Under the teaching and direction of Kyoshi Shihan Craig, the Houston Budokan served as a center for the study of the traditional martial arts of Japan and Okinawa for 50 Years. Here, the students had available to them instruction in an unusually broad range of forms and disciplines taught with the central purpose of enhancing the student's physical and mental well-being. Darrell Max Craig is now retired and working on his next novel.

KENDO --The way of the sword -- Kendo means the way of the sword in Japanese and is, in essence, Japanese fencing. Traditional Japanese fencing was originally practiced by Bushi or Samurai. Kendo deals with the physical and mental skills necessary for sword fighting. The goal of Kendo to develop the physical and spiritual aspects of the practitioner. Kendo is the most popular of the martial arts in Japan.>/p>

GOSHIN JUJITSU--The way of self defense -- Jujitsu or Goshin Jiu-Jitsu as taught today encompasses empty-handed self-defense techniques developed from the centuries old military arts (Bujutsu) of the Japanese Samurai Warriors. The term Jiu-Jitsu, formulated in the Tokagawan era, translates to the art (Jiu) of yielding, softness, subtleness or pliability and (Jitsu) from Bujutsu. The arts of Zen, Aikido, Judo and Karate-do evolved from the same historical influences.

JUDO--The way of gentleness -- Judo means "the way of gentleness." Early Judo was similar to Jiu-Jitsu in several significant ways, including dress, techniques, and philosophy. Today, Judo is an Olympic Sport and is generally practiced in almost every country in the world. The first Judo school, called the Kodokan, in Tokyo, was founded in 1882, and it still sets the guidelines by which all forms of Judo are practiced.

KARATE --The way of the empty hand -- Karate-do translates as "the way of the empty hand," an unarmed, defensive art with a history that spans many centuries, originating in the Shaolin fighting arts of China and later developing in the Ryukyu Islands (Okinawa), combined with indigenous grappling techniques, and in Japan. Japan-Karate-do Ryobu-Kai is founded on the search for the ideal style of Japanese karate.

KOBUDO --The way of ancient weapons -- Kobudo is an ancient weapons art. At different times and for various reasons during its history, weapons were banned on the island of Okinawa. The resourceful Okinawa’s adapted everyday farming and fishing implements as weapons for self-defense. Over time, the use of these weapons became formalized into a beautiful, graceful, and effective art that has been passed down from generation to generation.