Welcome to Missouri's center for the study of Japanese martial arts and warfare, in the Saint Louis area. We are the proud ambassadors to Masaaki Hatsumi's Bujinkan Dojo (Divine Warrior Training Hall), based in Noda-shi, Japan with branch schools all over the world. The Bujinkan is the organization created by Masaaki Hatsumi to pass on the 9 schools of traditional ninja and samurai arts he inherited from his teacher, Toshitsugu Takamatsu. The schools found in the Bujinkan are what is known as koryu (classical traditions) with some of our arts reaching back nearly a millennium. This is not a blend of arts, rather a collection of distinct traditions under the banner name Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu (Divine Warrior Movements). Among these arts is the worlds last authentic schools of ninjutsu, as well as a revered samurai bujutsu heritage. Our dojo strives to bridge the gap between you and these ancient Japanese martial arts by attempting to provide the highest quality and most accurate representation of the training that can be found in Japan.

Much of the training in the Bujinkan is centered around the classic military strategies and guerrilla warfare tactics that have been used and refined over the centuries. We do not participate or train for competitions, humbly accepting personal growth as our greatest reward. This is a different mindset from the modern, mainstream arts that people mistakenly call traditional. Many modern styles come from older martial arts that have been altered for competition by taking their most lethal skills out of the training. The 9 ryuha (lineages) of the Bujinkan have not been altered for commercial purposes. Our arts were created by warriors and used to wage wars. Because of their effectiveness these arts have also been taught and applied within our governments military, law enforcement, and security forces. These are the arts that have been used by warriors to defend their lives, protect their families, and uphold justice. We continue this warrior lifestyle by training with the same goals and dedication in mind.

The training in our dojo emphasizes the natural body mechanics that makes our art effective regardless of age, sex, or size. From these movements the student will learn Koshijutsu (pressure point, muscle attacks/tears and joint dislocations), Koppojutsu (bone breaking and manipulation), Jutaijutsu (throwing, grappling, ground fighting), Dakentaijutsu (striking and kicking), Ninpo and Ninjutsu (acrobatics, tactics and evasive strategies), and Happo Bikenjutsu (various modern and traditional weapons). Our ability to effectively integrate weapons into our training is a unique aspect to our art. We use all types of weapons to develop our ability to use anything in our surrounding as a tool for combat. From a students first lesson they begin learning how to use their movement with different weapons, making them a natural extension of the body. This is the same training applied by warriors for centuries to polish their spirit and refine skills that would be used to defend their lives in battle. The Bujinkan practitioner is then taught to take this warfare and to apply it in every situation.

The training in our art can be very challenging on many levels. Due to the serious nature we must maintain for safety, classes are limited to students 14 years and older who can show the proper maturity, perseverance, and honor required to learn.