History of the United Kingdom Budo Federation
The United Kingdom Budo Federation (UKBF) is the UK's premier multi-disciple governing body.
UKBF began in 2005 as the result of a schism between two factions of the International Martial Arts Federation (IMAF).
IMAF, known in Japan as Kokusai Budoin was founded in 1952 in the tradition of the pre-war Dai Nippon Butokukai.
IMAF came to include among its ranks masters like Mifune (Judo), Hironori Otsuka (Wado Ryu) and Kisshomaru Ueshiba (Aikido).
In 1983 the European faction became an autonomous federation, so there was Kokusai Budoin in Japan headed by Shizuya Sato (now 10th Dan Nihon Jujutsu, 9th Dan Judo) and the International Federation of Nippon Budo (IFNB) representing IMAF Europe headed by the legendary Minoru Mochizuki 10th Dan.
Minoru Mochizuki is one of the most highly graded masters of all time, with grades including 10th Dan Aikido, 9th Dan Nihon-den Jujutsu, 8th Dan Iaido and 8th Dan Judo. He also paved the way for IMAF in Europe and the UK.
Mochizuki (pictured) awarded Judoka Kevin Murphy (a student of Kenshiro Abbe) with the grade of 7th Dan Kyoshi in Judo and Nihon-den Jujutsu (Murphy was the only Englishman to receive this award from Mochizuki) and Murphy became the inaugural IMAF UK Director.
As a result of disorders in Japan two trends arose, the Kokusai Budoin Headquarters and the International Federation of Nippon Budo (I.F.N.B.). During the IMAF Worldcongress in Turin in 1986 several countries have chosen the side of the I.F.N.B. Austria, Denmark and France chose the side of the Japan Headquarters, Kokusai Budoin. The Netherlands, Belgium, Italy and England chose the side of the I.F.N.B. Kevin Murphy was succeeded by his two senior students Dave Wareing (UK Director) and Colin Hutchinson (UK Secretary).
In 2005 a further split occurred in England with one group (IMAF UK) led by the UK Director and one group (IMAF GB) led by the UK Secretary.
In time IMAF GB changed its name to the United Kingdom Budo Federation (UKBF) and withdrew from Kokusai Budoin.
At UKBF's inaugural masters seminars there were masters from IMAF, Dai Nippon Butokukai and the Seibukan together in friendship on the mat.
Today the UKBF runs in the tradition of the old Kokusai Budoin and International Federation of Nippon Budo and acts as a national governing body for all Budo.
Membership is by invitation only.
For more information on the UKBF contact International Director Simon Keegan (Renshi) on:
kaicho@runbox.com
Pictured below: Flier from the 1960s showing the pioneers of Karate in Europe, Yoseikan founder Minoru Mochizuki (then 8th Dan, later 10th Dan), his students Jim Alcheik, Hiroo Mochizuki (then 3rd Dan, now 9th Dan) , Tetsuji Murikami, Shoji Sugiyama and Mitsuhiro Kondo (then 4th Dan, now 9th Dan)
UKBF began in 2005 as the result of a schism between two factions of the International Martial Arts Federation (IMAF).
IMAF, known in Japan as Kokusai Budoin was founded in 1952 in the tradition of the pre-war Dai Nippon Butokukai.
IMAF came to include among its ranks masters like Mifune (Judo), Hironori Otsuka (Wado Ryu) and Kisshomaru Ueshiba (Aikido).
In 1983 the European faction became an autonomous federation, so there was Kokusai Budoin in Japan headed by Shizuya Sato (now 10th Dan Nihon Jujutsu, 9th Dan Judo) and the International Federation of Nippon Budo (IFNB) representing IMAF Europe headed by the legendary Minoru Mochizuki 10th Dan.
Minoru Mochizuki is one of the most highly graded masters of all time, with grades including 10th Dan Aikido, 9th Dan Nihon-den Jujutsu, 8th Dan Iaido and 8th Dan Judo. He also paved the way for IMAF in Europe and the UK.
Mochizuki (pictured) awarded Judoka Kevin Murphy (a student of Kenshiro Abbe) with the grade of 7th Dan Kyoshi in Judo and Nihon-den Jujutsu (Murphy was the only Englishman to receive this award from Mochizuki) and Murphy became the inaugural IMAF UK Director.
As a result of disorders in Japan two trends arose, the Kokusai Budoin Headquarters and the International Federation of Nippon Budo (I.F.N.B.). During the IMAF Worldcongress in Turin in 1986 several countries have chosen the side of the I.F.N.B. Austria, Denmark and France chose the side of the Japan Headquarters, Kokusai Budoin. The Netherlands, Belgium, Italy and England chose the side of the I.F.N.B. Kevin Murphy was succeeded by his two senior students Dave Wareing (UK Director) and Colin Hutchinson (UK Secretary).
In 2005 a further split occurred in England with one group (IMAF UK) led by the UK Director and one group (IMAF GB) led by the UK Secretary.
In time IMAF GB changed its name to the United Kingdom Budo Federation (UKBF) and withdrew from Kokusai Budoin.
At UKBF's inaugural masters seminars there were masters from IMAF, Dai Nippon Butokukai and the Seibukan together in friendship on the mat.
Today the UKBF runs in the tradition of the old Kokusai Budoin and International Federation of Nippon Budo and acts as a national governing body for all Budo.
Membership is by invitation only.
For more information on the UKBF contact International Director Simon Keegan (Renshi) on:
kaicho@runbox.com
Pictured below: Flier from the 1960s showing the pioneers of Karate in Europe, Yoseikan founder Minoru Mochizuki (then 8th Dan, later 10th Dan), his students Jim Alcheik, Hiroo Mochizuki (then 3rd Dan, now 9th Dan) , Tetsuji Murikami, Shoji Sugiyama and Mitsuhiro Kondo (then 4th Dan, now 9th Dan)
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 Left: Jujutsu masters Jack Hearn, Mitsuhiro Kondo and Shizuya Sato in Scarborough
Above: Shizuya Sato is interviewed for the Scarborough Evening News. |
2004 picture of IMAF regional directors including the four who founded the UKBF, Simon Keegan (front row far left), Colin Hutchinson (front row, fourth left), Ray Walker (front row sixth left) and Julia Quick (back row, far left).
