BUDOKAN
1960 - 2023
STRONG IN HAND. KIND IN HEART.
The classical budo, or "martial ways" are not combat systems like their forerunner, bujutsu,
or "martial arts"; nor are they sports like modern judo, kendo, or karate.
They are first and foremost spiritual disciplines, whose ultimate goal, achieved through
the most rigorous mental and physical training, is self-realization in the tradition of Zen Buddhism.
Donn F. Draeger
Classical Budo
JAPANESE BUDO RESEARCH
We publish schoLarly articles and academic papers
from Aikido to Zen in all things Traditional Japanese Budo,
that we hope will be of interest to both teacher and student alike.
All articles and papers will first appear here on the Homepage.
After that they will be posted on the Budo Research page under the name of the discipline or context.
When a single discipline reaches 12 or more articles or papers it will be given its own page.
All papers are the responsibility of each individual author and do not necessarily reflect the views of budokanworld.com.
Just click on any of the links below to read more.
DOWN MEMORY LANE
University of Derby Buxton 2011.
The scene of the First Open Traditional Japanese Budo 2 day Seminars in the UK for decades with Budokan heavily involved in the creation, organisation and management of the event with great back up from the University and from a legion of like minded people passionate about Budo,like the very well known David Ansell who helped initiate the event and played an important part in its success.
50% OF UK ADULTS SEE MENTAL HEALTH BENEFITS IN MEDITATION
This finding is not new and reveals that people are prepared to use techniques found in meditation and mindfulness to assist them in cases of mild depression and anxiety.
And we at Budokan applaud that.
However, we see pictures on the right all over the place online encouraging people to try it out.
And this posture does not look comfortable at all and comfort is key.
Your upper body needs to be perfectly upright and balanced so that when you complete
your meditation you should feel no muscular stiffness in your back.
Your abdominal muscles and those of the lower back should be completely relaxed
and not be responsible for your upright posture of your upper body.
It is entirely a balanced alignment of the spine.
It doesn't matter whether you are sitting on a cushion on a floor, on the edge of a seat, your bed, or kneeling on a stool.
Your knees need to be below the line of your pelvis - to an angle of 5º/10º depending on your height, which as you can see from the diagram rotates your pelvis forward slightly.
This makes the lower lumbar vertebrae a little more concave and the muscles of your lower back a little softer.
Which allows you to raise your rib cage in a gentle upswing, making the lower lumbar even more concave.
Without moving your shoulders, extend the head slightly forward and then backward until a gentle stop is reached with a natural lowering of the chin.
Your thighs should not be at 90º to the upright body or above.
BUDOKAN OPENS FIRST DOJO IN WALES
Keith Molyneux 4th Dan Shidoin has notched up a first for Budokan.
He has opened a Dojo in the village of LLANGUNLLO.
Yes - a competition for the best pronunciation is in the pipeline!
For more information go to his Dojo Page.
AN ANALYSIS OF
KARATE HAND TECHNIQUES
This is an interesting work on on the amazing array of weapons we have at our disposal in our hands and arms.
Most of them are pretty effective tools.
And just a few are awesome to use and simple to learn to do as practical self defence.
OUR FIRST EVER UK FEMALE BLACK BELT
SANDI GROOM pictured here with her three children was a wonderful Mum and the very first female to be awarded her Budokan Black Belt by Ray Ryan in 1976.
Read some memories from her son Lee here courtesy of Dave Wills our first male Black Belt.
SO ITS NEVER TOO LATE TO SEND US YOUR MEMORIES OF YOUR BUDOKAN BLACK BELTS WHO HAVE PASSED AWAY.
PLEASE HELP US REMEMBER THEM.
A JAPANESE GLOSSARY
FOR KARATE STUDENTS
First they published A Short History of Karate.
Now Michael Cowie and Robert Dyson are soon to publish another little gem early in 2023.
Budokan has been given a glimpse of their work and you can too by clicking on the image below.
And its not that little either!
Enjoy.
JAMES BRYDEN TAKES HIS FIRST STEP
Lymington Dojo held a workshop on Sunday 16 April hosted by Shihan Mike Claphan during which James was awarded his Shodan.
The event was also attended by Shihan Darren Waghorne from Sussex, Shihan Roy Estabrook from London and Shidoin Keith Molyneux who drove all the way down from Mid-Wales.
Thanks to all who attended on the day.
BUSHIDO KARATE
BAHRAIN JOINS
BUDOKAN
Mahadevan Kannan 7 Dan Shihan operates and manages a busy dojo in Manama, Bahrain.
Dojo Page coming soon.
Please visit their website.
PASSMORE SENSEI'S TIPS ON SOME BASICS
Basic Karate Blocking techniques and Deflections.
Basic Karate Striking techniques
A quick run through of some Aikido Basics
Basic Aikido wristwork and handling the Bokken
On the art of drawing the sword - Nukitsuke
On the art of putting the sword in the scabbard - Noto
RULES FOR BASICS
This is an invitation to all Teachers and Instructors of Japanese Budo to give our readers the benefit of your skills and experience with your very own Rules for Basics of any of your disciplines that you believe students need to remember.
Forever.
By way of example Passmore Sensei asked Mike Clapham to write up his rules for Oizuki - a simple standing Karate punch.
See what he had to say on the Lymington Dojo page.