Your Questions. Straight Answers.

Learn what it takes to become a Black Belt in Ninjutsu / Ninpo Taijutsu in your own home, at your own pace. We teach the arts as an Empowerment Course: ancient arts for modern times, while you learn self-protection and body enhancement.

This revolutionary course, pioneered by Doshi Richard Van Donk, is used by high-ranking Ninjutsu instructors and beginning students alike, with great success by students around the world. Seven years, thousands of hours of research, lots of blood, sweat and tears, and almost half a million miles of travel in over 50 trips to Japan to personally train with Grandmaster Hatsumi and other Shihan went into this step-by-step Black Belt curriculum. There is none like it anywhere else in the world. The elite World Grandmaster Council (WHFSC) gave us its top International Videos Award in 1999.

Train at the dojo or at home, on your own time, at your own pace. Take total charge of your training and progress. See the Black Belt Course

Simply put, authentic Ninjutsu / Ninpo Taijutsu is hard to find in many parts of the world. There are not qualified instructors on every corner, especially teaching it the way we do, as an Empowerment Course.

The course gives people without a teacher near them the opportunity to study the art step by step, get feedback on their training and, if desired, earn a certified rank. From the reports of our video students, this is a dream come true. It also helps those with a dojo nearby practice at home: our students who train at the dojo and at home with the course advance at least twice as quickly. And it creates a standard for growth, and gives a new black belt a method for becoming an instructor.

Anyone who loves Ninjutsu, the art of the Ninja:

• People who want a life change, personal development and self-defense skills
• Families who want a system to pass on, or buddies who want to train together
• Those who train but want more information, or want to learn faster
• Those without an instructor near them
• Instructors who want a solid, progressive curriculum for their students
• Black belts in other arts who want to add Ninjutsu skills, knowledge or credibility

Our success tells us this very comprehensive, in-depth course will give you the edge you need to become a better martial artist.

1. Join IBDA. Become a member of the International Bujinkan Dojo Association at Bushindo University. You get an ID card, a downloadable certificate and many other benefits in the online portal. IBDA Membership

2. Enroll in a course, at a local dojo or through Bushindo University. If you are an “All In” kind of person and your budget allows, get the complete Bujinkan Masters Course, with everything from beginner to 5th Dan Shidoshi Master Teacher level from the start. Those who do this excel the fastest. It comes as a physical binder version or online only. Or start with the Shodan Course, also in binder or online-only versions.

3. Start training. Enrolling makes you a student of Bushindo University and a dojo member. Testing is your choice. Before you test, send in your student application from the IBDA members portal. Get a black uniform with a white belt; tabi are optional. Over time you will need a few wooden weapons: a knife, a 3-foot staff, a 6-foot staff and a wooden sword.

Start at 9th kyu and study each move over and over until you can do it easily, just as it is shown. Most students take about 3 months per level and reach black belt in 2.5 to 3 years of dedicated study. If you are athletic or have martial arts experience you may go faster, but the basics are the foundation you build your black belt on. Welcome to the training, and let us know how we can help you on your path.

See the recommended study order

First, the videos are your instructor, teaching you step by step in your home or dojo. You can slow the instructor down and practice the move until you learn it. Try that in a dojo. No intimidation of a class. Go at your own speed, when you have the time.

Second, we encourage you to find training partners or an IBDA Bujinkan school near you when you are ready to take your training to a new level. We created a unique and very effective video and written feedback system that really works. We know because it produces results.

Third, do not believe people who tell you this does not work. Since 1991, countless Shodans, Godans and Judans all over the world started with our distance learning courses. Today every major university offers online classes and even awards online degrees, including Stanford, Johns Hopkins, Penn State, Yale and Harvard.

IBDA is here to stay, and here to help you grow as an IBDA dojo or training group anywhere in the world. Perhaps you will be the head instructor in your area. No matter if you have a dojo to train in or not: take charge of your own training!

Testing is simple. As a registered student you receive a list of techniques to demonstrate on video. Post the video privately (YouTube or another video service); the full how-to is in the IBDA Membership Portal. Pay for testing in the portal and email the video link to the University at info@bushindo.com. An upper-level IBDA black belt instructor will carefully review and grade your skills, and give you feedback that inspires your improvement.

Video testing is available from 9th kyu to 1st kyu. The black belt test must be done in person, at a camp, seminar, Tai Kai, dojo or private appointment. This is a real black belt, and we want your day to be special.

All of our rank certifications are awarded and issued by the International Bujinkan Dojo Association. All Bujinkan ranks are not the same.

Nothing is better than sharing these studies with family or a buddy. You will inspire each other’s growth, and we highly encourage it. Family is everything to us: immediate family members living in your home, such as your spouse or children, can study and test with the same course. We recommend everyone has their own training manual and, of course, their own uniform. Contact us about training with a buddy.

Absolutely. Train as you are and do the best you can. Follow your dreams. There are many Bujinkan black belts and Shidoshi who are permanently in wheelchairs or on crutches. You may not be able to do cartwheels and back flips, and your rolls may not look so good, but you can still train your mind, increase the strength in your body, learn how to defend yourself and live the Ninja path. Do not let this stop you.

Ninjutsu is not a religion. Spiritual, yes. Religion, no. You can train in our art no matter what your religious path is or is not. We respect all faiths, and we have issued black belts to people of every faith. Doshi Van Donk and Soke Hatsumi both emphatically respect all faiths.

This art has lasted at least a thousand years, and the people who trained in it had their own beliefs, mostly ones that taught living a natural life. Bujinkan Ninjutsu teachings are worldwide and encompass every religion. Respect, human kindness and helping others are key principles of our teachings.

We do not want to leave anyone out, as we believe these teachings can and do change people’s lives. And we abide by the Bujinkan rules as they are meant to be applied. These arts are not for people in prison, those with a very bad drug habit, or those under strong mental supervision.

We evaluate every situation individually. Someone who has recovered from these challenges is usually welcomed into the training, as long as they are not hurting anyone. Everyone may train with the Shodan course; we reserve the right to deny rank testing and dojo participation. Study the arts and change your life. See the Bujinkan Guidelines

Both. The teachings of the nine Bujinkan schools, inherited by Soke Hatsumi and taught by him to Doshi Van Donk, contain information from both. People like to think of them as clans, sometimes as opposing clans. Both Koga and Iga are regions of Japan where families trained in these ancient, time-tested methods, making the Ninja lore and systems what they are today.

There is more than the movies or even the history books can teach you. By the way, these are the secret arts of the ninja, aren’t they? Do you think the public had the true knowledge of their history?

Both. Doshi Richard Van Donk personally signs and stamps his approval on every IBDA rank certificate. This will always be the case for IBDA students as long as Doshi is alive, teaching and issuing certification.

IBDA is under the direction of Doshi Richard Van Donk, who was designated and authorized by Soke Hatsumi to head this organization. Doshi now carries on the Bujinkan teachings he learned from Soke Hatsumi, and ranks all IBDA students worldwide.

Now that Soke Hatsumi has retired from active teaching and the Sokeships of the nine schools have been issued to various individuals, both Kyu and Dan IBDA certifications are awarded and issued by IBDA and signed by Doshi Richard Van Donk. We are your source for authentic Ninpo Taijutsu / Ninjutsu teachings.

Many kyu and high-level black belts are switching their training affiliation to IBDA, and we support everyone we can. Rank requirements vary from dojo to dojo, so we have a simple accelerated path for whatever Hombu grade you hold. Read Become an Instructor, then email info@ninjutsu.com.

We feel you. This happens all too often in the Bujinkan. At IBDA it does not happen: we only rank students who train with us. Your ability and rank are also about your relationship with your teacher. Our advice is to write to the Japan Hombu, in Japanese, about your situation.

We appreciate your desire to train with IBDA. Many instructors come to us because they want a solid home, organization and study curriculum. The Bujinkan is ever changing now that Soke Hatsumi is not actively teaching; IBDA stands on its own to carry its teachings on forever.

Deeply read Become an Instructor, then email info@ninjutsu.com with your name, location, Bujinkan dojo training history, and what you would like to have happen in our relationship together. Most likely Doshi Richard Van Donk will personally get back to you.

First, IBDA is Bujinkan and associated with Soke Masaaki Hatsumi, and Mr. Hayes has not been with the Bujinkan for many years. If you want authentic Bujinkan teachings and to be part of a continuing lineage, we offer that.

Doshi Richard Van Donk was personally taught to give the Sakki 5th Dan test by Soke Hatsumi. We feel we have very comprehensive continued education courses to Judan, and that we offer authentic Ninjutsu as it was taught in Japan by Soke Hatsumi, with modern applications.

That being said, Anshu Stephen K. Hayes is a very good teacher and simply offers something different than we do. That choice can only be yours, as your path is your own. And we already have a 25-year study program in our online study portal and the Masters Course.

See our list of IBDA Dojos worldwide. No dojo near you? Train with the distance learning course and take charge of your own training.

Private sessions are booked through Bushindo University. Book a session

Send a message to the Bushindo office through our contact page, and we will send you the Booking an Event with Doshi Richard Van Donk information.

Doshi Richard Van Donk offers private, multi-day dojo sessions at his IBDA dojo in Northern California. Contact us to plan yours.

Sure. There are many teachers there, at the Hombu dojo in Noda and at their own dojos. We urge you to study hard and get your Shodan before going, so you have enough taijutsu knowledge to fit into the classes. Then we recommend you go with a senior instructor who can introduce you and show you all the proper Japan protocols.

Our great desire is to help people learn. Email info@bushindo.com (or use the contact form) with an explanation of your situation and the skills you have that could support the University. There is also an affiliate program where you can earn money toward your study courses.