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Thursday 14 January 2010
Sunday 3 January 2010
Quest to source the lost Anshin Ryu Kata, Anshin Sho and Anshin Ni.
I contacted an old student of Sensei Keith Bell's (The founder of Anshin Ryu), Sensei Paul Walker to see whether I could track down anyone who still remebrs the the kata that Sensei Bell formulated specifacally for Anshin Ryu. These were Kata Anshin Sho and Anshin Ni. This was after a comment made by Sensei Steve Wilkinson, who said that it would be great to start doing these two kata as part of our syllabus, as they were the only two kata specifically for Anshin Ryu, but unfortunealtey he could not remember them.
After a search on the internet I found refernece to a Sensei Paul Walker, who now lives in California, but is still a practising Karateka who is now a 5th Dan. We corresponded, and out of interest, here is the email that passed between us, which sound promising for at least Anshin Sho.
My initial email.
Hello Sensei Walker,
My name is Andy Bailey, I am an assistant instructor at Newton
Aycliffe Anshin Ryu Karate Club in the UK. Although I am a Shotokan
Karateka, the club is Anshin Ryu, ran by Sensei David Blackburn. Our
club website address is http://www.newtonaycliffeanshin-ryukarateclub.blogspot/. com if you want to check us out.
I am trying to find anyone that remembers the Anshin Sho and Anshin Ni Kata that Sensei Keith Bell made up before he retired from Karate.
I realise it was quite a long time ago since you practised anshin ryu, but you did get to 3rd Dan under Sensei Keith and so I am hoping that these Kata's still exist somewhere in your memories. If you do remember them could you please do me a really big favour and get one of your club members to video you performing them and upload them onto youtube then email me the links.
I know I am asking a lot from someone I have never met, but you would be doing our club a great service.
Thank you for your time.
Waiting in anticipation.
Andy Bailey, Nidan
Sensei Paul Walker's response.
Hi Andy,
Thanks for your e-mail and it's good to hear that Anshin-ryu is still alive and strong in Newton Aycliffe. I used to train at the same community center many years ago on Tuesday evenings in addition to my weekly lessons at the Darlington club and also my visits to the Hurworth club. Please pass on my best wishes to Sensei Steve Wilkinson as he used to help me out a lot when I was about 14 and 15 years old after I had passed my Shodan. I always respected him a lot and I'm glad to hear that he has finally been awarded his Sandan. He has been training for years.
Anyway before I get to Anshin-sho, let me just clarify something. I took and passed my Shodan with Keith Bell in December 1987 and my Nidan with Keith in December 1989. Shortly after that Keith stopped training and teaching and I continued together with Peter Davison, Chris Southwick and Dennis Slater of the Hurworth group. If I remember, Gary Howlett of the Newton Aycliffe group was still training too although not as actively.
Peter, Chris and myself went to the Isle of Mann in January 1993 to test under Frank Newton of the Isle of Mann Federation. Peter and I passed Sandan and Chris passed Nidan. We tested using the Anshin-ryu syllabus but my Sandan was awarded by Frank Newton and not by Keith Bell.
As far as I know nobody tested to Sandan under Keith Bell but if they did then it would probably have been Dave Oliver or Gary Howlett as they were the senior grades at the time. Arthur Coates was also a great karate-ka in my opinion and he ran the Catterick group.
OK, onto Anshin-sho. I did learn Anshin-sho to a good level but I never learned or saw Anshin-ni. I'm sure it existed but Keith may have been finalizing the kata as I never saw him teach it. Anshin-sho was a fun kata with parts of Jion, Ji'in, Bassai (Passai), Nijushiho (Niseishi) and Gojushiho. I actually managed to recreate the kata from what I remembered a few years ago but I have since forgotten it again. I will try to piece together again what I know and then get back to you but I fear that it won't be the exact version of the kata that I was taught. Isn't Keith Bell around anymore? I'm sure he'd be happy to pass on his kata again to people who genuinely want to learn. Other people who knew Anshin-sho were Peter Davison and Dennis Slater. I'm sure that Dave Oliver and Gary Howlett may also remember it.
Anyway Andy, thanks for contacting me and please follow up again in a couple of weeks. I will try to put together what I know and remember and then I'll pass it on. Also if you have any more questions about the good old days, I'll be happy to share my memories too. I'm sure Sensei Wilkinson has plenty of input to give on that too.
As for my karate now, well I am a student of Master Hirokazu Kanazawa. I spent three years at his Headquarters Dojo in Tokyo from 1996 to 1999. I have followed him ever since and currently hold the rank of 5th Dan under Master Kanazawa. His eldest son Nobuaki-sensei will be visiting my dojo in February of next year and then Master Kanazawa will be visiting in June of next year also with his son Nobuaki-sensei. Life is good and karate is good.
All my best to the Newton Aycliffe group.
Take care,
Paul Walker
My reply.
Thanks Paul,
No Keith is not around anymore. He is totally off the Karate radar. Appreciate your help with this. It will be great for Sensei Steve and David and they were the ones that mentioned about the lost Anshin-Ryu kata, and it would be a bit of a late Christmas prezzie for them if you can piece it together.
Have a great Xmas.
Andy
After a search on the internet I found refernece to a Sensei Paul Walker, who now lives in California, but is still a practising Karateka who is now a 5th Dan. We corresponded, and out of interest, here is the email that passed between us, which sound promising for at least Anshin Sho.
My initial email.
Hello Sensei Walker,
My name is Andy Bailey, I am an assistant instructor at Newton
Aycliffe Anshin Ryu Karate Club in the UK. Although I am a Shotokan
Karateka, the club is Anshin Ryu, ran by Sensei David Blackburn. Our
club website address is http://www.newtonaycliffeanshin-ryukarateclub.blogspot/. com if you want to check us out.
I am trying to find anyone that remembers the Anshin Sho and Anshin Ni Kata that Sensei Keith Bell made up before he retired from Karate.
I realise it was quite a long time ago since you practised anshin ryu, but you did get to 3rd Dan under Sensei Keith and so I am hoping that these Kata's still exist somewhere in your memories. If you do remember them could you please do me a really big favour and get one of your club members to video you performing them and upload them onto youtube then email me the links.
I know I am asking a lot from someone I have never met, but you would be doing our club a great service.
Thank you for your time.
Waiting in anticipation.
Andy Bailey, Nidan
Sensei Paul Walker's response.
Hi Andy,
Thanks for your e-mail and it's good to hear that Anshin-ryu is still alive and strong in Newton Aycliffe. I used to train at the same community center many years ago on Tuesday evenings in addition to my weekly lessons at the Darlington club and also my visits to the Hurworth club. Please pass on my best wishes to Sensei Steve Wilkinson as he used to help me out a lot when I was about 14 and 15 years old after I had passed my Shodan. I always respected him a lot and I'm glad to hear that he has finally been awarded his Sandan. He has been training for years.
Anyway before I get to Anshin-sho, let me just clarify something. I took and passed my Shodan with Keith Bell in December 1987 and my Nidan with Keith in December 1989. Shortly after that Keith stopped training and teaching and I continued together with Peter Davison, Chris Southwick and Dennis Slater of the Hurworth group. If I remember, Gary Howlett of the Newton Aycliffe group was still training too although not as actively.
Peter, Chris and myself went to the Isle of Mann in January 1993 to test under Frank Newton of the Isle of Mann Federation. Peter and I passed Sandan and Chris passed Nidan. We tested using the Anshin-ryu syllabus but my Sandan was awarded by Frank Newton and not by Keith Bell.
As far as I know nobody tested to Sandan under Keith Bell but if they did then it would probably have been Dave Oliver or Gary Howlett as they were the senior grades at the time. Arthur Coates was also a great karate-ka in my opinion and he ran the Catterick group.
OK, onto Anshin-sho. I did learn Anshin-sho to a good level but I never learned or saw Anshin-ni. I'm sure it existed but Keith may have been finalizing the kata as I never saw him teach it. Anshin-sho was a fun kata with parts of Jion, Ji'in, Bassai (Passai), Nijushiho (Niseishi) and Gojushiho. I actually managed to recreate the kata from what I remembered a few years ago but I have since forgotten it again. I will try to piece together again what I know and then get back to you but I fear that it won't be the exact version of the kata that I was taught. Isn't Keith Bell around anymore? I'm sure he'd be happy to pass on his kata again to people who genuinely want to learn. Other people who knew Anshin-sho were Peter Davison and Dennis Slater. I'm sure that Dave Oliver and Gary Howlett may also remember it.
Anyway Andy, thanks for contacting me and please follow up again in a couple of weeks. I will try to put together what I know and remember and then I'll pass it on. Also if you have any more questions about the good old days, I'll be happy to share my memories too. I'm sure Sensei Wilkinson has plenty of input to give on that too.
As for my karate now, well I am a student of Master Hirokazu Kanazawa. I spent three years at his Headquarters Dojo in Tokyo from 1996 to 1999. I have followed him ever since and currently hold the rank of 5th Dan under Master Kanazawa. His eldest son Nobuaki-sensei will be visiting my dojo in February of next year and then Master Kanazawa will be visiting in June of next year also with his son Nobuaki-sensei. Life is good and karate is good.
All my best to the Newton Aycliffe group.
Take care,
Paul Walker
My reply.
Thanks Paul,
No Keith is not around anymore. He is totally off the Karate radar. Appreciate your help with this. It will be great for Sensei Steve and David and they were the ones that mentioned about the lost Anshin-Ryu kata, and it would be a bit of a late Christmas prezzie for them if you can piece it together.
Have a great Xmas.
Andy
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