few important points that prospective students must understand that set a real budo dojo apart from the typical martial arts school:

• The martial arts teacher is not providing a product or service to the student
• We don't have any contracts to lock you into our training
• We don't do "Kardio Kickboxing" ;-)
• If accepted as a student, you will learn all aspects of the classical Japanese martial arts

We are currently offering two classes each week: Thursday evenings and Sunday mornings

The dojo is appointed in a traditional Japanese style as you would find in Japan.

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Our Art

We train in a martial art called Budo Taijutsu. This term refers to the collection of 9 classical Japanese fighting methods - including two of the last remaining historically traceable ninjutsu lineages. The 9 schools are:

• Togakure ryû ninpô
• Kukishinden ryû happô biken
• Gyokko ryû kosshijutsu
• Kotô ryû koppôjutsu
• Shinden Fudô ryû
• Takagi Yôshin ryû
• Kumogakure ryû
• Gikan ryû
• Gyokushin ryû

Each of these traditions has a particular style of movement that originated from the fighting methods used at the time of the founding of the school. Each also makes use of different weapons or specialized skills developed to meet the needs of the samurai or ninja who relied on these techniques to keep them alive in combat. Although there are differences in all of these schools, due to the shared cultural and historical situation there is also much that they have in common.

Budo Taijutsu is a martial art that teaches effective techniques of self-protection through the optimal use of timing, distancing, and balance. In addition to striking and grappling, choking and throwing techniques, methods of leaping and rolling are incorporated into the curriculum as well. The use of traditional and modern weapons is also a major part of Budo Taijutsu.

Our training is non-competitive and we aim to develop our students' skill through the continuous practice of the fundamental techniques of our art while increasing the emphasis on variation and creativity which leads to more effective technique.