(written by M. Selvey & P. Scadgell)

Ogawa Kinnosuke, a legendary 10th Dan sword master, was one of only three masters of martial arts to be granted the “Shijohosho”, an award given for great achievement by the Emperor of Japan. Other masters to receive this honour at this time were Seiji Mochida, a Master of Kendo and Kyuzo Mifune, a Master of Judo. Morihei Ueshiba, the great teacher of Aikido was also later to obtain this honour. In 1933 at the Butokukwai in Kyoto, Japan, Ogawa began to teach the art of swordsmanship to a young Dan grade called Abbe Kenshiro.

Kenshiro Abbe Sensei had been instructed in the discipline of Kendo since the age of three and by the time he reached the age of seventeen, had already attained 4th Dan in Judo. a year later he became Japan's youngest ever 5th Dan. whilst training at the Butokukwai, he started researching an absolute ancient Japanese religious philosophy known as "Kyushindo". this may be interpreted as-

"KYU” - to desire or to have a deep yearning to search after something.

"Shin” - heart, mind, spirit, - the true and fundamental nature as opposed to the superficial appearance.

"Do" - a way or path, a far reaching and inclusive direction.

The elementary perspective of this translation may be considered to be "the way of longing for knowledge of the fundamental nature of all things". This philosophy therefore can be considered as not just a theoretical application with relevance limited to martial arts, but to life in its entirety.

Kyushindo philosophy, morality and practical application, all stem from principles derived from the implications contained within the three fundamental precepts. These three precepts illustrate the manner in which the universe operates. They are expressed in the purest form, which is modified and altered by the interaction of its various parts. Because these precepts must be abstracted in order to state them clearly, the novice may consider that there are many cases in which they do not apply. As the full implication of each concept is more completely understood, so its various manifestations become very clear. We therefore say that this universe has but one single governing principle which manifests in many different forms. Bambutsu Ruten "All things existent in the universe are in a state of perpetual motion" Bambutsu Ruten expresses the principle of universal flux, of constant change and of the transmigration of forms. The way that this precept is worded defines the principle of relativity and of infinity. Ritsu Do "Universal motion is rhythmic and flowing" Ritsu Do expresses the principle of universal proportion in motion, of oscillation and of repetition. This precept illustrates the fundamental cyclic nature of universal motion which takes its form from the circle. Cho Wa "All things interact in perfect harmony and accord" Cho Wa expresses the principle of universal harmonics, of reciprocation and of opposition and agreement. This, the 'double-sided' principle which gives rise to the confusions that come about because of duality. For instance, because all things are in a constant state of motion, they must also be, by definition, in a constant state of rest. Without an understanding of philosophy, this statement appears a nonsense. The universe revolves and therefore maintains perfect balance because the accumulation of effort is a steady circle about its own centre. Under the principle of Cho Wa, this motion is mirrored in the motion of the galaxies and planetary systems within the universe. In modified form, this same principle governs the very structure of matter itself and the interaction of all things. Modern quantum theory describes the structure of matter as the various conditions brought about by spinning charges, and the basic notion of eternal vibration and interaction is completely in accord with modern science, as well as in accord with Eastern religious concepts. The moral order of the universe is expressed in the Kyushindo Kyo-Ryo, and the metaphysical aspects are discussed in the Kyushindo Keiji-Jo Gaku. The various ideas and concepts expressed, all stem from the three precepts as stated above. 

After experiencing Satori (enlightenment) at the age of 18, Abbe Sensei developed a new style of Judo, and two years later he became Grand Champion. he was awarded 6th Dan Judo and 3rd Dan Kendo at the age of 23. It was at this time that he was selected to become a student of Morihei Ueshiba with whom he remained for the next ten years whilst perfecting his arts and the principles of Kyushindo.

At the age of 40 Abbe Sensei was a master of Judo, Kendo, Aikido, Karate, Iaido and Jukendo as well as several other traditional martial disciplines. In 1955 Abbe Sensei was the Japanese master who brought these arts to the United Kingdom. here he met and began to teach Kyushin Budo to Otani Tomio, the first-born son to Masutaro Otani 7th Dan Judo Master. Otani Tomio Sensei was no newcomer to martial arts and had been training since childhood. With Abbe Sensei's guidance he was to become a Master Budoka. Kenshiro Abbe reached the grades of 8th Dan Judo, 6th Dan Kendo, 6th Dan Aikido, 5th Dan Karatedo and grades in Iaido, Jukendo & Kyudo.

Tomio Otani was born in 1939, the first-born son of the well-known Butoku Otani Masutaro. Sometime in the late 1800's, the Otani clan met to decide their fate. The Meiji restoration had outlawed the wearing of two swords and the top knot, thereby the the days of the Samurai was drawing to an end. During this meeting, led by Masutaro Otani's father ( Tomio's Grandfather ), an argument started and insults were thrown. One particular onslaught was directed at Masutaro's father by an uncle. The young Masutaro siezed a nearby sword and swung at his uncle. This lack of control was not looked at favourably by the clan members and resulted in Masutaro's father suffering a loss of face. Within a year Masutaro left school and ran away from home, obtaining a job working on the trade ships. The work was menial but it enabled him to see the world. In 1917 he arrived in Ceylon. As with all Japanese children of the day he had received some instruction in Kendo and Judo at school, however in Ceylon he met up with Master Judoka Seizo Usui and began training in both Jujutsu and Judo. Masutaro had always wished to visit England, a wish realised in the summer of 1919 when he arrived in Liverpool. He resumed his Judo training under Hikoichi Aida Sensei and subsequently, Yukio Tani Sensei. In 1926 he was appointed assistant instructor at the Budokwai in London. Masutaro married Phillipa, an English girl, in 1938 and on the 8th September 1939 their first son was born, they named him Tomio. 

From a very early age Tomio was exposed to Martial arts and some of the great Masters of the 20th century. In 1955 Abbé Sensei arrived in Britain and stayed at the Otani home, Tomio now 16 started to train with Abbé Sensei in Judo, Aikido , Iaido, and Kendo , Tomio studied the way of the Samurai in great detail , learning the Buddhist scriptures and the writings of past warriors, in 1960 Tomio became National coach to the British Kendo council, He was graded 2nd Dan Budo a year later. Otani Sensei never spoke of grades he had acquired, but sources say he was graded to 5th Dan Budo before Abbe Sensei returned to Japan. Otani Sensei was in the Territorial Army (Parachute Regiment) and stories of him jumping from a plane with his Katana on his back are often spoken of by his students, friends and family.

From the early Seventies Otani Sensei worked seriously developing Abbe's work on Kyu Shin Do and establishing its place both in the Dojo and everyday life. During this period, he trained only two or three students at a time at the house in Whyteleafe in Surrey that he shared with Yoga teacher Jane. In 1980 Otani Sensei was asked by Tudor Box Sensei, a student of Masutaro Otani and Abbe Sensei, to present a demonstration of his art at the Judo school in Carshalton. Otani Sensei presented a display of Iaido which demonstrated an unrivalled purity, ease of movement, accuracy and power. Both Mike Selvey and Tudor Box started training the following week with Otani Sensei. Along with Martial Arts training, Otani Sensei taught the mental aspects of Kyushindo. Classes also contained discussion on eastern philosophy, religion and the human condition.

Otani Sensei was also an accomplished artist, strategist and taught unusual aspects of Martial Arts such as Ho jo jitsu (The art of binding an opponent during battle) In early 1980 saw the opening of the Yamabushi Yodokan. the name reflected the Judo club that had been previously run: the name "Yodokan was added by Otani Sensei. The meaning can be expressed as "Yo", meaning essential, but also the pin which holds the Japanese fan together, "Do", the path or way and "Kan", meaning hall. In 1981 the Yodokan found a full time Dojo above shops in Brockley, South London. The benefit of lengthened training sessions allied to the superb facilities presented the makings of a first class Dojo. Sensei Box taught during the day and Mike Selvey during the evenings. Otani Sensei would be there to oversee training and instruct the advanced students.

At the beginning of 1990 Otani Sensei's health started to deteriorate, he had suffered in the past with gastric problems that had culminated in surgery and with this reoccurrence, Stomach cancer was diagnosed. Sadly, Otani Sensei died on the 6th June 1991, leaving behind hundreds of students with a variety of skills. In Greenwich Park stood the Queen Elizabeth Oak tree which Otani Sensei had an affinity with. This tree had been standing for 1500 years, on the same day Otani Sensei died the tree inexplicably fell over....

Francis Tudor Box Hachidan Hanshi was born in Ystradgynlais South Wales in July 1929, the family moved to London when Tudor was 9 or 10. His father was an air raid warden during the second world war, and Tudor used to tell stories of running wild around the bomb sites of London after an air raid. Tudor joined the regular Army in 1949, from there he went onto the Parachute Regiment and finally the Special Air Service, because of the nature of this position dates and details have been withheld, what we do know is he served in Korea and Burma.

Sensei Box left the service in 1963 when he became an HGV driver, he drove tanker lorries around Europe and the uk. Although Sensei Box trained in martial arts in the SAS, he did not start training in clubs until 1968 when he trained in judo, jujutsu and karate under many well-known masters, including Masuturo Otani and Kenshiro Abbe. One of the venues Sensei Box trained at was the famous "hut", where Masuturo Otani School of Judo and where the British Judo Council were founded.

Sensei Box was graded 1st Dan by Masuturo Otani in June 1976, at this time he was teaching Judo in Sutton, his schools were a great success and his students which included his Son Michael and Daughter Sarah took many medals nationally and internationally. In 1979 Sensei Box started training with Matsuturo Otani's son, Tomio, who was a budo master that Tudor had known and admired for some time. Now Sensei Box taught and trained in Judo, Jujutsu, Aikido, Iaido, Kobudo, philosophy and numerous connected arts, the only art Sensei Box did not learn out of choice, was Kendo. He said he did not like the feeling of being enclosed, that you get from wearing kendo armour.

Otani Tomio Sensei graded Sensei Box to 3rd Dan Renshi Budo in 1981, it was at this time that Otani Sensei opened the Yamabushi Yodokan in Brockley London, this was a full-time dojo where Sensei Box taught most days. It was in this Dojo in 1983 where he was graded to 4th Dan budo by Otani Sensei. shortly after this the Yodokan broke up and Sensei Box went back to teaching budo at his own schools in Sutton and surrounding areas. He joined forces with Kancho Alf Bates founder of the Tokushima Budo Council International and became a regional director. Sensei Box was graded 8th Dan Hanshi in 2004 by Alfred Bates Kancho. He taught Tenshin Ryu Iaido at Mallory School in Downham Kent until 2002 and continued to teach at many budo seminars and courses right up until the end of his life including the TBCI Tenby Spring week budo events where he coordinated demonstrations of Tenshin Ryu Iaido for the Mayor and local dignitaries. Sadly, after a short illness, Sensei Box passed away on 16th February 2005.

In early September of 2005 Sensei Box's Son Michael, Sensei Mike Selvey and Sensei Tony Blake a Judo instructor taught by Sensei Box travelled to Japan with Sensei Box's ashes to place them on Mount Fuji and conduct a final ceremony to celebrate the life of a Father, Teacher and friend. They walked for 7 hours to find the right place for the ceremony, and eventually found a place where they all agreed the feeling was right - Sensei Box's ashes now rest in the ground at the Dainichinyorai temple on Fujisan Japan, a very fitting end to a great teacher, a Yamabushi (Mountain Warrior). Some of Tudor’s ashes were taken to the small village of Abercarn in South Wales to be buried at a Dojo where he had many friends and students.

Mike Selvey Shihan Chief instructor of Tenshin Ryu Kyoshi 6th Dan Budo (Iai, Kendo, Kenjutsu, Aikijutsu, Judo, Kobudo) was born in 1956 and started training in Judo in 1974. Mike travelled to Japan for the first time in 1979 and was honoured to train and compete at the Kodokan in Tokyo and at the Tokyo police Kendo school. Attaining Shodan in 1980 he also was introduced to Otani Tomio Sensei and asked Otani Sensei to teach him the way of the Samurai. This became the start of the journey that took him around the world learning and teaching the way of the Warrior. The journey started at the small house in Whyteleafe Surrey where Otani Sensei lived with his partner Jane a Yoga teacher, Mike spent a great deal of time there learning Iaido, Aikijutsu, kendo, Japanese history and art.

In 1981 Otani Sensei graded him Nidan Budo and he then opened the first Yodokan in Brockley south London where began teaching and learning there most evenings. In 1983 Otani Sensei graded him Sandan Budo and decided it was time for him to start his own Dojo. From there he began teaching at Hanshi Tudor Box's Dojo and Kancho Alf Bates Tokushima Budo council dojo in Kent, the first Tsunami Dojo opened in 1998 and Kancho Bates graded him Yondan and Godan.

Hanshi Box graded him Rokudan Budo. In 2004 it was then Tsunami Yodokan was opened and Mike joined DNBKID (Dai Nippon Butoku Kai International Division). He has travelled around the world studying and teaching. In 2010 Mike was awarded Shihan, and in 2012 Rokudan and later Kyoshi by Hamada Hanshi in Kyoto Japan. Mike was awarded Shichidan 7th Dan in Kyoto Japan at the Dai Nippon Butoku Kai World Butokusai at the Butokuden.

Keith Hammett Shichidan Kyoshi began training in Shotokai karate-do in 1978 and was a member of AMA and then BASKA as well as the local Shoto-Rei-Karate-Kai. He trained locally in south Wales with Wayne Taylor, including fortnightly with a Wado Ryu club in Swansea under Sensei Ray Haste. In 1983 Keith started training and teaching in Newbridge Leisure Centre on the day the centre opened. In 2002 the new Budokan dojo was opened in the Rechabite Hall in Abercarn.  Keith taught karate twice weekly, iaido and budo on many courses there until it closed, and the building was sold in February 2021 and was an original member of the Yodokan Budo Association from its formation in 2006 until its dissolution in 2021. During the Covid pandemic when the dojo was closed Keith continued to teach via Zoom meetings online.

In 1985 Keith joined the Tokushima Budo Council and was awarded Shodan. He was a member of the TBCI from its inception and for the next 20 years. He was awarded Doshi in 1994, Renshi in 1999 and Kyoshi in 2013 when he also received Shichidan 7th Dan. He was awarded 8th Dan on 1st August 2025 by Tsuru Budo-kan.

From the beginning of the Tokushima Budo Council International he participated in numerous courses in a variety of martial arts including with Sensei Tomio Otani, Kancho Alf Bates, Hanshi Jenkins, particularly Tenshin Ryu Iaido with Sensei Tudor Box, with whom he struck up a lifelong friendship. Keith has participated in a vast number of courses all over the UK including Aikido with Hanshi Pierre Chalmagne 8th Dan, one of the most senior martial artists in Europe, Judo with Hanshi Van Der Bruggen 9th Dan, Iaido, Judo and Tai Chi with Sensei Robert Bambam and other senior Belgian martial artists. Keith joined the Martial Arts Commission in 1991 and was a member of the Dai Nippon Butoku Kai from 2000 to 2006. He was part of the world martial arts exhibition in Wandsworth Town Hall in 1989 which was one of the first events in UK with such a huge variety of martial arts and participated in the Dai Nippon Millennium world training day in 2000.

Keith instructed on and participated in many courses in the Budokan including Iaido with Hanshi Box and Sensei Selvey, aikido with Sensei Steve Fyffe and Sensei Byron Meek and Judo with Hanshi Tony Blake and Dan grades from his Yamabushi Judo club in south London,. After the Budokan Abercarn closed Keith moved to Treowen Village Hall where his club is Tsuru Budo-kan and he teaches shotokai karate do, jujitsu and Tenshin Ryu Iaido.

Paula Scadgell Yondan Renshi began martial arts training in karate-do at Tenshin Ryu club in Howdens Sports Centre, Beckenham with Sensei Paul Houston under the guidance of Sensei Tudor Box in 1996.  She joined the Tokushima Budo Council International in April 1997. Paula struck up a great friendship with Tudor, who gave huge encouragement (especially with her spinal scoliosis surgery issues) and ‘took her under his wing’. It was a friendship which lasted until his passing. The club had a kumite competition with another local karate club and Tudor was rather pleased that not only did she win her bout, but she was told off for being a little too aggressive! He awarded her ‘best competitor’ for which she was very proud. It was at this event that Paula first saw a demonstration of Tenshin Ryu Iaido performed by Tudor and Geoff Murray

Paula moved down to south wales in February 1998 and started training and teaching in Newbridge Leisure Centre, Cwmcarn School and Oakdale School. Paula was awarded shodan in 1999 by Sensei Taylor and Hanshi Leighton Jenkins of TBCI. In 2002 the new Budokan dojo was opened in the Rechabite Hall in Abercarn. Paula trained in karate on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, Jujitsu on Tuesdays, judo on Fridays taught by Hanshi Jenkins and Iaido Tenshin Ryu on Sundays and then Wednesdays. Sensei Selvey and his club also visited to teach several times. Paula was awarded Doshi in 2002 and Sandan in 2005. Paula joined the Dai Nippon Butoku Kai International Division as a general member from 2000-2005 and participated in the Dai Nippon Butoku Kai around the world millennium training session in Bromley in 2000. Paula was awarded 1st Kyu Judo in 2008 and Shodan Jujitsu in 2019.

From 1998 Paula participated in a number of courses every year around the UK including from 2001-2005 the week long TBCI spring budo schools in Tenby in which she trained in a number of martial arts – karatedo, Iaido taught by Hanshi Box, Iaijutsu, kobudo – jo and bo, aikido, judo, jujitsu, tai chi and basic shiatsu. Annually there were demonstrations to the local community and mayor, at which she demonstrated the two-man forms of Tenshin Ryu Iaido with bokken, iaito and with tanto for Hanshi Box.

In 2002 Paula visited Japan, taking in Tokyo, Hakone to view Mount Fuji, Kyoto and Nara and stayed in Sekishoin Buddhist temple on Mount Koya, a holy mountain of shrines. She visited the Butokuden in Kyoto, home of the Dai Nippon Butoku Kai and was invited to watch an impressive practice of Kendo and Kyudo (archery).

In 2003 Paula joined Akai Ryuu kendo club in Cardiff and joined the British Kendo Association. She was honoured that Tudor had given her his kendo bogu (armour) bearing the Otani dragonfly which she could wear for training. She was taught by Japanese instructor Sensei Keith Kawata and was awarded 4th Kyu in 2004. Also in 2003 Paula attended the weekend summer school in Stoke on Trent to train in Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto Ryu (bokken, iaito, bo, naginata) with chief instructor Hatakeyama Goro Menkyo Kaiden Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto Ryu (9th Dan), assisted by Frank Brownsword Mokuroku shoden.

Paula was an original member of Yodokan Budo Association and now Tsuru Budo-kan under Sensei Keith Hammett. Paula was awarded Yondan Renshi karatedo, Sandan Budo and Nidan Iaido in 2021.