The Bujinkan (武神館) is an international martial arts organization based in Japan and headed by Masaaki Hatsumi. The system taught by this group, called Bujinkan Budō Tai jutsu, consists of nine separate martial arts traditions.

• Togakure-ryū Ninpō Taijutsu (戸隠流忍法体術)
• Gyokko ryū Kosshi jutsu (玉虎流骨指術)
• Kuki Shinden Ryū Happō Bikenjutsu (九鬼神伝流八法秘剣術)
• Koto Ryū Koppō jutsu (虎倒流骨法術)
• Shinden Fudo Ryū Dakentai jutsu (神伝不動流打拳体術)
• Takagi Yoshin Ryū Jūtai jutsu (高木揚心流柔体術)
• Gikan Ryū Koppō jutsu (義鑑流骨法術)
• Gyokushin-ryū Ryū Ninpō (玉心流忍法)
• Kumogakure Ryū Ninpō (雲隠流忍法)

The name Moo Duk Kwan means "School of Martial Virtue"

• Moo – military, chivalry, martial; within the ideograph the inner part of the symbol is the word for "stop" and the outer part means "weapon"
• Duk – benevolence, virtue, goodness, commanding respect; within the ideograph on the left, it means "little steps" or "to happen", and on the right the character means "moral"; thus moral steps or perhaps virtuous conduct
• Kwan – large building, palace, library; again within the ideograph, the left part looks like a roofed building and technically means "to eat" (under a roof).

In Korea the indigenous arts of self defense (Soo Bahk Ki and Tae Kyun) were combined with other fighting principles (Northern and Southern Chinese Kung Fu) and moral guidelines such as the philosophy of Do (Tao), No Ja (Lao Tzu) and Kong Ja (Confucius) by Founder Hwang Kee, into what is now known as Soo Bahk Do (Tang Soo Do) Moo Duk Kwan. When developing the martial art, Hwang Kee drew heavily on the Muye Dobo Tongji, ancient text published in 1790 that translates as The Comprehensive Illustrated Manual of the Martial Arts of Ancient Korea. Hwang Kee created the Moo Duk Kwan on November 9, 1945.

Taekwondo (태권도; 跆拳道) is a Korean martial art and the national sport of South Korea. In Korean, tae (태, 跆) means "to strike or break with foot"; kwon (권, 拳) means "to strike or break with fist"; and do (도, 道) means "way", "method", or "art". Thus, taekwondo may be loosely translated as "the art of the foot and fist" or "the art of kicking and punching." It combines combat techniques, self-defense, sport, exercise, and in some cases meditation and philosophy. In 1989, Taekwondo was the world's most popular martial art in terms of number of practitioners. Gyeorugi, a type of sparring, has been an Olympic event since 2000.

Taekwondo is known for its emphasis on kicking techniques, which distinguishes it from martial arts such as karate or southern styles of kung fu. The rationale is that the leg is the longest and strongest weapon a martial artist has, and kicks thus have the greatest potential to execute powerful strikes without successful retaliation.