History of Kobudo.

Matayoshi Kobudo Kodokan International UK Sensei

 

Fred Bateman Sensei

Sensei Fred Bateman started in Martial Arts training back in 1985 in a system of karate called Anshin Ryu. This style was prolific throughout the North East England at that time under the association called Sentenashi Karate Kosai. The system was a mixture of Wado Ryu and Shotokan. Sensei Bateman’s instructors during this time were Keith Bell 4th Dan and Garry Howlett 3rd Dan.
Then in 1998 after coming back from Okinawa a change in direction in his empty hand art was made. He wanted to look for a style that was not sport related, and he found this in a system called Kamishin Ryu. Sensei Bateman has been studying this system since 1998 under his instructor Phil Snewin (5th Dan).

His intense interest in the Martial Arts led him to the weapons art of Kobudo. This was back in 1993 when he started learning Okinawan Kobudo which was based upon a Matayoshi style. Then in 1998 he got the opportunity to travel to Okinawa, Naha, to train with Kaicho Takiashi Kinjo (9th Dan) and Mikio Nishiuchi on mainland Japan. It was in Okinawa that he was graded to 2nd Dan in that style of Kobudo. During this time Sensei Bateman was also exposed to a style of Karate called Pangai-noon-ryu (also known as Uechi-ryu). Back in the years between 1996 & 1998 he opened a dojo in Darlington to teach this kobudo. This he did right up until he was invited to attend a Matayoshi Kobudo Kodokan Gasshuku in 2007 where he met Sensei Franco Sanguinetti (6th Dan). Bateman Sensei was so impressed with the teaching of Sanguinetti Sensei, and with the Matayoshi system that he decided to affiliate to Sensei Sanguinetti and the Kodokan in Naha, Japan.

Then during the second Gasshuku in 2008, Sanguinetti Sensei awarded Bateman Sensei a Shodan in the system. It is his ambition with other instructors coming on board to see Matayoshi Kobudo grow in the UK.

Bateman Sensei was graded to Nidan by Sanguinetti Sensei during the 2011 Gasshuku.

 

Charles Gallacher Sensei

Sensei Gallacher has been a member of the MKKI UK since after his attendance of the 2009 Gasshuku. He is based in Glasgow, Scotland.