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.