mcteacher

[kwan kune]

what is the quickest way to spot a phony ninjutsu teacher?
what should you look for in a ninjutsu school?

[bujingodai]

If there isn't the suffix Kan at the end of it, it's a fraud.

[Dennis Monk]

what is the quickest way to spot a phony ninjutsu teacher?
what should you look for in a ninjutsu school?

Mask, "numchuks" and throwing stars.......

[TonyU]

Mask, "numchuks" and throwing stars.......

Darn, I guess I better throw my set out.

[Mikey Triangles]

he he, overweight bald guy with a goatee is usually the look. When they spell it 'Ninjitsu' is usually another hint.

[Kennin]

Indeed, and also not managing to differ between Japanese and Chinese.
Some indicators:

1. Especially in the begin of a word (but can be anywhere)
   • yi
   • ye
2. End of a word
   • ng
   • m
   • any consonant besides "n"
     
     
3. Anywhere in a word
   • x
   • L
   • kw
   • wi
   • wu
   • we
   • wo
   • q
     

Examples:

• LUNG
• YENG
• WONG
• XIN
• KIM ( )
  

Note that the Japanese currency in fact is not "Yen" but "En".

he he, overweight bald guy with a goatee is usually the look.

I don't agree on this one, however.
This is the late Butch Johnson from Bujinkan.

[Don Roley]

what is the quickest way to spot a phony ninjutsu teacher?
what should you look for in a ninjutsu school?

Assuming you have internet access....

Go to Winjutsu.com and look up the yellow pages. Most Bujinkan dojos should be listed there. I do not know if there is a similar list for the Genbukan and Jinenkan dojos, but those three orginizations are the only ones known in Japan teaching ninjutsu.

If you can't find the name there, go to e-budo.com and use the search function for the name of the school or teacher. If they are known frauds, the chances are they have been roasted over there. You may also do a search here and on martialtalk.com and get lucky. But martialtalk and budoseek both do not try to encourage fraud busting or bad mouthing of other styles. You may find frauds more likely to be talked about on e-budo.

If you can't find their name on Winjutsu (etc), but they have not been roasted on e-budo the chances are they may have slipped through the cracks. Ask there, here or on martialtalk.com about the school and teacher and see what kind of responses you get.

In general, you should be looking for a teacher that is open about what he has done. I do not assume people can tell a Japanese martial arts certificate from a Chinese menu. And there have been cases where people have forged cards, certificates, etc so you really are no longer able to rely on that. But if someone claims to have trained under a teacher, it is pretty damn strange for them to have no pictures of them or be able to put you in contact with them. If they get even a little cagey about you trying to independently confirm what they say or use the word "secret" as part of their excuse RUN, DON'T WALK as far away from them as possible.

[DuckofDeath]

Beware of anyone who claims lineage from Senzo Tanaka.

[Mikey Triangles]

[COLOR=Indigo]

I don't agree on this one, however.

That post was a bit of a joke, but on E-Budo there used to be a nice list of Fat, Bald Ninjitsu Soke with a goatee... but ofcourse not all who fit the description are phony.

[Kennin]

Oh, didn't know that

Another phoney indicator: loooooooooots of inpronouncable and page long titles and degrees.

[Dale Seago]

This is the late Butch Johnson from Bujinkan.

I miss ol' Butchi-san -- truly a unique character.