Kyokushin is a style of stand-up, full contact karate founded by Masutatsu Oyama (大山倍達) in 1964. Kyokushinkai is Japanese for "the society for the ultimate truth." A very practical method of self defense, Kyokushin is deep rooted in the philosophies of self-improvement and discipline. Its full contact style has had international appeal (practitioners number as high as 10 million, 12 million, and even 20 million).

Kyokushin has influenced much of the "full-contact" school of karate, emphasizing realistic training, physical toughness, and practicality in its training curriculum. Many other martial arts organizations have "spun-off" of Kyokushin over the years, with some adding additional techniques, such as grappling, but usually continuing with the same philosophy of realistic and practical training methods.

History

Origin

The following is a brief overview of the early life of Masutatsu "Mas" Oyama, although several prominent karate leaders, including Jon Bluming, one of the original students of Mas Oyama, openly question the veracity of certain elements of this story:

The founder of Kyokushin, Masutatsu Oyama, was born Choi Yeong-eui on 27 July, 1923 in southern Korea. As a young child, Oyama studied Chinese and Korean Kempo. In 1938, he emigrated to Japan and studied Judo and Okinawan Karate under Gichin Funakoshi. He attained upper rank or "dan" status in both disciplines. He would eventually attain 4th Dan in judo, and 2 dan in karate under Funakoshi. He would also train under under Yoshida Kotaro, a famous Daito-ryu jujutsu/yanagi-ryu Aikijujutsu master. Although details are unknown, Kotaro presented Oyama with a "Meikyo kaiden" -a older form of grade, a scroll signifying mastery. Also, at this time he took his Japanese name, Masutatsu Oyama, in order to better assimilate into Japan. Masutatsu, or simply, Mas, Oyama was the name he would primarily use for the rest of his life. After World War II, Oyama trained in Goju Ryu karate under a Korean master- So Nei Chu. He would finaly attain 8th Dan in Goju ryu karate, the final grades given to him by the japanese Goju ryu legend Gogen Yamagushi. During this time, he retreated into the mountains for almost three years to train in solitude. Oyama engaged in intense, full-time martial arts training during this period and also traveled to the U.S. to engage in exhibition bouts with professional wrestlers.

In 1953, Oyama opened his own karate dojo, named "Oyama Dojo," in Tokyo but continued to travel around Japan and the world giving martial arts demonstrations, including the fighting and killing of live bulls with his bare hands. His dojo was first located outside in an empty lot, but eventually moved into a ballet school 1956. Oyama's own curriculum soon developed a reputation as a tough, intense, hard-hitting, but practical style, which was finaly named "kyokushin" in a cermony 1957. He also developed a reputation for being "rough" with his students, often injuring them, during training sessions. As the reputation of the dojo grew, students were attracted to come to train there from in and outside Japan and the number of students grew. Many of the eventual senior leaders of today's various Kyokushin-based organizations began training in the style during this time. In 1964, Oyama moved the dojo into the building that would from then on serve as the kyokushin home dojo and world headquarter. In connection with this he also formally founded the organization "International karate organization kyokushinkaikan" (commonly abbreviated to IKO or IKOK), to organize the many schools that was by then teaching the kyokushin style.

1964 to 1994

After formally establishing Kyokushin-kai, Oyama directed the organization through a period of expansion. Oyama and his staff of hand-picked instructors displayed great ability in marketing the style 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 usually demonstrate 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 a few students for his new dojo. After that, word of mouth would spread through the local area until the dojo had a dedicated core of students. Oyama also sent instructors to other countries such as the United States of America and Brazil to spread Kyokushin in the same way. Upon Oyama's death, the International Karate Organization (IKO) splintered into several groups, in part due to conflict over who would succeed Oyama as chief and the future structure and philosophy of the organization. It was reported that Oyama named Matsui as his successor from his death bed, even though Matsui was junior to many others in the IKO organization. Some of the other senior members accepted Matsui as the new chief, and some didn't and left the organization. Matsui claimed that he and IKO owned the intellectual rights to all Kyokushin trademarks, symbols, and even the name Kyokushin. However, the Japanese legal system has recently ruled against Matsui and IKO in this matter.

Kyokushin Today

Originally existing as a single organization, Kyokushinkai now exists as several large organizations with the "Kyokushin" title, plus various other organizations that teach similar techniques but go by different names. Also, numerous dojo throughout the world claim to teach a Kyokushin curriculum without formally belonging to one of the Kyokushin "umbrella" organizations. Although difficult to quantify, it is conjectured that the number of students and instructors involved in learning or teaching the style or one of its close variations around the world is significant.

Some controversy has plagued the Kyokushin organization (International Karate Organization Kyokushinkaikan, usually shortened to the abbreviation "IKO") since the death of Masutatsu Oyama. Shokei Matsui assumed leadership based on a will that soon became contested. In a meeting of the branch chiefs it was decided by vote to request Matsui to relinquish the leadership, and when he refused to do so the organization split into what is today known as IKO1 and IKO2 (shin-kyokushin). Many other splits and rifts soon followed. In the resulting power and legal struggles, many factions of the original IKO has formed. Many using the identical IKO name and claiming to be the one and original organization, with differing and hotly debated arguments and proof to support this. To differ the identically named organizations, many today use a number after the IKO abbreviation (IKO1, IKO2 and so on) to separate them. This is entirely a custom of convenience, and has no official use.

Oyama's widow died in June 2006 after a long illness. The youngest of Oyama's daughters Kikuko (also known as Kuristina) has maintained the original Honbu Dojo with her husband, Yoshikazu Suzuki, after it was returned to them by Matsui in anticipation of a court order to do so in 1999, and recently formed an organization using the IKO name.

The organizations that resulted from the split after Oyama's death are generally recognized as three large IKO groups and a few smaller ones. The "Matsui" IKO group (often referred to as IKO1) led by Shokei Matsui, is reportedly the largest and most commercially oriented. It is from this group that the other groups splintered from. The "Midori" IKO group (often referred to as IKO2) led by Kenji Midori, is the second largest group. In 2002, the organization changed their name in Japan to the WKO (World Karate Organization) Shin-kyokushin kaikan. Outside of Japan, the organization still uses the IKO naming convention. The "Matsushima" IKO group (often referred to as IKO3) led by Yoshikazu Matsushima, is the third largest group. The "Tekuza" IKO group (often referred to as IKO4) led by Toru Tezuka, is considerably smaller than the top three. This organization split from the "Matsushima" IKO group in 2000. The "Oyama" or "Oyama Family" IKO group is the most recent addition; led by Oyama's youngest daughter, Kikuko. This group was started after Kikuko Oyama won the copyrights to the names in court 2003, however this legal decision has not pressured the other groups to as of yet change their names.

There are several other groups that have formed for the purpose of teaching the kyokushin style without using the name IKO. The Rengokai (or Kyokushin Union) was formed 2001. The Kyokushin-kan group created by Hatsuo Royama who left the Matsui group in 2003. The International Federation of Karate (IFK), led by Steve Arneil of England - former Branch Chief of Oyama, was formed in 1991 before Oyama's death. Kyokushin Budo Kai (KBK) was created by Jon Bluming who was expelled from IKO in 1967. It too recently splintered into two different groups who both at the moment still use the same name - one led by Jon Bluming the other by Gerard Gordeau.

Techniques and Training

Kyokushin ^[5]training consists of three main elements: (1) technique, (2) forms, and (3) sparring. These are sometimes referred to as the three "K's" after the Japanese words for them: kihon (technique), kata (forms), and kumite (sparring).

Technique (kihon)

The Kyokushin system is based on traditional karate like shotokan and Goju Ryu, but incorporates many elements of combat sports like boxing and kickboxing in kumite. Many techniques like mae oroshi kakato geri (axe kick) are not found in other styles of karate. Today, some kyokushin fighters (like Francisco Filho and Glaube Feitosa) appear in kickboxing events like K-1, but apart for some exceptions, Kyokushin does not allow its students to appear in paid fights and remain with the style. In the past this has caused many highranking competitors to leave the organization, even if they continue practice the art and skills of kyokushin.

In this form of karate the instructor and its students all must take part in hard sparring to prepare them for full contact fighting. Unlike some forms of karate, Kyokushin places high emphasis on full contact fighting which is done without any gloves or protective equipment. This apparent brutality is tempered somewhat due to the fact that you are not allowed to use a non-kick or non-knee strike to hit your opponent in the face, thus greatly reducing the possibility of serious injury. Knees or kicks to the head and face on the other hand are allowed.

In the earliest kyokushin tournaments and training sessions bare knuckle strikes to the face were allowed, but resulted in many injuries, and thus, students who were forced to withdraw from training. Mas Oyama believed that wearing protective gloves would detract from the realism that the style emphasizes. Therefore, it was decided that hand and elbow strikes to the head and neck would no longer be allowed in training and competition. Also, many governments don't allow bare knuckle strikes to the head in sanctioned martial arts competitions, providing further reason. The vast majority of Kyokushin organizations and "offshoot" styles today still follow this philosophy. However, at least one organization, Kyokushin-Kan, is attempting to bring face punching back into the training curriculum in a relatively safe way.

Technically kyokushin is a circular style. This is in opposition to Shotokan karate which is counted as a linear style, and closer to gojuryu which is counted as circular. Shotokan and Goju Ryu were the two styles of karate that Oyama learned before creating his own style. However, Oyama studied Shotokan for only a couple of years, before he switched to Goju Ryu where he got his advanced training. This reflects in Kyokushin, where the early training closely resembles Shotokan but gradually change closer to the circular techniques and strategies the higher you advance in the system.