Bujinkan (武神館)) is an international martial arts organization under the patronage of Soke Masaaki Hatsumi (初見良昭, Hatsumi Masaaki, December 2, 1931), who as its founder and 34th head of the Togakure Ninpō Taijutsu school (戸隠流忍法体術), he organized and promoted under the term Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu, the fighting system that includes 9 different ryu ha (traditional schools, styles), which are related to Ninjutsu as taught and bequeathed to him by his Master, Soke Toshitsugu Takamatsu (高松 寿嗣, March 10, 1889 – April 2, 1972).
However, Soke uses the term Budo (martial way, path) to describe the historical Samurai and Ninja Ryuha (traditional schools) which taught Samurai and Ninja fighting tactics.
These schools are:
- Togakure Ryū Ninpō Taijutsu (戸隠流忍法体術)
- Gyokko Ryū Kosshi jutsu (玉虎流骨指術)
- Kotō Ryū Koppō jutsu (虎倒流骨法術)
- Kuki Shinden Ryū Happō Bikenjutsu (九鬼神伝流八法秘剣術)
- Shinden Fudo Ryū Dakentai jutsu (神伝不動流打拳体術)
- Takagi Yoshin Ryū Jūtai jutsu (高木揚心流柔体術)
- Gikan Ryū Koppō Jutsu (義鑑流骨法術)
- Gyokushin Ryū Ninpō (玉心流忍法)
- Kumogakure Ryū Ninpō (雲隠流忍法)
Bujinkan was founded by Soke Masaaki Hatsumi in the 70s, at the urging of his Master, Toshitsugu Takamatsu, who shortly before he passed away (April 2, 1972) asked his student to make every effort to spread Ninjutsu and the Bujinkan martial arts around the world. In this context Hatsumi Sensei opened the doors of the Bujinkan Hombu Dojo in Noda Shi, Chiba Prefecture where he lives and teaches (from the 70s to 2019) but also his Japanese students, who continue their Master's work.
From the early 80's to the 00's, Hatsumi Sensei delivered many Tai Kai seminars around the world creating a global community under the umbrella of Bujinkan Dojo. Since the beginning of this decade, the seminars around the world have been continued by Soke Hatsumi's students, thus contributing to the development and dissemination of Ninjutsu.
Bujinkan Banbutsu Ruten Dojo Hellas is an organization with the aim of spreading the traditional Japanese martial arts of Bujinkan in Greece. It was founded in Athens in 1999 by Philipp Matsiridis who is actually one of the oldest active Masters of Ninjutsu / Bujinkan worldwide. He started his Ninjutsu practice in 1980 in Berlin and joined the Bujinkan Dojo Deutschland with Master Shihan Moshe Kastiel who is a student of Shihan Doron Navon and a founding member (Senpai) of the first Bujinkan Dojo outside of Japan in 1974 (Bujinkan Dojo Israel).
He participated in many of Soke Hatsumi's Tai Kai in the 80's and 90's and travels frequently to Japan until today. In 1992 he received the title of Shidoshi 5.Dan and now holds the title of Dai Shihan 15.Dan (2018). He taught in Athens school Bujinkan Banbutsu Ruten Dojo Hellas from its inception until 2010 and then returned to Germany where he founded Banbutsu Ruten Dojo Germany in Berlin and Potsdam, where he continues to teach until today.
Since 2010, Dimitris Konstantinou, student of Philipp Matsiridis (1999), took over, following the urging of his Teacher, the management of the school. He oversees the course and directs the school with the aim of always spreading and developing Ninjutsu / Bujinkan in our country. He organizes the first children's and adolescent Ninjutsu classes in Greece since December 2010 and guides older students in undertaking the educational process. In Bujinkan Banbutsu Ruten Dojo Hellas we are particularly happy to have a large age range of trainees, which is the result of our development effort at young ages for many years.
“Banbutsu Ruten” means “everything flows”