Portrait of Kaicho Adam Bradshaw

Kaicho was said to be able to break-fall before he learnt how to walk, and accompanied Kancho to training even as a toddler. He began formal training in 1971 at Hotham, North Melbourne and won the Association’s coveted “Best Fighting Spirit” Award in the Junior division. He became the first recipient ever to receive a Junior Black belt promotion from Professor Wally Strauss. Kancho had torn up several copies of the certificate before Wally issued one without Kancho’s signature or consent. Kancho did not want special circumstances made for his son’s benefit; while Strauss saw this as acknowledging the work of the student.

Kaicho, along with his brother and sister, was also a member of the Chinese Youth Society of Melbourne, learning Kung fu. Even as a junior, he was Kancho’s assistant, running the Lord Mayor’s Camp school holiday programs at Royal Park and several other Community Centres for the Melbourne City Council; or assisting at Hotham, Carlton, and Kensington Community Centres as well as running the junior class and Saturday morning class at Heidelberg YMCA.

Kaicho became a Principal Instructor of the Honbu, and assistant at Sho Do Ryu, East Doncaster. He founded Tora-Do Ryu, Glendal, that ran for over 15 years He ran Judo classes as part of the Year 11 P.E. science curriculum for Marcellin College, and as an extracurricular activity for Whitefriars College for over ten years. He developed a Women’s self defence program for Mitcham Community House, initially a 10 week course, that ran for five years. He also held Level 2 Coaching accreditation (NCAS State Coach) with the Australian Coaching Council. Kaicho was General Secretary (1981-2002), Director of Administration (2002-10), and Executive Director (2010-18) of the Australian Federation of Instructors.

He also ran the business sector of the Australian Shihan Kai. Kaicho became a Life Member of Samurai Arts Akademie of Samurai All Yawara Ryu Aiki-Jujitsu Kai and Nippon Martial Arts Renmei in 2006, where he was graded to 8th Dan by Professor Siegfried Boedeker, 10th Dan, from Germany who was a former associate under Strauss’ organisation. Kaicho has also been an affiliated member of the World Jujitsu Federation through Jan deJong, Jujiitsu America with Professor Wally Jay, Canadian Jiu-Jitsu Association with Ron Forrester, Budoshin Jujitsu Yudanshakai with George Kirby, American Teachers Association of the Martial Arts with Bernie Weiss and International Teachers Association of Martial Arts with Gary Alexander. He retired from running the organisation in July of 2018, and acted as consultant to the Federation Black Belt Board of Examiners and The Executive Council until his passing.