Important Men in the Development of Karate
by Steve Denoo
Click on the picture to go to more information about each of them.
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As we travel along, it is often important to look back and reflect on those that have gone before us. What did they do, how did they do it, and why did they do it.
I am sure that you all know the stories about the Japanese invading Okinawa. How they, in an effort to control the population, took all weapons away. Then when that failed to tighten the control even further, took away metal except for one knife chained to a block in the center of town. The Okinawans had their own form of martial arts, strengthened by study in China, a trading partner of Okinawa. They were able to protect themselves from those less than honorable Samurai. Later, the Japanese became aware of what they had overlooked, and were quick to copy and improve on what they saw. They were not rigidly holding to one pattern or style as had occurred in China. I find it somewhat humorous that today government leaders try to take the weapons away from the people in the US with the argument that they are only for our protection. Is history trying to repeat itself here? I think so. When the means of a people to resist tyranny it grows and overwhelms them.
Karate's RootsWe must start in India, then travel to China to an art taught to the monks by Bodhidharma, a Buddhist monk, who to protect himself learned to harden various parts of his body.
1393, a Chinese economic and cultural mission is established in Okinawa. This allowed the Chinese language to become a part of Okinawan culture, reading and writing, many Okinawans traveled back and forth to China. 1393,
1609, the Satsuma clan from Japan, invaded Okinawa, weapons were banned, practice of Martial Arts were also banned. This only caused them to flourish only underground.
Goju-ryu Karate-do shares its roots with other styles of karate developed over the centuries from the unarmed fighting arts of China. These arts came to Okinawa, where they underwent development and combination with the Okinawan unarmed fighting styles. Several different approaches to self-defence came to the front at this time, with one centered in the city of Naha. Higashionna went to China and studied under a man named Master Woo (Ru in Japanese) who was a practitioner of Chinese boxing. Higashionna trained under Master Woo for around 15 to 20 years. On his return to Okinawa he combined his native fighting system with the Chinese system and became the father of Naha-Te (Fist of Naha). His fame spread throughout the island and students started to come to him for instruction. Among them was a student named Chogun Miyagi. He believed, "Those who learn the great art of karate should help others, never seek trouble, and refrain from fighting." He went to China and at the age of 22 having studied the martial arts for 6 years previously, and then studied for 15-20 years there under Master Woo a practitioner of Chinese Boxing, he then returned to Okinawa. He combined his native Okinawan art with the Chinese to become the father of what became known as Naha-te.
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Chojun Miyagi worked hard to spread karate throughout Okinawa and mainland Japan, and to earn Naha-te a status equal to that of the highly respected Japanese martial arts of Judo and Kendo. To achieve this he traveled frequently to mainland Japan where he was invited to teach Karate at Kyoto University, Kansai University and Ritsumei Kan University. In 1933 Karate was registered at the Butokukai, the center for all martial arts in Japan. This was a milestone for karate as it meant that it was recognized on a level with the highly respected martial arts of Japan. The naming of Goju-Ryu came about more by accident than design. In 1930, Chojun Miyagi's top student, Jin'an Shinzato, while in Tokyo was asked by numerous martial arts masters as to what school of martial arts he practiced. As Naha-te te had no formal name he could not answer this question. On his return to Okinawa he reported this incident to Chojun Miyagi. After much consideration Chojun Miyagi decided on the name Goju-Ryu (hard & soft school) as a name for his style. This name he took from a line in the Bubishi ( a classical Chinese text on martial arts and other subjects). This line which appears in a poem describing the eight precepts of the martial arts, reads, "Ho Goju Donto" (the way of inhaling and exhaling is hardness and softness). Chojun Miyagi passed away on October 8th, 1953, leaving a great legacy behind. He predicted that during the twentieth century karate would spread throughout the world. Today we can see that his prediction has been realized; Karate is not only practiced in Japan, but it can be found throughout the countries of the world. Karate can no longer be referred to as a solely Okinawan or Japanese martial art, but it has become and art with no boundaries, an art for all nations and all the people of the world. Chojun Miyagi was a strict teacher of the martial arts but he showed great affection and love for his students. He would always consider the well being of his students, not only in their training but in their everyday lives as well. He would always try and guide them along the correct path.
Master Funakoshi was the first expert to introduce karate to mainland Japan. In 1916 he gave a demonstration to the Butokuden in Kyoto, Japan. On March 6, 1921, the Crown Prince, who was later to become the Emperor of Japan, visited Okinawa and Master Funakoshi was asked to demonstrate karate. In the early spring of 1922 Master Funakoshi traveled to Tokyo to present his art at the First National Athletic Exhibition in Tokyo organized by the Ministry of Education. He was strongly urged by several eminent groups and individuals to remain in Japan, and indeed he never did return to Okinawa. Oyama trained at his school before moving on to Yamaguchi's school which was more suited to his desire for real Karate instead of the "way" it was becoming, with its emphasis on internal instead of external.
Master Funakoshi taught only one method, a total discipline, which represented a synthesis of Okinawan karate styles. This method became known as Shotokan, literally the clan or the house of Shoto, which was the Master's pen name for his poetry, denoting the sound of the wind blowing through pines. [Top]
At an early age, his second year of primary school, he began learning Jigen-ryu Kenjutsu (a famous school of Japanese fencing). Later when he met a Mr. Maruta, a carpenter from Okinawa, who taught him the basics of karate, something changed. The young Yamaguchi practiced fencing during the day, and karate at night. His only interest was in getting stronger and stronger, and he was well pleased with the results of his karate training: "I found my physical condition entirely changed after a few years of karate training. My legs and loins became stronger and my muscles and bones were greatly developed. Above all, I found myself ready to defend and counterattack at any instant." When Yamaguchi first began teaching karate, his training was regarded as pretty wild. Other schools thought it was "street fighting," and according to his son, Gosei Yamaguchi, he (Gogen) more or less "invented his own way of working out" Gogen Yamaguchi also is credited for starting full contact in karate free-sparring. The karate masters of the time emphasized kata training and were not very enthusiastic about free-style kumite. This began the watering down of Karate, it is a fact that the development of Goju in Japan was the work of this man, Gogen Yamaguchi. "The Cat" is Yamaguchi's nickname. There are several reasons given for this, such as his long hair, which resembles a lion's mane, his movements which resemble those of a cat, or his use of the cat stance in sparring. Yamaguchi himself explained it to interviewer Rolland Gaillac, of the French magazine "Karate" (April 1977 edition), in the following words: "Even today, young man, if you were to face me in combat, I would be able to determine in a second the strength of your Ki. Immediately I would know if you were a good opponent. It is this quality, and no other, which has given me the name of The Cat."
Peter Urban, in his great book "Karate Dojo" tells a story about how Yamaguchi had killed a tiger bare-handed (throttling it to death, after kicking it in the nose). You can get a copy of Gogen Yamaguchi's autobiographical book Karate: Goju-ryu by the Cat.
1929 型の、Chojun Chojun-Miyagi は日本に教えるために空手行くJu Ryu 移動した。彼の旅行の1 回の1931 年に彼は空手の行Ju 様式の学生そして支持者に似合ったかだれが< B>Gogen Yamaguchi 、 に会った。Yamaguchi は京都にRitsumeikan University に最初の空手クラブを確立した。この学校は堅い訓練のために有名になった。訓練は技術の保有物を含まなかったこととKata 、後で来た今日と別のsparring のprimarly でなかった [Top]
So Nei-ChuThe GoJu teacher that helped put Mas Oyama on the path that lead to Kyokushin, said of So Nei-Chu, "When I was driven almost to self-ruin, Mr. So Nei-Chu, an elder of my native province, rescued me from the crisis. Mr. So, a thinker and master of karate, was a rare man of character and confidence. Moreover, he was a devotee of the Nichiren Sect. He preached to me that martial arts and religion are inseparably united and taught me the scripture of his sect. When I was at my wits' end as to what to do and went to see him, Mr. So, after encouraging me, said, 'You had better withdraw from the world. Seek solace in nature. Retreat to some lone mountain hide out to train your mind and body. In three years you will gain something immeasurable. As the proverb goes, "Temper the heated iron before it gets cold, so train yourself in self discipline before you grow older if you wish to be a great man."' When I heard Mr. So's advice, I felt as if I had been awakened and I suddenly understood the path to take. The Oriental Confucian maxim is: 'First train one's self, manage a household, and then reign of over a country.' It is essential to train one's self if one wants to administer the affairs of state wealth. To Mr. So, I shall forever be grateful for his advice and instruction which made me what I am as a karate master. I made up my mind to concentrate on the difficult road ahead. I reviewed all the futile actions I had taken in the past and decided, as advised by Mr. So, to isolate myself at Mt. Kiyozumi in Chiba Prefecture."
So it is that we touch those in our lives without the slightest ideal of what greatness can come from the right word at the right time. [Top]
The world is a dangerous place, and Mas Oyama taught that in order to help protect those less fortunate than yourself you should train hard in Karate. Train more than you sleep. Your training must be real. You must always imagine your opponent in front of you. Yet you must be in control so that you do not hurt anyone, or you have dishonored yourself and the style. It is an honor for me to put on my gi to train. If you are good people will ask you to teach them, you need not boast about what style you practice, or your level of attainment. Your actions will tell everyone how good or bad you are. It is better to be a very good white belt than a poor black belt.
In 1938, at the age of 15, Mas Oyama moved to Japan to train as an aviator, and continued his martial arts training by participating in judo and boxing. Shortly afterwards, he began training at the dojo of Gichin Funakoshi, who had brought karate from Okinawa to Japan and developed what is now known as Shotokan Karate. Mas Oyama's training progressed so rapidly that by the age of 17, he was a Nidan (2nd Dan), and by the age of 20, he was a Yondan (4th Dan) in Shotokan. At this point, Mas Oyama took a serious interest in Judo, and in less than four years he achieved the rank of Yondan in Judo as well.
After the end of World War II, Mas Oyama began training under So Nei Chu, one of the highest authorities in Japan of Goju Ryu, an Okinawan karate style. So Nei Chu, renowned for the power of his body as well as his spiritual insight, encouraged Mas Oyama to dedicate his life to the Martial Way. He suggested that Mas Oyama retreat from civilization for three yearsto train his mind and body without the distractions of the outside world.
A few months later, in 1947, Mas Oyama won the karate section of the first Japanese National Martial Arts Championships after World War II. However, still feeling empty for not having completed the three years of solitude, he decided to dedicate his life completely to karate. Once again Mas Oyama left civilization for the wilderness, this time going to Mt. Kiyozumi, also in Chiba Prefecture, which he chose for its spiritually uplifting environment. This time his training was fanatical � 12 hours a day, every day, with no rest days, standing under cold buffeting waterfalls, breaking river stones with his hands, using trees as makiwara (striking boards), jumping over rapidly growing flax plants hundreds of times each day. Each day also included a period of study of the ancients classics on the martial arts, Zen, and philosophy. After eighteen months of rigorous training, Mas Oyama returned to civilization fully confident in himself and able to take control of his life.
In the 1950s, Mas Oyama began demonstrating his power and skill by fighting bulls. In all, he fought 52 bulls, three of which he killed instantly and 49 of whose horns he took off with shuto (knife hand) strikes. In 1952, Mas Oyama traveled throughout the United States for a year, demonstrating his karate live and on national television. During subsequent years, he took on all challengers, resulting in fights with 270 different people. He defeated the vast majority of his opponents with just one technique. A fight never lasted more than three minutes, and rarely lasted more than a few seconds. Mas Oyama's fighting technique was based on the Samurai warriors' principle of "Ichi geki hissatsu", or "One strike, certain death". If he got through to you, the fight was over. If he hit you, you broke � if you blocked his punch, your arm was broken or dislocated, if you didn't block it, your rib was broken. Because of his strength and skill, he became known as "the Godhand".
In order to test his own abilities, Mas Oyama decided to perform a three hundred man kumite (fight) in three days. He chose the strongest students in his dojo to fight him one at a time. After each had a turn, they started from the beginning again until all three hundred fights were completed. Each student had to face Mas Oyama about four times over the three days, though some never made it past the first day due to Oyama's powerful blows. He defeated all of his opponents, never wavering in his resolve, despite the fact that he was injured in the process. Legend has it that Mas Oyama was willing to go for a fourth day, but no opponents were willing or able to do so.
Since its inception, Kyokushin Karate has spread to more than 120 countries, with more than twelve million practitioners, making it one of the largest martial arts styles in the world today.
Sadly, Mas Oyama (a non-smoker) died of lung cancer in 1994. [Top]
A story was told by Higa Sensei, that there was a karateka whose name was Machaa Buntoku or Kinjo Matsu in Itoman village, Okinawa. He was born in 1867. People said that he had been practicing karate in Fuzhou city, Fujian province, China and mastered the fighting arts in depth. Hearing about Machaa Buntoku, Miyagi Sensei, went and visited him together with his students, Jin-an Shinzato and Seiko Higa. Miyagi Sensei asked him to show them his best Kata that he mastered in China. Then Machaa Buntoku put on Hachimaki (headband) and performed a strange dance in front of them. He danced and danced. Seeing his strange dance, Seiko Higa thought this old man must be crazy or mad because of his old age. Jin-an Shinzato who was yet young at that time lost his temper to see his dance and told him "OK. Dance is enough! Show me your fighting technique! I will be your opponent." Shinzato delivered a karate blow at him, but Shinzato was thrown down by the dancing old man and hurt his back. Everyone there felt awkward about it, so they bowed to the old man and went home. On the way home no one spoke. This dancing old man, had just showed them his best Kata, however, they had never supposed that his dancing was his fighting technique. So when learning Kata, remember it is not dancing, it is fighting technique. [Top]
As a young man YAGI Sensei was well known as the makiwara breaker. He was able to break a punching board at will. On occasions he would pick out a particularly tough makiwara to break when others said it was impossible. "I don't like talking about karate" said Mr. Meitoku Yagi. It means he does not like talking on how you can defeat an opponent by technique like this or how you can win by karate and so on. It is also one of the teachings of his master, Chojun Miyagi. They say that Miyagi Sensei has no story of actual karate feat in battle. Every karateka whose hands and feet can be used as a sword should remember what Mr. Yagi means. Yagi became very strong from his training and his fighting spirit through Sanchin kata practice. He taught moral aspect of karate or "the way of morality." There is an episode about this that goes like this; One day Mr. Yagi went to public baths, he still trained karate under Miyagi Sensei. While at the baths, he helped an old man wash his back. The old man saw the bruised shoulders of the kind youth and said "You go to Miyagi Sensei's Dojo, don't you?" He also said, "Namanugutudo Sundoo." ( "You should be always kind to elderly people like you did to me now." in Okinawan dialect.) and he thanked Mr. Yagi. Later Miyagi Sensei heard this story, so he visited Mr. Yagi at home and said "You did well! It is worthwhile teaching you karate." Miyagi Sensei was delighted. He praised Mr. Yagi. It is reported that during Miyagi's training he would strike the students, and they would have bruises all over their arms legs and back. "I am an ordinary man. I have nothing special and strong." said Mr. Yagi. It means he takes the same attitude toward karate as Miyagi Sensei; karate is the same as Zen. The mottos at Meibukan, Mr. Yagi's karate Dojo, are "Flowing water of a river never compete with each other to go ahead of the others." and "The truth of karate exists in the training of your mind and spirit." He was the only student Miyagi authorized to teach Go-Ju-Ryu. and when Master Miyagi died he became the chief instructor of Go-Ju-Ryu in Okinawa. [Top]
Shinjo Sensei, was known for his gentle nature and extraordinary strength. Shinjo began his study of karate in 1953 and in 1963 opened his own dojo. Over the next decades Shinjo would hold anniversary demonstrations and see his organization grow to include schools not only on the mainland of Japan, but also in North and South America, South Africa, Europe, and India. In 1982, Masanobu Shinjo was awarded the 9th dan and the title "Hanshi" by the Okinawa Goju Ryu Goju-Kai, making him one of the highest ranking Goju Ryu karate masters on Okinawa. Master Yagi, who is a 10th dan in Goju Ryu, described Shinjo as being closer to Master Miyagi in the way he performed kata and techniques than any other Goju Ryu practitioner. This is a result of Shinjo's seeking out anyone on Okinawa who had trained under Miyagi for the purpose of studying their individual kata, since Miyagi usually had each of his students specialize in only one kata, along with Sanchin. In this way, Shinjo was able to learn all aspects of Goju Ryu as Miyagi had previously done with the study of Naha-Te under Higashionna. One of Shinjo's primary instructors was Meitoku Yagi, who was one of Miyagi Sensei's top students. Through this direct lineage, the teachings of Miyagi's art were maintained. In 1990, Shinjo succeeded Yagi as President of the Okinawa Goju Ryu Goju-Kai, while still serving as chief instructor of the organization which he founded, the Okinawa Goju Ryu Shobukan Association. Shinjo also became the President of the All Okinawa Karate-Do Association, the prestigious organization which encompasses all of the traditional styles of karate-do on Okinawa. The karate world suffered a serious loss in October of 1993 with the passing of Master Shinjo after a yearlong illness. Like Master Miyagi, Shinjo had spent his life promoting Goju-Ryu, making trips to China and the Shaolin Temple, Taiwan, and visiting his United States Shobukan headquarters and branch schools. [Top]
Seikichi Toguchi, Studied with Master Miyagi until his death in 1953. He returned to Okinawa and assisted in rebuilding his war-torn homeland. In 1952, Sensei Miyagi named him Executive Director of the Goju Ryu Association. In 1969 he was invited to be the Okinawan karate representative at the first world tournament held in Tokyo. Master Seikichi Toguchi was born in the city of Naha, Okinawa in May, 1917. His Karate training started with his father at an early age, then at the age of 15, he began training with Master Higa Seiko and Master Miyagi. Shortly after that, Master Toguchi formed Okinawa Karate-Do Goju-Ryu Shorei-Kan (School of Respect and Courtesy).
He continued and persisted in following the spirit of Master Miyagi. He promoted and developed Karate that resulted in a unique and practical system that has since been taught to thousands of people. [Top]
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It was not long before Bobby Lowe became the first Kyokushin uchi deshi or "live-in student" of Mas Oyama's. He trained daily with Mas Oyama for one and a half years. Eventually, an uchi deshi's time became "1000 days for the beginning". These uchi deshi became known as Wakajishi, or the "Young Lions" of Mas Oyama and only a few of the hundreds of applicants were chosen each year for the privilege of training full time under the Master. In 1957, Bobby Lowe returned to Hawaii to open the first School of Oyama outside Japan. He conducts Kyokushin self-defense seminars throughout the world and has taught self-defense techniques to law enforcement officers in Honolulu, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Europe and the U.S. He has more than 50 years of combined martial arts experience and is referred to, in Kyokushin circles, as the instructor's instructor. [Top]
After completing his engineering education, Hanshi Arneil went back home to Northern Rhodesia. Still fascinated with the Orient, he decided to go there and experience it for himself, and his Chinese friend gave him the names of people to train with in China. Fresh out of college and without any money, Arneil got a job as an engineer on a ship and worked his way from Dar es Salaam, Tanganyika (now Tanzania), to Kowloon, Hong Kong. From there, he went into China and traveled northward to the province of Manchuria, where he came to a monastery at which he studied Shorin (Shaolin) Kempo. The rigorous training, strict discipline, daily work in the monastery's fields and daily meditation was just what Arneil was looking for � he was in "seventh heaven." Around 1961 he heard of a karate master in Japan named Mas Oyama, and he was determined to go there and seek him out. He saved his money with great sacrifice went to Japan. At first, Hanshi Arneil studied Goju Ryu karate under Gogen Yamaguchi. Don Draeger took him to Oyama's dojo, where he had to watch for 8 weeks without being allowed to train. Oyama told him he would have to start at the beginning regardless of previous accomplishments. By the time he left Japan in 1965, he had gained the rank of 3rd dan and had been the first person to complete the 100 man kumite (which he completed in one day not two as has previously been reported) after Mas Oyama. Steve Arneil was "adopted" by Mas Oyama, in order to allow Steve to marry a Japanese woman.After his marriage, Steve Arneil travelled with his new wife to Great Britain. In that year, he and Shihan Bob Boulton founded the British Karate Kyokushinkai (BKK) orginazation. The first full time dojo was located in East London. The number of clubs expanded world wide. His 8th dan was awarded to him, not by Japan or Mas Oyama and Kyokushin, but by the entire British karate community for his services to karate in Great Britain. On May 26th, 2001, Hanshi was awarded his 9th dan by the IFK Country Representatives at their meeting in Berlin.
He became the adopted son of Oyama. A remarkable man, worth reading about. Truly worthy of his title. [Top]
Jon Bluming was born in 1933 in Amsterdam, and grew up in a very poor section of the city. In 1936 the family moved again to a little better neighborhood a few blocks away where many small shopowners and diamand cutters lived mostly of the Jewish faith.
John teaches only Traditional Kyokushin Karate
Kyokushin Budokai Full Contact All Round Fighting Karate and Free fighting.
Kancho Bluming began this style of Karate in 1980. After many years of training Kyokushin Karate and Judo, he was of the opinion that combining the two styles would result in a more effective form and realistic form of All Round Fighting Karate. That he is most certainly right as is evident from the many competition styles that arose, such as the Dai Do Juku, Free fight and Pancrase.
Andy was only 19 years old when he fought in Japan for the first time, at the Kyokushin 3rd World Open Tournament in 1983. Andy was a newcomer and a young talent, and he impressed the whole world with his unique fighting skills and technique. Four years later, at the 4th Kyokushin World Open in 1987, Andy made it to the finale by easily defeating big fighters like Masuda from Japan and Ademir da Costa from Brazil - both of whom have passed the ultimate test in Kyokushin, the 100 men kumite.
The 4th World Open final was a fight against the two best technical fighters ever in the history of Kyokushin: Matsui and Andy. It was the first time ever that a non-Japanese fighter was in a World Open finale, and today Kyokushin karate-ka and fight lovers around the world still talk about the big finale, and about the outcome and the result. But no matter the result, Andy opened a new area for European and western fighters, and showed the world that by hard training and true skills, anybody can become a champion. To a lot of people, Andy was the true winner of the finale, and should have been the champion of the 4th World Open Tournament.
n 1989, Andy Hug became Kyokushin European Champion in the Heavyweight Division for the second time. Andy was a superior European champion, and he was so popular that he traveled around the countries of Europe as a special guest instructor at Kyokushin summer camps to teach the art of knock down karate. Before Andy Hug left Kyokushin karate in 1992, to fight for Seidokaikan Karate and in the K-1, he fought against the best fighters and the biggest names in the history of Kyokushin, and only lost a very few fights. Even though it has been more than 8 years since Andy Hug left the Kyokushin karate organization, Andy is still remembered and respected as a superstar and idol for many Kyokushin members - as the true champion that he was for more than a decade in Japan and around the world.
The same year Andy Hug left the Kyokushin organization, he became World Open Champion in Seido karate, by wining the finale against Taiei Kin on 5-0 judge decision. One year later, in 1993, Andy was again in the finale in the Seido World Cup, by wining on TKO against the famous fighter Nobukai Kakuda in the opening rounds. The finale was a fight against the Japanese champion Masaaki Satake. It was a finale where Andy Hug controlled the fight from start to finish! Andy even hit Satake in the face with his famous axe kick so hard that Satake went down. But fighting against the national hero and champion, Andy was fighting against uneven odds, and he lost the fight and the finale on tameshiwari after three extension rounds. But he won the heart of the Japanese people, and got the nickname: The samurai with blue eyes.
Andy was in Japan when he collapsed, and was taken to the Nippon Medical School Hospital for further tests and medical examination. Andy's personal physician found a swelling tumor on the left side of his neck, and that was when doctors realized he was suffering from Leukemia. Treatment began immediately, including chemotherapy. Andy knew that he was seriously ill, and so he contacted his wife Ilona by phone to tell her the news about his health and his condition. Andy told Ilona that he would not return to Switzerland, but that he would stay in Japan. Andy said: Japan is my home, and here I will stay and fight the illness.
He did not win this one. [Top]
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Students around the world continue to try and capture some of the essence of Kancho's style of fighting in their own training.
His exceptional tournament record, over three successive years in particular, led Sosai Oyama to call him "a true champion". In 1985, at the age of 22, he won the 12th All Japan Open Tournament.
In 1986, he won the 13th All Japan Open Tournament and in 1987, he won the 4th World Open Karate Tournament. Additionally, in 1986 he succeeded in the One Hundred Men Kumite, achieving the highest rate of knockdowns and wins in this ultimate challenge, which only a select few have managed to complete.
He succeeded in winning the All Japan Championships in the consecutive years of 1985 and 1986 and then successfully completed the ultimate Kyokushin challenge, the "100 Man Kumite" in record time.
In May 1992, he opened his own school in Asakusa, Tokyo and was appointed Branch Chief by Sosai Mas Oyama. On April 26,1994, Sosai Mas Oyama died, leaving the Directorship of the worldwide organization to Matsui, who then became "Kancho"(Director).
Kancho Matsui staged the 11th All Japan Weight Tournament and in November, the 27th All Japan Championships to which over 16,000 spectators attended. The following year, he produced the hugely successful, Sixth World Open Karate Tournament, to which 168 fighters from all over the world competed and more than 25,000 spectators witnessed.
Currently, the International Karate Organization has over 12 million members in 125 countries. Kancho Matsui travels to scores of Branches each year in countries around the globe to teach the Kyokushin Way and spread the spirit and techniques of our style while simultaneously managing the organization from the World Headquarters (Honbu) in Japan.
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Narve Laret - The spirit of Viking Power From a small town south of Oslo, Norway a big man My friend Mr. Narve Laeret now at 43 set a world record break in January of 2006 crushing 36 cement blocks, he is now the holder of 10 world record breaking titles. An unusual man that is sought after by others to join their style. A former member of Norway's toughest armed forces, he has trained many years with dedication that makes such feats possible. His attitude is to win! He says of those that say "Join and do your best? Only losers say that, if I can't win I won't bother to be a part of it." Look for him to set more records in the future. A family man, whose wife and children are the light of his life, he is he true spirit of all that is good in Kyokushin. Today he trains at his ownn Karate Klub in Horton, Norway. Stop in and say hello. This is where you will really learn Karate, from a World Champion.
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