Shobukan is a traditional style of martial arts founded by Shihan Philip Handyside who for 50 years has trained with some of the world's senior grandmasters. Two of his greatest influences were Hirokazu Kanazawa (10th Dan Shotokan) and Malaysian Budokan founder Chew Choo Soot (10th Dan). Bushinkai is an offshoot of Shobukan headed by Renshi Simon Keegan whose grades were also recognised by Kanazawa Sensei. This page examines the main influences on the school.
Shobukan headteacher PAJ Handyside 8th Dan teaching at the Bushinkai Dojo in Manchester
Shotokan
Shotokan or Shoto Ryu dates back to around 1924 when Okinawan master Gichin Funakoshi and his senior student Makoto Gima first gave demonstrations in Tokyo.Funakoshi's primary teacher was Anko Azato an old style Shuri Te master, and Funakoshi also trained with Shorin Ryu founder Anko Itosu. Both Azato and Itosu were students of the legendary Sokon Matsumura who Funakoshi also trained with from time to time. Gima was also an experienced Karateka, training with masters like Itosu and Kentsu Yabe.
Funakoshi created the Taikyoku kata (Kihongata) to teach beginners and then taught the Pinan forms (which he renamed Heian) as intermediate kata. He strongly valued Naihanchi (which he renamed Tekki) as a fundamental form and was also fond of Kushanku (which he renamed Kanku Dai). Other forms commonly taught included Bassai Dai, Hangetsu and Empi. In order to develop the style, Funakoshi sent his senior students, including his son Gigo, to train with other Okinawan masters and as a result of this Shotokan gained forms like Nijushiho, Wankan and Gojushiho.
Many of Funakoshi's students broke away and founded their own styles or associations. Among his best known students are:
- Hironori Ohtsuka - founder of Wado Ryu Karate
- Masatoshi Nakayama - head of JKA Shotokan
- Shigeru Egami - head of Shotokai
- Minoru Mochizuki - founder of Yoseikan Karate
In 1956 the art of Karate reached Europe and around eight years later, JKA seniors like Hirokazu Kanazawa, Keinosuke Enoeda and Taiji Kase arrived in the UK and the Karate Union Great Britain was founded.
Kanazawa was born on 3 May 1931 in Iwate Prefecture, Japan. He trained in Judo during his school years, and held the rank of 2nd Dan in that martial art. He began training in Karate whilst at Takushoku University under Masatoshi Nakayama and also learned from the founder of the Shotokan style, Gichin Funakoshi, and is one of the few living Karateka to have done so. Kanazawa won the inaugural All Japan Karate Championship in 1957 with a broken hand. In 1966, Kanazawa became Chief Instructor of the Karate Union of Great Britain, and the JKA promoted him to the rank of 6th Dan that year. The International Martial Arts Federation promoted Kanazawa to 8th Dan in 1978, 9th Dan in 1988, and 10th Dan in 2002.
Budokan
Budokan is a style developed in Malaysia by Chew Choo Soot, based largely on the teachings of Okinawan Karate Jutsu master Kanken Toyama.Kanken Toyama was born in Shuri and like Funakoshi received the title of Shihan from Itosu.
Master Toyama studied many rare styles of Karate, beginning with Master Itarashiki then studying Taiwanese systems like Taku, Makaitan, Rutaobai, and Ubo as well as a grappling method called Aku Ryoku Ho.
Toyama's school was called Shudokan and this was transmitted from Kanken Toyama to Masanao Takazawa to Masayuki Takasaka to Chew Choo Soot.
Chew Choo Soot was born on 7th February 1922 in Alor Star, Malaysia, Mr. Chew was brought up under the strict discipline of his grandfather, an elderly Confucian scholar of the old school of China. At the age of 15, Mr Chew enrolled for weight lifting training at one of the small body building clubs in Epoh, where he grew up in his school days. Due to his keen interest in the training he progressed rapidly and eventually became the national weight lifting champion and also took up Jujutsu. When he was 20 he began training in Karate.
In early 1942 when the country was under the Japanese military occupation Mr Chew was surprised that a Japanese Army Officer sought him out and requested him to teach him weight lifting in exchange for Karate lessons. After the war Mr Chew went to Japan and Okinawa to further his Karate training. He also made several trips to Taiwan to learn Kung Fu and weapons. He founded the Karate Budokan in 1966 and made two further trips to Tokyo and Osaka and employed seven Japanese instructors as his assistants.
Shihan Handyside: Our friend and teacher and the founder of Shobukan Karate
Shobukan
Shobukan Karate was founded by Shihan Philip Handyside (8th Dan) a 50 year veteran of the martial arts. Mr Handyside has studied Shotokan with masters Kanazawa, Tomita and Kato; Budokan with master Chew and has also studied Jujutsu.When Mr Handyside began Karate in 1964, the art was in its infancy in Britain and it was not easy to get tuition. Travelling many miles just to train, he eventually became an instructor under the Karate Union Great Britain and then broke away to train with Master Hirokazu Kanazawa and his associates Tomita, Kato and Asano.
Not only was Mr Handyside awarded his blackbelt by Kanazawa but he later was made vice president of the Karate Budokan organisation in the UK and became a personal student of the founder Chew Choo Soot who graded him 2nd Dan.
In the 1980s he returned to Shotokan, training under many more leading teachers across various associations and establishing the Shobukan school based in Preston and with branches in nearby Wigan.
He is also a skilled swordsman famed for his television demonstrations with various celebrities. He has held various world records and is well known for his flamboyant displays.
Over 40 years teaching Mr Handyside has taught a number of students who are now senior Karateka in their own right including Bob Carruthers, Peter Lee Bibby and Chris Radcliffe.
Shobukan is part of the Shikon martial arts organisation which is headed by renowned Karate and Yang style Tai Chi master Steve Rowe.
Manchester Jujutsu classes:
Sunday 7:00pm-8:30pm
Manchester Karate classes:
Tuesday 8:00pm-9:30pm
Manchester Tai Chi classes:
Tuesday at 7:00pm-8:00pm
Classes held at Van Dang Martial Arts, Newton Street, Manchester.
For more information email Simon on kaicho@runbox.com