Our story

A Brief Outline

Click image for an overview of our Yudansha

Earliest history of Sakura Kan Jiu Jitsu can be traced back to Soke Sugawara Gesshu, the head of Fuji Ryu Goshin Do Jiu Jitsu and Fuji Ryu (Aikido)
Shihan John Bonniface. A student of Soke Sugawara Gesshu, was the head of Fuji Ryu Goshin Do Jiu Jitsu in New Zealand
Sensei Stanley Taylor. Before his death, Shihan Bonniface handed the system over to Sensei Taylor
Shihan Paul Reti. He in turn handed the system to one of Shihan Bonniface's students, Shihan Paul Reti
1986. A student of Shihan Reti, Shihan James Salter opened the Sockburn Fuji Ryu Goshin Do Jiu Jitsu club
8th November 1992. Shihan Salter and Sensei Alistair Thompson resigned from Fuji Ryu Goshin Do Jiu Jitsu and formed Sakura Kan Jiu Jitsu
15th January 1994. Kancho James Salter and his family moved to New Plymouth and once settled there proceeded to open the new Hombu Dojo for Sakura Kan Jiu Jitsu.
Kancho Salter was inducted into The New Zealand Martial Arts Hall Of Fame (NZMAHOF) in 2009
Shihan Alistair Thompson was inducted into The New Zealand Martial Arts Hall Of Fame (NZMAHOF) in 2011
Kancho Salter was recognised by the International Soke Institute (NZ) with a 6th Degree Black Belt and the title of Professor, and named as one of the 4 "Who's Who" of Jiu Jitsu in New Zealand in 2011
Kancho Salter and Shihan Thompson were promoted to 7th dan and 6th dan respectively March 2013
Kancho Salter and Shihan Thompson were nominated and accepted for induction into The Australasian Martial Arts Hall Of Fame (AMAHOF) and The World Karate Union Hall Of Fame (WKUHOF) in Hobart, Tasmania 16,17 and 18 August 2013.

Sakura Kan Jiu Jitsu can be traced back to Soke Sugawara Gesshu who was the head of Fuji Ryu Aikido and Fuji Ryu Goshin Do Jiu Jitsu. He was a Ju Dan (10th Dan) at Jiu Jitsu and a Hachi Dan (8th Dan) at Aikido. He passed away in July 1985.

One of his students was Shihan John Bonniface, who was the head of Fuji Ryu Goshin Do Jiu Jitsu in New Zealand. Shihan Bonniface was a highly respected Martial Artist with an awesome reputation. He held many different Dan grades, but his main interests were in Karate and Jiu Jitsu. Shihan Bonniface passed away on the 9th November 1992.

Before his death he handed the system over to Sensei Stanley Taylor.

He in turn handed the system to one of Shihan Bonnifaces students Shihan Paul Reti the current head of Fuji Ryu Goshin Do Jiu Jitsu.

Our founder, then Sensei now Kancho James Salter, was a student of Shihan Paul Reti and Shihan John Bonniface. Kancho Salter started his Martial Arts career in boxing. He then started training with Sensei Hendrikus Fekkes (Henk). He soon started training with Shihan Paul Reti. As he was coming up through the grades he would do extra training with Shihan Bonniface. Alistair started training not long after Kancho Salter gained his Shodan. Kancho had started the Bromley Dojo and we trained in the Bromley community hall once a week and in Hei Hei community hall once a week. The Bromley club soon took over the old Scout den in Bromley and they are still training in the same area today.

In August of 1985 Kancho Salter, on his return from Australia, opened the Sockburn Fuji Ryu Goshin Do Jiu Jitsu Club. Alistair returned from Australia in September of the same year and continued training with Kancho Salter.

Read more about the history of Jiu Jitsu.