1985
I began my Karate studies at the age of thirteen at a local dojo run by (Ian) White Sensei known as Sea Dragon Karate, which at the time was a member of the Bujin Kai; several years later the dojo left the Bujin Kai and joined United Kingdom All Styles Karate Organisation (UKASKO.)
The Karate taught was a combination of styles/schools, including Kyokushin, Bujin Kai, Shotokan, Wudo Ryu and Tae Kwon Do.
1989
While at college and university I studied Tai Chi Chuan, Baugwa Chang, Chang Chuan, Wing Chun, Mea Tao and Chi Gong with the Wutan Gong Fu Institute International. During this time I was also able to spend some time training in Kendo, Jujutsu and European fencing.
1994
After university I returned to the Sea Dragon Karate dojo where I was successful in the challenge for Sho Dan and Ni Dan. I started running a dojo associated with Sea Dragon Karate. This was the catalyst for reflecting on what I had learned over the years and started to record the knowledge I had acquired and developed.
This process became the core of the syllabus I would use when the Whitstable Karate Kai was founded. The syllabus is a living document and evolves as my personal experiences within the Martial Arts allow me to grow and better myself.
2002
Justine and I broke away from the Sea Dragon Karate dojo; we were unhappy with how the dojo was developing. We founded the Whitstable Karate Kai.
During the same year, I was successful in challenging for San Dan at the WUMA national grading.
2003
I attended a course being taught by (Phil) Snewin Sensei who was the director of Kamishin Ryu Karate Do Association UK, which is a small family style of Karate.
This encounter lead to a significant change in my Karate and Martial Arts in general. Snewin Sensei was able to provide the much needed guidance I was missing, and led to a greater focus for my own research into Kata and Bunkai. I was very fortunate to receive an invitation to attend the Kamishin Ryu Instructor courses, after attending several of these I was invited to become a student of Snewin Sensei.
Snewin Sensei introduced me to Kobujutsu, specifically Bo/Kon, Sai and Tekko, as taught within Ryu Kyu Kobujutsu Association UK. This sparked another avenue of study complementing my Karate studies.
2004
Continuing my contact with other systems of Karate and Martial/Fighting Arts I attended a local Shotokan dojo. (Carl) Swaffer Sensei headed the dojo and was a senior instructor for the Kent Shotokan Karate Clubs (KSKC) Association. Swaffer Sensei was a yudansha at Sea Dragon Karate where I started my karate studies. It was good to train with him again.
Through Swaffer Sensei I was able to attend KSKC courses, which also proved valuable to my personal development within Karate.
2005
In the April I started my Iai do/jutsu training with a dojo at the University of Kent which was associated with Dentokan Martial Arts Association. The Iaido/Battodo taught was Dento Shoshin Ryu Iai jutsu; which in turn was based on the Toyama Ryu Bato-jutsu School of swordsmanship.
Through the Dentokan I was able to study other martial arts taught within the association including; Aiki Jujutsu, Kobujutsu, Shorin Ryu Karate and Goju Ryu Karate.
2006
I was my good fortune meet a Japanese overseas student by the name of Sumida Kunihiro san who was studying at the University of Kent at Canterbury, he introduced me to Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu Iaido.
In the summer of 2007 Sumida San’s teacher Hatakenaka Sensei came to England for the first time; and during her visit she gave a 3 day seminar on Iaido with Seitei Kata as the primary focus.
I successfully challenged for Nidan in Dento Shoshin Ryu Iai jutsu
2008
I was presented with the grade of Yon Dan by the WUMA, which came as a surprise; this gave me a boost which increased my focus still further and to train harder to improve my skill level in Karate, Kobujutsu and Iaido/jutsu.
During the summer Sumida San returned to England for his graduation ceremony at the University of Kent, during his visit I received further instruction in Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu, completing order of the Chuden syllabus kata and refining the Shoden syllabus kata.
2009
15th August I was invited to become an associate member of the All Japan Budo Federation (AJBF), through friends within the Dentokan. The AJBF and Dentokan continued to provide opportunities to train with instructors of Aiki jutsu/Aikido, various styles of Karate, Goshin jutsu and Iaido.
2012
I successful in my challenge for shodan in Kamishin Ryu Karate under Snewin sensei.
2014
The WUMA awarded me my Go dan in Karate.
September
I visited the hombu dojo of the Dai Nippon Iaido Kyokai in Uji, Kyoto, Japan for instruction in Toyama Ryu Morinaga ha Iaido.
I was part of a five man delegation from the Dentokan attending this event where the Dentokan would create a formal link with Shimojo Sensei. Those attending included a representative from Zambia, two from England and two from the United States of America.
During the visit we received five days of intensive instruction from Shimojo Sensei, who confirmed my Iaido technique level was good, as this was our initial time together I was confirmed at the level of San dan within the Dai Nihoin Iaido Kyo Kai.
Shimojo Sensei offered me to become a personal student which I accepted and shoulder the responsibilities that come with such a position.
September
I was able to visit Sumida San in Tokyo and I received an invitation to visit Hatekenaka sensei’s dojo where I received corrections to my Muso Jikieden Esihin Ryu – Tosa ha technique.
October
On my return from Japan I opened a dojo teaching Toyama Ryu Iaido. Shimojo sensei was kind enough to name the dojo – Tekisui Jyuku.
2015
During the last Dentokan International conference held during the summer of 2015 in the UK, Hobbs Sensei formally invited me to join Dentokan Goju Ryu initially at the level of Nidan, while I work on variations from the Goju Ryu kata contained within Kamishin Ryu.
2016
During February I returned to the Hombu Dojo of the Dai Nippon Iaido Kyokai for further instruction in Toyama Ryu, I was invited to stay with Shimojo Sensei and his wife for the 9 days of my visit.
During this visit I received intensive instruction and corrections in Morinaga-ha Toyama Ryu and ZNKR Seitei Iai. I was also introduced to Toyama Ryu Yamaguchi-ha and Kodachi kumitachi kata. On the last day of my training I was successful in challenging for Go Dan in Toyama Ryu Battobo.
Shimojo sensei, informed me my skill level was higher than the San dan presented to me in 2014.
2016
During the Dentokan UK weekend seminar in December there was an opportunity to challenge for Shodan in Dentokan Kobujutsu.
2017
Inducted into the WUMA. Hall of Fame for contribution’s made to the Martial Arts.
2017
During the Dentokan Budosai in April Hobbs Sensei spent the day assessing my Goju Ryu Karate and confirmed my level had reached that required for Yon Dan.
2017
In the October the Dai Nippon Iaido Kyo Kai arranged a further international course in Kyoto, Japan with Shimojo sensei. I attended the five day course with a further seven days one-to-one with Shimojo sensei at his home in Uji. During my stay with Shimojo sensei my Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu was assessed and I was introduced to the remainder of the Eishin Ryu curriculum.
On my return home to England with Shimojo sensei’s permission I will be offering instruction in Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu Iaido commencing in 2018.
2017
During the December Denkokan UK mini budosai I was successful in challenging for shodan in Dentokan Aiki Jujutsu after a series of Southern England Seminars directed at the study group heads for Aiki Jujutsu, these were delivered by (Nigel) Goodier sensei. These sessions have enabled me to bring together my experiences within Dentokan Aiki Jujutsu since 2006.
2018
Successfully challenged for Ni Dan in Dentokan Okinawan Kobujutsu
2019
During September the Dai Nippon Iaido Kyokai (DNIK) hosted another seminar in Kyoto at the Budokuden, this was another five day course with Shimojo Sensei. On the afternoon of the last day of the course I successfully challenged for Rokudan under Shimojo Sensei.
I was able to spend a few days after the course with Shimojo sensei for some much needed one-to-one training, I was Introduced to the six kata of the Omote set of Hoki Ryu. A very different feel to Iaido compared to Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu and Toyama Ryu.
During the course a number of changes to the DNIK management structure were announce, one of these being my appointment as the new Director for UK.
During the Dentokan Winter Budosai in mid December, I was invited to challenge for San Dan in Kobujutsu, I was surprised as it was at least six months earlier than would normally be permitted, as I have been training for many years without assessment and currently working within the Kobujutsu Syllabus up to Godan level, I was permitted to make the challenge, which I was successful.
2020
In March of this year we saw the government implement the SARS-Cov-2 (COVID-19) plandemic, by the end of March the dojo had to close, in July we resumed training outside in a public park. For me personally there was a silver lining to this very dark cloud, in the August the WUMA promoted me to Roku Dan after six years of continued training since Go Dan.
2022
Shimojo sensei in October informed me he was giving me the title of Dai Shihan within the Dai Nihon Iaido Kyokai
This was both and honor and a privilege, but one that comes with further responsibilities to the whole DNIK.
2023
In October after all the nonsense of SARD-Cov-2, I was confident traveling to Japan would be hassle free. I arrange to stay with Shimojo sensei and his wife at the end of October through to the beginning of November.
Sensei and a group of students from the DNIK hombu dojo and the Nara dojo would be performing a embu at one of the shrines in Nara temple complex. The embu was a dedication to the shrines deity. So I arranged the visit so I could go and watch the embu. To my surprise sensei informed me I would also be taking part in the embu. So my first week of training was predominately preparing for the embu and the kata I would be performing.
Sensei made time for reviewing the whole Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu syllabus, including introducing me the some of the Yawara (Jujutsu) waza contained within Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu.
I was also introduced to Mugai Ryu syllabus and my previous exposure to Mugai Ryu was corrected. Studying the other Ryu ha within Iaido provides a depth of knowledge which improves a students Iai technique in their primary Ryu ha.
On the last Sunday of October I took part in the dedication embu at the Nara shrine. The dedication was blessed by the shrines Shinto priest, where a prayer was made to the deity. It was a wonderful experience, there were many visitors to the shrine that day who shared in the dedication.
While getting changed after the dedication, I lovely Japanese lady dressed in a beautiful kimono came to talk with me and sensei. She had never seen a non-Japanese iaido ka perform in the dedication at the Nara shrine; she said she could feel the deity during the dedication and felt it approval of my participation. While talking to to sensei they both expressed my soul must be Japanese.
That was a wonderful moment for me, as I truly felt at home at the shrine during the dedication.
Sensei and I talk at length every day of my twelve day visit, one evening after dinner, sensei informed me that he was very happy with my Iaido skill and my heart was good and he was happy I was the level of Nana Dan. I now have permission as Nana Dan, Shihan Dai to over see Shinza (grading tests) up to Go Dan on behalf of the Dai Nippon Iaido Kyokai. All shinza for rokudan and above would be overseen by Shimojo sensei.
With every honor comes more responsibility; I don’t feel these responsibilities as being a heavy burden.
Without the instruction and wisdom of the aforementioned Sensei and friends and countless others I have not mentioned; I would not be where I am now. I offer my sincere thanks to all of them and pledge to continue to be the best I can be.