Description

The first jujutsu dojo in the United Kingdom, established by Sadakazu Uyenishi in 1903 at 31 Golden Square, Piccadilly Circus, London. Uyenishi taught jujutsu, performed demonstrations and took on challengers here for four years, including classes for the British Army and women's self-defence classes. He left the school in the charge of his senior student William Garrud when he returned to Japan in late 1908; it continued through the Garruds and influenced the politicisation of jujutsu as women's self-defence. The building was demolished by 1930.

Also known as

Founder

Instructors (5)

• 
  Uyenishi Sadakazu

  Head instructor

  1903 - 1908

  expand_morefact_check 2 sources

  "by 1903 he had established his own dojo, the School of Japanese Self Defence, at 31 Golden Square, Piccadilly Circus"

  — Sadakazu Uyenishi - Wikipedia (English). Wikipedia (English)linkinfo

  "In 1903, Sadakazu Uyenishi established a jujutsu dojo on Golden Square, Piccadilly Circus."

  — Brough, David. (2020). The Golden Square Dojo and its place in British Jujutsu historylinkinfo
• 
  Gunji Koizumi

  Instructor

  1906 - 1906

  expand_morefact_check 1 source

  "Another Japanese instructor, Gunji Koizumi, would also teach at the Golden Square Dojo in 1906."

  — Brough, David. (2020). The Golden Square Dojo and its place in British Jujutsu historylinkinfo
• 
  William Garrud

  Head instructor

  1908 - 1925

  expand_morefact_check 2 sources

  "before leaving the U.K. Uyenishi passed control of the Golden Square Dojo to his students, William and Edith Garrud"

  — Brough, David. (2020). The Golden Square Dojo and its place in British Jujutsu historylinkinfo

  "William and Edith continued to run the Golden Square dojo as owners and instructors until 1925 when they retired from teaching."

  — (2026). William Garrud - Wikipedia. Wikipedia (English)linkinfo
• 
  Edith Garrud

  Instructor

  1908 - 1925

  expand_morefact_check 2 sources

  "William would teach the men and Edith the women and children's classes."

  — Brough, David. (2020). The Golden Square Dojo and its place in British Jujutsu historylinkinfo

  "Edith Garrud continued giving lessons to women and children while William taught the men."

  — (2026). Edith Garrud - Wikipedia. Wikipedia (English)linkinfo
• 
  Tani Yukio

  1903 - 1908

Trained here (4)

• 
  Edith Garrud

  linkJūjutsu 3

  Confirmed

  Wikipedia states the Garruds studied under Uyenishi, initially at the Bartitsu club; Brough (2020) records they were students of Uyenishi and that he passed control of the Golden Square dojo to them on his departure; Callan/Heffernan/Spenn state they were originally trained by Uyenishi Sadakazu.

  under Uyenishi Sadakazu badge (1903 - 1908)

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  3 sources

  fact_check

  Wikipedia states the Garruds studied under Uyenishi, initially at the Bartitsu club; Brough (2020) records they were students of Uyenishi and that he passed control of the Golden Square dojo to them on his departure; Callan/Heffernan/Spenn state they were originally trained by Uyenishi Sadakazu.

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "The Garruds trained under the school's jujutsu instructors Yukio Tani and Sadakazu Uyenishi... After the Bartitsu school closed in 1902, the Garruds continued training under Uyenishi at his own Golden Square Dojo."

  — (2026). Edith Garrud - Wikipedia. Wikipedia (English)linkinfo

  "Husband and wife, William and Edith Garrud, had been students of Uyenishi, initially at the Bartitsu club, and then at the Golden Square Dojo."

  — Brough, David. (2020). The Golden Square Dojo and its place in British Jujutsu historylinkinfo

  "Garrud and her husband William were originally trained by Uyenishi Sadakazu."

  — Callan, Mike; Heffernan, Conor; Spenn, Amanda. (2018). Women's Jūjutsu and Judo in the Early Twentieth-Century: The Cases of Phoebe Roberts, Edith Garrud, and Sarah Mayer linkinfo

  linkJūjutsu 3

  Confirmed

  Wikipedia states explicitly that the Garruds trained under the jujutsu instructors Yukio Tani and Sadakazu Uyenishi at the Bartitsu School of Arms and continued under Uyenishi at Golden Square; corroborated by Brough (2020).

  under Tani Yukio badge (1903 - 1908)

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  3 sources

  fact_check

  Wikipedia states explicitly that the Garruds trained under the jujutsu instructors Yukio Tani and Sadakazu Uyenishi at the Bartitsu School of Arms and continued under Uyenishi at Golden Square; corroborated by Brough (2020).

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "The Garruds trained under the school's jujutsu instructors Yukio Tani and Sadakazu Uyenishi... After the Bartitsu school closed in 1902, the Garruds continued training under Uyenishi at his own Golden Square Dojo."

  — (2026). Edith Garrud - Wikipedia. Wikipedia (English)linkinfo

  "While training at the Golden Square Dojo the Garruds trained with the best instructors of the time including Uyenishi, Tani, Taro Miyake, Mitsuyo Maeda, and Akitaro Ohno."

  — Brough, David. (2020). The Golden Square Dojo and its place in British Jujutsu historylinkinfo

  "Garrud and her husband William were originally trained by Uyenishi Sadakazu."

  — Callan, Mike; Heffernan, Conor; Spenn, Amanda. (2018). Women's Jūjutsu and Judo in the Early Twentieth-Century: The Cases of Phoebe Roberts, Edith Garrud, and Sarah Mayer linkinfo
• 
  Emily Diana Watts

  linkJūjutsu 3

  Confirmed

  By 1903 Watts joined the Golden Square dojo run by Sadakazu Uyenishi and Akitaro Ono in Piccadilly; both Wikipedia and Brough (2020) state she joined in 1903.

  under Uyenishi Sadakazu badge (1903 - 1906)

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  2 sources

  fact_check

  By 1903 Watts joined the Golden Square dojo run by Sadakazu Uyenishi and Akitaro Ono in Piccadilly; both Wikipedia and Brough (2020) state she joined in 1903.

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "By 1903 Watts had developed a strong interest in jujitsu and joined the Golden Square dojo of Sadakazu Uyenishi and Akitaro Ono."

  — Wikipedia contributors. (2025). Emily Diana Watts - Wikipedia (English). Wikipedia (English)linkinfo

  "Emily Diana Watts had also joined the Golden Square dojo in 1903 and in 1906 wrote The Fine Art of Jujitsu."

  — Brough, David. (2020). The Golden Square Dojo and its place in British Jujutsu historylinkinfo
• 
  Phoebe Roberts

  linkJūjutsu 3

  Confirmed

  Joined Uyenishi's Golden Square School in 1903 and was promoted to instructor within a year; Callan/Heffernan/Spenn explicitly describe Tani and Uyenishi as her teachers. Corroborated by Brough (2020).

  under Uyenishi Sadakazu badge (1903 - 1907)

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  2 sources

  fact_check

  Joined Uyenishi's Golden Square School in 1903 and was promoted to instructor within a year; Callan/Heffernan/Spenn explicitly describe Tani and Uyenishi as her teachers. Corroborated by Brough (2020).

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "By that time Roberts had joined the Golden Square School of Jujutsu, in Piccadilly, which was run by Uyenishi Sadakazu (aka Raku)... As one of the earliest female members, Roberts was a pioneer. Owing to her proficiency and marketing appeal as an Englishwoman, Roberts was promoted to an instructor within a year of training."

  — Callan, Mike; Heffernan, Conor; Spenn, Amanda. (2018). Women's Jūjutsu and Judo in the Early Twentieth-Century: The Cases of Phoebe Roberts, Edith Garrud, and Sarah Mayer linkinfo

  "An early notable female student was Phoebe Roberts. Roberts joined the Golden Square dojo age 16 years old, and she was promoted to instructor within a year."

  — Brough, David. (2020). The Golden Square Dojo and its place in British Jujutsu historylinkinfo

  linkJūjutsu 3

  Confirmed

  Callan/Heffernan/Spenn state Roberts performed alongside her teachers, naming Tani and Uyenishi, and that Tani taught at the Golden Square School from 1904. Her later 'ladies instructor' role at Tani's Japanese School of Ju-Jitsu corroborates the relationship.

  under Tani Yukio badge (1904 - 1908)

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  2 sources

  fact_check

  Callan/Heffernan/Spenn state Roberts performed alongside her teachers, naming Tani and Uyenishi, and that Tani taught at the Golden Square School from 1904. Her later 'ladies instructor' role at Tani's Japanese School of Ju-Jitsu corroborates the relationship.

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "By December 1904 Roberts was performing alongside her teachers. Both Tani and Uyenishi gave a demonstration at Caxton Hall along with Miss Roberts and another expert, Emily Watts."

  — Callan, Mike; Heffernan, Conor; Spenn, Amanda. (2018). Women's Jūjutsu and Judo in the Early Twentieth-Century: The Cases of Phoebe Roberts, Edith Garrud, and Sarah Mayer linkinfo

  "Sandow's Magazine recounted another demonstration, this time at the Marlborough Hall, Regent Street, featuring Roberts alongside Messrs Kanaya, Tani, Maiyake, Huji, and Eida... Roberts appeared in Sporting Life in 1906, along with Miyake, Hirano, Yamashita, and Omura, demonstrating at the headquarters of the Japanese School of Ju-jitsu on Oxford Street."

  — Callan, Mike; Heffernan, Conor; Spenn, Amanda. (2018). Women's Jūjutsu and Judo in the Early Twentieth-Century: The Cases of Phoebe Roberts, Edith Garrud, and Sarah Mayer linkinfo
• 
  William Garrud

  linkJūjutsu 3

  Confirmed

  Garrud was Uyenishi's senior student, took over the Golden Square dojo on his departure, and dedicated The Complete Jujitsuan to Uyenishi. Attested by Wikipedia, Brough (2020) and Garrud's own book.

  under Uyenishi Sadakazu badge (1903 - 1908)

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  3 sources

  fact_check

  Garrud was Uyenishi's senior student, took over the Golden Square dojo on his departure, and dedicated The Complete Jujitsuan to Uyenishi. Attested by Wikipedia, Brough (2020) and Garrud's own book.

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "They studied under Japanese jujutsu masters Yukio Tani and Sadakazu Uyenishi... When Uyenishi left for Japan in 1908 Garrud took over Uyenishi's dojo."

  — (2026). William Garrud - Wikipedia. Wikipedia (English)linkinfo

  "Following Uyenishi's tour of Europe, he returned to Osaka where sometime later he died of tuberculosis. However, before leaving the U.K. Uyenishi passed control of the Golden Square Dojo to his students, William and Edith Garrud."

  — Brough, David. (2020). The Golden Square Dojo and its place in British Jujutsu historylinkinfo

  "Dedicated "To my trainer Professor S.K. Uyenishi Raku"."

  — Garrud, William Herbert. (1914). The Complete Jujitsuanlinkinfo

  linkJūjutsu 3

  Confirmed

  English Wikipedia states explicitly that the Garruds studied under Japanese jujutsu masters Yukio Tani and Sadakazu Uyenishi; corroborated by Brough (2020).

  under Tani Yukio badge (1903 - 1908)

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  2 sources

  fact_check

  English Wikipedia states explicitly that the Garruds studied under Japanese jujutsu masters Yukio Tani and Sadakazu Uyenishi; corroborated by Brough (2020).

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "They studied under Japanese jujutsu masters Yukio Tani and Sadakazu Uyenishi and later opened their own London dojo."

  — (2026). William Garrud - Wikipedia. Wikipedia (English)linkinfo

  "While training at the Golden Square Dojo the Garruds trained with the best instructors of the time including Uyenishi, Tani, Taro Miyake, Mitsuyo Maeda, and Akitaro Ohno."

  — Brough, David. (2020). The Golden Square Dojo and its place in British Jujutsu historylinkinfo

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