JAPANESE KARATE KYOKUSHIN-KAN, INC.

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Kyokushi Kaikan is a style of stand-up, full contact karate, founded in 1964 by Masutatsu Oyama who was born under the name Choi Yong-I. Kyokushinkai is a Japanese for “the society of the ultimate truth.” This style of martial arts is rooted in a philosophy of self-improvement, discipline and hard training. Its full contact style has had international appeal. Kyokushin has influenced many of the “Full-Contact” schools of karate, emphasizing realistic combat, physical toughness, and practicality in its training curriculum. The Knockdown Karate Competition System pioneered by Kyokushin has been adopted by many different karate styles and organizations. Other martial arts organizations have “spun-off” from Full Contact over the years, with some adding additions, such as grappling techniques, but continuing with the same philosophy of realistic and practical training methods.

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            The origin of Kyokushin begins with Masutatsu Oyama and his inspirational youth. The founder of Ultimate Truth, Masutatsu Oyama, was born Choi Yong-I on 27, July 1923 in II-Loong, Korea, during the long period of Japanese occupation. As a young child, Oyama enjoyed fighting and watching others fight. In 1938 he immigrated to Japan and studied Okinawan Katate (hand to hand combat) under Gichin Funakoshi, eventually gaining 2nd Dan (the second stripe on the black belt). Later, Oyama also trained under Yoshida Kotaro, a famous Daito-ryu Aiki-jujutsu/Yanagai-ryu master, from Kotaro. This scroll is still on display at the Honbu dojo in Tokyo. In 1964, after he received his 4th Dan, Oyama established his dojo in a building he refurbished not far from the ballet studio at Rikkyo from which most of his students came. Oyama also formally founded the International Karate Organization Kyokushin Kaikan (commonly abbreviated to IKO or IKOK), this was to formally organize as many schools that were by then teaching the Kyokushin style.  This dojo at 3-3-9 Nishi-Ikebukuro , in the Toshima area of Tokyo, remains the world headquarters for one of these current karate factions. After formally establishing the Kyokushin Kaikan, Oyama direct the organization through the period of expansion. Oyama hand-picked personal instructors each of whom displayed the ability in marketing his style of karate and gaining new members. Oyama would choose an instructor to open a dojo in another town or city in Japan. The instructor would move to that town and begin demonstrating his karate skills in public places, such as at the civic gymnasium, the local police gym (where many Judo students would practice), a local park, or conduct martial arts demonstrations at local festivals or school events. In this way, the instructor would soon gain students for his new dojo. Once a dojo is up and running, a word of mouth would spread through the local area, building  the dojo a dedicated core of students. Oyama also sent instructors to other countries such as; Kenji Kurosaki, Netherlands, Shiego Kato, Australia, Seiji Isobe, Brazil, and Tadashi Nakamura, Shigeru Oyama and Yasuhuko Oyama, Miyuki Miura to the United States of America. They were t spread Kyokushin in the same way. In 1969, Oyama staged the first All Japan Full Contact Championships, which took Japan by storm.  In 1975, IKO held the first Open Full Contact World Karate Championships. Traditionally, world championships have been held at four-year intervals, although currently due to self-proclaimed representatives of the organizations, there are up to five so-called “world championsips” claiming to represent Kyokushin. The confusion worsened upon Oyama’s death as Master Oyama named no one as his successor; as a result many now claim to be the rightful leader of his organization. The International Karate Organization (IKO) splintered into several groups, primarily due to conflict over who would succeed Oyama as Chairman, a master over the future structure and philosophy of the organization. A supposed “last will and testament” was proven to be invlaid in the family Court of Tokyo in 1944, any claims made in that will indicating the true intention of Oyama was nullified. Before his death, a young and skilled student of Oyama’s named Akiypshi Matsui claimed that he personally owned the intellectual rights to all Kyokushin trademarks, symbols, and even the name “Kyokushin”. However, the Japanese legal system subsequently ruled against Matsui in this matter (as he had nothing to support his claim), returning the ownership of Oyama’s intellectual property back to his family. To this day, Matsui and his followers continue to claim he is the successor regardless of the fact that his claimed is supported by nothing but the hearsay of a handful of followers and Matsui’s business partners.

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            Today, Masutatsu Oyama’s Kyokushin is taught through dojos around the world.

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