Editing Bujinkan (section)

==Uniforms and rankings==

===Kyu levels===
The Bujinkan Dōjō has a series of ''[[kyu|kyū]]'' (grades) below the level of ''shodan''. The new student starts at ''mukyu'' ("without grade") and progresses from ''kukyu'' (9-kyu), the lowest rank, to ''ikkyu'' (1-kyu), the highest. Unranked (''mukyū'') practitioners wear white belts, kyu grade practitioners wear green belts (men) or red belts (women), and those with ranks of ''[[Shodan (rank)|shōdan]]'' and above wear [[Black belt (martial arts)|black belts]].  In some dojos kyu-level practitioners&nbsp;– especially in children's classes&nbsp;– wear colored belts, though the actual color of the belt varies from place to place. In Japan it was once customary for kyu-level men to wear green belts over a black [[keikogi|ninjutsugi]] and women to wear red belts over a purple ninjutsugi, but this practice has largely been abandoned. Currently, both male and female Bujinkan practitioners now wear green belts over a black ninjutsugi and on the feet they wear tabi (soft-sole ''[[tabi]]'' for indoor training and ''[[jika-tabi]]'' for outdoor training) at most dojos.

===Dan levels===
There are Ten dan grades in the Bujinkan, with the final JuDan level having additional    five levels of rank. With the exception of fifth dan (see below) there are no fixed criteria for attaining each grade. Different dojos have their own approaches based on the cultural environment and the instructor's preference.

Typically the study of ''tenchijin ryaku no maki'' (scrolls of heaven, earth and man) guides progression from 9-kyu to shodan (1st dan) and comprises all the fundamental techniques required for advanced study thereafter. Until 4th dan the student is expected to focus on developing strong foundations and to perfect their form. At 5th dan the training focus changes to becoming more responsive and responding naturally in dynamic & increasingly challenging situations.

In order to attain fifth dan (''godan''), fourth dan practitioners must submit to a ''sakki'' (or ''godan'') test before the ''sōke'' to establish that they are able to sense the presence of danger and evade it, which is considered a fundamental survival skill.<ref name=kessler /><ref name="hassell">{{cite book|last=Hassell|first=Randall G.|title=The Karate Spirit|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=K9IDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA94|access-date=19 February 2013|series=Black Belt|date=April 1983|publisher=Active Interest Media, Inc.|pages=94, 96|issn=0277-3066}}</ref>  After passing this test, a practitioner is considered to be under the protection of the ''Bujin'', or Guiding Spirits, and is entitled to apply for a teaching license (''shidōshi menkyo''). A ''shidōshi'' (士道師) is entitled to open their own Bujinkan ''dōjō'' and grade students up to fourth dan. A practitioner between first dan and fourth dan may become a licensed assistant teacher (''shidōshi-ho'') if backed by and acting under the supervision of a ''shidōshi''. In the Bujinkan, a person ranked tenth dan or higher is often referred to as a ''[[shihan]]''.

The practitioner's level is displayed by the color of the art's emblem, called ''wappen'' (ワッペン) inscribed with the  kanji "bu"(武) and "jin" (神). There are four kinds of ''wappen'' (9 to 1 ''kyū'', 1 to 4 ''dan'', 5 to 9 ''dan'', and 10 'dan’. Following 10 Dan, Chi, Sun, Ka, Fu, and Ku), sometimes augmented with up to four silver, gold or white stars (called ''hoshi'') above or around the emblem, representing the individual ranks.

In addition to the kyu/dan system, a few practitioners have earned ''[[menkyo kaiden]]'' "licenses of complete transmission" in individual schools. These establish that the master practitioner has learned all that there is to learn about the particular lineage. Whereas the kyu/dan ranks are often made public, those who have earned ''menkyo kaiden'' rarely divulge their status, sometimes even being reluctant to recognize their actual dan ranking to outsiders.