Please leave your comments below or any queries or sugestions that you may have.

Dear Colleagues,
I would like to personally thank you for supporting Yanagawa Sensei’s Budo Karate Course. In November 2007 Sensei Yanagawa traveled to the UK with some of his assistant instructors and students, to present his Budo karate at three open courses. These were:
10/11 Nov, Walsall, West Midlands - Yanagawa Sensei, Miyaji Sensei, Honma Sensei, Ohgata Sensei, Hasagawa Sensei, Sakagami Sensei and May Sensei. The weekend course organised by Kuniaki Sakagami Sensei and Peter May Sensei, attracted over 150 students from all over England with more than 20 visitors from the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland also in attendance.
14 Nov, Swansea, Wales - Yanagawa Sensei, Ohgata Sensei, Hasagawa Sensei, Sakagami Sensei and May Sensei. The mid-week course, organised by Unel Wellington, attracted over 60 high grade students from all over Wales.
17/18 Nov, Horsham, West Sussex – Yanagawa Sensei, Kida Sensei, Takayanagi Sensei, Sakagami Sensei and May Sensei. Approximately 40 students attended the last of the Budo courses the course organised by Gary Swift.
We would like to thank Unel and Gary for organizing their respective courses, and for all the other people that made the courses possible.
We believe that every course was successful due to the large amount of forward planning, the organization, the contents of the courses, and the teaching of Yanagawa Sensei and his students; but most of all the efforts of the students that attended.
Yanagawa Sensei’s Book – ‘Budo Karate Fundamentals’
For those interested in the book that was discussed at the courses, the book has now been translated into English and it is anticipated that it will go to print next month. We will inform you when it is available to purchase. I have read the book and it provides an excellent reference and a deeper insight into the material taught on the courses.
The Yanagawa Nihon-den Nisho-Nitten-ryu Jujutsu-Kenpo Instructors
Over the two week period that Yanagawa Sensei and his group of instructors were in the U.K. Sakagami Sensei and myself spent over 100 hours with our guests. At no time did our guests want to go site-seeing or traveling, but instead were on a mission to pass on as much knowledge about Yanagawa’s Budo Karate as possible.
From the moment Yanagawa Sensei stepped of the airplane he talked karate providing private lessons and instruction for Sakagami Sensei and I that would last from before breakfast through until bedtime. It literally was 24/7 of impromptu lessons until his departure. Yanagawa Sensei totally lives, breathes and sleeps his Martial Arts and we learned a great deal from him and his students during these two weeks. Additionally, since they returned home we have received yet further information regarding Budo Karate through letters and Dvds that they have sent to us.
The Formation of a Society to Practice Budo Karate
Following the three courses, many people showed an interest in continuing to learn the Budo Karate principles. Additionally we have had people asking about the possibilities of making the Budo courses more regular with annual/bi-annual visits from Yanagawa Sensei and/or a representative from his Dojo. It is for the above reasons that we are looking to form a group/society to promote Budo Karate through its practice. At these early stages we see this group/society attracting people who wish to learn more about the Budo style, who are interested in attending future courses (open and closed) with a method of saving for these courses and obtaining discounts through the society membership. As was clear on the courses this style suits the mature karate-ka however, it is not limited as the concept can easily be adapted to the younger student, even those who are competition orientated. As long as the student has an open mind learning Budo Karate will not be a problem.
Over the coming months we will be setting up a Budo Society for the practice of Yanagawa’s Budo Karate. We will be drawing up the aims and objectives of the society so that we can establish the direction in which we will proceed and a method of ensuring we are practicing what we set out too. Our first aim it to establish a society which represents its members regardless of their karate allegiance, affiliation and experience. This society aims to organize courses (+3 per year) and visiting instructors (+1 visit every 2 years) for its members. We aim to provide membership to those who have a real and honest desire to learn Budo Karate. It is for this reason that membership will be considered on return of invitation or on recommendation from existing members. The society does not need a large membership to be successful.
Within the year of 2008 we have arranged three Budo courses (dates T.B.C. March 9th / July 13th/ September 21st) and hopefully an additional course with a sub instructor from the Yanagawa Nihon-den Nisho-Nitten-Ryu Jujutsu-Kenpo dojo. A percentage of the membership fee and a percentage of the training courses funds will go towards bringing over a sub instructor on a yearly basis and Yanagawa Sensei every 2 years. The details of the courses (including confirmed dates and venues), the cost of membership and available discounts, and the percentage of the membership and course funds that will go towards hosting the visiting instructors, will be presented in the information pack to follow later this month.

I personally see the society being for students who wish to progress with their chosen art, and I wish to emphasise that the society cannot take the place of the Federation/Association that you belong too. On the courses we hope to develop and practice the old ways of Budo Karate, the techniques, mindset and tools that have become diluted in our own styles with the introduction of competition orientated Karate.
The society will be for serious students who wish to enhance their own practice by belonging to a society that puts practice of Budo Karate first. We see it existing with a structured approach to training where students are able to monitor their own progress.
Members are welcome from other organisations and should regard their membership with the society as an unbiased source of information, which can compliment, and build upon, your existing knowledge without the threat of changing styles or schools.
A Note for the Mature Students
As you get older you can start to doubt your own effectiveness. Karate, as currently taught in the majority of dojo, focuses on technical ability largely based on a competition orientated style, rather than effectiveness. This can exclude a large number of students who are not interested in competition karate or those who have retired from it. We have seen how Budo Karate practices can be effective whatever your age and ultimately give you more confidence in your own fighting ability.
The Budo Karate Society will be contacting you with an information pack before the end of January 2008 should you be interested.
Yours in Martial Arts,
Kuniaki Sakagami 7th Dan Wadokai Peter May 6th Dan Wadokai

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Thanks for the feedback Mark; we aim to make sure that all creature comforts are catered for, if you feel that our standards are not as they should be - please leave sugestions. Once again Thanks. See you Monday.

~Sensei~

Please find enclosed poster/information on the 1st Budo Karate Shinkokai course, we sincerely hope you will be able to attend.

The Society is busy at the moment in preparation for the course with a double Dvd set produced in Japan of Mr Yanagawa and Instructors teaching on the Midlands course which is off excellent quality and will serve to underpin the fundamentals and application of Budo Karate.
An information pack, Membership passport and Mr Yanagawa’s “Budo Karate Fundamentals Book” are also in preparation.

The book is proving to be a challenge although ready for print it seems the cost of printing the 60 page book in the U.K. may not be viable, so we are making enquires to have it produced abroad.

Also the benefits of membership to the Society will be fully explained on the course.

Once again thank you for your support and hope to see you on March 9th 2008.

Best regards,

Kuniaki Sakagami 7th Dan

Peter May 6th Dan

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How did todays course go! Post feedback peeps.

I thought this was a really good course as Sensi Steve was explaining to us that you dont have to the tallest or biggest guy to be able to take out any oppenent as long as we use the princliple of the karate style we do, Wado. He shown us that when we block we are using strength against strength but when we deflect and counter we will not cause damage to ourselfs but only the oppenent. These techniques were then shown to us in a kumite competition style environment and I thought it worked very well specially when fightening green giants lol.

I also learnt a new kata, Gion. Thanks to watching others in the club perform this kata like Joss, I knew bits of the kata already. I learnt this kata in under 30 mintues and performed it in a team in under 4 minutes. Not bad for a days work lol.

I relli enjoyed the course and look forward to the next one and for the students who didnt go, tuhhhhhh unlucky is the only word tht comes to mind lol.

~Sensei~

National Coach of Wales Stephen Wellington 6th Dan
WKA “Tec Com” Senior Instructors
Tony Myhill 5th Dan, Allen Jones 5th Dan, Andy Morgan 5th Dan, Cedric Wellington 5th Dan
Assistant Instructors.
Dave Porter, David Jones, Gwyn Everett, Roger Clark, Mathew Langley, Jay Smith, David Godfrey, Sue Thomas.
Guest Instructor Petros Kolokasis

Kumite Section
Cedric Wellington, David Godfrey

Fighting Techniques Blocks Section
David Jones, Dave Porter

Ohyo’s & Kihon’s Ju Jitsu Section
Gwyn Everett, Jay Smith

Holds & Lock’s Techniques

Basic Section
Roger Clark

Non Grading Combination’s Kata Section
Stephen Wellington, Sue Thomas

Advanced Kata Freestyle Section
Andy Morgan

Various Self Defence & Takedowns

Referee & Timekeepers Section
Allen Jones
(Timekeepers Free)
Competition Rules & Etiquette

Venue
Hengwrt Community Sports Centre.
Briton Ferry
Neath
Saturday July 12th

Course Starts - Juniors 10am to 12.30pm
Seniors 1pm to 4pm - Course Fee £ 20