Martial Arts: Kyokushin Karate Kyokushinkai
Kyokushin is a Karate style that is famous for its knock-down system of fighting. The style is characterized by its tenous training, conditioning and full contact sparring. Kyokushin Karate was developed by Sosei Masutatsu Oyama who in 1964 gave the style the name “Kyojushin”, which translates to “The Ultimate Truth”. Oyama held a 4th Dan in Judo, and also studied Goju Ryu Karate, Shotokan Karate (reaching 4th Dan at the age of 20) and some Korean martial arts which he developed into his own style called Kyokushin-kai (Kyokushin Karate).
Oyama was an extremely strong man who popularised his art by inviting challengers to fight him and through stunts, such as killing bulls with his bare hands. Black belt gradings in Kyokushinkai are well known for their large number of kumite (sparring fights), sometimes as many as a 100.
Steve Arneil trained with Mas Oyama in Japan for five years and was the first non-Japanese person to complete the 100-man kumite. This feat was later also acheived by John Jarvis, at the time the head of Kyokushinkai for the Asia Pacific. Jarvis later changed to practising Okinawan Goju Ryu Karate under Morio Higaonna.
Origin of Kyokushin Karate: Japan
Founder of Kyokushin Karate: “Mas” Masutatsu Oyama (1923-1994)
Popularised by Steve Arneil, who in 1991 founded the International Federation of Karate (IFK) and currently holds a 9th Dan.
July 10th, 2005 at 3:01 am
Hello, I have a Shodan in Renbukai Karate, a Shodan in Oyama Karate (a derivative of Kyokushin karate). I have been a full contact fighter from 1 […] more
August 6th, 2005 at 3:04 pm
I have found a Shihan in the Kyokushinkai karate style. He is 8th dan, and was taught by Oyama himself. He doesn’t have his own dojo, however he teach […] more
March 22nd, 2006 at 12:13 am
Hi, I practice and lived the style of Kyokushinkai for 4 years back in the mid 90s. I continue to workout and study about the style online as much as […] more
April 13th, 2006 at 1:39 pm
Muay Thai is closest. Master Oyama developed his style to adapt to Thai boxing after losing repeatedly to Thai fighters. It was a classic “if you can’ […] more
May 3rd, 2006 at 8:35 pm
I am a student of kyokushunkai I studied many years ago under shihun in a second floor flat at a downtown Brooklyn Flatbush Avenue location. I have no […] more
May 5th, 2006 at 8:22 pm
Try putting your instructor’s name into a search at intelius.com and call him
May 19th, 2006 at 7:32 pm
Wow, thanks for the info.
June 4th, 2006 at 4:43 pm
….You guys are forgetting something. Power is nothing unless you can hit… Speed is the most important thing…the more speedier, agile fighter wi […] more
June 11th, 2006 at 12:54 am
Can anyone tell me if this style can be used on the streets?
June 11th, 2006 at 12:06 pm
Hey can anyone answer my question. What is a dan? You guys say that you are some number and then dan. Is it like a belt that you get when you go into […] more
June 15th, 2006 at 10:48 am
I found the comment about the speedier more agile fighter will win the fight amusing. If the fight is based on points maybe but I have been practicin […] more
June 18th, 2006 at 10:00 am
I think, it is one of the most deadly and the best martial art founded until today. I am very proud that I was ever to be one of the karateka in it. M […] more
June 30th, 2006 at 4:37 pm
In response to Old Guy’s post, it’s been my experience that even though speed and power are useful in sport, and sometimes in street fights, they aren […] more
June 30th, 2006 at 4:38 pm
For Ken, a Dan rank is simple. It’s the Japanese word for black belt. There you have it.
July 19th, 2006 at 12:28 am
Check these films out. Sonny “Shinichi” Chiba made couple films in the mid 70’s where he portrayed a young Mas Oyama around the time of Kyokushinkai’ […] more
August 24th, 2006 at 3:41 am
Hello! I’m from Poland. Nie wiem co tu się dzieje zupełnie nic. Moglibyście dodać jakieś fajne filmy o KYOKUSHIN, bo jak nie to w bombki dostani […] more
August 27th, 2006 at 9:56 pm
hello I just wanted to say how glad that I chose to do this instead of shotokan i allways knew I wanted to do this but I never knew it was here
August 29th, 2006 at 11:29 pm
Otis, I too was in the military in Lawton Oklahoma. I was also a member of the Kyokushinkai style. I was under Robert “Zippy” Taylor. I had came to Z […] more
September 10th, 2006 at 10:20 pm
Hey! There is a new place that has just recently opened for people in the greely colorado area. It’s called Mile High Dojo/ Kyokushin. He a 3rd dan […] more
September 22nd, 2006 at 4:13 pm
Did you ever find him? it sounds like it may have been Kaicho Tadashi Nakamura - he established the first Kyokushinkai dojo in the US in the Brooklyn […] more
September 22nd, 2006 at 4:15 pm
that comment was for Charles, from May 06
September 24th, 2006 at 6:12 pm
kyokushin is a very tough martial art and can be used for self defense if needed. however a man should never seek such violence! only truth. i think […] more
October 6th, 2006 at 7:39 pm
Kyokushin’s strength comes from developing the spirit to acheive superhuman feats, such as the double brick knifehand break, punchign thru a brick bei […] more
November 1st, 2006 at 10:10 pm
Let me just Say this. martial arts are great for the mind, body, and soul. but Boxing is a real life fighting art that demands complete balance the wh […] more
November 11th, 2006 at 1:04 am
Bruce Lee could have beaten Mike Tyson easily, in the movies it may not have looked much, because their fists were moving so fast that they had to slo […] more
November 14th, 2006 at 2:58 pm
hi, james santaguida . could u tell me where do u guys practic ? i would love to meet him . thank you.
November 16th, 2006 at 10:08 pm
An 8th dan without a dojo? that seems kind of ridiculous
November 26th, 2006 at 4:25 am
Chiba is phenomenal! I just saw the Street Fighter series for the 1st time on a Wal-Mart special 3 DVD pckge with Some ninja movies as well as some Br […] more
November 27th, 2006 at 10:42 am
Clublu Sportiv Knock-Down din Timisoara sectia de Kyokushinkai.Date despre performantele sportivilor timisoreni antrenati de Alin Falcusan.Federatia R […] more
December 20th, 2006 at 3:17 am
mas oyama fought and beat the black cobra (a top thai champion of the time in his day) - however he did acknowledge that it was a close fight mas o […] more
January 24th, 2007 at 10:57 pm
very good style to learn
January 31st, 2007 at 9:45 am
ther is no dojo and olso master of kyokushin in my contry… i hopp you this game more thin that and sprad it will
February 19th, 2007 at 3:15 am
whoever said bruce lee would beat mike tyson obviously does not know there stuff. i done kyokushinkai for ten years and now own a muay thai boxing gym […] more
February 19th, 2007 at 3:16 am
whoever said bruce lee would beat mike tyson obviously does not know there stuff. i done kyokushinkai for ten years and now own a muay thai boxing gym […] more
February 20th, 2007 at 8:20 pm
Glenn shut up.You r not a true martial artist u dont even knoe how to spell bruce instead u write truce.You sholud know that size isnt everyone some s […] more
March 29th, 2007 at 9:25 pm
First of all to mr.Vilar of Nov.16th 06 at258PM,I would like to know why is it RIDICULOUS to you for a 8th dan not to have a Martial art school?I was […] more
March 29th, 2007 at 9:32 pm
First of all to mr.Vilar of Nov.16th 06 at258PM,I would like to know why is it RIDICULOUS to you for a 8th dan not to have a Martial art school?I was […] more
April 11th, 2007 at 7:49 pm
Hi there, I have a friend who runs a Dojo for this style, and he described it to me as the closest thing to a streetfighting style of martial arts […] more
May 16th, 2007 at 4:59 pm
I trained in the Kyokushin style under my father who is a san-dan, from the time I was about 10 years of age until I was 15 years old. I trained until […] more
July 1st, 2007 at 4:38 pm
Melody, As a fellow martial artist- though not in Kyokushinkai. I have trained or played in many (roughly thirty) styles, and I did toy with the id […] more
August 4th, 2007 at 10:42 pm
I don’t see why it can’t be used. If it is made for fighting, you should be able use it.
August 25th, 2007 at 6:21 am
I know of the instructor you speak of…Seiji Kanemura Shihan(8th Dan)…I trained in that same dojo from a child(age 5) until my late teens(19) - I a […] more
August 25th, 2007 at 6:25 am
My reply is regarding Charles - May 3rd,2006 entry…
September 7th, 2007 at 3:35 pm
who did you train under in Renbukai?
September 12th, 2007 at 4:33 am
How can I learn more an dstudy this art ?
October 28th, 2007 at 8:12 am
OK alright, many of you bums who even say anyone has a chance against bruce lee are greatly mistaken. I’ll wrap this up with one go. Bruce Lee is the […] more
November 10th, 2007 at 2:56 pm
Was just wondering why Kajukenbo does not appear on your list of martial arts styles.
November 12th, 2007 at 3:00 am
Interesting info Thanks for article
January 12th, 2008 at 11:32 pm
I took classes for three years at that location in Downtown Brooklyn. The Shihan’s name was Segei Kanamura, a 6th Dan at the time. Try inputting his n […] more
January 31st, 2008 at 6:24 pm
I noticed you have missed a martial art sytle founded by Dr. Tsayoshi Chitose, 10th Degree (Judan), founder of Chitoryu Karate and president of All […] more
February 5th, 2008 at 9:40 pm
I also studied with Shihan Tadashi Nakamura. The late William Oliver also studied there until 1973. Shihan Nakamura moved to W.14th in Manhattan, NY a […] more
February 5th, 2008 at 9:45 pm
The dojo downtown Brooklyn was in the rear of the Brooklyn Academy of Music. The entrance was on St. Felix St. between Lafayette Ave and Hanson Place. […] more
February 13th, 2008 at 11:47 am
I studied/lived Kyokushinkai in the late 60’s to mid 70’s and remember Mas Oyama well. I was lucky enough to experience a few of the great sensei who […] more
March 1st, 2008 at 3:13 pm
I was born in Lebanon 1967, in the capital city, Beirut. In 1980 I started to practice karate kyokushinkai. My teacher was grand master HASHEM MAKKI, […] more
March 18th, 2008 at 8:29 am
Buna ziua Sunt un elev din germania care studieaza in timisoara , si sunt foarte interesat in Tai chi chuan , daca puteti sa ma ajutati va rog sa […] more
April 1st, 2008 at 7:20 am
Darrell Wilson is a 7th Dan taught by Mas Oyama since 1966 and he is the greatest I have ever seen.
April 19th, 2008 at 11:32 am
Kyokushinkai je vestina za odlucne i hrabre.Ko ne voli borbu prsa u prsa bolje i da ne pokusava ovu vestinu,drugim recima trebaju ti muda!Kada ti udje […] more