Japanese Jujutsu and Ninpo Martial Arts
Kobukan Training Curriculum
Master the complete path of Japanese Jujutsu and Ninpo — from foundational ranks to advanced weapon and strategy training, rooted in authentic Takamatsu-den tradition.
Find Out How Members Progress Through Kobukan Training
Strategy and Approach in Traditional Japanese Martial Arts
Traditional Japanese martial arts emphasize adaptability, efficiency, and practical effectiveness. At the heart of these systems, within the Takamatsu-den tradition, is the interplay between Atemi (striking), Jutaijutsu (body-based grappling and control techniques), and strategic movement (Taihenjutsu) principles.
Atemi Waza is not merely about generating power — its true purpose is to create openings, disrupt the opponent’s balance, and set up transitions into locks, throws, or pins. These strikes form a critical entry point to deeper grappling techniques. Further, the term Daken Taijutsu expresses the strategy of using our body as a “fist” within our defense (Taijutsu or “body art”).
Jutaijutsu, or the “art of the flexible body,” represents the comprehensive study of grappling, encompassing joint locks, reversals, throws, pins, and body controls. Together with Atemi, it forms the foundation of our combative strategy, allowing practitioners to adapt fluidly in close combat situations and defense from further distances.
Where Ninpo distinguishes itself is through an even deeper focus on Taisabaki (body movement and evasion). This emphasis on dynamic footwork, angular movement, and deception expands the strategy beyond direct confrontation, teaching practitioners to control not only the opponent’s balance but also space and timing.
In the Kobukan training curriculum, these principles are woven together to create a holistic curriculum that develops martial discipline, technical depth, and real-world adaptability — whether training unarmed, armed, or in transitional contexts.
A note about Jutaijutsu: Jutaijutsu is a term often associated with martial arts passed down through the Takamatsu lineage, used to describe the grappling and body control techniques within broader Taijutsu. Depending on the lineage, comparable traditional combative methodologies may be called Jujutsu or Yawara, reflecting the rich evolution of Japanese martial arts over the centuries. During the Meiji period, these classical strategies were further systematized and adapted by Kano Jigoro, who filtered out weapons training, some striking, and more dangerous elements to create Judo. This adaptation of Jujutsu later influenced the development of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, which emphasizes ground fighting and positional control.
Overview of Kobukan Training in Jujutsu and Ninpo
Kyu Rank Progression: Building Fundamentals
Maintaining high standards and a consistent technical baseline is essential across any serious martial arts school or organization. For this reason, members follow a unified Kobukan training curriculum, progressing from 9th Kyu through 1st Kyu. This ensures that the fundamental techniques and skills required to understand and apply Jujutsu and Ninpo are thoroughly internalized before advancing.
The techniques contained at these training levels contain Kihon (fundamentals) directly from the Ryu-ha we study, as well as some essential skills that help create a strong foundation for any martial artist.
These include the following:
Positioning & Stance (Kamae Gata)
Learn fundamental stances that develop balance, readiness, and strategic body positioning. Training includes stances from Gyokko Ryu, Koto Ryu, Kukishin Ryu, and Shinden Fudo Ryu, creating a strong foundation for both striking and grappling.
Movement & Evasion (Taihenjutsu)
Master dynamic rolls, breakfalls, and evasive maneuvers to develop fluidity and resilience in all directions. These skills teach you to protect your body during throws or falls and create opportunities for counterattacks.
Applying & Escaping from Body Grabs (Taijime Gata / Taihodoki / Tehodoki)
Build the ability to escape, control, and reverse various wrist, arm, and body grabs. These foundational techniques strengthen your control over an opponent’s balance and prepare you for more advanced joint locks and captures, while providing essential self-defense techniques.
Striking Techniques (Daken Kihon / Atemi Waza / Ken)
Develop effective strikes using fists, elbows, knees, and specialized weapons of the body, as well as advanced fist variations, emphasizing accuracy, timing, and targeting.
Throws & Takedowns (Nage no Kata)
Study a range of powerful throws and sweeps designed to unbalance and neutralize an opponent efficiently.
Joint Locks & Reversals (Torite Gata / Gyaku Waza)
Explore a series of joint manipulations and reversals. These essential techniques focus on controlling the opponent through pain compliance and balance disruption.
Choking Techniques (Shime Waza)
Learn effective choke techniques. Training includes application from standing, ground, and transitional positions, emphasizing safe execution and control.
Pins & Ground Fighting (Osae Komi Waza / Ne Waza)
Gain proficiency in controlling an opponent on the ground, including restraining techniques, along with control and survival on the ground. These forms develop dominance and positional control crucial for finishing techniques or restraint.
Yudansha Training: Mastering Ryu-ha Concepts
Achieving black belt (Yudansha) rank marks the beginning of true advanced study within the Kobukan training curriculum. At this stage, practitioners move beyond foundational Kyu curriculum and focus on deepening their understanding of individual Ryu-ha (classical lineages).
Kobukan students learn the complete series of kata (forms), ensuring a holistic and authentic transmission of each school’s tactics and spirit.
Furthermore, techniques are taught as they are preserved in the original densho, maintaining historical integrity and respect for the art’s lineage. However, this classical transmission is seen as a foundation — students are guided to move beyond rote form and explore practical application, adaptive strategy, and combative realism.
This advanced phase cultivates deep personal understanding, leadership ability, and the skill to preserve and carry forward the rich traditions of each Ryu-ha, transforming technical proficiency into true martial artistry. You can find a list of the ryu-ha we study in our Training Overview.
BUKI – WEAPONS TRAINING
A number of the classical martial systems studied within the Kobukan training curriculum include a diverse range of weapons training, covering bladed weapons such as the sword (Bikenjutsu or Kenjutsu), spear (Sojutsu), and halberd (Naginata-jutsu); impact weapons such as the long staff (Rokushaku Bojutsu) and short staff (Hanbo-jutsu); as well as projectile systems like throwing blades (Shuriken-jutsu) and other specialized tools.
While these traditional systems are extensive, the foundation of weapons training in the Kobukan focuses on Rokushaku Bojutsu (six-shaku staff), Hanbo-jutsu (half staff), and Bikenjutsu (sword). These core weapons are offered to all students, regardless of rank, to develop universal combative principles such as distance control, timing, and body alignment.
Mastery of these fundamental weapons builds an adaptable skill base, making the transition to other traditional weapons more intuitive and efficient. This progressive approach not only preserves historical authenticity but also empowers students with a practical understanding of weapon-based strategy that seamlessly integrates with their unarmed Taijutsu skills.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if there isn’t a Kobukan dojo near me?
If you don’t live near a Kobukan dojo or group (check our directory here), we offer several options to support your growth. You can participate in special events and seminars, or follow our comprehensive online training curriculum. The online program allows students anywhere in the world to progress through the same structured Kyu system and foundational weapons training, ensuring you stay consistent and connected even without a physical dojo nearby.
Can I start weapons training as a beginner?
Yes. In the Kobukan system, foundational weapons such as the Rokushaku Bo (six-foot staff), Hanbo (three-foot staff), and Biken (sword) are available to all students regardless of rank. These weapons build essential skills in distance control, timing, and body mechanics that support your overall martial development from the very beginning.
What makes Kobukan training different from other Takamatsu-den schools and organizations?
The uniqueness of Kobukan stems from several key factors that overlap to create an exceptional, open, and authentic training environment. First, Kobukan Kancho, James Wright, brings deep experience and a strong willingness to share information fully with all members — without holding back “secrets” or creating artificial barriers.
Second, students receive complete, unaltered transmission of techniques and full kata series, as recorded in the densho, rather than simplified samples or selective teaching. This approach is combined with an emphasis on pressure testing and realistic application to ensure that techniques are understood beyond rote form.
Third, Kobukan fosters a supportive international community that values openness and growth, rather than mystique or rigid hierarchies.
Finally, unlike some X-kan organizations, Kobukan avoids adding religious or spiritual overlays to its curriculum, focusing purely on the martial and strategic essence of Takamatsu-den arts. In essence, we preserve and transmit these traditional arts as they were handed down, while encouraging each practitioner to embody them fully.
Do you compete in tournaments?
The Kobukan does not participate in tournaments at the organizational level. However, individual dojo or instructors may choose to explore competition depending on their interests and backgrounds. Additionally, some students and instructors also train in other martial arts where competition is emphasized, and they may incorporate certain techniques or principles into their tournament strategies.
As a martial art originally designed to incapacitate, injure, or kill, many Kobukan strategies and techniques are inherently too dangerous to perform fully in a competitive or sportive environment. Nevertheless, we believe that pressure testing skills and techniques as safely but realistically as possible — including against full resistance and with additional variables — is critical for developing true technical precision, understanding real-world effectiveness, and cultivating a resilient warrior spirit.
What’s the difference between Jujutsu and Jiu-jitsu (Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu)?
Classical Jujutsu is a traditional Japanese martial art developed for multiple contexts, including close-quarters combat, battlefield engagements, policing, and security. It includes a comprehensive range of techniques: strikes, joint locks, throws, chokes, pins, ground controls, and defenses against weapons. Its goal was to incapacitate or neutralize an opponent in various situations, whether armored or unarmored.
Generally, classical Jujutsu emphasizes staying on one’s feet to address multiple attackers and avoid compromising positions, though it does include ground defense strategies when needed.
In contrast, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) began developing around 1925, after the introduction of Judo (which itself evolved from Jujutsu) to Brazil. BJJ focuses primarily on ground fighting and submissions, emphasizing positional control, leverage, and the ability to overcome larger opponents through refined technique rather than brute strength. It was adapted and refined for sportive competition and self-defense but does not typically include significant striking or weapons training.
The spelling “Jiu-jitsu” became popular through the Brazilian adaptation and is now commonly used to refer specifically to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), whereas “Jujutsu” is the standard romanization when referring to the classical Japanese art.
While both arts share historical roots in Japanese Jujutsu, their strategies, objectives, and training methodologies differ significantly.