History of Shorinji Kan Ju Jitsu
The origins of our style are hard to trace, but it all starts with Shihan Matthew Komp. Matthew Komp began his martial arts study in the 1940's in Germany when he took up wrestling. After joining the police force, he began to study judo and ju jitsu as part of his police self-defense training. He also studied karate, aikido and taekwondo. He had a number of instructors from Japan, Germany and Korea and from these influences; Matthew Komp formed his style of ju jitsu which he took to Australia in the 1950's, where he founded a school in Footscray, near Melbourne.
One of his earliest students was Brian Graham, who was amongst the first of Komp Shihan's students to achieve the rank of black belt in jiu jitsu and judo. On his return to England, Graham Shihan renamed the style to Shorinji Kan Jiu Jitsu, and this name has been kept to the present day. Graham Shihan established the first "Samurai Jiu Jitsu Club" in Keighly, West Yorkshire, England. Brian Graham is Shorinji Kan's founding father, but the style continues to branch out as Graham's teachings of the late sixties onwards spread. Graham Shihan sadly passed away in June 2005.
The late Peter Farrar began studying ju jitsu at the Keighley club at the age of 9. Farrar Sensei moved to Plymouth in 1979 to attend the then Plymouth Polytechnic, where he opened the Plymouth Polytechnic club. This club produced a number of instructors who have become senior instructors within the style. The style has since spread rapidly in Britain. An association was formed called the National Samurai Jiu Jitsu Association, which was renamed The Jitsu Foundation in 1990. Much of its success can be attributed to his charismatic leadership and the hard work of the Tertiary Board. Peter Farrar died in 1997, but the Foundation continued to grow under the direction of Directing Tertiary Dave Walker, the current head of the tertiary board is Steve Allison.
One of his earliest students was Brian Graham, who was amongst the first of Komp Shihan's students to achieve the rank of black belt in jiu jitsu and judo. On his return to England, Graham Shihan renamed the style to Shorinji Kan Jiu Jitsu, and this name has been kept to the present day. Graham Shihan established the first "Samurai Jiu Jitsu Club" in Keighly, West Yorkshire, England. Brian Graham is Shorinji Kan's founding father, but the style continues to branch out as Graham's teachings of the late sixties onwards spread. Graham Shihan sadly passed away in June 2005.
The late Peter Farrar began studying ju jitsu at the Keighley club at the age of 9. Farrar Sensei moved to Plymouth in 1979 to attend the then Plymouth Polytechnic, where he opened the Plymouth Polytechnic club. This club produced a number of instructors who have become senior instructors within the style. The style has since spread rapidly in Britain. An association was formed called the National Samurai Jiu Jitsu Association, which was renamed The Jitsu Foundation in 1990. Much of its success can be attributed to his charismatic leadership and the hard work of the Tertiary Board. Peter Farrar died in 1997, but the Foundation continued to grow under the direction of Directing Tertiary Dave Walker, the current head of the tertiary board is Steve Allison.