Our Founding History.

Ronnie Watt founded the Scottish Samurai Awards in 1994.  They were based on the Japanese ‘Order of the Rising Sun’ (ORS), which Japan awarded to Thomas Blake Glover in 1908.  Glover was the first person to be awarded an ORS that was not Japanese.  He became known as the Scottish Samurai.  In 2004 Ronnie Watt was also awarded the ORS by the Emperor of Japan making Ronnie the second Scottish Samurai. It was the ORS award that inspired Ronnie to found the Scottish Samurai awards in 1994. From humble beginnings after receiving a Sports Award from Aberdeen City Council for his many achievements in Karate.   More than 2 decades later the Samurai awards have been a great success and are now a coveted award and Ronnie himself has collected an ORS from the Emperor of Japan and an OBE from the Queen.

Similar to the ORS the Scottish Samurai awards celebrate those who excel and those who serve with distinction. The awards are given for free. You can’t buy one. You must be chosen and you should know it is a great honor to receive one.  People have chosen to put you forward for this award because you are appreciated and admired for what you have done. It is both recognition and a celebration of you.

The Scottish Samurai

The Scottish Samurai – Each year, previous award winners are invited to nominate individuals who they believe would be worthy recipients of these awards.  The Award Committee then examines the work and achievements of the nominees and the winners in each category are selected.

The current Samurai awards board includes the Consul General of Japan in Edinburgh Mr. Hajime Kitaoka, Lord Charles Bruce, Lady Bruce (Alice Enders), Tommy Dreelan, Compton Ross and previous award winners.

Previous Samurai award winners you may recognise include the Consul General of Japan in Edinburgh Hajime Kitaoka, Lord Elgin, Lord Charles Bruce of the Clan Bruce, Alice Enders, Compton Ross, Tommy Dreelan (Celtic Speed), Billy Connolly CBE, Frank Gilfeather, Sir Ian Wood, Peter Carry and Alex Salmond MP (former First Minister of Scotland.)

Post Nominal Letters – Order of the Scottish Samurai

 OSS   エリート武士       OSS Elite Samurai     

 OSS 伝説の侍　              OSS Legendary Samurai

 OSS 将軍                          OSS Shogun

OSS 大将軍                       OSS Great Shogun

The Samurai awards are a recognised awarding body and as a member of the Scottish Samurai you are entitled to use the post nominal letters ‘OSS’. The post nominal letters that you may use are in English with Japanese characters.

Example – Joe  OSS将軍

This allows Joe when asked, to explain both the meaning of OSS and that the Japanese characters means ‘Shogun’ allowing him to explain his award.