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Glossary and Reference
Just starting out, there are a lot of new names and terms to work out.
Here are some of the common ones.
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Kyu and Dan grades
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Common to many Japanese martial arts, a new student starts as a
'white belt', someone with no rank or grade. As they progress,
they move through the 'kyu grades', starting at 9th Kyu then
counting down to 1st Kyu. In the Bujinkan, you'll keep the
same belt colour (usually green) through all the kyu grades, rather
than changing at every new rank. The next level after 1st Kyu is
1st Dan, or shodan. This is the first 'black belt' grade. You
can then become a 2nd Dan, 3rd Dan, and so on.
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Shidoshi
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A Shidoshi is a licensed instructor. Someone must achieve the rank
of 5th Dan before being allowed to become a Bujinkan instructor, and
therefore open a dojo. People below 5th Dan can be Shidoshi-ho,
meaning 'Assistant Instructor', if they are sponsored by a full
Shidoshi.
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Shihan
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Shihan are those senior practitioners who are the most senior
instructors, meant as the role models for everyone else. These people
are not usually less than 10th Dan.
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Gi and Tabi
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The Gi is the standard martial arts wear. Made of tough
cotton or canvas and heavily reinforced, it's meant to withstand
all sorts of tough training. It consists of a pair of cord-tie trousers,
and a long sleeved jacket, which needs to be tied shut by a belt. It's
designed this way so that there are no buttons or zips to land on,
reducing the chance of injury.
Tabi are Japanese split-toed socks. Jikatabi, which most ninjutsu
practitioners wear, are hardier versions, used by carpenters, people
in street festivals, and so on, as well as martial artists.
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Wooden weapons
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There are many traditional weapons used in Ninjutsu, many of which are
wooden, and some are metal. Generally, we use wooden versions of
everything, in the interests of safety and economy.
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Katana
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Mid-sized and most common type of Japanese sword.
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Bokken and Subarito
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Wooden training sword, the Subarito is a heavier version.
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Wakizashi
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Short sword
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Shoto
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Literally 'Short sword', it's also used to refer to the short wooden training sword.
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Tanto
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A short knife, either metal or wooden.
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Bo
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6ft staff
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Jo
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4ft staff or 'chin height', depending on school
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Hanbo
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3ft staff, or walking stick height
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Naginata
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Equivalent of a western halberd, and has a variety of blade shapes
and sizes.
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Yari
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A spear, carried by the mainstay of Japanese armies, the Ashigaru
('light foot').
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Kyoketsu Shoge
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A combined spear tip and sickle, attached to a long chain with an
iron ring at the other end.
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Kunai
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A digging tool, a bit like a trowel.
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Tessen
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An iron fan, either one that can open and be used, or just a solid
bar made to look like a real fan.
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Kusari fundo
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A short length of chain with small iron weights at either end.
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Kusari gama
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A sickle, with a short length of chain attached, and an iron weight
at the other end.
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Kama
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The sickle from the Kusari gama, above, but without any attached chain.
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Shuriken
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Throwing weapons, in either star or spike shapes.
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Jutte
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A sword-breaking and restraint weapon, that looks like half an
Okinawan Sai; a metal rod with a grip at one end, and a spur.
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