Budokwai Karate Club

After an evening of solid hard training, this is the best kind of cool-down. 🍺

Monday night drinks after class — this is what the Budokwai is all about. Great training, great people, great company. ✨

If you’ve been thinking about trying karate, this is the club. Come for the training, stay for the community.👏

📍 The Budokwai, London SW6
🥋 Classes for all levels — beginners always welcome

It’s Monday night drinks at The King’s Arms tonight! Come and join us after training.
🎉🍻🎉
Oss!
👏🥋👊

🥋 Welcome Home, Lads! 🥋

Last week, two of our own travelled to Bergen, Norway to represent England at the JKA European Karate Championships — and they did us proud.

🥉 Jean-Laurent — Bronze Medal, Senior Team Kata and Quarterfinals, Individual Kata
👏 Thibaut — Quarter-Finals, Individual Kata.

What makes this even more special? Both of them started right here at the Budokwai as juniors. Two young kids who walked through our doors, fell in love with karate, and have worked their way to competing at the highest level in Europe, representing JKA England.

That journey starts on the mat. It starts with a single class.

🌟 Could that be your child next?
Our Junior Classes welcome beginners from a young age — no experience needed, just enthusiasm and a willingness to try.
📅 Junior Classes:
Monday, Wednesday & Thursday — 5:20–6:20pm
Saturday — 11:30am–12:30pm

We also have adult beginners class for anyone 13 and above.

📅 Adult Beginner Class:
Monday evening - 6:30pm-7:30pm

👉 Go to the link below to find out more about classes, times, and getting started at the Budokwai.

Oss to Jean-Laurent and Thibaut — we couldn't be prouder. 🙏

https://budokwai.co.uk/karate

🏆 Celebrating Our European Championship Athletes! 🏆

A huge congratulations to Jean-Laurent and Thibaut Drai for their performances at the JKA European Championships in Bergen, Norway last weekend! 🇳🇴

🥉 Jean-Laurent brought home a Bronze Medal in the Adult Male Team Kata — a tremendous achievement on the European stage — and also fought his way through to the Quarter Finals in the Adult Male Individual Kata. An exceptional weekend’s work.

Thibaut equally impressed, reaching the Quarter Finals in the Adult Male Individual Kata in what is one of the most fiercely contested events in the JKA calendar.

The standard at the Europeans is always extraordinary, and to perform at that level — against the very best karateka on the continent — takes not just technical excellence but real courage and heart. Jean-Laurent and Thibaut showed all of that and more.

We are incredibly proud of you both. 🥋

Oss! 💪

🏆 Champions of Europe! 🏆

A huge congratulations to Sensei Jason (Assistant Coach) and Sensei Dave (Head Coach) on a truly outstanding outing for the JKA England National Team at the European Championships in Bergen, Norway 2026! 🇳🇴

The team delivered an incredible performance, bringing home 7 medals — but the crowning moments came from:

🥇 Akbar Shah — Gold, Adult Kumite
🥇 Jamie Langridge — Gold, Junior Kumite

To win gold in two kumite events at the Europeans is a remarkable achievement, and a testament to the dedication of the athletes, the quality of the coaching, and the culture being built within the JKA England Squad.

We couldn’t be prouder. 🥋

Oss! 💪

🎉 Congratulations to Our Budowkai Members! 🎉
We are thrilled to announce that Aubrey, Hector and Lucas successfully passed their Shodan grading at the JKA England International Spring Course!

All three were rigorously assessed by esteemed instructors Nemoto Sensei (6th Dan) from JKA HQ in Tokyo 🇯🇵 and Sawada Sensei (8th Dan) from JKA Belgium 🇧🇪. Achieving a Dan grade in JKA requires dedication, diligent practice and a commitment to excellence.

And lastly, well done to our senior and England squad members Jean-Laurent and Thibaut for passing their international D license qualification exam.

Oss 🥋👊

The Budokwai at the JKA England Spring International Course 2026

Three days of fantastic instruction from Sensei Ohta 8th Dan, Sawada 8th Dan, Osaka 8th Dan, Imamura 8th Dan & Nemoto 6th Dan.

It’s the first Monday of the month tomorrow which means it’s drinks at The Kings Arms after training!
🎉🍻🎉
Come and join us. Oss!
👏🥋👊

The meaning behind the Budokwai’s name and logo.

Day 12
Spotlight on The Budokwai logo.
🥋❄️

Gunji Koizumi, the founder of The Budokwai adopted the name of the club or, strictly speaking, society, in the following manner: 'bu' meaning martial or military, 'do,' way or code and 'kwai' meaning society. He explained:

“The society badge was designed, the character ‘bu’ on the background of a cherry blossom. Bu is composed of two characters, one meaning spear or fighting, the other meaning stop, indicating that the aim of martial training is to stop fighting."
🥋❄️

#2025 #2026