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About Our Club Badge
Badge Colours
The Japanese call their country “ Nippon”. The two characters that make up this word in Japanese can be translated in English as “(land of the) rising sun”. The Japanese national symbol depicts this – a red circular ‘sun’ on a white background.
Karate is a martial art that originated in Japan. It has been handed down through generations and is now taught extensively throughout the western world.
As students in the western world, we must not forget the origins of the art that we study. We use the Japanese symbol in our club badge to acknowledge and respect the ancestry of Karate.
The Dragon
The dragon is a symbol that has been used extensively throughout history, not only in eastern countries such as Japan and China, but also in other parts of the world including Europe.
In mythology the dragon is said to represent many things.
It was believed by some that dragons were teachers, warriors and protectors. It is with this perception in mind that the dragon was incorporated in the club badge.
Japanese Kanji Characters
round the perimeter of the badge there are several Japanese Kanji characters which are translated below. We have adopted this ‘code’ as our own, as we endeavor to follow the seven virtues so we may live our lives more fully.
Bushido 
Bushido, literally translated means “Way of the Warrior”. It developed in Japan between the Heian and Tokugawa Ages (9 th – 12 th century). It was a code and a way of life for Samurai, a class of warriors, also called bushi (hence bushido).
The Samurai were men who lived by Bushido; it was their way of life. They were fighting men, skilled in martial arts. The Samurai’s loyalty to the emperor and his overload, or daimyo, was unsurpassed. They were trustworthy and honest. They lived frugal lives with no interest in riches and material things, but rather they were interested in honor and pride. Samurai had no fear of death. They would enter any battle no matter the odds. Bushido was the guiding philosophy of the Samurai and has often been compared to the code of chivalry followed by European knights. It was often warned to new students that ‘more is expected from them than an ordinary person.’ The virtues of the code were simple and if followed they would become a true and complete warrior.
The seven virtues are as follows:
Honor (Meiyo) 
To be true to oneself – A true martial artist has only one judge of honor, and that is to himself. Decisions you make and how these decisions are carried out are a reflection of whom you truly are. You cannot hide from yourself.
Rectitude (Gi) 
To preserve the correct ethics – Be acutely honest throughout your dealings with all people. Believe in justice, not from other people, but from yourself. To be a true martial artist, there are no shades of grey in the question of honesty and justice. There is only right and wrong.
Politeness (Rei) 
To show respect for others – A martial artist has no reason to be cruel. They do not need to prove their strength. A martial artist is courteous even to his enemies. Without this outward show of respect, we are nothing more than animals.
Honesty (Makato) 
To be truthful at all times – When a martial artist has said he will perform an action, it is as good as done. Nothing will stop him from completing what he said he will do. He does not have to “give his word”, he does not have to “promise”. Speaking and doing are the same action.
Compassion (Jin) 
To develop a sympathetic understanding of people – Through intense training, the martial artist becomes quick and strong. He is not as other men. He develops a power that must be used for the good of all. He has compassion. He helps his fellow man at every opportunity. If an opportunity does not arise, he goes out of his way to find one.
Bravery (Yu) 
Not to be improperly influenced by fear – In emergencies, rise above the masses of people who are afraid to act. Hiding like a turtle in a shell is not living at all. A martial artist must have heroic courage. It is absolutely risky, to those who ‘play it safe’ it is dangerous. But it is living life completely, fully, wonderfully. Heroic courage is not fool hardy, it is intelligent and strong.
Loyalty (Chugi) 
To show loyalty – For a martial artist, having done ‘something’ or said ‘something’, he knows he owns that ‘thing’. He is responsible for it, and all the consequences that follow. A martial artist is immensely loyal to those in his care, to those he is responsible for he is fiercely true.