Burnaby Judo Club Information

The Burnaby judo Club was established in the mid sixties by Tom and Henry (Hank) Mukai when they opened the club doors at the Edmonds School Annex in Burnaby with a small group of students. It was soon necessary, because of new members, to move to the basement of the Bonsor Recreation Complex where they spent three years. In 1971, growth forced them to move again into the basement of the Army & Navy (314) Veteran's Club where extensive work had to be done to accommodate them, all of which was performed by the members. This was a big breakthrough for the club, as they now had space to open the membership to anyone interested in the sport of judo. The Army & Navy (314) Veterans' Club was very supportive during their ten year stay with them, however, because of changes to the building structure, they were forced to move again into a portable behind the Bonsor Recreation Complex where they stayed until 1987 at which time construction of their new home within the walls of the new Bonsor Recreation Complex began. During construction of the complex, Riverway Elementary School was utilized until they relocated to their present home on April 9, 1988. The new dojo is an outstanding facility. It features bright lighting, sprung floor, office area, storage, air conditioning, bleachers, change rooms with lockers, showers, weight room, mat storage, and a full size gym across from the dojo for tournaments. Many judoka have earned their black belts through the efforts of Tom & Hank Mukai, and the club has produced an outstanding list of national senior and junior champions throughout the years. The club has developed into one of the strongest and largest on the west coast.