Ninjutsu Fighting Academy

of the

There is only one way to win: Forget your fear."
— Miyamoto Musashi

Interestingly, not all shuriken were shaped the same. Sha-Shuriken are the more commonly known star-shaped shuriken, while the bo-shuriken are shaped like a nail or needle (similar to a throwing knife.

While the katana had a standard form, the shuriken did not conform to the same standard. Some shapes were influenced by religious items, while other were shaped to suite different needs.

The different schools or ryu, also used different shapes making it identifiable with that particular school

Ikido (生き胴) is a [Japanese] ex*****on method. Ikido translates to "living torso".

Ikido was invented during the [Edo period] and was used as a form of [tameshigiri] (test cutting) on living people and dead people. Prior to ex*****on, a mound of dirt was set-up on the ex*****on site.

The condemned person was laid on their stomach on the dirt mound and then blindfolded. The condemned person was then slashed with a sword on their neck and torso simultaneously, slicing the person into three pieces.

Sometimes after the ex*****on, details of the ex*****on were carved into the sword of the ex*****oner. While mostly used as a form of [capital punishment], ikido was also used on ordinary citizens. ( #255)

A very good article by Adam Carter

(Approx 2 minute 45 second read)

Here we go again. Every time I write about the benefits of kata - really trying to help people understand what it is and how it works - I get a troll in the comments. This time, he proudly declared the virtues of his “street-real” jiu-jitsu and MMA training.

“Stop with the crap,” he said. “Go do some real training.”

Groundbreaking stuff. Next, he’ll be telling me to learn how to throw - because that’s missing from karate, right? Except… it isn’t. It’s there. Just not in the form he expects, and probably not in the way he’d understand.

Some people are just closed-minded, offering opinions about things they clearly haven’t taken the time to understand. And honestly, I’m not even sure what the point of his comment was. But I digress.

Let’s move on.

Of course, we don’t need kata today. There are plenty of ways to train - MMA, jiu-jitsu, kickboxing practitioners keep telling me this. And that’s fine. But that’s not the point. Kata isn’t a necessity - it’s a choice. And it’s what makes karate distinct. It’s not the kata’s fault people don’t understand it.

I get messages all the time from people who do want to understand. They feel like something’s missing from their training. Like me, many decades ago - I had that itch (it’s cleared up now, thanks for asking). I knew there was more. But staying closed-minded, like the troll above, just keeps them stuck where they are.

Here’s one of the biggest issues: people like him look at kata as if you’re supposed to use all of it, just as it appears - every movement, every sequence - as a literal fighting method. They see someone practicing a kata and think, “That would never work in a real fight.” And they’re right - if you try to use it that way.

But that’s not the point. It’s not about copying the surface. It’s about extracting the principles underneath. Things like balance, control, manipulation of space, posture, power generation, and more. You don’t use the kata - you use what it teaches you.

Wait - your method doesn’t have principles?

There’s a big difference between the original purpose of kata and what we often see it being used for today. It’s evolved. It’s become a form of art, of personal practice, even a kind of moving meditation.

That’s all fine - as long as you’re clear on the context.

And let’s talk about that context.

Kata is a bit like Shakespeare. You don’t need to study Hamlet to write a story, just like you don’t need kata to learn how to fight. But if you spend time with it, you’ll find structure, subtlety, and layers of meaning that can influence everything else you do. It might not be ‘modern’, but it offers something deeper - something reflective. You take what’s useful - and what’s universal - and you apply it.

That’s how principles work. Control, structure, awareness, body mechanics. These aren’t exclusive to karate. They’re human concepts. The vehicle might be kata - but the destination can be anywhere.

“Do some real training.” Right. I’ll just get on that. Next, he’ll be telling me to ‘try punching a bag’, as if we don’t do that already. It’s not even the comment - it’s the smug certainty that says more about him than anything else.

Engaging with people like that - people who just want to argue - is a waste of time. I gave him a chance to have a real conversation, but in the end, sometimes the best move is to just press delete.

No, kata isn’t essential. But it’s interesting. It’s valuable. And for those who care to look, you don’t fight with kata from beginning to end - but it can reveal things that cross boundaries - style, system, or era.

And that, in itself, makes it worth keeping.

So stop commenting on things you literally don’t understand; it only makes you look like a fool.


Written by Adam Carter


Photo Credit: Left courtesy of sh*tokai - right courtesy of Kuro-obi world: Naka-sensei and Yagi-sensei


*toryu

https://japandaily.jp/the-fascinating-history-and-ingenious-design-of-japans-nightingale-floors/

https://www.wayofninja.com/ninjutsu-martial-arts-introduction/ - Ninjutsu has a vast, rich history. This article gives a brief introduction into some of the aspects involved in ninjutsu training. 🥷

Ninjutsu Martial Arts, An Introduction | Way Of Ninja Ninjutsu involves using every part of the body – hands, feet, elbows, knees, and forearms -as weapons. Training with weapons such as swords and chains is also a major part of ninjutsu. The original ninja were born into ninja families and trained from childhood in the arts of horse riding, archery,...

https://www.wayofninja.com/ninjutsu-martial-arts-introduction/ - Ninjutsu is an interesting Martial Art with a vast, rich history. This article explores three of the different schools in Ninjutsu..🥷

Ninjutsu Martial Arts, An Introduction | Way Of Ninja Ninjutsu involves using every part of the body – hands, feet, elbows, knees, and forearms -as weapons. Training with weapons such as swords and chains is also a major part of ninjutsu. The original ninja were born into ninja families and trained from childhood in the arts of horse riding, archery,...

Before one can effectively lead, they must first understand discipline, structure, and the weight of responsibility that comes with following orders.

But of course, in today’s era, it doesn’t mean to obey blindly without critical thinking.

That is not true understanding of hierarchy, but fanatic behaviour.

Before a warrior can become a leader, they have to learn how to serve.

This was not blind submission, but a process of internalizing the essence of leadership.

Only by experiencing the discipline and hardships of following could they later issue orders with wisdom, fairness, and clarity.

Rushing into leadership without first mastering obedience often leads to arrogance, poor judgment, and weak foundations.

True authority is not about dominance, but understanding.

And understanding comes from having walked the path yourself.

The Japanese belong to the ethnic group known as Yamato, but are all natives of Japan Yamato? Nope. Those born in Okinawa belong to a different group called Uchinanchu, while in Hokkaido, in the north, we can find another group called Ainu. The word Ainu means "human" in their original language, and they have inhabited the coldest areas of Japan for more than 5,000 years. The Ainu fought long and hard to stop the advance of the samurai during the 10th century. In fact, the title Sh**un was born in the fight against these men. The full title was Sei Taii Sh**un, which means something like "Commanding General Who Fights Against the Barbarians of the North." The "barbarians of the North" were precisely the Ainu. The samurai began their final advance in Hokkaido only in the 17th century, but colonization began at the end of the 19th century. One of the first colonizers was Morihei Ueshiba, the founding master of Aikido. Today there are only 24,000 Ainu left in the country. Fortunately, they now have their own voice in the Japanese Congress. Their features are more similar to the Mongolian peoples and their culture, religion and customs differ greatly from those of the Yamato.
In the image, taken in 1865, two Ainu inhabitants can be seen next to a Ronin.
(Book The Way of the Samurai)