The International Martial Arts Centre (IMC), previously known as The International Kempo Martial Arts Academy, is the oldest continuously run Martial Arts school in New South Wales.



The centre was founded in 1980 by 7th Dan black belt Paul Zadro and since its inception has been teaching Kempo Karate, Brazilian Ju Jitsu and Thai Kickboxing to men, women and children.

The IMC has had an unprecedented record for training World Class Martial Artists and has been rated the International Sport Karate Association's (ISKA) number one school in the country for 13 out of the past 16 rated years.

Although its origins are obscure it is generally believed that Karate has evolved from a system of self defence taught to Monks at the Shaolin Monastery in Northern China many centuries ago by DAMURA (Bodhidharma), a Buddhist Monk from India.

After Damura introduced this system it spread through China and with modifications became known as Kung Fu and also KEMPO. The founder of the style you are about to study was James Masayoshi Mitose. He was the 21st descendant of his line. The style follows the teaching of the KOSHU family and was first taught on the island of Kyushu to monks and family, and each adding the learning to his line to that of the next.

KEMPO was founded in Australia in 1980 by Kyoshi Paul Zadro. KEMPO is a rapidly growing Martial Art, there being many accredited instructors in Australia, some of which are listed on the ‘Our Instructors’ page.