The Bujinkan (Warrior Spirit Place) is composed of nine schools or “Ryu” each of which has its own specialties or arts. While training in any ryu of the Bujinkan, one practices Budo Taijutsu (war way body art). Regardless of the particular ryu you train in (many techniques are learned in more than one ryu) you are ranked on how well you move, more specifically, how well you practice Budo Taijutsu. Thus, the rank you are given in one school applies to all of the other 8 in the Buinkan. The nine schools are listed in random order below with a description and their specialty art. **Note that two schools may share a specialty yet the techniques are very different, i.e.. Gikan Ryu Koppojusu is not the same as Koto Ryu Koppojutsu.**
| Koto Ryu (Tiger Knockdown School) Specializes in Koppojutusu (bone structure art) | Gyokko Ryu (Jeweled Tiger School) Specializes in Koshijutsu (bone finger art) | Shinden Fudo Ryu (Divine Transmission of Immovability School) Specializes in Dakentaijutsu (hard weapon body art) |
| Kukishinden Ryu (Nine Demons’ Divine Transmision School) Specializes in Happo Hikenjutsu (eight secret weapons art) | Togakure Ryu (Hidden Door School) Specializes in Ninjutsu (Concealing, Stealth, Patient arts) | Gikan Ryu (Clear Truth and Justice School) Specializes in Koppojutsu (bone structure art) |
| Takagi Yoshin Ryu (High Willow Tree Spirit School) Specializes in Jujutsu (soft art) | Kumogakure Ryu (Hidden Cloud School) Specializes in Ninjutsu (Concealing, Stealth, Patient arts) | Gyokushin Ryu (Pearl Heart School) Specializes in Ninjutsu (Concealing, Stealth, Patient arts) |
One way to look at the Bujinkan’s organization for better understanding is to compare it to a large university. For example, the University of Kentucky has several colleges or schools grouped together to create the university as a whole. Each college has its own courses and skills required to complete those courses. Regardless of which college you get a degree in, your diploma is issued by the university. Similarly, The Bujinkan (university) has 9 ryu (colleges) that each have their own arts (courses). When you are ranked, you are ranked in the Bujinkan, regardless of the specific ryu in which you are training.