Japanese Cultural and Martial Arts Academy

The Emblem of Shinbukan
The Iga Ryu Ninjutsu Crest

The sensei of Shinbukan, Kazuo "Crando" Saito, is the 16th Soke of Iga Ryu Ninjutsu and thus Shinbukan currently utilises the crest of Iga Ryu Ninjutsu as its' official emblem.

The name Shinbukan means, or is derived from the following:

Shinbu - Pronounced Jinmu, was the first Emporer of Japan, crowned at Kashi hara jingu 660A.D. He conquered and unified Yamato (ancient Japan);
kan - refers to house or place for nobel person.

Shinbukan is Saito Soke's Japanese Cultural and Martial Arts Academy. The name was given to Saito Soke by the 15th Grandmaster of Iga Ryu Ninjutsu, Okuse Soke.

The Iga Ryu Ninjutsu crest is comprised of the constellation known as the "Great Plough" or "Big Dipper", encircling two arrows crossing. This is the family crest of Sandaiyu "Tanba no Kami" Momochi. He lived in Hojiro, Iga, modern day Mie Prefecture (1532-1555), and at this time his was the largest ninja family in the Iga region. Momochi was a blood relative of the Hattori clan and was in charge of Iga province by order of Hanzo Hattori, as he was employed by the Shogun Tokugawa.

All Hattori clan have used arrows in their crests since Lord Ienaga Hattori (1150-1185), founder of Iga, won a Kyudo (Zen archery) contest and was awarded a prize of one thousand arrows by Emperor Goshirakawa. Momochi's crest, comprised of the constellation and the arrows, represents Iga Ryu Ninjutsu, and this crest also appears on the front door of the Iga Ueno Ninja museum that was built by Heishichiro Okuse, the 15th Soke of Iga Ryu Ninjutsu.

The Emblem of Shinbukan The Iga Ryu Ninjutsu Crest

The Emblem of Shinbukan
The Iga Ryu Ninjutsu Crest