武神館位
Bujinkan Kurai
Bujinkan Ranks
The Bujinkan utilizes both the Kyū / Dan system and Menkyo licenses. Ranks are divided into 9 Kyū grades and 15 Dan levels with the occasional Menkyo being awarded in an individual school or a specific discipline from one of the schools.
There is only one official test in the Bujinkan, the Godan or 5th Dan test sometimes referred to the Sakki (killer intent) test. In this test the Godan candidate must kneel in meditation while the one giving the test (a Jūgodan, 15th Dan) prepares to cut down from behind with a Fukuroshinai (a split bamboo training sword with a thin covering, usually leather). The applicant must sense the tester’s “killer intent” and roll out of the way. Originally, only Hatsumi Sensei gave this test. Beginning in the early 2000s, he began having the Jūgodan give the test in his presence. Since then, he has authorized the Jūgodan to give the test outside of Japan with at least three Jūgodan present. Once the candidate has passed the Godan test, they become a Shidoshi (Teacher of the Warrior Ways) a fully licensed teacher in Bujinkan Budō Taijutsu and may award rank to their students up to the rank of Yondan, 4th Dan.
At the rank of Kyūdan, 9th Dan, recommendations from three Jūdan or higher are required to advance to Jūdan. Those that are Jūdan or higher are referred to as Shihan, Senior Teachers.
In the early 1990s the highest rank within the Bujinkan was Jūdan, 10th Dan, then Hatsumi Sensei began awarding a series of Menkyo to the Jūdans:
- Chi-i Happō Biken Menkyo – Earth (1st) Level Eight Way Secret Sword License
- Sui-i Happō Biken Menkyo – Water (2nd) Level Eight Way Secret Sword License
- Ka-i Happō Biken Menkyo – Fire (3rd) Level Eight Way Secret Sword License
- Fū-i Happō Biken Menkyo – Wind (4th) Level Eight Way Secret Sword License
- Kū-i Happō Biken Menkyo – Void (5th) Level Eight Way Secret Sword License
Due to some initial confusion and because it was much easier to say, many began referring to these levels as 11th to 15th Dan. Eventually Hatsumi Sensei made this official and began awarding 11th to 15th Dan Menkyo instead of the Happō Biken Menkyo.
Hatsumi Sensei has said that Jūgodan are “true Shihan”. In recent years, the Jūgodan have been awarded Menkyo for Daishihan, Great Senior Teachers.
There are only three belt colors used for adults in the Bujinkan: white, green, and black. Some dōjō also use brown at Nikyū, 2nd Kyū and / or Ikkyū, 1st Kyū. Many dōjō add yellow, brown, and sometimes blue for children in the Kyū grades. In the past, women wore red belts instead of green with purple dōgi (uniform). While some women still follow this tradition, most dōjō use green belts and black dōgi for both men and women.
Specific ranks are represented by different patches called wappen (crest) with the kanji 武神 Bujin (Divine Warrior) embroidered:
It goes without saying that only Hatsumi Sensei wears the Sōke wappen.
Rank | Belt | Wappen | |
無級 Mukyū | No Rank | White Belt | No Wappen |
九級 Kyūkyū | 9th Kyū | Green Belt | Kyū Wappen |
八級 Hakkyū | 8th Kyū | Green Belt | Kyū Wappen, 1 White Star |
七級 Nanakyū | 7th Kyū | Green Belt | Kyū Wappen, 2 White Stars |
六級 Rokkyū | 6th Kyū | Green Belt | Kyū Wappen, 3 White Stars |
五級 Gokyū | 5th Kyū | Green Belt | Kyū Wappen, 4 White Stars |
四級 Yonkyū | 4th Kyū | Green Belt | Kyū Wappen, 1 Yellow Star |
三級 Sankyū | 3rd Kyū | Green Belt | Kyū Wappen, 2 Yellow Stars |
二級 Nikyū | 2nd Kyū | Green Belt | Kyū Wappen, 3 Yellow Stars |
一級 Ikkyū | 1st Kyū | Green Belt | Kyū Wappen, 4 Yellow Stars |
初段 Shodan | 1st Dan | Black Belt | Dan Wappen |
弐段 Nidan | 2nd Dan | Black Belt | Dan Wappen, 1 Silver Star |
参段 Sandan | 3rd Dan | Black Belt | Dan Wappen, 2 Silver Stars |
四段 Yondan | 4th Dan | Black Belt | Dan Wappen, 3 Silver Stars |
五段 (士道師) Godan (Shidōshi) | 5th Dan (Teacher) | Black Belt | Shidōshi Wappen |
六段 Rokudan | 6th Dan | Black Belt | Shidōshi Wappen, 1 Gold Star |
七段 Nanadan | 7th Dan | Black Belt | Shidōshi Wappen, 2 Gold Stars |
八段 Hachidan | 8th Dan | Black Belt | Shidōshi Wappen, 3 Gold Stars |
九段 Kyūdan | 9th Dan | Black Belt | Shidōshi Wappen, 4 Gold Stars |
十段 (師範) Jūdan (Shihan) | 10th Dan (Senior Teacher) | Black Belt | Shihan Wappen |
十一段 Jūichidan | 11th Dan | Black Belt | Shihan Wappen, 1 Gold Star |
十二段 Jūnidan | 12th Dan | Black Belt | Shihan Wappen, 2 Gold Stars |
十三段 Jūsandan | 13th Dan | Black Belt | Shihan Wappen, 3 Gold Stars |
十四段 Jūyondan | 14th Dan | Black Belt | Shihan Wappen, 4 Gold Stars |
十五段 Jūgodan | 15th Dan | Black Belt | Shihan Wappen, 5 Gold Stars |
大師範 Daishihan | Great Senior Teacher | Black Belt | Daishihan Wappen |