Japan may have forgotten ninjutsu, but it’s alive and kicking in Malaysia

James Lee Peek Kuan is a master at several oriental arts, but found a particular calling towards ninjutsu.

PUCHONG: The Japanese government and the royal imperial family only authorise one official group, the Bujinkan, based in Japan, to teach the ninja arts.

So, it was something of a surprise to find an official Bujinkan dojo in Puchong, Selangor.

James Lee Peek Kuan is a Ninjutsu Shihan, or senior ninjutsu instructor. He has been teaching Bujinkan ninjutsu for over 25 years. Some of his students are now teachers in their own right around Malaysia.

Ninjutsu, while having ninja roots, is not the same as ninja.

He teaches ninjutsu students both armed and unarmed combat along with sensory training to master techniques aimed at, for example, distracting their opponents and then defeating them in their split second of confusion.

James hopes more Malaysians will take up ninjutsu. His school accepts those of all ages, although some are easier to train than others.

“Older people might find it more difficult to keep up with the training, but with time and perseverance they may master ninjutsu,” he said.

“But it’s not easy to discipline primary school kids,” James laughed. “It’s difficult to get them to line up and be still. They tend to be too hyperactive,” he said.

James (middle, back row) with his students. James has been training and teaching Bujinkan ninjutsu for over 25 years.

Ninjutsu has lost popularity in its homeland of Japan, said James. It was popular in the 1980s but today most Japanese do not even know that ninjutsu is Japanese. 90% of its practitioners are foreign.

But there are still masters of the art to be found in Japan.

James visits Japan several times a year to meet and learn from different masters, each with his own unique skills. He also takes some of his students there regularly so they can advance up the training ranks.

He sees ninjutsu as being deep-rooted in ancient eastern philosophies, and a way to connect to the divine.

He talks of ninjutsu as his guide to life, saying ninjutsu moves even follow similar principles to the natural elements.

“Ninjutsu allows us to be better equipped in life and understand everything more deeply,” he said.

“Often we don’t realise that we are actually searching for something that ninjutsu can teach us.

“It’s only a question of how far we are willing to learn.”