Material Covered
The following material is what is generally accepted as the most fundamental skills of the Bujinkan. These kihon (basic) skills are taught in pretty much every dojo, so time spent with the Richmond Kihon Shibu should prepare one for training at any Bujinkan dojo. Some items and/or names may vary between different dojo but the movements should be the same or similar.
Of course some things may be taught or shown that are not common.
Junantaiso – Flexible Body Conditioning (stretching)
Ukemi Gata Taihenjutsu - Receiving Forms Body Movement
Ukemi - Break-falls
zenpou ukemi （ぜんぽう うけみ）- forward break fall
kouhou ukemi （こうほう うけみ）- backward break fall
yoko ukemi （よこ うけみ）- sideways break fall
zagata ukemi （ざがた うけみ）- kneeling break fall
shizen ukemi （しぜん うけみ）- standing break fall
Kaiten - Roll
zenpou kaiten （ぜんぽう かいてん）- forward roll
kouhou kaiten （こうほう かいてん）- backward roll
sokuhou kaiten （そくほう かいてん）- sideways roll
happou kaiten （はっぽう かいてん）- eight direction roll
zagata kaiten （ざがた かいてん）- kneeling roll
shizen kaiten （しぜん かいてん）- standing roll
ryoute kaiten （りょうて かいてん）- two hands roll
katate kaiten （かたて かいてん）- one hand roll
mute kaiten （むて かいてん）- no hands roll
Nagare - Flow
jun nagare （じゅん ながれ）- flowing in order (reverse forward roll)
gyaku nagare （ぎゃく ながれ）- reverse flow (twisting reverse forward roll)
tachi nagare （たち ながれ）- walking flow (extend leg back roll)
yoko nagare （よこ ながれ）- sideways flow (extend leg side roll)
Karuwaza - Acrobatics
hicho kaiten （ひちょ かいてん）- flying roll
ryoute outen （りょうて おうてん）- two-handed cartwheel
katate outen （かたて おうてん）- one-handed cartwheel
zenpou kiten （ぜんぽう きてん）- forward “spirit flip” handsprings
Shiho Tenchi Tobi - Four Way Heaven and Earth Leaping
zenpou tobi （ぜんぽう とび）- forward leap
kouhou tobi （こうほう とび）- backward leap
sokuhou tobi （そくほ とび）- sideways leap
tenchi tobi （てんち とび）- heaven (up)/earth (down) leap
Tai Sabaki - Body Control
shiko （しこ） - knee walking
naname kouhou aruki （ななめ こうほう あるき）– diagonally retreating
yoko aruki （よこ あるき）- cross-stepping
jodan uke nagashi （じょだん うけ ながし）- upper receiving flow
gedan uke nagashi （げだん うけ ながし）- lower receiving flow
kamae no kata （かまえのかた）- posture transitions
Kamae - Postures
shizen no kamae （しぜんのかまえ）– natural body posture
seiza no kamae （ぜいざのかまえ）– proper seat posture
fudoza no kamae （ふどざのかまえ）– firm seat posture
ichimonji no kamae （いちもんじのかまえ）– straight line (’numeral one’) posture
jumonji no kamae （じゅもんじのかまえ）– cross (’numeral ten’) posture
hicho no kamae （ひちょのかまえ）– flying bird posture
hira no kamae （ひらのかまえ）- flat posture
Dakkentaijutsu - Art of Striking with the Fists and Body
Houken Juroppo - Sixteen Treasured Striking Methods
shi/ki kakuken （し、き かくけん） - demon horns fist
shukiken （しきけん）- hand raise fist
fudoken （ふどけん）- immovable fist
shutoken （しゅとけん）- sword fist
shishinken （ししんけん）- finger needle fist
shitanken （したんけん）(san, shi) - fingertip fist
shakoken （しゃこけん）- claw fist
boshiken （ぼしけん）- thumb fist
shikanken （しかんけん）- finger ring fist
koppoken （こっぽけん）- bone method fist
happaken （はっぱけん）- eight leaves fist
taiken （たいけん）- body fist
sokuyakuken （そくやくけん）- dancing foot fist
sokkiken （そっきけん）- foot raise fist
sokugyakuken （そくぎゃくけん）- reversed foot fist
kiken （きけん）- spirit fist
Atemi - Strikes
Each of the Houken Juroppo
jodan uke uchi （じょだん うけ うち）- upper receiving strike
chudan uke uchi （ちゅだん うけ うち）- middle receiving strike
gedan uke uchi （げだん うけ うち）- lower receiving strike
shuki uchi （しゅき うち）- elbow strike
shihou geri （しほう げり）- four direction kick
zenpou geri （ぜんぽう げり）- forward kick
sokuhou geri （そくほう げり）- sideways kick
kouhou geri （こうほう げり）- backwards kick
juji geri （じゅじ げり）- cross kick
kakushi geri （かくし げり）- hidden kick
sanpo geri （さんぽ げり）- walking kick
tobi geri （とび げり）- leaping kick
sokki geri （そっき げり）- knee kick
Sanshin Gogyo no Kata – Three Hearts Five Element Forms
chi no kata （ちのかた）– earth form
sui no kata （すいのかた）– water form
ka no kata （かのかた）– fire form
fuu no kata （ふうのかた）– wind form
kuu no kata （くうのかた）– void form
Kihon Happo – Fundamental Eight Ways
Kihon Kosshi Sanpo – Three Basic Striking Forms
ichimonji no kata （いちもんじのかた）– straight line form
jumonji no kata （じゅもんじのかた）– cross form
hichou no kata （ひちょうのかた）– flying bird form
Kihon Torite Goho – Five Basic Grappling Forms
ura gyaku （うら ぎゃく）– inner reverse
omote gyaku （おもて ぎゃく）– outer reverse
oni kudaki （おに くだき）– demon crusher
musha dori （むしゃ どり）– warrior capture
ganseki nage （がんせき なげ）– boulder throw
Various Punching and Kicking Drills
Against Trees
Against Bags and Mits
Against Uke
Various Movement Drills
Solo
With Uke
Road Map and Class Format
Road Map
February: omote gyaku and sui no kata
March: ura gyaku and ka no kata
April: musha dori and fu no kata
May: oni kudaki and chi no kata
June: ganseki nage and ku no kata
Class Format
1. Junantaiso
2. Hone our ukemi.
3. Structure, distance and tension exercises.
4. The month’s topic with Level 1 and 2 uke’s to learn the techniques with applicable taisabaki and atemi for the topic.
5. Applying the structure exercises to the month’s topic with Level 1 and 2 uke’s.
6. The month’s topic with Level 3 and 4 uke’s to apply the techniques and structure exercises.
7. Randori.
Not every class will have all seven of these pieces. The participants of the class will determine how many of these we do. And as with any journey we may venture off the path at times.
