Kuji-kiri and Kuji-in

Kuji-kiri (九字切り lit. "nine symbolic cuts") is a practice of using hand gestures found today in Shugendo and Shingon Mikkyo. It is also present in some old and traditional schools ("ryuha") of Japanese martial arts including but not exclusive to schools that have ties with ninjutsu. Originally thought to have originated from Taoism and brought to Japan from China by Buddhist monks, it is often misconceived as a spell or curse (jumon) to cause ones adversary to meet a foul end.^{[citation needed]}

A subset of Kuji Kiri, Kuji-in (九字印 lit. "nine symbolic signs") is the name given to the hand postures that represent each of the nine cuts when performed in the long form as detailed in Shingon Mikkyo Kuji Goshin Ho.^{[citation needed]}

Kuji-kiri (nine symbolic cuts) is an esoteric practice which is performed with an array of hand "seals" called kuji-in (nine symbolic signs).

The kuji-in are a tool to be used in meditation, and are frequently over-simplified in popular culture as being a form of magic. This misrepresentation has been further popularized by Dead or Alive, Tekken, Tenchu and certain neo-ninja.