Yoshi Toyotomi Clan / YTC

The most important decision the Sogobujutsu founders
made was to conduct training in an open-source,
collaborative and scientific manner. Being veteran
warriors themselves, the founders knew the importance
of basing their strategies and training tactics on actual
battle encounters and reliable, first-hand accounts. Their
battleground experiences compelled them to place equal
emphasis on diligently studying what is truly effective in
actual combat and what is not. There was and still is too
much at stake in the matters of war to be philosophical or
artsy. Those early pioneers of Sogobujutsu were the fi rst
true professional martial science practitioners of Japan and
became known as the Sogo warriors.
The Ultimate Warrior Curriculum
The cornerstone of Sogobujutsu is the specialized and
comprehensive curriculum. For hundreds of years,
Sogobujutsu instructors, and warriors worldwide have
constantly and collectively worked together to further refi ne
and perfect the ultimate warrior curriculum.
The core scientifi c principles, and concepts used throughout
the Sogobujutsu curriculum are the root from which
all martial curricula worldwide have stemmed. The
venerable and specialized sogo warrior curriculum cannot
be compared to the piecemeal, superficial curricula and
amateur ranking programs used in modern martial arts. The
traditional Sogobujutsu curriculum produces a much higher
caliber warrior and an extraordinary class of individual.
Three Fighting Elements
The unique structure of the Sogobujutsu curriculum is
constantly forged by the absolute and total comprehensive
consolidation and integration of the three fighting elements
– weaponry, percussion, and grappling. This should not be
taken to mean that Sogobujutsu simply mixes or combines
the three fighting elements in the naive and random way
that one typically finds in the so-called “mixed” martial
arts.
Sogobujutsu employs a profoundly sophisticated and
specialized scientific methodology to seamlessly meld
weaponry, percussion, and grappling, into a dynamic
singularity. Sogobujutsu is not just about the physical
aspects of fighting. A great deal of emphasis is also placed
on the mental aspects, some of which are culturally
influenced. An example is the three sacred treasures of
Japan (Sanshu no Jingi 三種の神器 ). The three sacred
treasures represent the three primary virtues: valor (the
sword), wisdom (the mirror), and benevolence (the jewel).
Sogo warriors have many virtues but all warriors know that
virtues alone are not always enough to deter or win a battle.
The primary virtues coupled with the highly specialized and
total consolidation of the three fighting elements provide
Sogo warriors with the ultimate warrior curriculum, which
creates the ultimate warrior. Warrior Coding
Sogo warriors are not just trained, they are skillfully
programmed. Their extremely flexible actions and highly
appropriate responses are coded into them by a most unique
process. This warrior coding process cannot be duplicated
by any type of martial arts, sport, or competitive practice.
The effectiveness of this process has been repeatedly
validated and recorded both in times of war and in times of
peace.
Instructor Training
The need for effective warrior programmers sparked the
creation of the Sogobujutsu instructor training program
(I.T.P). The I.T.P. is a multi-leveled licensure program
with the sole purpose of producing professionally trained
instructors, and teachers of Sogo warriors. Together, the
sogo instructors and warriors collaborated to develop a truly
accurate profi ciency validation system for the trainees and
the instructors. This became known as the menkyosei.
Warrior Licensure
The menkyosei is not a meager ranking system; rather
it is a sophisticated licensure system that was designed
to gauge and validate the proficiency of Sogobujutsu
instructors and warriors throughout several strategic
layers of training and programming. The menkyosei also
functions as a tool to perpetually validate the effectiveness
of the constantly evolving curriculum, principles, and
standards of Sogobujutsu. The traditional sogo menkyosei
is the authoritative standard by which sogo instructors and
warriors are tested, measured, and judged.
The menkyosei predates all other martial ranking systems in
Japan. Though the menkyosei was the original inspiration
for the popular modern martial arts colored belt kyu and dan
rank structure, it is a serious mistake to compare the highly
refi ned menkyosei standards to the relatively new and
experimental kyu / dan requirements and rankings that are
used in the martial arts today. By virtue of the programming
and licensing process they undergo within the sogobujutsu
curriculum, licensed Sogobujutsu practitioners are naturally
much more well rounded than the overly common black
belt holders in the martial arts.
Warrior Validation
Sogobujutsu instructors and trainees are subjected to many
realistic validation processes to determine their level of
fi ghting effectiveness. This is in stark contrast with the
unrealistic and non-standard rank examinations conducted
in the martial arts. Sogobujutsu validations are actual
engagements conducted under extreme conditions that
simulate the highest degree of realism possible. Validations
can be brutal and unforgiving. They have to be. Both the
instructor and the sogo warrior must know the truth about
their fighting proficiency before engaging in battle.
Success and documentation of a validation comes in the
form of an actual license, not a mere certificate or a colored
belt. The sogo warrior does not seek superficial things.
The pride a sogo warrior feels when his achievements
are acknowledged by genuine warriors in the form of a
bona-fide menkyosei license has no comparison in modern
martial arts.
21st Century Sogobujutsu
Even though Sogobujutsu has been born on ancient
battlegrounds its ever evolving nature precludes it from
ever dying or becoming an obsolete technology. 21st
century sogo warriors continue the tradition of collectively
monitoring, contributing to, polishing and perfecting what
the founders of Sogobujutsu started many centuries ago.
Perpetuating the development of Sogobujutsu is the best
way to honor those who paid dearly for the specialized
knowledge and training being utilized today. The fact is
that Sogobujutsu has matured into an even more effective
and lethal system than it ever was during feudal times. The
accumulated technologies of Sogobujutsu are still deeply
integrated into the daily training and routines of Japan’s
military, security, and special police forces but Sogobujutsu
is available to any individual or organization that requires
truly effective no-nonsense martial science applications.
Currently, in Japan, Sogobujutsu is overseen by the All
Japan Sogobujutsu Federation (Zen Nihon Sogobujutsu
Renmei). Outside of Japan, the authority for Sogobujutsu
is the International Sogobujutsu Federation (ISBF)
Kokusai Sogobujutsu Renmei). Sogobujutsu is one of the
world’s most infl uential martial sciences, and Sogobujutsu
practitioners worldwide work together with members of the
International Martial Sciences Federation (IMSF) to further
optimize the martial sciences.
Finding Sogobujutsu
Modern researchers looking for additional legitimate
information in English on Sogobujutsu, the Yagyu clan, the
Moonshadow warriors, and the menkyosei will fi nd it to
be a very challenging task. It is not an easy task even for a
native Japanese.
When the question arises regarding why more people have
not heard much about or had access to Sogobujutsu, it
must be remembered that Sogobujutsu is not a technology
to which civilians are often afforded easy access. Most
Sogobujutsu information is still reserved for menkyosei
practitioners who continue to honor the tradition and
responsibility of protecting their special heritage.
It should, by now, be evident that Sogobujutsu is not a
commercial enterprise like the vast majority of modern
martial arts. Accordingly, finding a Sogobujutsu Dojo will
prove to be diffi cult since traditional Sogobujutsu training
is not normally conducted in the artificial and commercial
environments most often encountered when attending most
typical martial arts schools.
The truth and a wealth of information on Sogobujutsu does
exist and is available, but it cannot be found except by those
who already know where it is – and you can find those who
know on the Battleground.

Sogo ( 総合 ) means, total, well rounded,
complete, integrated, consolidated, and comprehensive.

Bu (武 ) means martial, military, warrior, chivalry, and arms.

Jutsu ( 術 ) means technique, skill, science, method, and
technology.