Uniform
Male: Black gi with black tabi and appropriate rank belt and patch
Female: Black gi with black tabi and appropriate rank belt and patch
New Students: New students may initially wear loose comfortable clothing but are encouraged to have an appropriate uniform after the first month of training.
Bowing In and Out of Class (Shinzen Rei)
Class begins and ends with bowing in or out.
All members kneel in seiza facing the Kamiza or front wall of the dojo, usually in order by rank. The instructor then intones the following motto:
"SHI-KIN HARA-MITSU DAI-KO-MYO"
(This phrase cannot be translated directly into English. One interpretation is: "A moment of true interaction between mind and spirit may lead to enlightenment." Another is: "The sound of the words in our reach for enlightenment creates the divine cosmic light." Basically, every encounter experience has the potential to be that one thing that brings you to enlightenment. You could also look at it as saying that every experience is a learning experience (well, sort of). There are many other translations.)
All clap twice, bow once, clap once, and bow again. The teacher turns to face the class, and the senior student calls:
"SEN-SEI NI REI"
(Bow to the teacher)
Students and teacher bow to each other at the same time and say:
"O-NE-GAI-SHI-MASU"
(before training)
(Please assist me)
"DO-MO A-RI-GA-TO GO-ZAI-MASU"
(after training)
(Thank you very much)
Bujinkan Rank
9th kyu to 1st kyu rank
Shodan to Judan (1st degree to 10th degree)
The bujinkan employs one green belt that you would wear till 1st degree black belt.
Kyodai-na Karasu Bujinkan dojo rank is the same with 3 belt colors
Blue belt 1,2,3 (bujinkan standard= 9th kyu,8th kyu,7th kyu)
We do have a DVD to help you through blue 1,2,3 if needed.
Blue 1 or 9th kyu
Ukemi, sanshin,kamae,5 kihon ,termonolgy
Blue 2 or 8th kyu
Ukemi, sanshin,kamae,all kihon gata ,kicking and recieving kicks,termonolgy
Blue 3 or 7th kyu
Ukemi, sanshin,kamae,all kihon gata.. done with proficency, handbo movement,basic sword and kamae,tanto (knife),kicking and recieving kicks,termonolgy
Purple belt 1,2,3 (bujinkan standard= 6th kyu,5th kyu,4th kyu)
Purple 1 or 6th kyu
Ukemi, sanshin,kamae,all kihon gata.. done with proficency and henka..handbo kihon,sword kihon, jo staff
termonolgy, a live blade test will be taken at this level
Purple 2 or 5th kyu
We may test you on all previous knowledge adding bo kihon
Purple3 or 4th kyu
We may test you on all previous knowledge adding kusari fundo and rope (hojo jutsu)
Brown belt 1,2,3 (bujinkan standard= 3rd kyu,2nd kyu,1st kyu)
We may test you on all previous knowledge, During these last belts before shodan you will need a firm understanding the kusari gama, kyoketsu shoge,shuriken,yari,naginata,bisento.
As well as understanding smooth movement in balance of your taijutsu.
Ideals of metsubishi,shoten no jutsu and military stratagies with and without weapons
Your shodan test will be re testing in everything from rank 1 and all weapons,terms,all 9 school names and kuden things that are spoken or talked about that are not on your termonology sheets or blue 1,2,3 DVD
nidan ,sandan,yondan , your tests are on your improvement in knowledge of weapons and movement
Godan ,this test is administered in Japan and you should have at least one trip to Japan under your belt before taking.Ranks after godan will be on improvement as well always striving for more knowledge of yourself as well as body core and mechanics
By the time you are a shodan you must have your own training weapons ,you should be attending seminars from shidoshi or shihan that are training recently in Japan.
And you should look int making 1 or 2 of your own weapons including shinobi zue.
Class and ranking fees
Classes are usually 2 hrs long unlimited training, you may join us in Sturgeon bay if you ask. $75 a month
The Rank certificates are directly from Japan
$35 for all kyu ranks
shodan $100
nidan $150
sandan $190
yondan$250
Gi patches kyu,dan,shidoshi $30
dojo patch $5
Belt 1 time fee for each color $8
The reason for the difference in our bujinkan rank and possible other schools is based off of many things
When I started my training in the late 80's nobody wanted to take on the responsibility to rank out of state students and most of the Bujinkan training was outside of Wisconsin. Therefore training groups brought people together and I would go out and gather information to teach to this group.
It was many years of me going to seminars wearing a white belt before anyone took note and asked me to take the Shodan test. My group already had a rank similar to the bujinkan 9 kyu .We just added 3 colors to represent levels of training to break up the rank .
In truth let your taijutsu speek for itself . We have observed over the years many other instructors that ranked shodan with almost no idea of sanshin and have chose to stick to our standards..Nothing against anyone ,some might hold more standards than we do but some maybe lower. As a student you will see this at other schools .But be humble a belt is a belt.
