The History of the Arizona Budokan & the Lineage of our Arts and Instructors

Dojo History
Chief instructor Hanshi Rudy Crosswell founded the Arizona Budokan in 1973, setting up his first Valley dojo on Mill Avenue in the heart of Tempe. For nearly four decades, the Arizona Budokan has hosted world-class martial arts masters from Japan and around the world, making it one of the oldest and most distinguished martial arts training facilities in the Southwest. With its focus on rich, detailed instruction of traditional budo arts, the Arizona Budokan continues to be the dojo of choice for serious practitioners both locally and worldwide. Watch this documentary to learn more about the history of this unique martial arts facility.

Hanshi Crosswell
is celebrated as one of the top Shito-ryu karate and Okinawan kobudo masters in the world and has been a practitioner for over a half century. Read Crosswell's full biography to learn more about the fascinating history of this distinguished and versatile martial artist.

History of the Arts

At the Arizona Budokan, each of the arts has a rich history, backed by an intact lineage of lifetime instructor-student relationships.