The Evolution of Zenshin dojo

Funakoshi 

This article shouldn’t be seen as a definitive commentary of karate’s history.  Rather it seeks to simply track karate’s evolution from Okinawa to Zenshin dojo, thus providing a basic understanding of the origins of Zenshin dojo practices and in so doing offer context to Zenshin dojo members.

Many scholars believe the genesis of karate can be traced from India, through China and beyond via trade routes and migration.  It is widely accepted a man called Funakoshi Gichin, introduced karate developed in Okinawa to mainland Japan.  Arguably there were others but this article focuses on the Funakoshi legacy.

Culturally, some  individuals would be referred to by a pseudonym or pen name.  This tradition becomes significant in the context of our story.

Funakoshi’s pen name was 'Shoto' which roughly translates to pine waves, an apparent poetic reference to the Okinawan winds gently blowing through the pine trees.

If someone wanted to learn karate from Funakoshi they would visit him at the hall, known as 'kan', where he taught. Therefore if a person practised with Funakoshi they would be members of "Shoto’s kan."

Although Funakoshi was an impressive advocate of his art, karate was perceived by many as a Chinese fighting system at a time when relations between the two countries were not great. Consequently, Funakoshi initiated subtle alterations with a view to making the discipline more acceptable to a Japanese audience, however it didn’t really take hold until Japan geared up for the Sino-Japanese War.  Karate, particularly kihon, lent itself well to military training and karate practices were accepted as an excellent way of improving the physical condition of young men.  It had also taken root in the Japanese University culture which is believed to be the birth of competition based sport karate. 

When Japan surrendered to the Americans thus ending the war, Tokyo was awash with American GI’s attracted to the martial arts, as a result some cross fertilisation took place.

According to his own account, Manchurian born Mitsusuke Harada, joined Shoto’s kan around this time.  By then Funakoshi was an old man and in April 1957 he died. 

Following his death, there was a dispute relating to his funeral arrangements.  The Japanese Karate Association (JKA) had been created and felt it was their responsibility to organise the funeral, however, some believed the JKA had moved away from the original concepts and philosophy so important to Funakoshi, consequently those who chose a different path from the JKA, notably Funakoshi’s uchi-deshi, Shigeru Egami, supported by Funakoshi’s family and friends, formed a separate alliance collectively known as the Shoto-kai (Association of Shoto).

Egami and Harada

Harada had become close to Egami and legend has it the two trained constantly together for a whole year, however, by the time of Funakoshi’s death, Harada, who worked for an international bank, had been posted to Brazil by his employers.     

Unsurprisingly, Harada wanted to introduce Funakoshi's karate to a South American audience and therefore was awarded the rank of 5^th dan.

In February 1963, Harada was invited to teach at a dojo in Paris.  Initially he planned on staying for a year, but he experienced immigration problems and a personality clash with another Japanese instructor.  

At some point in time, a Shotokan practitioner called Tetsuji Murakami met and trained with Egami sensei.   Murakami was so impressed by Egami’s approach to karate practice he effectively converted to the Shotokai style.  Accordingly, by the time of Harada’s arrival in France, Murakami had already established himself as an important karate figure on the continent.   

Murakami

It’s clear that Harada and Murakami did not get on and there were significant and profound differences in their approaches and interpretations of Egami’s teachings.  What exactly happened is difficult to pin down, but whatever the reasons, Harada moved to UK and Murakami remained a European karate leader primarily based in France but with an ever expanding organisation across Europe.

Harada settled in Cwmbran, Wales, and formed the Karate Do Shotokai (KDS).  His innovative and original practices were exciting and engaging. Consequently the KDS grew in popularity throughout England, Scotland and Wales.

In early 1984, Rob Jones, founder of Zenshin dojo, began practising karate in Pill where he was the resident community police officer.   He was keen to get to know some troublesome teenagers who frequented the local youth club and subsequently joined the karate club there.

Even as a beginner, he felt the club’s style, a derivative of Shotokan, was poor, the techniques unnecessarily rigid and the general environment unappealing.  Luckily, by chance, he was introduced to a 2^nd dan practitioner, a student of Harada and member of the Karate Do Shotokai.  So impressed was Rob that he immediately committed himself to Harada’s teachings through the guidance of his teacher.

By the end of the 1980’s Harada’s group began to fracture.  The fault line lay between Harada and two of his highest, most respected grades, Billy Haggerty and Colin Reeve.  Matters couldn’t be reconciled and in due course Haggerty and Reeve left the KDS to begin their own organisation called The Shotokai Foundation.  Haggerty was particularly popular in Scotland; Reeve was based in the south of England.  As a consequence of the breakup, many Scottish clubs and a considerable number of English clubs aligned themselves with Haggerty and Reeve.

Rob with Billy Haggerty

Colin Reeve

Rob followed his instructor Adrian Baker and became a member of the Shotokai Foundation.  Things seemed to be going well.  Rob was awarded his first dan in 1992, and opened his own club in Keynsham.  However, it became increasingly obvious that Haggerty and Reeve offered competing karate perspectives.  

There couldn’t be two 'Kings', consequently, for whatever reason, in 1993 Haggerty left and created a new group based in Glasgow called Shoto Budo.  

The Shotokai Foundation continued for several more years before Reeve decided to leave and start his own group called the Shotokai College. The void created by Reeve’s departure was filled by a small group of seniors all of whom had reached the grade of 5^th dan.  But by the early 2000’s it was evident there were “too many cooks” and ego’s were beginning to clash.  

Things came to a head in 2002.  With emotions running high the manifest differences between all concerned couldn’t be reconciled so the Shotokai Foundation once again fractured and yet another karate organisation, Shin Do Shotokai, was born.

By this time Rob had reached the rank of 4th dan and was instrumental in the day to day administration of the new group.  His Keynsham club had attracted a healthy membership, but with additional venues outside Keynsham, the club had geographically outgrown its name.  Subsequently, in 2004 a new name was chosen, Zenshin dojo.

Rob’s desire to broaden his karate experience and knowledge blossomed in 2000.  During a working visit to Lyon France, he visited a French Shotokai club.  Despite the warm cordial welcome, differences in technique, basic shapes and practices were immediately apparent.  It transpired the Lyon group were members of  Karate Do Shotokai Europe, an organisation directly descended from Tetsuji Murakami.  

Murakami had died in 1987 leaving no single successor. As a result, there were many independent European Shotokai karate groups whose lineage could be traced back to him.  

Friendship overcame Shotokai karate practice differences and in 2003 Rob was invited to attend the first ever "Shotokai International Meeting", in Almada, Portugal.

The organisers recognised how fragmented the Shotokai 'style' had become and hoped to bring the diverse groups from around the globe together, to talk, share knowledge, promote understanding and in so doing bring some consistency to Shotokai practices.  

Rob receiving a gift from the Portuguese organisers

The conference, although well attended by over 80 delegates from across most European nations and as far away as Argentina and Mexico, was dominated by practitioners of the Murakami school of Shotokai.  Despite receiving an invitation, Harada sensei had refused to participate or send a representative which resulted in the fact Rob was the only delegate who had ever experienced his teachings. 

Rob's friendship with the French and appearance at the Shotokai International Meeting opened many doors.  In the following years he accepted invitations to practice with groups across Europe, notably in Portugal, France, Belgium, Switzerland and Italy.   His ever growing network and exposure to different practices and opinions provided an unfortunate contrast to the karate practised by Shin Do Shotokai. 

The Zenshin dojo team with Keisuke Nakagawa and Koibuchi sensei

A particularly close relationship with Italian, Marco Forti resulted in a 2005 visit to Cesena, Italy and  a subsequent invitation to participate  in an autumn Gasshuku in Fontanellato.  

Unfortunately for Rob, the dates clashed with a wedding commitment, however he felt it important for Zenshin dojo to be represented at the event because it offered an opportunity to meet and practice with several Japanese karate masters who had been direct students of Egami sensei.  

These inspiring, humble, friendly men were members of a Japan wide organisation called the Yuten-kai, (Association of Egami).

Rob with Enzo Cellini and Yutenkai masters Pisa 2007

It transpired that three Yutenkai masters from the Fujitsu dojo, each year, routinely shared their knowledge, experience and teaching at a karate camp held on a Mediterranean beach just outside Pisa.  Their host, 5th dan senior karate-ka Enzo Cellini, was friends with Marco Forti and through that connection Rob was invited to attend the 2007 Pisa event.  

Marco Forti, Rob, Enzo Cellini

From then on friendships grew.  Rob and other Zenshin members became regular attendees at the Pisa camp, each year guided by the Yutenkai masters and supported by their increasingly friendly Italian peers.

Sadly, the Shin Do Shotokai, “Technical Directors”, Alan Neish and Stephen Gilmour, were becoming increasing unhappy with Rob’s experiences in the wider karate world.  They certainly didn’t share his open mindedness or willingness to explore new perspectives. Despite his sincere commitment to continue helping and supporting Shin Do Shotokai, Rob became increasingly marginalised and a rift developed between him and Gilmour.  

In 2009, Shin Do Shotokai collapsed; the organisation was dissolved with the remaining funds divided equally between the five 5^th dans.  From that moment on Zenshin dojo became an independent club, not affiliated to any association or group.  

Later that year, seven Zenshin dojo members and a large contingent of Italian friends visited Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and attended a karate camp in sight of Mt Fuji hosted by the Yutenkai masters.

The Zenshin dojo group in front Mt Fuji

Zenshin dojo group performing the kata Meikyo

During their stay, respects were paid at the grave of Egami sensei and Funakoshi sensei .

Rob at Egami sensei's grave

Zoe at Funakoshi sensei's grave

In 2010, Zenshin dojo organised an International karate gathering, (Gasshuku), in Bristol.  The practice weekend at the University of the West of England, attracted over 150 karate practitioners from seven different countries and was led by three Yutenkai masters supported by six other experienced Yutenkai members.

Ariga sensei leading the Gasshuku

Koibuchi sensei, Rob, Ariga sensei and Nakano sensei

By this time Marco Forti had become disillusioned with Shotokai karate.  Consequently he became a student of Hanshi Patrick McCarthy an internationally recognised karate pioneer and academic.  McCarthy has authored many books relating to karate and the Okinawan martial arts, most notably the 'Bubishi' a classic text, known as the “bible of karate” by many eminent practitioners.  Marco soon adopted McCarthy’s innovative approach and training methods and became a student of Koryu Uchinadi Kenpo-jutsu, a modern interpretation of Okinawa’s historic fighting arts.

Rob with Patrick McCarthy

In 2012, on a visit to Italy, Rob attended a Koryu Uchinadi Kenpo-jutsu seminar and met Patrick McCarthy.   From then their relationship developed and Rob attended Koryu Uchinadi seminars led by McCarthy either in Italy or in UK every year until the pandemic.

Zenshin dojo has adopted a small selection of the Koryu Uchinadi Kenpo-jutsu practices which add balance and something a little different to the overall Zenshin dojo syllabus.

History, and Rob’s personal karate journey, has inevitably influenced and shaped the Zenshin dojo curriculum.  Consequently, Zenshin dojo is a non style based independent club offering a blend of Shotokai karate as developed by Mitsuske Harada sensei; Egami ryu as taught by the Japanese Yutenkai group, and Hanshi Patrick McCarthy’s Koryu Uchinadi Kenpo-jutsu.