Naruto · Jutsu · Kanji file 062

Dōjutsu — Eye Techniques

Pronounced dō·jutsu

Dōjutsu — eye techniques — are a delicacy Japanese anime and manga fans can never resist. The Jagan of Yu Yu Hakusho, the Geass of Code Geass, the third eye of 3×3 Eyes, the eye arts of The Kouga Ninja Scrolls — the list runs on and on. Elemental attacks of fire and water are easy to picture; eyes, though, hold infinite possibility — hypnosis, illusion, psychic power, seeing through walls, nullifying whatever they gaze upon. And among all Japanese works, it is Naruto that raised dōjutsu into a truly mighty category of its own: Sharingan, Byakugan, Rinnegan, Mangekyō Sharingan, Rinne Sharingan — rich in variety, each with powers and a character of its own. The Mangekyō alone commands the series' most beloved jutsu: Tsukuyomi, Amaterasu, Kagutsuchi, Kamui, Kotoamatsukami, Susanoo. And one more thing — each eye changes its very look as its bearer grows in level and power. To a Japanese fan, that detail is what we call emoi: it hits you right in the heart.

Speed

Breaking down the kanji

Here's what each character means — and how to write it. In Japan, following the correct stroke order is considered the key to writing kanji beautifully. Readings, stroke counts and core meanings below come directly from the KANJIDIC2 dictionary database. The red ✎ line is the editor's gloss — the meaning that is actually alive in this name, chosen by our editors from a Japanese kanji dictionary.

1 / 2 DŌ

pupil of the eye

✎ Editor's glossthe pupil — the living center of the eye

Kun / On
hitomi · DŌ
Strokes
17
Level
Jōyō kanji — taught in junior high in Japan
2 / 2 JUTSU

art · technique · skill

✎ Editor's glossto flee, to slip away — the ton of tonjutsu, the ninja arts of escape

Kun / On
sube · JUTSU
Strokes
11
Level
Taught in grade 5 in Japan

What's next

Which term should we write next?

We write in order of demand. Every name and jutsu in the official databooks is listed in our Master Index — find the one you want, and tell us via the Contact page.

The whole family

The dōjutsu family in the official index — 19 entries

The great eyes themselves, and the jutsu only those eyes can wield — every one as listed in the official databook index, with exact kanji and romaji. Rinne Sharingan lives beyond the four databooks' index, in the final act. The Master Index tracks the whole promise.

The eyes
covered ✎Sharingan
covered ✎Byakugan
covered ✎Rinnegan
covered ✎Mangekyōsharingan
The jutsu they command
covered ✎Tsukuyomi
covered ✎Amaterasu
covered ✎Enton Kagutsuchi
covered ✎Kamui
Kotoamatsukami
covered ✎Susanoo
Isō Susanoo
Kanseitai Susanoo
covered ✎Izanagi
covered ✎Izanami
Genjutsu Sharingan
Kuchiyose Rinnegan
Tenshafūin Amaterasu
covered ✎Mugentsukuyomi
Kagurashingan

12 of 19 covered so far — the best-lit room in the house Contact)

Original artwork — free to save

The kanji, on one sheet

A reference card we drew ourselves — the characters in Japanese brush style.

瞳術 (dōjutsu) written in Japanese brush style
瞳術 in brush style — dōjutsu

Free to save — terms (CC BY-NC 4.0)

Quick answers

FAQ

How many strokes is 瞳術?

28 in total: 瞳 is 17, 術 is 11. The animation above draws every stroke in dictionary order.

How do you pronounce Dōjutsu?

Say it dō·jutsu (瞳術). Japanese has no strong word stress: give each syllable about the same length and weight, and keep the vowels short and clear — a as in “father,” i as in “machine,” u as in “food,” e as in “met,” o as in “go.” A vowel with a bar over it (ō, ū) is long: hold it for two beats.

What characters make up Dōjutsu?

Dōjutsu is written 瞳術: 瞳 (pupil of the eye); 術 (art, technique). Readings and meanings come from the KANJIDIC2 dictionary database.

Can I use the copied kanji anywhere?

Yes — it's standard Unicode text and works on any modern OS. One caution before you print or ink it: make sure the font is a Japanese one. Some fonts render the same characters in Chinese style, and the difference shows.