BUDO JUKU CHIEF INSTRUCTOR ARTHUR MEEK 6th Dan Renshi

Began training in Karate in 1975 as a member of the Bridgwater School of Karate which was part of the United Kingdom Karate Wado Kai (UKKW).  At the age of nineteen Arthur, along with a handful of fellow senior grades, made a political decision to leave the club and form a new one, yet still under the wing of the UKKW. This decision enabled him to continue training under the expertise of the many resident Japanese instructors at that time.


Arthur pursued a competition career as well as spending a couple of seasons training with and representing his local amateur boxing club. After passing his black belt at the age of twenty under the supervision of Tatsuo Suzuki, Arthur fought his way into the National Under 21 squad.

A year later with the help of Shiomitsu Sensei Arthur left for Japan to train at the World famous Nihon University Karate club in Tokyo. Here he stayed for nine months living as an ‘uchi deshi’ under the coaching of Hideo and Fumihiro Tanabe and Katsumi Kobayashi. A period of time he felt was a defining moment in developing spirit and humility.

Returning in 1982 Arthur eventually made his way into the senior UKKW England team alongside the likes of World Champions Jeoff Thompson and Jerome Atkinson. This National team won the European Wado Ryu Championships in both 1983, in Amsterdam, and 1984 in London.

In the mid eighties his passion for boxing was still undiminished so he put it to the test winning a couple of professional bouts on the dubious unlicensed circuit. 

Arthur finally secured his own individual Karate titles in 1987 and 1988 winning the UKKW National title at CrystalPalace.In 1989 he was European Middleweight champion in France. In the 1990s Arthur also competed in Kata claiming a runner up position in the National championships and third place in the Europeans.


In 1990 when Shiomitsu Sensei formed the Wado Academy Arthur was appointed squad coach and still holds this position today.

Arthur Meek was awarded 6th Dan by Shiomitsu Sensei in 2001 and the title of Renshi in 2005. He is now an instructor with the Wado Academy and resides on the Dan grading panel



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Excerpt from forthcoming book “Go Sauce The Chestnuts”

                                    by Arthur Meek

    From the command ‘hajime’ I shot forward to get in an early attack, just the way we had so often trained, hoping to catch out my opponent. My ploy might have worked had it not been for the fact I was up against the most successful fighter ever to graduate from NihonUniversity. Murase pounded me with a perfect ‘nagashi zuki’ that hit me on the right side of my head and halted my quick advancement. I had not been hit so hard since my days in the boxing ring. That fuzzy, ringing sensation went though my skull and I had to briefly move away to clear my head but I immediately stepped back in and threw my favoured lead leg reverse roundhouse kick. It found its mark perfectly and smacked Murase flush in the mouth. There was a groan from the ranks sat behind me as if they sensed the inevitable consequences from my impertinence. Murase rushed in grabbed and swept me but I hung on to his jacket and so we became entangled and both crashed to the floor. Immediately Murase butted me with his head and I returned the same. He smiled and let me up and we resumed our scrap. I tried to get my hands working in the fight but a perfect front kick from my adversary hit me in my leading right hip that stopped me dead. Then another hit the same place as I failed to anticipate this man’s forte. I then attempted to feint with my legs to unsettle Murase but he was not the unsettling type. His fast one two punch both found their marks on my ill guarded face and all I could do was grab and wrestle in vain. I could taste the blood that pooled in my mouth from my split lip and tongue, but I was not done. At the break I shouted to muster some spirit. Then another front kick hit me again in the same place as before and I was fast running out of ideas. My mind was racing yet my opponent appeared calm and had hardly broke sweat. His general movement seemed almost casual yet he seemed to be everywhere. He could read the fight easily as he stood with his front arm outstretched majestically controlling the distance between us. Even though I was outclassed I kept at him, throwing single punches or kicks that whistled past their intended target while he leaned or sidestepped away to counter with ease.
     Finally Murase called time. We bowed and both thanked one another.
    My fights that followed that evening with one or two of the first and second years were tougher than usual for I was tired after the Murase experience which had probably lasted around five or six minutes. I was glad to finish that evening and when I pulled off my Karate gi trousers some of the skin covering my right hipbone came away with the material indicating direct hits from Murase. Although it was sore as hell it created a tumultuous laugh from my club mates. Kikuta shouted to everyone to come and have a look so I told him he should stop looking down men’s trousers, which embarrassed him when the others teased him. Kawano celebrated the finish of the day’s training with his backward somersault from a standing position. For a big man he was as agile as a cat