About Takumi

Before you join anything, you want to know more about the people behind the organisation and what they will do for you.  That's why we have put as much information on this website as we could but in the event we have missed something, simply drop us an email and we will do our best to answer your questions.

The Politics of Karate!

Throughout the karate fraternity there are many problems with "karate politics".  This includes issues about whether or not you do "Sport Karate" which is predominantly competition based or "Traditional Karate" which follows the ways that karate was intended to be - practical.  Since the late 1970's. Takumi (formally known as St. Ann's Karate) has experienced many of these political problems, many of which included instructors and heads of associations whose ideas of practical traditional karate were otherwise motivated.

After many years we grew tired of the bickering and the ego's and simply wanted to get on with the job in hand - training and trying to improve our karate.  Since late 2003 we have been a member of an association whose members feel the same.  The Scottish Karate Confederation is a group of clubs who all simply want to work together and train together for the benefit of their members.  In February 2007 the SKC had to leave the Scottish Karate Governing Body who tries to serve the needs of both Sport and Traditional Karateka, and joined Traditional Karate Great Britain.  TKGB is an organisation who are self governing and who is aim is to meet the needs of the thousands of karateka in the UK who are not interested in competition.  Rather than go into the TKGB's aims in detail, please feel free to visit their website for further info.

The bottom line is that we do not believe in egos, we do not believe in ripping members off, we simply want to train with others and exchange views and training  methods openly and without fear of being taken to task by a body that does not believe in progress! 

The Types Of Martial Arts We Practice

We currently study two forms of martial arts at Takumi, Tani Ha Shito Ryu Karate (also known as Shukokai) and Ryukyu Kobujutsu (Okinawan Weapons Training).  It should be pointed out that we do not offer classes in Kobujutsu as many of our Instructors are still learning this art themselves.  What we do is provide access to courses and tuition by Sensei Julian Mead who is the Chairman and Chief Instructor of the Ryukyu Kobujutsu Association of Great Britain (www.rkagb.com).

Tani Ha Shito Ryu Karate (aka Shukokai)

Of all the Japanese and Okinawan styles, Shito-Ryu teaches the greatest number of kata, including all the Itosu and Higoanna forms. It also incorporates the Kata taught by the Shorin-Ryu, Shotokan and Goju-Ryu schools as well as traditional Kata. Mabuni also created some that are unique to Shito-Ryu. A book of Shito-Ryu kata by Ryusho Sakagami, a leading teacher of the style, includes thirty-eight kata and the list is by no means complete. Some authorities list over fifty kata and that is not including weapons kata.

Basic techniques resemble Shotokan to some extent, except that the stances are not as low and ore use is made of Sanchin and Neko Ashi stances. After Mabuni's death the style split into various independent groups and associations headed by Mabuni's senior students. Chojiro Tani led one of the groups. Sensei Tani concentrated on developing a style aimed at competition fighting and after a great deal of research and experimentation, a method known a Shukokai was created. It featured high stances, simplified direct blocking methods and fast kicking and punching techniques. Due to its success it tournaments, this form of Shito-Ryu is the most well known in the west.

Shukokai kata, while being based on older Okinawan models, have been changed to conform to the dictates of competition. One of Tani's students, Yoshinao Nanbu, broke away from Shukokai to found his own system known as Sankukai. He did this as he found the stress of competition too limiting and not in keeping with his view of the martial arts. Later Nanbu created another system know as Nanbu Do. The original Shito-Ryu is now beginning to spread to Europe through the efforts of a number of Japanese teachers. In America, Shito-Ryu is quite well established with some of the best known teachers being Fumio Demura and Sensei Shigeru Kimura. 

This style forms the basis and foundations for our training, but like anything in life has evolved and developed to suit the combat field of today.

Ryukyu Kobujutsu (aka Kobudo)

The ancient martial arts of the Ryukyu Islands consist of Toshu-jutsu, the way of the empty hand and Emono-jutsu, the way of weapons. The former is called Karate and the latter, Ryukyu Kobujutsu.

The Ryukyu Kobujutsu appeared in history approximately 700 years ago. It is said that it was the use of weapons in the periods of heroes holding grand. Most Kata of Weapons remaining now are footprints of old masters approximately 200-400 years ago. With the prosperity of Kobujutsu many grand masters appeared in the 1700, 1800, and 1900 centuries. As time went on however, the lack of instructors and people to carry on the tradition caused the decay of Ryukyu Kobujutsu, at one time it faced the prospect of dying out all together.

In the Taisho era some masters who were deeply worried about the situation made great efforts to restore and promote Ryukyu Kobujutsu. One practitioner who stands out in history is the late Master Shinken Taira. He was a disciple of Yabiku Moden Sensei and compiled and authenticated 42 Weapons kata, which consist of eight kinds of weapon. 

For more information on Kobujutsu, please visit www.rkagb.com