Hello All,
Does anyone have any information or pointers on the early establishment of Japanese jujutsu dojo here in Australia? I am aware that there was an increase in interest in koryu jujutsu and other classical Japanese martial arts following the International Ancient Martial Arts & Cultural Exhibition held in Adelaide in 1988, sponsored by Wonho Chong-sensei of Hokushin Shinoh-ryu Iai (14 headmasters of various koryu, 2 of which I was lucky to meet years & years later, but I'm still kicking myself that I missed that event! Too busy stuffing around with sport karate and the next upcomming tournament, oh well). I am sure that at least a few Japanese jujutsu dojo were already established prior to this event.
I am not aware of any substantial evidence in regards to the following three examples of early Japanese jujutsu dojo in Austrlia, but I have read that:
* M. W. Olsen (aka. P. M. Sterling) established a dojo in South Australia in 1922, obstensibly teaching the jujutsu of S. K. Uyenishi of England.
* Dr A. J. Ross established a dojo (judo & jujutsu) in Brisbane in 1928, he was a practitioner of Kono-ryu (?) based in Kyobashi-ku, Tokyo.
* Mr Rugoro Fukushima, a tent wrestler with a touring circus group in Australia, was believed to have been a jujutsu practitioner in the mid 1930s. No extant records or direct transmission dojo exist to this day in regards to Fukushima-san and there is no evidence of which ryu or tradition/school he was involved in or if he was a licensed instructor or not. His grave is in a cemetery in Rotorua, New Zealand.
A charter licence was issued to Ms Patricia Harrington to open a branch dojo of Sosui-shi-tsu Ryu (Sosuishi-ryu) in 1965 by the 15th headmaster, Shusaku Shitama-shihan. This dojo is still operating in Sysdney.
I have seen the late Serge Dubrovich-sensei perform the Shodan no Kata (Tachi-ai) of Tenjin Shinyo Ryu jujutsu in the early 90s at a Hontai Yoshin Ryu seminar conducted by Tsuyoshi Munetoshi Inoue-soke. I believe, and I stand to be corrected, that George Martin-sensei was a student of Dubrovich-sensei. Marton-sensei is now the Australian shibucho for Tenjin Shinyo Ryu in Australia under Kubota Toshishiro-shihan.
Does anyone in e-budo land have any other detailed input or information to offer in regards to the history and development of Japanese jujutsu dojo in Australia.
Cheers,