JKS Top Valley is affiliated to JKS England and through them to the English and British Karate Federations as well as the European and World Karate Federations (WKF) – the WKF was the Karate Governing Body chosen by the IOC to present Karate at the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2020. Chief Instructor Rob Edwards started training in the late 80's with the KUGB in Aberystwyth and later with Sensei Gerry Br
eeze in Bournemouth. Gaining 1st Kyu in 1989 with Sensei Kawasoe. Rob joined Grantham Shotokan Karate Club and finally fulfilled his ambition to be a black belt at Manchester in June 2011 with Sensei Brian Seabright of the BKA and other senior instructors. Rob passed his 2nd Dan with the JKS in Chester in 2014 at the annual residential course under a panel of senior JKS England instructors. In 2015 Rob visited Japan and successfully completed 'Kangeiko' (Special Winter Training) at the JKS Honbu Dojo Tokyo. He travelled to Japan again in November to 2017 to attend the JKS International Seminar with other Instructors from around the World and successfully passed his 3rd Dan under the watchful eyes of the JKS Japan Honbu Senior Instructors. In June 2021, under the scrutiny of Alan Campbell Sensei, Rob furthered his dedication to karate by achieving Yondan (4th Dan). In November 2025 Rob attended the JKS International Seminar in Tokyo and successfully passed his Godan (5th Dan) Grading under the JKS Senior Honbu Instructors which included Kagawa Shihan, Yamaguchi and Kanayama Sensei's. Rob is a JKS Referee and also spent a number of years as an EKF Kumite Referee and Kata Judge. In addition he is a qualified Kyu Grade Examiner and holds an Enhanced DBS Check. Following the death of Masatoshi Nakayama in 1992, the Japan Karate Association (JKA) was split into two factions with groups of senior instructors diverging into those that wanted to continue with the direction of the JKA as prescribed by Nakayama, and those that wanted to pursue a slightly different course. Following a decade of difficult negotiations the Japan Karate Shotorenmei (JKS) was formally formed in 2002 under the leadership of Asai Shihan. Asai Shihan passed away in 2006 and the JKS, now a worldwide organisation, is headed by Shihan Masao Kagawa (9th Dan). Kagawa Shihan is also the Chair of the WKF Technical Committee and former All Japan Karate Coach and is one of the most influential people in world karate. JKS England is headed by Alan Campbell Sensei (8th Dan) and has over 3,000 members making it one of the largest associations in the EKF.
