Seattle Budokan - Bujinkan Dojo

Seattle Budokan trains in Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu, the art that also goes by ninjutsu, taijutsu and ninpo. Created by Masaaki Hatsumi, it brings together nine ancient Japanese martial arts from samurai and ninja traditions, and the dojo calls itself a kobudo school. Training covers stand-up and ground fighting skills, with and without weapons: using the whole body against an attacker's weak points, distancing and angling to overcome speed, and the same body movement applied empty-handed or with any weapon. The Budokan also has a Japan dojo in Tenjin, Fukuoka.

Owner Matt Keiser holds the title Dai Shihan and draws on 25 years of living in Japan. Keiser describes the teaching like this: “I never teach the art, I only offer an interpretation.” Sam, also an owner, started out in Idaho in the early '90s with Kantan-Kyo Jiu-jutsu and Wing Tsun Kung-fu. Instructor Anthony Miller (nidan) studied ninjutsu for a little over 10 years before joining the Bujinkan and has cross-trained in Muay Thai kickboxing.

Adults train on Wednesday evenings and on Sunday between 11 am and 1 pm. The dojo gives Aikido Northshore, 11232 120th Ave NE in Kirkland, as its training address, so it's worth confirming the venue when the trial is arranged. Kids ages 6 to 13 have their own classes.

New students start with a free trial lesson, arranged by phone in advance; the dojo asks that nobody show up unannounced. Before the lesson there's a talk with staff about the school's rules, the student handbook to read and a waiver to fill out for the instructor. Loose clothes such as gym gear work for the trial, and the dojo suggests arriving about 15 minutes early. Afterward both sides talk it over, and if it's a good fit for both, the school invites the newcomer to join. Members train in a black uniform, the dogi. For anyone not yet sure about the dojo, a four-session Ninjutsu Exploratory Course covers the basics: history and tradition, junan taiso stretching, ukemi break falls, basic techniques and an introduction to weapons, with a Japanese shabu-shabu party at the last session.