The Budokan SA dojo was founded in 1961 by Hanshi Richard Salmon and Shihan Ray Ryan teaching Judo, Karate and eventually a wide range of Japanese martial arts.
While Karate originated in Okinawa when these island warriors developed a unique form of empty hand combat with was based on systems and techniques the early masters learned from China.
This will be covered in more detail on the next page which covers our historical and traditional foundation for our karate, at the following link:
https://budokansa.co.za/the-foundation/
In Okinawa, this form of combat was not seen as individual “styles” and the name for their art moved from Te or Hands, Chinese hands, Nahe Te, Shuri Te and eventually empty hands or Kata te, as mainland Japan was exposed to this once secretive art and Karate was introduced to Japan by Gichin Funakoshi, Kenwa Babuni, Gogen Yamaguchi and the teachers who introduced this new art to Japan and then the world,
Gichin Funakoshi in his autobiography was very firm in his belief there should be no “styles” of Karate and that all of the masters who brought this art to Japan were practising different aspects or interpretations of one Karate.
He also said that the details of how the very early masters learned these techniques from various Chinese teachers and systems which ranged from soft techniques based on Chi or Ki development to hard techniques based on linear strong techniques from the more physical systems. Other Chinese systems make use of circular movements and avoidance techniques to avoid or redirect attacks while others used linear and very strong block to stop attacks. Today this can be observed in power and strength in Shaolin, the flashy and huge techniques in Wu Shu, Small and circular movements in Win Chun and soft almost ethereal movement in Tai Chi.
The Okinawan masters who developed what became Karate integrated all of the above and the new system developed included power, strength, linear movements, using hips to develop power, locking on impact to create a killing blow, circular avoidance techniques, redirection of the attacker’s power and the use of Ki to create an effective fighting system. Gichen Funakoski maintained that all the teachers of Karate used all of these techniques and while some focus on different aspects of the art, there is only one Karate which includes all of the above.
His view was not maintained as karate developed in Japan and styles developed using the kata and basic techniques of the Okinawan art.
Initially, three mail styles developed in Japan based on the teachers who introduced these to Japan in the 1920s, and then to the world in the years after World Word 2.
- Goju Ryu for the interpretation of karate that Gogen Yamaguchi brought to Japan and then the world. This system was based on the concept of mixing hard and soft
- Shukokai – based on Tani-ha Shitō-ryū, developed by C Tani in the late 1940s, and refined by Yamada Haruyoshi and Kimura Shigeru.
- Shotokan – this was the name of the dojo where Gichen Funakoshi taught in Japan, and he did not like its use as the name of the style.
The Karate initially introduced to SA and practised at Budokan SA in the 1960s By Hanshi Richard Salmon was based on the Japnese tradition rather than from the Okinawan systems.
The adventure of the early discovery of these martial arts by our senior instructors in the early years is covered in more detail on the page which explores the visits to Japan to train with some of the most senior and even legendary masters in the following page:
Budokan SA practised the Karate styles as Hanshi Richard Salmon was introduced to the styles of karate and other martial arts. This is covered in more detail in the section on the visits to Japan by Hanshi Richard Salmon and Shihan Ray Ryan in the 1960s.
The order of exposure to styles of karate and martial arts in Budokan SA which is not a style of karate but rather an organisation that :
- Judo this was the initail Japanese martial artist taught and practiced in Budokan SA
- Goju Ryu Karate – Hanshi Richard Salmon received his fist Shodan in Karate from Goju Ryu and his certificate was numbered as the first African certificate
- Shukokai Karate – Hanshi Richard Salmon, Shihan Ray Ryan were graded in this style in Japan and senior instructors from Japan spent time in SA propoting this style. For some time this was the main “style” of karate taught and practised at Budokan.
- Shotokan – Senior instructors of Budokan were exposed to this style when senior Shotokan reached came to SA to promote the style and JKA( Japan Karate Association) which became very powerful in SA Karate under the leadership Stan Schmidt Sensei who was one of the highest-graded karateka in SA
- Budo Ryu – was developed by Hanshi Richard Salmon and registered as a style in Japan. This was the first SA Style of Karate and became the style practised in Budokan SA dojo in the 1960s and the Budo Ryu Association formed later. This style is now practised in SA, UK, Europe, New Zealand and the world.
- Aikido was introduced to Budokan SA after the visit to Aikido HQ in the early 1960’s and has been a part of the training in Budokan SA dojo since then. It is also taught in Budokan and Budo Ryu clubs worldwide.
- Kendo was introduced at Budokan SA Hombu dojo in 1970s
- Kenjutsu / Iaido – the first demonstration of this art was done by Hanshi Richard Salmon and Shihan Ray Ryan in the early 1960s. This has always been a part of the training in Budokan SA.
- Kobudo / Bujutsu was implemented in Budokan
- Kyudo is not currently practised in Budokan SA but the Gauteng dojo is investigating a group in Randburg who are practising this traditional art.