Roger Mills Kyoshi began his martial arts journey in 1967 in Wado Ryu, training under renowned masters including Tatsuo Suzuki, Maeda, Fuji, and Kobayashi.
While studying for his first university degree, he established karate clubs at Brunel (The University of West London) and in his home town of Bracknell. The Bracknell club, formed in 1973, eventually became the Hombu for the group of clubs he subsequently established.
Before moving on from Wado Ryu in 1976, Roger achieved the rank of 3rd Dan. During this era, he was a competitive athlete at the national level, a qualified national judge and referee, and served on the technical and executive committees of the United Kingdom Karate-do Wadokai.
In 1975, Roger and his clubs joined Sensei Yoshinao Nanbu's Sankukai group, training primarily with Sensei Ryozo Tsukada. Following the evolution of that group into Nanbudo, Roger chose to remain with Sensei Tsukada, who later joined Sensei Kenji Kusano in mainstream Shito-Ryu.
Under this lineage, Roger was awarded 5th Dan Shito-Ryu. His dedication to the technical precision of the style became a hallmark of his teaching.
In 1985, due to political shifts within the broader Shito-Ryu landscape, Roger founded the British Shitoryu Karate Association (BSKA). After years of involvement with the English Karate governing body, the BSKA joined forces with Frank Perry's Seiki Juko (True Spirit) organization (UKSKO), serving as the Shito-Ryu arm of the group.
Roger Mills currently holds the rank of 8th Dan Kyoshi and remains a significant figure in the preservation of Shito-Ryu in the United Kingdom.
Courtesy British Shitoryu Karate Association
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