Although students are taught multiple techniques from the nine ryu, Dr. Hatsumi teaches the culmination of these lineages as one martial arts body, of which he has titled Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu. Therefore, students of the Dayton Bujinkan Dojo are tested & licensed in Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu, not the specific lineages. It is true that a few senior students of Dr. Hatsumi have been licensed in some of the specific ryu, but this is not very common today.
What are the instructor credentials of the Dayton Bujinkan Dojo instructors?
The Dayton Bujinkan Dojo is a Shidoshi Kai (teacher's guild) affiliate as defined by the rules and regulations of the Bujinkan Hombu in Nodashi, Japan for schools that issue rank. Furthermore, instructors and staff members renew membership cards
yearly every spring with the Bujinkan, a requirement dictated by the Hombu. These
cards and shidoshi-kai menkyo are available for viewing at the Dayton Bujinkan Dojo.
In addition, most senior instructors of the Dayton Bujinkan Dojo visit Japan yearly
for guidance and training from Hatsumi Soke and the Bujinkan Shihan. This information is then shared with the students of the Dayton Bujinkan Dojo, which raises the level of training for all students.
What can I expect during a class?
Each class is approximately one hour long. The class starts with a bow-in procedure, then proceeds with five minutes of warm-ups, stretching, and rolling. Striking, body dynamics, and body alignment are then taught for the rest of the first half of class. The second half of class consists of taihenjutsu, dakentaijutsu and/or jutaijutsu (body work, striking & throwing) training. Each student works with a partner on the instruction given by the teacher. Each student practices the techniques or movements equally on both sides of their body. There is typically one to two breaks per class, to allow everyone a chance to get a drink of water, rest, or ask questions.
Each class ends with a bow-out procedure, thanking their classmates for help during the class. After class, all students are invited to stay for another half hour or so, to train on their own. Because Budo Taijutsu does not participate in competition-style training, most students find the noncompetitive atmosphere the best part of training. No one will ever force a student to do something they do not feel comfortable with. Many times a new student will find themselves working with an advanced practitioner of Budo Taijutsu. The concept of a family atmosphere is very important to the lead instructors of the dojo.
What kind of uniform do I wear when training?
The Dayton Bujinkan Dojo provides you with your own do-gi training uniform when you join the dojo. The uniform is very similar to a karate training do-gi. For the first four kyu ranks (9th kyu to 6th kyu), a white uniform is worn. From fifth kyu on, an optional black uniform may be worn. The separation in colors allows for junior and senior students to be easily distinguished. From a student's perspective, while wearing a white uniform they can rest assured that their senior training partner will work slowly and assist them with capturing the essence of the techniques in class. Once a student wears a black uniform, the student has moved on to middle rank status, and are more responsible for their ukemi (receiving techniques) and comprehending the movements shown in class.
