Bankokuden Dojo

Welcome to the Minami Bankokuden dojo, the Dojo of All Nations Southern Branch, located in the beautiful Barossa Valley, South Australia, about a 75 minute drive from Adelaide Airport.

The dojo is managed by John Collett Souden Shihan who is a long-term student of two of the doyens of martial arts in Australia, Raymond Lea Dento no Kyoju of the Kokusai Jujutsu Kenkukai, 國際柔術研究會, the International Jujutsu Research Society and Tino Ceberano Hanshi OAM of the Sekai Kushindo Kobujutsu Kenkyukai, 世界​空神道古武術研究会, the World Free Spirit Classical Martial Arts Research Society.

We are a small multi-disciple dojo where the principle martial arts practiced are Hyou-ha Bankoku Jujutsu and its associated arts, Kuatsu and Hakuda Kenpo from the Kokusai Jujutsu Kenkukai lead by Professor LEA from his dojo, the Bankokuden, 萬國殿, the Hall (Dojo) of All Nations, located in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia and the Kushindo Kobujutsu arts of Goju-kenpo and Goju-kobujutsu from the Sekai Kushindo Kobujutsu Kenkyukai lead by Tino Ceberano Hanshi from his dojo, the Kushinden,  空神​殿, the Hall (Dojo) of the Free Spirit, also located in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

The Minami Bankokuden dojo, has been operational in one location or other since 1975. For most of that time it was known as The Hoitsugan'yukan 抱壱含有壱館 which we interpreted as “the Hall (dojo) where many come together for a single purpose, the study of Hyou-ha Bankoku Jujutsu” and more recently, since 2013, as the Minaputa Dojo  南風歌道場 "the Hall (Dojo) of the Southern Wind Song." As we slowly come out of the Covid-19 pandemic a decision was taked to rename the dojo Minami Bankokuden to highlight the close relationship between Professor Lee and Collett Shihan, a relationship of more than 50 years! 

The focus is on the training and celebrating the Bankoku Jujutsu arts that come to us from Professor Kam Hock HOE and Professor Lea, and the Kushindo Kobujutsu arts that come to us from Yamaguchi Gogen Hanshi and Tino Ceberano Hanshi, rather than on gaining rank and promotions.

Hyou-ha Bankoku Jujutsu is a traditional Japanese art with a hind of South East Asian influence that is centred upon hakuda kenpo, kaeshi-waza and nage-waza as natural responses to an attack. In addition, a number of auxiliary arts are also practiced alongside the Yawara or Jujutsu, it is tightly coupled with Ceberano Hanshi's Kushindo Kobujutsu.

These various sub-arts are bound together by Reigi-saho 礼儀作法 or "Courtesy. "  As the old saying goes "Bugei wa reigi ni hajimari, reigi ni owaru wa rei ni hajimari rei ni owaru" 武芸は礼儀に始まり、礼儀に終わる "Martial arts begin and end with courtesy."

The Sekai Kushindo Kobujutsu Kenkyukai curriculum includes Goju-kenpo, the traditional Goju-ryu karatejutsu syllabus of the Kokusai Goju Kobujutsu Kenkyukai, Goju-kalis, the traditional Filipino Martial Arts (FMA) methods Ceberano Hanshi learnt from his father and other FMA Master teachers and Goju-kobujutsu, the traditional methods of Japanese bujutsu.

The Minaputa Dojo's Kushindo Kobujutsu curriculum includes Goju-kenpo and Goju-kobujutsu. Collett Shihan is the Sekai Kushindo Kobujutsu Kenkyukai's Goju-kobujutsu Technical Leader.

At this time Collett Shihan has limited skills in Goju-kalis, in time the Minaputa Dojo will add Goju-kalis to its crriculum.

What a Typical Jujutsu and Goju-kobujutsu Training Session Looks Like
A normal class will begin with a series of rolls, tumbles and break falls. Starting slowly to loosen up then gradually building up to a vigorous set of hand-spring back break falls or “bridge falls,” once learnt these are the mainstay of Hyou-ha Bankoku Jujutsu break-falling.

Students will then move on to practicing nage-waza or throws, this will usually be a mix of previously learnt throws along with an introduction to a small number of new throws. The emphasis here is on understanding the mechanics of the techniques working toward smooth, least effort control and execution.

Occasionally students will be given time to practice execution of a series of throws at speed. This exercise builds on the concept of using smooth execution rather than brute force in order to execute at speed.

Time is also set aside for Kaeshi-waza or “Reversals.” Students are taught releases from common holds, for example, Kosa-dori or “Cross-wrist Grab,” along with the concepts that support the release and are encouraged to explore variations to the releases to give them a deeper understanding of the techniques.

How long will it take for me to grade in Jujutsu?
At the ​Minami Bankokuden Dojo our focus is on developing technique, not on awarding ranks. When a student is ready for promotion it will happen, the learning is more important, so the answer is, when you are ready!

Once a beginning student is able to fall comfortably and has learnt the first five or six throws they will learn and practice exactly the same techniques as the more experienced members. 

To graduate to shodan, the first level of black belt, a student needs to be able to demonstrate proficiency in something more than one hundred throws; escapes from a number of holds and other threats and a number of other associated requirements. 

The amount of time this takes varies from one student to the next based on age, experience and a number of other factors. The key ingredients are desire and persistence!

What will I Learn as a Goju-kenpo Beginner
A beginning student will learn some simple blocking, striking and movement drills, these drills will gradually become more sophisticated as the students co-ordination and muscle memory develop.

After a month or so of consistent training the student will begin learning patterns of movement, defence and attack called Kata  形 or Forms. Kata embody the soul of all Kenpo systems and can be a lifetime study.

With time the student will learn what we call Kyougi-gumite  教義組手 Self-defence Applications from the kata, what some schools call Bunkai-gumite  分解組手Technique Analysis. Kyougi-gumite is the basis of the Goju-kenpo method of Goshinjutsu  護身術 or Self-defence.

Like beginning jujutsu, beginning Goju-kenpo is more about coming to understand how uncoordinated we are in relation to what we need to do on the training mat and in overcoming the inherent clumsiness that we all have when we start learning something new. In the end it’s OK!

How long will it take for me to grade in Goju-kenpo?
Like our approach to Jujutsu, with Goju-kenpo our focus is on developing technique, not on awarding ranks. When a student is ready for promotion it will happen, the learning is more important, so again, the answer is, when you are ready!

The amount of time this takes varies from one student to the next based on age, experience and a number of other factors. Again the key ingredients are desire and persistence!