Bujinkan Liverpool

23/09/2026

21/09/2026

❤️

"Let me drop a hint of thinking to those who are fond of fighting - wars for example. The tragedy of war lies in the fact that not only does it bring us death and destruction, but it produces merchants of death who try to make a profit from it. This rule holds true for the world of martial arts. The more people who want to fight, the more people make a profit from it. Never allow yourselves to dance to the music of such fellows."
- Masaaki Hatsumi (Essence of Ninjutsu, p.25)

There’s so much of Hatsumi Sensei’s philosophy that seems to be uniquely relevant to the times we live in. I remember reading the comment above 30 years ago and thinking, "Wow. He’s talking about what’s going on in the world right now!"

Read that comment 20 years ago and thought... "Wow. I forgot about this..."

And I read it last week... "Wow."

Perhaps that’s one of the reasons we train: not simply to learn how to fight, but to develop the understanding to know when - and why- not to.

And if you’ve ever thought about starting training, the best time to start is now. There’s always something new to discover.

14/09/2026

Kihon Happō (基本八法)

One day, Takamatsu Sensei said the following:
“When I was taught the Gyokko-ryū Kosshijutsu Kihon-gata by Toda Shinryūken Sensei, he told me that these Kihon-gata contain Happō. He said that these Kihon Happō are the foundation of all Budō. As I reflect upon it, I realize this is indeed true, and I say this to you also. Hatsumi, you should take this Kihon-gata Happō as your foundation and teach it to your students!”

高松先生がある日、このようなことを言われた。
「戸田真龍軒先生から、玉虎流骨指術起（基）本型をお教えていただいたときやな、この起本型に八法があります。この基本八法が、すべての武道の根本とおっしゃられましたな。わてもつくづく、そのとおりであると、初見君にも申し上げときます。初見君もな、この起本型八法を根本として、弟子たちに教えなはれ！」

Hatsumi, Masaaki. Togakure-ryū Ninpō Taijutsu. Shin Jinbutsu Ōraisha, 1983, p. 75. (​初見良昭『戸隠流忍法体術』新人物往来社、1983年、75頁。)

07/09/2026

′′ When Takamatsu Sensei passed away I had to switch to solo practice. The kind of lonely practice where you can't float in space is dangerous. This is due to the accumulation of your ways of thinking, common sense, knowledge, etc, sometimes it becomes a weight that prevents you from floating in space. What I teach now is a martial form born of the natural world. In other words, I'm passing the strategies of Kyojitsu between eternal and magnificent light and shadow, manifested in space. This means this light is one of a kind that is impossible to physically or scientifically search.
Through staying on the road this beam of light will light anyone's heart.”

宗家Masaaki Hatsumi

07/09/2026

Years ago at the Shidoshi-Kai, Hatsumi Soke spoke about the True Treasures of the Bujinkan. He charged each and every Shidoshi to abide by and pass on these 6 treasures [六法の宝].

1.基本八法型 (Kihon Happo) - the eight foundational techniques (practice daily)

2.三心の型 (San Shin; GoGyo) - the five elemental techniques (practice daily)

3. 無刀捕 (Muto Dori) - disarming the armed opponent; disarming the person them self

4.空間 (Kukan) - control the space, control the opponent

5. 女の護身術 (Onna no Goshinjutsu) - women’s self defense; control without the use of power

6. 共同体 (Kyo Doutai) - Building relationships/communities in Budo (strive for in our daily lives, especially Bujinkan seniors)

[Original version shared by Phillip Legare, September 2017]

05/09/2026

"In ninpo taijutsu (忍法体術), we train in techniques unique to ninpo (忍法), known as the Kihon Happo (基本八方). These Kihon Happo are not only the very beginning of taijutsu (体術); they are also the fundamental techniques to which we return after learning the other ningi (忍技; ninja techniques), making them the most important foundational techniques of all.

One of the secrets of budo (武道) and ninpo taijutsu lies in numbers, and the number eight (8) is an important one. Turning the figure 8 on its side creates infinity (∞). In other words, it represents a continuous cycle of alpha and beta (α β), forming a chain. This chain is a lifeline. As this illustrates, the number 8 is actually both the beginning and the end; it represents infinity. For every single technique, there is α (alpha) and β (beta). Therefore, while the techniques of kihon happo are fundamental, in reality, they are infinite.

In this regard, keep the Daruma's (達磨) saying of 'Fall down seven times, stand up eight' (七転び八起き; nana korobi ya oki) in mind."

忍法体術では、基本八方といわれる忍法独自の技を訓練する。この基本八方は、体術の始まりであると同時に、他の忍技を身につけたのちに、再びかえってくる、なによりも大切な基本技である。武道、忍法体術の秘密の一つに数があり、８もそのひとつだ。８という数字を横にすると∞になる。すなわちアルファーベータ (a β) の連続であり、チェーン (鎖) になる。それは命の綱だ。このことからわかるように、8とは実、始めであり、かつ終
わりである。無限ということだ。一つの技にたいしてa と βがある。基本八方の技は、基本にして、じつは無限
なのである。これについては、ダルマの七転び八起きを思い浮かべてほしい。

From:
Masaaki Hatsumi, The Way of the Ninja: Secret Techniques (Tokyo: Kodansha International, 2004), 215.

[I'm sharing the Japanese text because the first edition of my book did not include the appendix.]



You can buy a copy of this awesome book at:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1568365918?tag=kihon