History of Kyushindo
Masutaro O’Tani (1899-1977)
In 1919 a Japanese martial artist by the name of Masutaro O’Tani arrived in Britain from Japan. He was a Jujitsu man, having trained in Japan and Ceylon where he had previously lived.
After arriving Masutaro was looking for somewhere to carry on his martial arts training. He joined the Budokwai in 1921. Within 5 years he had risen to the position of assistant instructor to Yukio Tani.
In 1950 Yukio Tani passed away following a stroke. Over the next few years Masutaro became disenchanted with the Judo that was being taught by the British Judo Association (BJA) and what it was doing to the Japanese sport that he loved. Consequently in 1954 Masutaro severed his links with the BJA and started his own organisation – the Masutaro O’Tani Society of Judo (MOSJ)
Around the same time the London Judo Society (LJS), a BJA group, decided to invite a high ranking Japanese Judo player/teacher to their society to become their chief instructor.
In 1955 following the LJS’s decision a man arrived in Britain. This man was Kenshiro Abbe..........
Kenshiro Abbe (1915-1985)
Kenshiro Abbe was born in Tokushima province, Japan. He first started martial arts at the age of 3 under the instruction of his father a Kendo Instructor.
In 1931 Kenshiro began Judo and one year later, when only 15 years old, was graded 2nd Dan. He went on to become Tokushima High School champion at 16, and received his 3rd Dan from the national Martial Arts governing body, the Butokukai.
In 1933 he enrolled at the Butokukai’s special teacher training college and later was graded 5th Dan, graduated and stayed on as an instructor. In 1935, aged 18, he won both the All Japan East/West Tournament and the 5th Dan championship. It was around this time that Kenshiro began a 10 year study of Aikido and formulated his own Budo philosophy – Kyushindo.
Kenshiro received his 6th Dan in 1938 and during the war ran a military training company, where he studied and mastered Jukendo (the way of the Bayonet)
In 1945 the Butokukai awarded Kenshiro 7th Dan Judo and 6th Dan Kendo and in 1949 he took up the position of chief instructor to the Kyoto Police and the Doshisha University. Six years later he was teaching in Britain.
Kyushindo
..........Although initially being invited by the LJS to be their chief instructor, a series of disagreements resulted in Kenshiro Abbe parting company with them. This was a perfect opportunity for Kenshiro Abbe to start teaching pure Kyushindo to the British, in order to do this he started a number of Martial Arts Councils including, the British Judo Council (BJC), the British Kendo Council, the British Karate Council, etc. Aswell as the overall governing body, the International Budo Council (IBC).
It was through these various councils that, by 1957, Kenshiro Abbe had introduced Kendo, Aikido, Kyudo, Jukendo, Iaido, Yarido and Naginatado to Europe.
Around this time Masutaro O’Tani, by then a 5h Dan, made contact with Kenshiro Abbe and very soon began training under him. By 1958 Masutaro had been given the position of national coach to the BJC.
In 1964 Kenshiro Abbe returned to Japan in order to see the Olympics hosted in his home country, and Judo represented for the first time. It was 5 years until Kenshiro returned to Britain, due to ill health.
When he returned the IBC had become near dorment and the IBC had changed course in his absence. He felt that instead of studying the truth of Budo, most BJC members only wanted the physical instruction, misunderstanding the origins of the teaching anf consequently corrupting the essence on Kenshiro Abbe’s Kyushindo Philosophy.
Subsequently Kenshiro set about fixing the situation. He virtually dismantled the BJC, leaving in place only those worthy to help the reconstruction, Masutaro O’Tani was made president of the BJC and graded 8th Dan. Masutaro was also left in charge of the IBC.
In 1970 Kenshiro Abbe returned to Japan and in the same year Masutaro merged the MOSJ into the BJC. During the early 1970’s the management of both the IBC and the BJC became very difficult for Masutaro to continue Kenshiro Abbe’s teachings. In 1978 the BJC severed its links with the near redundant IBC.
Since then many organisations have continued to promote the Kyushindo Philosophy and continue Kenshiro Abbe’s teachings, something that the Yodokan Budo Associaiton strives to achieve in all aspects of it’s teachings.
