Desert Dojo

As of May 23, 2011, Desert Dojo Martial Arts will no longer be teaching at the Hartman Lane location. As the recently appointed Dojo-cho of Genbukan's Shyakunetsu Dojo, and with an overwhelming desire to throw off the vestiges of previous organizations, I have decided to take martial art instruction in a familiar and traditional path.

Shyakunetsu Dojo will put quality over quantity and forsake many of the commercial school trappings and in order to ensure that the quality of instruction remains high, we will purposely keep our school’s enrollment selective. This allows more time for one-on-one instruction and enables students to learn more and achieve at an enhanced pace.

Shyakunetsu Dojo is now an exclusive training hall teaching traditional Japanese martial arts under the auspices of Grandmaster Shoto Tanemura (Genbukan.org) and his direct student Renshi Lyle Benson (ColoradoNinpo.com) of the Genbukan Ninpo Bugei World Federation. Our dojo captures the traditions and legacies that one would expect from such ancient traditions as these martial arts have been continuously used and updated for hundreds of years.

I sincerely look forward to this new path onward and see a continued service to our community and our art.

As of March 2011, Shyakunetsu Dojo is the traditional name of our dojo as presented by Tanemura~Soke

“[Ninpo] stresses training which is concerned with the internal development of the individual’s character along with the technical skills of martial training.”
Shoto Tanemura-Soke

Shyakunetsu/Desert Dojo Martial Arts fosters an attitude that is one of cheerful openness to the teachings of the martial ways, helpfulness to seniors and peers, and a sincere effort in learning all that is offered.

The Shyakunetsu/Desert Dojo Martial Arts is dedicated to helping to protect our community by teaching all of its peoples, who so desire, to protect themselves, their loved ones, their community, and their country.

Utilizing “Nin” ( - patience and perseverance), we strive in our daily lives to live by the three traits of the Shinobi, 1) honesty & integrity, 2) interest in everything, 3) and effort in all that we do.

Mission Statement

Teaching a true martial art as a way of life & self defense to people who desire to learn and live by it. This Bugei - Martial Way, is not limited to any one ryu; what has been included in this art must be further developed. There are no limits imposed on this original Japanese art of perseverance.

Employing the ancient credo of Shikin Haramitsu Dai Komyo - powerful light of wisdom, we epitomize the spirit of the Ninniku by:

§ Never placing our hearts before the sword

§ Never carrying a grudge when humiliated or denounced

§ Possessing a compassionate heart and pursuing peace and harmony.

This ancient style of martial arts is directly transmitted from the legendary masters of the shadow warriors, the Shinobi, of ancient Japan. We here at Syakunetsu/Desert Dojo Martial Arts are dedicated to the preservation and continuance of this very rare and special martial art.

Our purpose is to teach effective, age-old secrets of self-protection and self-development to responsible, good-hearted people who have chosen to seek the ancient ways. We strive to faithfully transmit the family schools that make up our Bugei.

Here at Syakunetsu/Desert Dojo Martial Arts, not only will you learn practical self-defense skills but, with consistent practice, you will uncover the deeper meanings that comprise the essential quality of these traditional arts.

We teach authentic Japanese martial arts in a traditional method. These martial arts have been around for over 2,000 years, handed down through successive generations of direct decedents of Samurai and Shinobi. Everything taught has been proven on a battlefield or on the street; often against overwhelming odds.


Training is fun and rewarding, but not a path to a “quick” black belt. Traditional values require that all levels of recognition must be earned, or they have no value. You do not have to be athletically gifted or in great shape. Just have a good heart and a desire to learn is the only requirements necessary to begin on the path to change your life. The Genbukan World Ninpo Bugei Federation (GWNBF), our parent organization, is not made up of just fighting systems, but there is training and development of the spirit and the mind as well. Ninpo combines martial skills and spiritual philosophy (not religion) to create a whole person. These skills will allow you to become a winner at home, in business and in life. In turn, Ninpo will help you to replace the unwanted pressures and stress of everyday life with internal peace, balance, and harmony. It is said that when a fully qualified GWNBF practitioner enters a room, whether the people in the room know it or not, a sense of safety and security overcomes them. Our curriculum of Ninpo Taijutsu, was developed by Soke (Grandmaster) Shoto Tanemura. Ninpo Taijutsu is the original martial art of the “Shinobi” warriors. This martial art system is taught for self-defense and is not geared toward sport or tournaments. In this art, you will practice the same elite self-defense techniques that have been battle proven over time. As a student you will learn to effectively defend yourself by using evasive body movements, joint lock controls, hand and foot weapons, throws and mental awareness. The Shinobi, or Ninja, exercised patience and perseverance throughout their lives in order to protect their families, communities and country. Their training endowed them with a tough but pliant spirit, and martial skills suitable for coping with any situation. Those same skills can help you in today's difficult world. Visit Arizona Ninjutsu Center's Syakunetsu/Desert Dojo and let us show you how to improve your life through the martial arts. Come to the Shyakunetsu Dojo, relax, have fun, and learn. The first class is always FREE.
Shyakunetsu Dojo Martial Arts is affiliated with the Genbukan World Ninpo Bugei Federation (GWNBF) and our curriculum is Genbukan’s as taught by Soke (Grandmaster) Shoto Tanemura, under his personal student, Lyle Benson. Hence, we are a traditional dojo and our curriculum is structured after the traditional techniques of ancient family (ryu) scrolls that have developed through centuries of combat. This material is based upon Ninpo/Ninjutsu as taught in Asayama Ryu, Togakure Ryu, Kumogakure Ryu, Shinden-Fudo Ryu, Tatara-Shinden Ryu, Iga Ryu, Gyokko Ryu, Yagyu-Shingan Ryu, Koto Ryu and others.

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