Search Results

CERTIFICATION With over 60 years of experience and technical excellence to draw on we provide only Black Belt Rank and Title recognition and accreditation to teachers, instructors, dojo leaders and students across all disciplines as a single discipline or as a multi-discipline, on recommendation only. THERE IS A CERTIFICATE OF GRADE OR RANK AND A CERTIFICATE OF TITLE. Each certificate has different wording in English and Japanese. The Certificate of Grade or Rank application is normally completed by the Dojo Leader for a current member of their Dojo. In the event of a Dojo Leader application it must come from an accredited source known to and supported by 2 current Dojo Leaders or Associates. THERE IS A FEE FOR A CERTIFICATE OF RANK. Scroll down for Grading Fee structure. A NOTE ON GRADING FEES For many years Budokan adopted a policy of not charging students for Kyu and Dan grade certification. This decision was justified on the common knowledge of grading systems becoming open to malpractice by officials of larger martial arts groups for the purpose of raising funds. When budokanworld.com was launched in 2010 we decided to ask the Dojo Leaders in the UK/EU/US and other countries, what a fair fee would be to pay for Dan Grades only issued by Budokan. After a few months of deliberation the Dojo Leaders generally felt that Budokan had real value in the technical excellence of their Dan Grades and suggested a number of options from which Budokan settled on the fair and reasonable Fee Structure below which, needless to say is below that which was presented. This is an image of the Budokan Certificate of Rank. and is for visual purposes only. English wording for each of the certificates will appear in the space on the left and the Japanese katakana in the space on the right. This beautiful work of art has been designed by Katy Passmore. They are all printed on Magnolia Parchment. Paper size A3. Explanation of the Henko The larger square Henko is the Seal of Budokan The smaller round Henko are the personal signatures from left to right of Darren Waghorne Rob Rohrey David Passmore Peter Bush Roy Estabrook Kyoshi Godan Saisho Sensei Kyoshi Godan CERTIFICATE OF RANK Recommendation is based on grading record, years of continuous training, technical skill prowess, accomplishments, dedication and service, attitude, teaching and instruction, heart, values and excellence in personal character. General Ranking guide to the timeline of consecutive years of training. Shodan 1st Dan 1-3 years Nidan 2nd Dan 3-5 years Sandan 3rd Dan 5-8 years Yondan 4th Dan 8-12 years Godan 5th Dan 12-18 years Rokudan 6th Dan 18 – 25 years Shichidan 7th Dan 25 – 32 years Hachidan 8th Dan 32- 45 years HOW IT WORKS 1 Each Dojo leader nominates a person or persons for accreditation and certification by Peer Review* directly to Budokan. These requests may be retrospective. 2 Kindly go to ACCREDITATION for the detail of what is required. 3 Upon receipt of this information by email and any attached documentation, we examine the credentials and all endorsements in text, pictorial audio or video format in support of the application. 4 We defer to two of our Community Dojo Leaders to assist us in the examination of those disciplines outside of our remit - such as Ju Jitsu, Kodokan Judo, Kendo and Kobudo. The personal Henko of each of these examiners will appear on the Certificate of Rank along with the Henko of the Doshu Richard Salmon and Kyoshi David Passmore. 5 A period of 6-8 weeks needs to be factored into the review process. 6 Once a decision has been reached either way, the recommender is informed directly by email. 7 If approved, an appropriate certificate is drawn up, dated, numbered and photographed with the appropriate Henko in place. This photographic evidence of Rank will be placed on the appropriate Dojo Page (in the public domain) for all to see. It wi also be registered for copyright protection and placed in our Dan Grade (Black Belt) Register. 8 If not approved, the recommender is informed as to the reasons why this decision has been reached by email and if appropriate offer outline measures to take that will allow a repeat application to take place within 12 months at no further cost to the applicant. 9 All certificates will be carefully rolled up and inserted into a secure tube and sent by post to the recommender to pass on or direct to the receiver, as appropriate. A signature will be required at each destination if possible. * Peer Review functions as a form of self-regulation by qualified members of our Traditional Japanese Budo Community. Recommendations for a person to be awarded a Certificate of Rank, who is no longer active in Budo may also be considered in appropriate circumstances . CERTIFICATE OF RANK FEE STRUCTURE All fees are shown in £GBP 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Shodan Nidan Sandan Yondan Godan Rokudan Chichidan Hachidan 75.00 100.00 130.00 175.00 220.00 260.00 300.00 340.00 CERTIFICATE OF TITLE The Certificate of Title is conferred as an huge honour to bestow upon an individual Budoka deserving of this honour - see below for further definition. We undertake to seek the majority approval from all current Dojo Leaders for each recommendation. If no such majority is reached then Budokan will withdraw its application for a minimum of 12 months. THERE IS NO FEE REQUIRED FOR A CERTIFICATE OF TITLE. (Only a small production cost for the Certificate of Title and Posting and Packaging) The award of Titles is made using the ancient Shogoo system, as used by the Dai Nippon Butokukai of Kyoto in Japan, to those who have made an outstanding contribution to the development of Traditional Japanese Budo, shown leadership in teaching and the maintenance of a high level of Budo skills over decades of continuous service. Shogoo is bestowed upon a highly qualified individual of integrity ad honour with a proven record of achievement in all phases of their Budo. Renshi - Polished Samurai Warrior Kyoshi - Master Teacher Samurai Warrior Hanshi - Exemplary Illustrious Warrior - Master of the Samurai Way In Reference to the three titles Renshi, Kyoshi and Hanshi Ren = A Trainer of the Way Kyo = A Teacher of the Way Han = A Model of the Way Dojo Officials Sempai - a leading instructor Shidoin - a leading head instructor Shihan - a master instructor (For more details please email us at idavid@budokanworld.com ) FURTHER NOTES OF INTEREST ON JAPANESE BUDO TITLES 1. Sensei "Teacher or One who has gone before": This title is by far the most often used title in karate and generally refers to someone of Yon-Dan level (4th Degree Black Belt.) Many senior instructors including Hanshi Masami Tsuruoka, wi ll state that this is the most honorable title that a student can use when referring to the senior as their teacher. The title Sensei implies a close bond between the student and teacher's relationship. 2. Shihan: "Master or Expert Teacher": It is important to understand that the meaning Master as used in the martial arts is someone who has mastered the basic and advanced understandings {Principles} of a particular style or system, thus the title Shihan means someone who has mastered the basic and advanced techniques as well as the principles, concepts, and theory of their respective style of karate. The title Shihan does not mean that this person has stopped learning because they know all of the answers. On the contrary, they are considered to be the most serious and dedicated students in any style of martial arts. The title Shihan is generally considered to be an organizational title alone and has little meaning (May not be recognized) outside of the holders style or organization. 3. Doshi: "Leading Teacher": Title sometimes used before Renshi (3rd dan) 4. Renshi: "Senior Expert Teacher": This is the first of the three generally used teacher titles. Although this title is independent of rank, it is seldom given to anyone below the rank of Go-Dan. (5th dan) 5. Tasshi or Tesshi: "Apprentice Master Teacher": This title was originally the title used instead of Kyoshi. 6. Kyoshi: "Master Teacher, Teacher of Teachers": This is the second of the three generally used teacher titles. Although this title is independent of the ranking system, it is seldom given to anyone below the rank of Roku-dan and in most cases Shichi-dan). (7th dan) 7. Hanshi: "Senior Master Teacher": This is the third and highest of the three generally used teacher titles. Although this title is independent of the ranking system, it is seldom given to anyone below the rank of Hachi-Dan (8th Degree Black Belt) 8. Iemoto / Soke An iemoto may be addressed by the title Iemoto or O-iemoto, or by the title Sōshō or Ō-sensei In English. "Grand Master" is often the title that is used. The Iemoto's main roles are to lead the school and protect its traditions, to be the final authority on matters concerning the school, to issue or approve licenses and certificates and, in some cases, to instruct the most advanced practitioners

A LINEAGE ALL BUT FORGOTTEN SHINSEI DOJO Special Thanks to: Richard Stonell . The Yushinkan (Nakayama Hakudo) NAKAYAMA HAKUDO Hakudo demonstrates proper kiriotoshi Hakudo demonstrating proper striking Takano Sasaburo (left) and Nakayama Hakudo (right) during andemonstration of the Dai Nippon Teikoku Kendo Kata at Noma Dojo Hakudo in bogu while in seiza Hakudo was now renowned around Japan for his skill, however this was not enough for him. He traveled across Japan to study various arts like: Itto Shoden Muto Ryu, Ono ha Itto Ryu, Hokushin Itto Ryu, (Toda) Buko Ryu, Nen Ryu, Shinkage Ryu, Musashi Enmei Ryu, Jigen Ryu, Ichiden Ryu, and Ooki-Isshin Ryu. In his search he found two ryu or schools that would effectively change his life forever, Shinto Muso Ryu () and Muso Shinden Eishin Ryu In 1912 Hakudo began training in Shinto Muso Ryu Jojutsu and calligraphy under Uchida Ryogoro at Shiba Park, Tokyo and with Takeda Kohachi at his residence in Kyobashi, Tokyo. He trained very hard, finding his study of the jo to be among the most valuable of his pursuits. Hakudo wrote: “As a youth I was taught Shinto Muso Ryu by Shihan, Uchida Ryogoro. It was because of this training that I came to understand the Ura or inner methodologies of Kendo. I learned the ins and outs of handling the jo, manipulation of the feet, body mechanics, and other (fundamentals). Even in my Kendo practice I was able (utilize and) cultivate these (Jo) techniques. Thanks to this (integrated) practice I learned a lot. (In the world of martial arts) there are no kata as thoroughly developed as Shinto Muso Ryu Jojutsu’s. I believe Shinto Muso Ryu jojutsu is a national treasure.” In 1916 Hakudo was introduced to Tosa Eishin Ryu by Itagaki Taisuke (a famous Meiji statesmen and a student of Oe Masamichi). Hakudo had learned Iai before in Shindo Munen Ryu, but felt something was missing. He initially approached Oe Masamichi about training, but was rejected. Taisuke saw Hakudo’s resolve to learn the style, however and introduced Hakudo to Hosokawa Yoshimasa of the Muso Shinden Eishin Ryu school (aka. Shinmomura Ha Hasegawa Eishin Ryu) and Morimoto Tokumi of the Goto Ha Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu school (aka. Tanimura Ha Hasegawa Eishin Ryu). Hakudo was accepted as a student of both teachers, making him the first outsider to learn Tosa Eishin Ryu in history. Hakudo trained earnestly and in 1920 the Nippon Butokukai awarded Hakudo the title of Hanshi in both Kendo and Iaido. Around this time Hakudo was said to have received Menkyo Kaiden in jojutsu from Uchida Ryogoro prior to his death in 1921 (though this is greatly debated). After receiving his certification Hakudo did something unexpected: he took what he learned and created his own version of Shinto Muso Ryu, commonly referred to as Nakayama-no-Jo, along with a set of five kihon (basic drills). Shimizu Takaji was said to have later incorporated Hakudo’s five kihon into his set of twelve some years later. In 1922 Hakudo was awarded Menkyo Kaiden in Goto Ha Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu from Tokumi and Menkyo in Muso Shinden Eishin Ryu from Yoshimasa. Contrary to popular belief, however Hakudo did not recieve Menkyo Kaiden from Yoshimasa. Hakudo continued to visit both Yoshimasa and Tokumi in Kochi. During his time there Hakudo trained with Yoshimasa at his house. He maintained a very good relationship with Yoshimasa until his death in 1923. In 1925 Hakudo was asked by the head fencing instructor of the Rikugun Toyama Academy (a military academy) to assist him in creating a system of Gunto Soho ( ) or methods of manipulating military swords. Hakudo, through his research developed five standing iai kata that made the foundation of the Toyama Ryu Guntojutsu system. In the same year Hakudo supported Noma Seiji in the construction and development of the famed Noma dojo. Noma Dojo became a vessel for men and women of various ryu-ha or schools to test their skills and exchange their ideas with other kenshi. In 1927 at the age of fifty-five he received the rank of Hanshi in Jodo from the Nippon Butokukai. In 1930 Hakudo was called on by the Butokukai to demonstrate Muso Shinden Eishin Ryu publicly (outside of Kochi) for the first time in history. Hakudo had a problem though: he never recieved Menkyo Kaiden in the system. As such, during the demonstration he presented the art as ”Muso Shinden Ryu Battojutsu” (). This was done to avoid any altercations that might come from him using the school’s name. In 1933 Hakudo restructured what he learned in Kochi into Muso Shinden Ryu () using the Chinese characters for dream or vision. The Yushinkan once a training hall exclusively for Shindo Munen Ryu and Gekiken under Negishi Shingoro; became a dojo for several martial arts. Students of the Yushinkan (under Hakudo) were selected to learn specific styles. Men like Nakayama Zendo and Hashimoto Toyo learned everything while others like Nakakura Kiyoshi, Danzaki Tomoaki and Nakajima Gozoro learned only Muso Shinden Ryu Iaido and Kendo. In his time Hakudo had seen the death of stylized Gekiken and the birth of modern Kendo. In 1934 he and his contemporary Takano Sasaburo demonstrated the Dai Nippon Teikoku Kendo Kata at the Tenranjiai while Emperor Hirohito watched on. Both Hakudo and Takano were highly commended for their performances. Kendo gained popularity and Hakudo along with Takano Sasaburo became among (if not) the most requested teachers in Japan. They traveled the country teaching at universities, police stations, military bases, Japanese Government installations, and even the Imperial Palace. Hakudo’s students ran into the tens of thousands. In fact over two thirds of those who held the rank of kyoshi with the Nippon Butokukai had studied with Hakudo to some effect. World War II was a desperate time for Japan. The proud Japanese Military was being pushed back by Allied Forces. Japan had now become a target to American firebombing. Japanese buildings largely made of wood and built in close proximity to other residences became mere kindle for Allied bombs. Tokyo and other cities were decimated. This accompanied by the destruction Hiroshima and Nagasaki via Atomic Weapons brought about Japan’s formal surrender on September 2nd, 1945. Hakudo was quick to use his influence, using the Japanese idiom “a samurai never talks (bad mouths) about what is finished” Hakudo asked people to meet their American occupiers with dignity. “In fencing we call ‘ohen‘ () the spirit or ability to adapt one’s self to the change. What this means is in a condition where after understanding and acknowledging the natural tide of affairs (what has happened), all past ambitions (or goals) must be given up. In doing so one can reach the state of nothingness. This requires noble heart. It (nothingness) is the ultimate goal of fencing. We must meet the Allied Army with such a spirit. Yesterday they were our enemies, but today they are not. If we fail not to think of them as enemies, then it cannot be said that we (the Japanese) truly understand Bushido. If there is even the smallest feeling of ill will remaining in our hearts and if we cannot take a broader outlook, it will to show in our faces and attitude, giving reason for them (Allied soldiers) to think of us as cowardly. I am of the personal belief that the greatness of a nation lies in its open-mindedness.” The end of the war brought on many hardships. In an effort to pacify the Japanese people Japanese martial arts were banned. This brought Hakudo in cooperation with his compatriots to fight for the right to practice martial arts in Japan. Eventually through the help of Sasamori Junzo, Kuroda Yasuji, and Kunii Zenya the ban on martial arts as a whole was eventually lifted. Japanese could practice martial arts again. Hakudo’s victory brought about harsh realities however. Many of his most dedicated students died in the war, with even fewer of the surviving returned to train. Budo fell into decline. Hakudo felt a change was needed. Hakudo restructured Muso Shinden Ryu for the general populous. The attempt was to reduce the aggressive nature of the kata and emphasize the more spiritual side of the ryu. Certain aspects of the kata were changed to reflect this. Omori Ryu’s Gyakuto for example, pre-war ended with stabbing the teki in the back of the head. Hakudo later changed the stab into Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu’s todome, which was considered a more merciful coup de grâce. Hakudo demonstrating proper Nukitsuke Nakayama Hakudo (right), Hashimoto Toyo (left), HasegawaEishin Ryu: Oroshi (*Authors note* the Pre-War Gyakuto Todome was done far differently than what most iaido-ka do it today. The sword was raised high in the air and caught on the mune of the blade with the middle finger. Then after flattening the palm against back of the blade, it was thrust into the part of the head where the spine meets the skull [US. Marine Scout Snipers were taught to shoot the same spot]. The Yushinkan preserved this method). Hakudo did have several regrets. In his Kendo Koshutsujyu or Collection of Oral dictations on Kendo, Hakudo talked about his regret over a style he kept in secrecy from most of his students. The style of Hayashizaki Jinsuke Minamoto no Shigenobu. Hakudo intended all of his serious students to learn all of his arts. Only those students who pursued and progress in all of Hakudo’s arts had access to what Hakudo called Hayashizaki Hon Ryu () or the real teachings of Hayashizaki Jinsuke Shigenobu. According to Hakudo only nine people learned the first inner tier of the school; they were: Otuska Iwao (Menkyo) Hasegawa Minoshiro (Menkyo) Ohayashi Jungo (Menkyo) Sakonji Tadaichi (Menkyo) Nakayama Zendo (Menkyo) Aoki Eizou (Menkyo) Hashimoto Toyo (Menkyo) Mukuta Kozou (Menkyo) Suhara Sugematsu (Menkyo) Hakudo added that only four individuals surpassed them by learning all the kata and in effect achieving Menkyo Kaiden, their names were: Nakayama Zendo (Menkyo Kaiden) Hashimoto Toyo (Menkyo Kaiden) Mukuta Kozou (Menkyo Kaiden) Sakonji Tadaichi (Menkyo Kaiden) Hakudo said, it was his intention to teach the Hayashizaki Hon Ryu () school more, but by the end of the war he lacked the proper time and suitable candidates to do so. This is not to say that Hakudo did not foster or teach his other students. Less than a handful of outstanding students ever received any traditional ranking (ie. Densho) from Hakudo. The most notable of them were perhaps Matsuo Kenpu and Kimura Eijyu, who received Menkyo Kaiden in Muso Shinden Ryu Iaido (). The man called “The Last (True) Martial Artist” () died in 1958 at the age of eighty-five. Hakudo was survived by his son Nakayama Zendo to whom he passed all of his knowledge onto. Hakudo demonstrates the kata Junto CLICK HERE TO READ THE GLOSSARY OF TEACHERS AND INFLUENCERS Introduction There are few martial artists in history who have been able to influence an entire generation of politicians, military personnel, police, educators, and civilians alike. Who’s student’s (if only for a day) talked about their experiences with him in detail nearly seventy years after his death. The first San-Dou-no-Hanshi in history. The “God of Kendo” () Nakayama Hakudo. Nakayama Hakudo was arguably the most influential martial artist in modern history. Many instructors and students around the world claim to have some “connection” to him, having practiced some form or another of his Iaido. Yet, these same people (in Japan and abroad) know little more than his name. Only by looking at his humble origins, ambitions, accomplishments, and outlooks can we come closer to understanding the man and his styles. Nakayama Hakudo Second Generation Headmaster of the Yushinkan Dojo Second Generation Headmaster of Kanto Ha Shindo Munen Ryu Kenjutsu Creator of Muso Shinden Ryu Iaido and Nakayama no Jo KendoIaidoJodoSan-Dou-no-Hanshi Nakayama Otsuyoshi () was born in in Imae, Komatsu City, Ishikawa Prefecture in 1873, the eighth son of former Maeda clansman Nakayama Gennosho. At the age of five his family moved to Nakacho in Toyama where they opened a small yakitori restaurant located in East Sogawa Merchant Lane. The restaurant was located on the first avenue off of Main Street, and was a modest shop by most accounts. At age eight the young Otsuyoshi came to work in local inn (ryokan: a Japanese traditional inn) called “Toyama Hall” located just two streets over from his family’s yakitori shop. There in Toyama Hall he worked in the kitchen. As his luck would have it the manager of the inn, one Takazawa Toyoshi (a kind and loving man by all accounts) encouraged the young Otsuyoshi to pursue swordsmanship after seeing the eight year old playing with a bokken (wooden sword) fashioned from a tree branch. At age eleven he gained entrance to Saito Michinori’s dojo of the Yamaguchi Ha Itto Ryu school of swordsmanship in Hoshiicho off Sogawa Lane. The young Otsuyoshi had a busy schedule. In the morning he would travel to Nishi-jubucho where he learned how to read and write at the Ada Kanji Academy (a supplementary school). In the afternoon after school he would go to Michinori’s dojo where he to trained in Yamaguchi Ha Itto Ryu. He then went straight from the dojo to work at the “Toyama Hall.” Otsuyoshi progressed under his various teachers until a visitor from Tokyo changed his life forever. A swordsman of sizable skill by the name of Hosoda Kenzo took up residence in the “Toyama Hall”. Kenzo, an educator by trade was just transferred to Toyama by The Ministry of Education. He was a member of the Yushinkan Dojo (), a Shindo Munen Ryu school run by Negishi Shingoro. Highly impressed the young Otsuyoshi talked to Kenzo for hours. Kenzo’s stories and insights into swordsmanship left a great impression on the Otsuyoshi, ultimately shaping his entire life. In 1890 Kenzo handed in his letter of resignation to the Toyama school district and returned to Toyko. His departure left the young Otsuyoshi with many questions. Otsuyoshi felt it was time. He received permission from his family and employer to travel to Tokyo to pursue kenjutsu. Takazawa was kind enough to escort the young Otsuyoshi to Iwasehama, a small port in Toyama Prefecture. There Otsuyoshi boarded a ship to Naoetsu, Niigata Prefecture. At Naoetsu he boarded a steam ship that sailed to Ueno, Tokyo. It was there on the open Japanese Sea that Otsuyoshi, with the cold sea air on his face remembered the words of Takazawa: “Otsuyoshi, you’ll be a man who other men fall in love with“. These words stuck with Otsuyoshi well into his adulthood. Otsuyoshi arrived in Tokyo in 1891. There, armed with a letter of introduction from Kenzo, Otsuyoshi was successfully admitted into Shingoro’s Yushinkan at the age of eighteen. Otsuyoshi trained hard, changing his name to Hakudo () at age nineteen. Shingoro encouraged him to study other styles and literature. He tried his hand at various ryu, or schools, sleeping only four hours a day so that he could attend around five-six practices a day. Hakudo was not perfect, however and had several bad habits to overcome. In shiai geiko Hakudo’s hip rose every time before a strike, telegraphing his intentions to his opponent. In order to correct this Hakudo was forced to wear stones around his waist to improve his center of gravity. To learn to execute suri-ashi in a more effective way, Hakudo was made to wear geta (Japanese wooden sandals) with a loose thread. This allowed him to develop a type of scraping suri-ashi, making his movement harder to see. Hakudo’s intense dedication paid off and he rapidly advanced through the ranks. In 1906 he fought the bouts that came to define his early career as a swordsmen. At the Dai Nippon Butokusai Enbu Taikai he defeated Ozawa Jiro and Takano Shigeyoshi of the Hokushin Itto Ryu school, Koseki Kiyomasa of the Muhen Ryu school, and Sasaki Masanobu of the Suifu Ryu. At twenty three he received Jun-Menkyo and at twenty-seven was licensed Menkyo, Inkyo. At twenty-eight he was named Daihan or “Acting Headmaster” and was married to Shigoro’s daughter. Thus, Hakudo was adopted into the Negishi family (becoming Negishi Hakudo). In 1912 Shingoro elected Hakudo to take his place on the committee responsible for creating the Dai Nippon Teikoku Kendo Kata. There were several problems, however and both Hakudo and his wife separated from the Negishi Family for personal reasons, rejoining the Hakudo Family. Hakudo then built his own dojo in Masagocho, Hongo ward (present day Bunkyo ward) and was given permission to use the Yushinkan name.

RAY RYAN RAYMOND EDWARD RYAN Born 1 July 1936 Johannesburg – South Africa Died 13th November 1989 – Durban - South Africa Ray started his karate training with Shukokai where he teamed up with Richard Salmon. In 1963 Richard Salmon and Ray Ryan opened a dojo in Sarnia, Durban which was called Budokan. They acquired a piece of land in Westville, South Africa and with the help of their students built a dojo there which was the first Budokan Honbu. In 1965/66, Hanshi Chojiro Tani, came to South Africa and many of the Budokan karateka had the great fortune to be trained by him. His visit was followed by Seiichi Fugiwara, Chief Instructor of the WKU Teaching Department (Gōjū-ryū) and later also Shigeru Kimura Shukokai Hombu dojo. Richard Salmon was graded to Sandan in Shukokai Karate by Chojiro Tani. In 1967 Richard Salmon Ray Ryan went to Japan where they trained at Gōgen Yamaguchi karate-dō dojo in Nippori, Tokyo Japan. In the photo below Richard Salmon and Ray Ryan are seen with Chojiro Tani (far left kneeling), Gosen Yamaguchi (centre kneeling), Gosei Yamaguchi (far right kneeling) and Goshi Yamaguchi (far right standing). In 1969 Ray Ryan took over Budokan as Richard Salmon had left to start his Mountain Leadership School. In 1970 Budokan was introduced into England by Daivid Passmore. In 1974 Ray Ryan and several of the Budokan senior karateka were invited by Gogen Yamaguchi to train at his new dojo at the Gōjū-kai Headquarters in Suginami-ku, Tokyo, Japan, nearby to the busy shopping precinct of Roppongi. In 1978 Ray Ryan was Again invited by Gogen Yamaguchi to train at the Karate College started by him at Gōjū-kai Headquarters in Suginami-ku. Again, several of the senior karateka joined him on this trip. Those invited to train at the Karate college are seen here pictured with Gogen Hamaguchi (seated centre front) and Wakako Yamaguchi (second left rear). On the 1978 trip Budokan karateka also had the great fortune to train with Chojiro Tani. He is kneeling centre front. In 1979 Chojiro Tani and Shigeru Kimura returned to South Africa and the members of Budokan were once again invited to train with them. This was arranged by Edwin Ward of Shukukai and took place at Radio House in Durban.

BUDOKAN KARATE IN JEFFREYS BAY 14 TECOMA STREET JEFFREYS BAY SOUTH AFRICA 6330 EVERY WEEKDAY MORNING AT 10AM BEGINNERS WELCOME 1960 - 2022 Classes are held in a vibrant atmosphere where students benefit from some of the highest quality tuition available in SA today. Discipline KARATE Chief Instructor LOEK LATEGAN 7 DAN BREAKING NEWS 11 December 2020 Chief Instructor Loek Lategan received the news that two of his most loyal students had been awarded their Dan Grades after many years of continuous training as follows: Cobus Calitz 6th Dan Karate Marie Perelis 2nd Dan Karate Congratulations to all concerned. Marie Petrelis

BUDOKAN BUDO RESEARCH Here we will 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 on the Homepage from 2 - 4 weeks. After that they will be posted on this 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. Just click on any of the links below to read more. (NB The views of the authors depicted in these articles and papers listed are for information purposes only) Kindly support the work we are doing by using the DONATE button below. AIKIDO JUJITSU BIOGRAPHY OF MORIHEI UESHIBA REDISCOVERING AIKIDO AIKIDO - A TOOL FOR LIVING AIKIDO AS SPIRITUAL PRACTICE IN US AIKIDO AND THE I A F KARATEDO A SHORT HISTORY OF KARATE INTENTIONALITY IN SHOTOKAN KARATE BUDO KATA - THE TRUE ESSENCE OF BUDO THE JAPANISATION OF KARATE LEG TECHNIQUES IN KARATE KARATE TALK IN A CANADIAN DOJO EASTERN MYSTICISM IN BUDO BUSHIDO A PHD SUBMISSION ON BUSHIDO KENDO THE CONCEPT OF KI IN KENDO IAIDO THE SWORDSMITHS OF JAPAN THE ALMOST FORGOTTEN LINEAGE NAKAYAMA HAKUDO KYUDO HISTORY OF KYUDO AND IAIDO IN EARLY JAPAN JUDO JIGORO KANO UTOPIA THE WAY OF KATA IN KODOKAN JUDO ZEN A BRIEF HISTORY OF ZEN ZEN, HEALTH & WELLBEING 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 this year. 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. MISCELLANEOUS THE JAPANESE PURSUIT OF PERFORMATIVE MASTERY INTERESTING FACTS ON HISTORY OF MARTIAL ARTS SUMO - ANCIENT RITUAL TO THUNDER GOD TEA CULTURE OF JAPAN & CHINA MUSA CHUGYO - THE WARRIOR PILGRAMAGE BUFFER

DAVID PASSMORE Began the study of Shotokan Karate in South Africa in 1962 with Budokan Founders Richard Salmon and Ray Ryan, two of the leading pioneers of Japanese Budo development in SA at this time. Attended seminars with Enoeda Sensei and Kanazawa Sensei. Regularly trained under Kimura Sensei with Budokan in SA as it changed its karate style and adopted the style of Shukukai Ryu Karate in 1963/4. Represented the County of Natal in numerous Karate tournaments in SA in the 60’s and also in the SA Games in Bloemfontein. He founded Budokan UK in 1970 when he was invited to take over an existing Kyukoshinkai Karate Dojo in North London. Trained briefly under Harada Sensei in Shotokai Karate in London . Began Traditional Aikido in 1974 in Chiswick London under Chiba Sensei. In 1975 he was placed under the guidance of Kanetsuka Sensei in his Albany Grove Dojo in North London and acted as an UchiDeshi to him at his home Dojo and was taught Shiatsu by him. Trained under Senseis, the likes of Ueshiba Kisshomaru, Sekiya Masatake, Tamura Nobuyoshi, Saito Morihiro, Yamada Yoshimitsu Yamaguchi Seigo, Sekiya Masatake, and many other eminent Japanese and European teachers, across Europe in Amsterdam, Brussels, Frankfurt, Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Toulon and Nice. He also attended Aikikai Summer Schools, Seminars and Workshops in London, Bristol, Liverpool, Stirling, Canterbury, Warminster, Sheffield and Cardiff. Founder Secretary of the British Aikido Board. In 1987, he began training in Muso Shinden Ryu Iaido under Ishido Shizafumi and Hiroi Sensei of Zen Nippon Kendo Renmei, under the tutelage of Vic Cook within the British Kendo Association. He attended Workshops and Seminars in London, Brighton, Birmingham, Maresfield, Ipswich and Stockport. Served as the Chairman of the UK Martial Arts Commission, within the UK Sports Council. He attended a week long Zazen seminar at La Gendronnière near Blois in the Loire Valley in France, the Zen Buddhist temple founded by Master Taisen Deshimaru. He has attended Zesshins in Zen enclosures in the UK as a part of Japanese Budo seminars and workshops and practises Shikantaza every day in the tradition of the Soto Sect of Zen Buddhism. To our knowledge he remains the only senior Western Teacher to introduce Zazen as the 4th discipline of Budokan, which became a formal part of its Teaching and Philosophy. He currently holds the title of Kyoshi with the Dai Nippon Butokukai (DNBK) in Kyoto, one of Japan's oldest traditional martial arts organisations, and holds the ranks of 6 Dan Karate, 6 Dan Aikido and 6 Dan Iaido with them. He has attended and conducted many Budo seminars in the UK, France, Belgium, Italy, Netherlands, Bahrain and the US. He trained in all three of his disciplines at the first DNBK World Butokusai held outside of Japan in West Virginia in 1998, which was attended by all of the Hanshi Board of the DNBK and other eminent guest teachers and instructors. He attended other DNBK events held in Manchester England in 2000 and in Brussels in 2006. He trained in DaitoRyu AikiJujutsu, Iaido and Karatedo at the Butokuden in Kyoto, Japan, in 2002 and in 2008. Masters at these two events were Adachi Manabu – Kyudan; Kuwahara Takamichi - Judan; Hamada Tesshin- Hachidan; Takada Kanji - Kyudan; Takeda Yutaka – Hachidan; Nakada Takeo – Kyudan; Murata Nishi – Hachidan; Muira Takayuki – Kyudan; Masakatsu Tsujino, Hanshi, Judan and Shimabukuro Masayuki He founded budokanonline.co.uk with his wife Katy in 2006 - the first time Budokan had ever had a website. He was one of the hosts of the highly acclaimed First Open Traditional Japanese Budo Workshop held at the University of Derby Buxton on 17/18 October 2011. He was the organiser of two more successful Open Traditional Japanese Budo Seminars at Buxton in October 2013 and September 2014 in Ardingly, West Sussex. In 2018 he founded and created budokanworld.com a site which now holds what has become known as the Budokan Library and of which he is still the Publisher. This is the Foundation, Basic, Intermediate and Advanced content in words, pictures,/illustrations, audio and video that makes up the entire teaching manual and methodology from which all Teachers, Instructors and Students of Budokan Dojo take their lead. In 2018 he was graded to 7 Dan Karate.

HISTORY OF KORYU JUJITSU A LITTLE MARTIAL ARTS HISTORY The fierceness of the Japanese warrior and his fighting arts have fascinated Westerners since the West came into contact with THEM more than 450 years ago. However it was not until the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries that Westerners actually started to practice any of the Japanese martial arts. JUJITSU was one of the first, perhaps even the very first-of these Arts to be taught in the West and it was not long before Kano Jigoro's new Art and Sport of JUDO begun rapidly to gain popularity in Japan and a number of JUJITSU practitioners, encouraged by their instructors, changed over to Kano's JUDO, which although based on older jujitsu schools basic methods was considered at the time a more "scientifically structured system". At the same time, other Western JUJITSU dojo's went their own way, incorporating Western ideas into their systems, and thus laying the foundations for some of the modern jujitsu styles seen today. Even some of the oldest dojo's in Europe were forced to change over to the more modern and popular judo, just to survive. This is what also happened to our Kodokwan dojo here in Zambia, which was formed in 1928. At the time of its formation it was the only dojo that practiced JUJITSU and then around the early 1940s our Kodokwan began to include formal judo practice in its dojo. The traditional SAMURAI JUJITSU schools of old taught not merely a defensive art, but the curricula comprised a very comprehensive range of tactics, equipping exponents to face a great variety of situations. This is in sharp contrast to the techniques used in modern day JUDO competitions, for example classical jujitsu techniques were not designed to score points, but to be effective for increasing one's chance of survival, allowing an opponent minimal opportunity to counterattack. The throws were applied in such a way that the combatant could break one or more limbs of an opponent before throwing him, usually after the opponent had been attacked with atemi or body strikes. When the opponent was flying through the air, he was suddenly jerked down in such a way that under optimal circumstances he would break his neck, or at least seriously injure his spine. There was no space for any mistake on the battle field when facing off an opponent engaged in COMBAT JUJITSU and there were no rules or prohibited techniques in battle. Samurai on the battle field engaged in "Yori Kumi-Uchi" [grappling] dressed in armor, required super-quick reflexes and the utmost self-confidence in their technique."Zanshin" was at its peak in this situation of survival, for even the slightest mistake, an off balanced posture or loss of concentration could result in death. Using Yori Kumi-Uchi was essential to effective grappling in armor, for through this the warrior developed the balance, leverage, and mobility with which both to preserve his position allowing him to then use Atemi or Kansetsu-waza to break a limb and throw his enemy to the ground, then draw his short blade and plunge it into his adversary. A special blade, "Yori-doshi", was worn on the right hip for this purpose. For obvious reasons these techniques are prohibited in the modern day sport of JUDO and even in modern JUJITSU. In JUDO, where the safety of one's partner in training or competition is a most important issue, throws such as "Ippon-seoi-nage"[one arm shoulder throw], are applied with the arm of Uke [recipient of the force) in the Junte position, for greater safety. An important characteristic of classical jujitsu is precisely that many throws are initiated with uke's arm in gyakute position . There are also some types of throws in CLASSICAL JUJITSU in which both of Uke's arms are locked in Gyakute position, making ot much more dangerous as it makes Ukemi, [defensive measures, like break-falling] more difficult, in fact when the techniques is executed correctly , ukemi becomes nearly impossible. Since the CLASSICAL MARTIAL ARTIST was not protected by rules in combat, he needed very thorough knowledge of escaping and using Ukemi to survive throws that were applied with the intention of maiming rather than scoring a point. However, one has to realize that when a throw is executed correctly, with the intention and speed to maim or even kill, Ukemi cam be very difficult. Therefore, if possible it was better to escape using many different techniques, just before being thrown, with some of these techniques being of a very extreme nature, even being prepared to sacrifice a hand or elbow or dislocate a shoulder, just to get away from being thrown, not like SPORT JUDO, where being thrown just means losing a point. Needless to say some JUJITAU RYUHA came to specialize in equipping exponents to escape throws just before the actions were initiated. In TRADITIONAL JUJITSU there was no such thing as a "prohibited move", Tactics that could be employed included were and are, - grappling (kumi) ,throw (nage), plus techniques for limiting the negative effect of a throw, restraint (osae), locking the joints(kansetsu-waza), chocking (shime- waza), attacking the vital points of the body (kyusho-waza), body strikes (atemi ), kicking (keri), thrusting (tsuki), and hitting (uchi)- I have had the honour and privilege of watching these Koryu-Ryha Sensei demonstrate their JUJITSU in Kyoto City , at the Kyoto-shi Koryu Bujitsu Enbukai [THE Kyoto City Traditional Martial Arts Demonstration Meeting), where various Koryu Bujitsu schools from all over Japan gather to demonstrate their skills. It is truly amazing to watch these old JUJITSU SENSEI throw each around, and doing ukemi on the hard pine wood floors, without Tatami mats! I even had the rare opportunity to train for a while under Sensei Arao 5th dan, of Tondabayashi, Osaka City, who at the time was over 60 years of age. SENSEI ARAO is a BUDO MASTER IN TOMIKI AIKIDO AND DAITO-RYU JUJITSU where he practiced at the Tennoji Aikikan in down town Osaka. Finally I would at this time like to also thank all the Sensei, Senpai and Kohai in Takatsuki-shi, Tondabayashi-shi Shimin Taiku-kan Budo Dojo in Osaka, for putting up with this "Zambian kara hen na no Gaijin" (strange foreigner from Zambia) for all those years. (c) Jonathan Kruger 22011 - Shihan Kodokwan Judo Jujitsu Zambia

1960 - 2021 JOE BRACONE 5th Dan Tenshinkan Karate, 3rd Dan Tenshinkan RyuKyu Kobujutsu joebracone@yahoo.com 07949713629 UK TENSHINKAN HISTORY AND LINEAGE BLACKRIDGE PRIMARY SCHOOL Main Street Bathgate West Lothian EH483RJ Wednesdays 1800-1900 hrs All groups COMBAT ZONE Bo'ness Recreation Centre Gauze Road, Bo'ness West Lothian EH51 9QB Every last Saturday, 1000-1200 hrs Advanced classes, check to confirm. BEGINNERS AND VISITORS WELCOME SEISHIN DOJO JOE BRACONE BIOGRAPHY Started studying Tenshinkan Karate in 2000 under the guidance of Hanshi Hans Haupt, Chief Liaison Officer for the Western World, in South Africa. In 2006, he participated to a 7 days international seminar in Hasuda-Shi (Japan) at the HQ of Tenshinkan Karate Federation, conducted by Kancho Mamoru Miwa. In 2006, he commenced studying kobujutsu with Ryukyu Kobujutsu Hozon Shinkokai (Eisuke Akamine branch) led by Sensei Marius Madgwick in Boksburg. In 2009, Hanshi Hans Haupt personally trained him on Ryukyu Kobubujutsu Hozon Shinkokai (Inoue Motokatsu branch) and continued training under his guidance and under the Tenshinkan Ryukyu Kobujutsu standards, new and more attractive syllabus. In 2009 he was appointed Tenshinkan Benoni Honbu Dojo Deputy Chief Instructor and taught Karate and kobujutsu until he left South Africa in 2014. He attended international seminars held by Kancho Mamoru Miwa in Denmark and South Africa in 2013 and 2016 respectively. He published a book Karate for over 40, its benefits, he took part to numerous regional, national and international championships placing himself in the top 3 places in kumite and kata. He is a keen adept of Goshin-Jutsu and developed self-defence training for non-martial artists and introduced disarmament of firearms in their training. He provided many free self-defence seminars. He graduated Tenshinkan Karate 5th dan in 2017 in Dundee UK and given the title of Shihan Dai, He joined Budokan 2021 and, while he is still teaching Kobudo and Karate, he is writing a book about the application of the various Sabaki concepts in Tenshinkan karate. In January 2023 he was invited to join the Budokan Shihankai, assuming the title of Shihan. On 25 June 2023 he was accredited with his Rokudan Karate by the Budokan Shihankai for certification later in the year. FURTHER TRAINING NOTES I have practiced martial arts as a very young man but never got into it until I have gotten bored with just pushing weights and other gym activities. I finally joined Tenshinkan Karate when I was 40 and never looked back. I was fortunate enough to learn karate and later kobujutsu from Hanshi Hans Haupt 9th Dan Karate and 4th Dan Ryukyu Kobujutsu Hozon Shinko Kai obtained with grand master Inoue Motokatsu and founder of Tenshinkan Ryukyu Kobujutsu). I left as South Africa Tenshinkan Honbu Dojo deputy Chief Instructor. I have gained national and provincial South African style colours for Kumite and Kata for many years and graded in Japan with Kancho Mamoru Miwa, Tenshinkan Karatedo Founder and avid Budo master. The disciplines I Teach: Tenshinkan Karate is an offshoot of Shotokan karate as was taught by Gichin Funakoshi. Master Gichin Funakoshi used to address Kancho Mamoru Miwa, then a young boy, “Tenshin” (the sincere one) hence the name of Tenshinkan. Tenshinkan Karate although retains very strong roots with Shotokan katas and stances it is a karate style focused on defense and attack with the inclusion of goshin-jutsu, self-defence, techniques such as grappling, joint locks and take downs. The style is very dynamic and effective, it is based and developed on different sabaki (evasion or avoidance) and multiple combination of footwork with blocking and striking techniques. Each grade or belt (Kyu) training and test is based on a syllabus that incorporates predefined karate and Goshin-jJtsu kata and techniques imparted through the application of specific training methods. Tenshinkan Ryukyu Kobujutsu was founded by Hanshi Hans Haupt to honour his Sensei. Both trained and graded with Ryukyu Kobujutsu Hozon Shinko Kai Master Inoue Motokatsu, who in turn had trained with the RKHSK founder Taira Shinken. For each belt (kyu), the student learns the kata and basics techniques of attack and defence of each weapon that make up the martial art syllabus such as: Bo (six foot staff), Nunchaku (similar to a flail), Tekko (similar to knuckle dusters), Tonfa (similar to police baton), Kama (similar to a sickle), Sai (similar to a 16th century parring dagger) and Katana (famous Samurai’s sword). This a picture of the entrance to my home Dojo.

BUDOKAN DOJO LARNE RUGBY CLUB 41 Main Road GLYNN BT40 3HF SENSEI IAN BATES 3 RD DAN sandan@ian-bates.ws Mobile 07864328873 Tuesdays from 7 pm Karate Aikido and Weapons BEGINNERS WELCOME I have always tried to follow the Budo method of training and teaching following on from my early days with Budokan UK in the Dojo based in Tunbridge Wells and of course Honbu in Crowborough as was, where I remember one night the temperature dropped to – 6 and I had to be lifted off the saddle of my Motorbike and held up for a few minutes until the blood returned to my legs, Sensei Passmore commented that I must be completely mad, But! Not so, as a some weeks later I was graded to Sankyu at Northhold Dojo, Commitment was in my mind then and still is!. I first saw Karate way back in the spring of 1973 on Tonbridge Castle lawn, I was excited by what I saw that day and wanted to find out more, I was 26 at that time, having been invited to try a couple of classes, I wanted to join in the ongoing journey!. Classes at that time where held all over the place and at that time we where training in what was known as “ The Satelite Club “ also in Tunbridge Wells.. This was to be a wonderful time as the floor in those days was made from Terrazo a sort of plastic; after some 30 minutes of training with gyaku-zuki and other warm up methods, the floor became a skating rink and we would skid to a stop at the other end of the hall. We had many moves of training location and finally landed at High Rocks for quite some time where I was to be awarded my first 3 grades over a period of 1 year, I tried never to miss a class. Northolt Dojo during a seminar was to be my first major grading test with many others of the day, where I was awarded my coveted Green Belt, I thought I had arrived!, Not so there was still plenty to fill the gap in my mind, this time of training was very important to me. I did have a time of no training due to work commitments and family commitments, this meant I could not attend training for quite some time. Some years later, I got back into training with Sensei Andy Fox ( 5th Dan ) in his Dojo at Borough Green village hall where I trained for 8 years, Then the biggest slap I have ever had came visiting, During one of my own classes located in Eynsford village where I was living at that time, I suffered a serious brain bleed an Aneurism that almost killed me, fortunately for me one of my students was a nurse, she thought I had, had a heart attack and called for the ambulance, Paramedics assessed me and told them what they thought had had happened, I did not feel anything and I have to this day got a whole in my mind of around 3 weeks, Taken to Dartford hospital and assessed before being taken to Kings Hospital where I was operated on to mend the damage, I remained in Kings for a week before being taken back to Dartford hospital for a further 3 weeks for close observation and monitoring as well as help to retain balance and co-ordination again. My wife Lorna and my old mate and my own Sensei during this time Andy Fox both spent a lot of time looking after me one way and another. It took 6 months for me to get back to the man I used to be and I put my life down to all the training I had done, my level of fitness and my Spirit of Aikido that was built into my mind over the past 30+ years, never give up and fight back with a passion for your life. All this took place during the month of October in the year of 2007, Carrying on until around April of the following year, when I felt as good as new again. I have included this event as it made me more aware of how fragile life can be. Never take the next day for granted, it’s not promised!, indeed never take the next martial arts class for granted, You may not make it. Most importantly of all are the seminars that are always on offer from your Sensei’s and other Senior Club and Association members, I have taken many memories from these over the past years, Because as your age increases there are more memories of the past, than there are days in front of you. Don’t cut yourself off from these special classes and events, You will never see that day again. I also trained with Sensei David Waters now the founder of Ryusui-Ryu Martial Arts Schools, where I remained for the next 20 years until I retired from full time work at 65 in November 2010 and moved to Larne in County Antrim where I now live with my wife Lorna, her home town. I always try to get back to England during these special events to meet up with old friends and to train with many of them again, usually followed by a time of an evenings social meal and drinks a plenty!. Come and visit me for a great time in the land of beauty, we have some nice B & B places or if you choose to take up the offer of a more Up-Market Curran Court Hotel, All will give you a great “Norn Ireland” welcome, Come and enjoy a great holiday as well as the offer of coming to join me on the mat for a couple of hours during one of my classes, If I am still able to run them!. During the following spring of 2011March and April I launched my own school here in Larne from scratch in our local sports centre, using some posters I had made up and standing and inviting potential new students to join me in the Dojo with a 4 weeks introductory course, It worked out quite well for me as “ a blow in!” as we are called! An Englishman in Ulster!, The culture here is very different from what I had been used to for the past 35+ years and it took me quite sometime to get a grip of both the mind set of the Northern Ireland people and of course understanding the way they spoke, I do not have any problems now thank goodness!. I have now been here for 10 years and hope to be able to teach my arts for a few years yet and now at 75 years young and slightly over weight, I may just be able to fulfil that dream. I also hope to be able to take the planned trip home to Kent during the spring of 2021 to meet up with “Old friends & teachers for a social meal and of course a bevvie or 3 and to train with those special people I first met back in the day!, 1973 and of course to make new friends with new students I have yet to meet,”. I hope this short bio helps cement links to many of my former fellow students what ever grade you hold, as well as to encourage new and younger students to stay focused in the most exciting journey you could hope to imagine, Stay the course and build great life long friends and great memories you will be glad you did. I hope to meet some of you before I retire to the great Dojo beyond the clouds.

THE ART OF KARATE KATA Aesthetics and Power Kata in Japanese simply means form and their origin can be traced back to the relationship between China and Okinawa, during the early years of trading between the two countries. Performing and practicing Kata requires the complete immersion into body, mind and spirit - as all three have to be present in embu or performance, or the essence of what kata is all about, is lost. It is the combination of a range of body movements in a variety of different directions, made up of individual techniques that become progressively more flowing, appearing effortless to the untrained eye. They include simple hand and arm movements at first until balance is achieved based upon the use of correct stances. Being in the correct stance at every moment of any kata is THE principal requirement of balance and movement from one stance to the other. Without this element in place at every turn, the very foundation of each form is absent. And by stance is meant to be not only the height and length of each one that is done - which is critical - but the relationship of one foot to the other and the angles they are placed in to achive stability in the landing and lightness of touch and bounce in preparation for the next move. A good kata practitioner will eliminate all uneccessary footwork as a basic requisite for fluidity and the smooth flow of movement. A relaxed and not stiff upright posture is critical to this flow. Eyes level - chin tucked in just enough - head balancd on the torso - shoulders level at all times - chest slightly raised - lower back hollow - allowing movment reminiscent of a matador. At an appropriate point - once balance has been achieved on two feet - kicking techniques are incorporated and take time to master in the flow of a kata as balancing moves onto one leg. The key skill here being how to return the foot to the floor and keeping the flow of the kata alive. And then the kata comes ito its own as a "dance" (the term in this context is of Chinese origin), made up of a designated number of moves, which have been handed down over time. Kime is a commonly used Japanese martial arts term, meaning "power" and/or "focus," describing the instantaneous tensing at the correct moment during a technique, where a momentary stillness is observed. It is the timing of moments like this that "make" any Kata. It is here where power and control merge and if you lose the latter, the kata disintegrates into a shambles as too much power on poor stances distorts the shape of each and every movement. It is the biggest mistake that Karateka in general make when performing kata - for in the Embu or performance, the expression of power must be contained so as to maximise the aeshthetic appeal of the Kata. The combination of this seemingly effortless flow of movement along with perfect timing and pause, creates a series of sequences which tell the "story" to be found in each kata, interspersed with moments of immense power. It can only be described as breathtakingly awesome to behold and beautiful to watch, as this explosive form of ballet appeals aesthetically as the Art of Karate Kata. Practitioners of karate kata read the various sequences and turn them into practice drills called Bunkai - the practical application of various techniques with a partner or partners - which naturally leads on to the various forms of Kumite - or sparring. But first there is the Art of the Kata to master. David Passmore Kyoshi 2008

THE ZEN HUT 5 MINERAAL STREET JUKSKEI PARK RANDBURG GAUTENG Disciplines KARATE KENJUTSU KOBUDO MEDITATION AND PHILOSOPHY Chief Instructor RAY STRODL 1960 - 2022 Trained at the Budokan Honbo dojo in Durban from early 1978 under Shihan Ray Ryan and achieved Shodan in 1979. Became part of the Budokan teaching team and ran classes at Pietermaritzburg, Montclair and Durban North Dojos for Shihan, before being settled at the Bluff Budokan dojo which he ran with Carol Strodl. Ray participated in Budokan and all style championships over the years, and was part of the Natal all styles team for 5 years, and became the SA Budo Ryu Grand championship in 1986. After this his focus was teaching, refereeing and administration of Karate as assistant to and then secretary for all-style associations and the Budo Ryu Style. Ray always tried to participate in all aspects of Karate but his focus and love was for Kata and weapons particularly Sai, Bo and eventually Kenjutsu. Ray was graded to Sandan at the last Blackbelt grading that Shihan Ray Ryan held in Durban on 11 November 1989. He was very involved with the administration for the Natal all-styles Karate association but after a long period involved in this aspect of sport karate prefers to focus on traditional Budo rather that sport karate, which he believes has ruined many styles as they began to focus on winning competitions rather than effective combat techniques. Ray has been a practicing Buddhist who studies and writes on philosophy, ethics and providing effective financial advice in a high-tech financial services environment. Ethics is a core area of study, his writing and teaching in the financial services industry. Ray has lived in Johannesburg since 1998, where he has run an Education and Training company which has focussed on developing financial advisers and planners since 2000. During the last few years he has been focusing on development of online learning and education. During this time in Gauteng he has trained in Tai Chi, Jeet Kun Do, Kobudo and more recently Kenjustu at the Tombukai BuJutsu dojo in Pretoria where he is focusing on Mugai Ryu. His training was interrupted by a serious illness and he is now focussed regaining strength and suppleness to be able to participate in Karate and Kenjustu for the foreseeable future

1960 - 2023 BUSHIDO & BUDO THE WAY OF THE WARRIOR Bushidō - (Japanese: “Way of the Warrior”) the code of conduct of the Samurai, or Bushi (warrior), class of premodern Japan THE MARTIAL WAY Budo – (Japanese: “Bu – Martial Do – the way. Martial way”) Although the name Bushidō was not used until the 16th century, the idea of the code developed during the Kamakura period (1192–1333), as did the practice of seppuku (ritual disembowelment). Since the days of the Kamakura shogunate (1185 – 1333), the "Way of the Warrior" has been an integral part of Japanese culture. The medieval Japanese military class was attracted to Zen Buddhism, because of the discipline required in its daily practice and its notion of non- attachment, which served each individual well on a practical level as they could achieve an enlightened state which eliminated suffering – the central tenet of all Buddhism. Zen monks occupied positions of political influence in both Kyoto, where the Emperor and the ruling family reigned supreme and in Kamakura, the new seat of the Shogunate, especially when Yoritomo took the title of Seii Taishogun in 1192. Eisai, was a Tendai priest who studied extensively in China and returned to Japan in 1192. He was frowned upon by the Tendai establishment and moved to Kamakura, where he won the support of the newly established Shogunate and set up temples there and in Kyoto. Eisai was generally regarded as being responsible for introducing Zen to Japan and was both politically and artistically influential. The Soto sect of Zen Buddhism was founded by Dogen Zenji with the building of the Eihei Temple in what is now the Fukui Prefecture in 1243. Dogen lost his parents at an early age and was influenced by the impermanence of things. He began to teach Zazen and its central tenet of Shikan Taza or seated meditation as the most effective road to Satori, which can mean personal enlightenment or self-realization. At that time the Minamoto family established Japan’s first military government (bakufu), headed by a hereditary leader called the Shogun. However, the supreme obligation or duty of the samurai was to his Lord, even if this might cause suffering to his parents. The extent to which duty superseded all else is perhaps best exemplified in the story of the 47 rōnin from the early 18th century. These Samurai, who had become masterless (Rōnin) after their Lord had been treacherously murdered, avenged their Lord’s death against the express instructions of the Shogun and afterward were all ordered to commit seppuku. During the Muromachi period (1336–1573) the “way of the warrior” - the Samurai Code of Conduct began to become more refined by adopting selected daily activities, alongside martial training, such as Zen (meaning meditation), ikebana, the tea ceremony, poetry such as the death poem (written by Samurai before suicidal missions or battles) and literature. The sayings of Sengoku-period retainers and warlords such as Katō Kiyomasa (1562–1611) and Nabeshima Naoshige were generally recorded or passed down to posterity around the turn of the 16th century when Japan had entered a period of relative peace. In a handbook addressed to "all Samurai, regardless of rank", Katō states "If a man does not investigate into the matter of Bushidō daily, it will be difficult for him to die a brave and manly death. Thus, it is essential to engrave this business of the warrior into one's mind well”. During the Edo (Tokugawa) period (1603–1867) Bushidō thought was infused with Confucian ethics and made into a comprehensive system that stressed obligation or duty. The Samurai was equated with the Confucian “perfect gentleman” and was taught that his essential function was to exemplify virtue to the lower classes. Obedience to authority was stressed, but duty (“Giri”) came first even if it entailed violation of law. In the mid-19th century, however, the precepts of Bushidō were made the basis of ethical training for the whole of society, with the Emperor replacing the feudal Lord, or Daimyo, as the focus of loyalty and sacrifice. The precise content of the Bushidō code varied historically as the Samurai class came under the influence of Zen Buddhist and Confucian thought, but it’s one unchanging ideal was martial spirit, including athletic and military skills as well as fearlessness toward the enemy in battle. Frugal living, kindness, honesty, and personal honour were also highly regarded, as was filial piety, respect for one's parents, elders, and ancestors. As such it contributed to the rise of Japanese nationalism following the Meiji Restoration (1868) and to the strengthening of civilian morale during the Sino-Japanese War (1937–45) and World War II. Instruction in the code was officially abandoned with Japan’s defeat in 1945. Elements of the code remain, however, in the practice of Japanese martial arts and in the sport of sumo wrestling. Bushido is often referred to as the soul of old Japan and the spirit of the new. Then consider if you would, the similarity between Bushido and Budo. Budo – (Japanese: “Bu – Martial - Do – the way - Martial Way”) As a lifestyle, Budo is known as the The Martial Way Budo philosophy has been developed over time (approximately 400 years) from the teachings of Japanese Bushido. The two concepts, Bushido and Budo, are fundamental to the study of the Japanese martial arts. In essence Bushido is the code of conduct which we, as martial arts practitioners, subscribe to whilst we learn the martial way. In my view it is impossible to practise the one without the other. Miyamoto Musashi said, “The way is in training”. When I started karate at the end of each class, we used to recite the maxims which we were expected to apply both in the in the dojo and in our everyday lives. These were Etiquette, Effort, Respect and Self Control. The study of martial arts requires both the physical aspect and the mental aspect. The training of the body and the training of the mind. To achieve mastery of a single martial art requires a lifetime of dedication and there is no avoiding the physical aspect of the training. We often say, “There is no gain without pain”. At Budokan we expect students to train both within the dojo as well as when in private at home or elsewhere. Progressive skills development is necessary for the attainment of mastery of a martial art and that is why we assess the progress a student makes progressively throughout every year. Students are taught the basics which they are expected to master before they move on to more complex techniques. …. Returning then to the maxims we recited after every class and how they apply to the study of Budo. These require each and every student to observe Dojo etiquette. For example, we always remove our shoes when entering the Dojo. We used to prepare the dojo by washing down the floors at the beginning and end of every class. We bow to each other and to the instructors. We say “please teach me” at the beginning and “thank you” to the instructor at the end of each session. We also meditate for a short time at the beginning and end of each class. The question is why is this necessary? This is an outward manifestation of an inner desire to remind ourselves, and show others outside the martial arts, that we have respect for one and another, the instructors, the dojo, ourselves, and others. One cannot avoid the physical aspect of martial arts training. You have to get on the dojo floor and sweat to achieve progress and it is essential for a student to give the maximum effort on each occasion he practises his skills. This effort is what makes martial arts training worthwhile. The benefits are, I would say self-evident. Exercise is good for one’s health, it helps to rid oneself of negative thoughts and the release of endorphins makes one mentally strong. There is no denying that the practise of martial arts can lead to situations when tempers might flare up. Practitioners must develop self-control and those who don’t soon fall below the estimation of their peers and expectations of their Teachers and Instructors. At the same time as engaging in the physical side of training students learn how to control their breathing, how to focus on what they are doing and what the opponent is doing. We are taught to analyse each technique and what its application might be. They must also engage the mind. We meditate to find a balance within our everyday lives and to rid ourselves of negative thoughts and emotions. It teaches us to focus. Having regard for the aforesaid I must return to the concept of “Giri”! Giri - pronounced ‘Gidi (as most Japanese people cannot roll the “R”’ ) is a Japanese concept roughly corresponding to duty, obligation, justice, and correct action. There is no equivalent word in the English language. It should be a very important rule for practitioners of the martial arts. This concept has attracted a great deal of interest from the rest of the world. What concerns me is how many students of Budo understand the concept of Giri and how few regulate their actions and thoughts in keeping with the concept. Giri transcends limits of right action, duty, courtesy, obligation, and right thinking - which emanate from the Eightfold Path of Buddhist philosophy. Early students of Bushido studied the ‘kashoki’. These are five scrolls with wide-ranging content, including Samurai knowledge with moral precepts, the knowledge of ordinary people, the teachings of Confucian Buddhism, Mencius and others. It contains moral precepts which explain theoretical aspects of Bushido. The fifth scroll has an important definition that was made by a Samurai and is therefore the first known description of morality in Bushido. The Bushido spirit was the Kashoki. The fifth scroll provides that “The essence of Bushidō is: do not lie, do not be insincere, do not be servile, do not be superficial, do not be greedy, do not be rude, do not be boastful, do not be arrogant, do not slander, do not be unfaithful, be on good terms with comrades, do not be overly concerned with events, show concern for one another, be compassionate, with a strong sense of duty”. Being a good Samurai takes more than merely a willingness to lay down one's life." In my view this is Giri. Over the last 100 years modern societies have encouraged their citizens to adopt a social and political doctrine of individualism and wealth creation and I believe we have lost sight of Giri. And with reference to the Kanji of Bushido and Budo (above) it may be the latter that will fade away, whilst we will continue to revere the former. Peter Bush October 2021