Guidelines and Rules
Dress code: clean, black do gi with black tee shirt (no visible writing or designs), protective cup, tabi footwear, ranking belt. New students may wear loose, comfortable clothing and socks until they obtain proper attire.
No jewelry is to be worn during class.
Personal hygiene is paramount. No offensive body odor, "bad breath", dirty fingernails etc.
No hard soled shoes, street shoes, or bare feet on mat.
No "live" weapon is to be brought in to the Dojo without prior permission.
No handling of anyone else's property without asking first.
No personal information (phone numbers, e-mail addresses, etc.) are to be shared with anyone else unless permission is granted first.
No peer pressure or rude behavior is permitted. Respect for fellow members is important.
I am very pleased to have a diverse group of people in our class.
Racial prejudice, misogamy and elitist attitudes, etc. are not tolerated.
You must be teachable.
We are noncompetitive in nature. Those seeking training for personal thrills are not welcome. We are a school devoted to the arts of self-defense and Japanese Budo, not harming innocent victims.
Our Dojo is not run like a "cult" where the Sensei feeds his own ego at the expense of his students. I am honored to have such great students, not the other way around. I do not regard my students as "cash cows". I share all my discounts on martial arts equipment with them. I am not offended by those who are tardy or cannot make every session. I want training partners that really want to train. If life's responsibilities take greater priority, I completely understand. I teach self-discipline through example. I do not desire students that want someone to live their lives for them or tell them what they have to think. I prefer freethinking individualists instead of humans that act like a flock of sheep.
My students have shown great compassion and wisdom.
The true mark of a person is not shown by the color of his belt.
Students may not teach without permission from the Head Instructor. Any bad behavior will possibly be grounds for expulsion, and the likeness of the student
INITIAL TRAINING BEGINS WITH TAIJUTSU:
Kyu levels: beginners
First to Fifth dans: Ten (heaven)
Fifth to Tenth dans: Chi (earth)
Tenth to Fifteenth dans: Jin (person)
The eleventh to fifteenth dans are broken into Chi (earth), Sui (water), Ka (fire), Fu (wind) and Ku (the void); the Happo Hiken will be taught at these levels. The fifth dan test shall only be administered by Soke. True shihan can be given fifteenth dan. Recently, the Bujinkan has become truly international. Just as there are various time zones, so exist various taboos among the world's peoples and nations. We must respect each other, striving to avoid such taboos. We must put the heart of the warrior first, working together for self-improvement and for the betterment of the Bujinkan. Those not upholding the above-mentioned guidelines shall be forced out of the Bujinkan.
THE CODE OF THE DOJO:
1. To know that patience comes first.
2. To know that the path of Man comes from justice.
3. To renounce avarice, indolence, and obstinacy.
4. To recognize sadness and worry as natural, and to seek the immovable heart.
5. To not stray from the path of loyalty and brotherly love, and to delve always deeper into the heart of Budo.
To follow this code is part of the dojo's guidelines.
Meiji 23 (1890) Spring, Toda Shinryuken Masamitsu
Showa 33 (1958) March, Takamatsu Toshitsugu Uou
Masaaki Hatsumi Byakuryu
and causes for dismissal will be documented, witnessed and posted on the World Wide Web.
I am proud to be considered worthy of being their teacher.
As a Bujinkan School, we must try hard to promote a positive impression on others as ambassadors of the Grandmaster. We are a progressive Dojo, and these rules may be upgraded at any time.