Shōrinjiryū Kenkōkan Karate (少林寺流拳行館唐手) is a style of karate founded by Kōri Hisataka (Seiki Kudaka in Okinawan)…
Shōrinjiryū Kenkōkan Karate (少林寺流拳行館唐手) is a style of karate founded by Kōri Hisataka (Seiki Kudaka in Okinawan) (1907–1988) shortly after World War II in Japan. It consists of the primary arts of Shōrinjiryū Kenkōkan Okinawan karate and Okinawan Kobudo, as taught to the founder by masters including Chotoku Kyan and Sanda Kanagusuku, as well as Judo, which Kori Hisataka studied at the Kodokan, obtaining the rank of 4th Dan after only 1 years training. Other component arts include Aikijutsu and Chinese Bajiquan, which the founder studied on his extensive tours of Japan, China and Asia. The style is responsible for a number of innovations to karate training including: Use of the heel when kicking Whole body is put into action when executing a technique, using a follow through motion Use of the vertical fist (tate ken) Practice of yakusoku kumite Use of protective equipment to allow the karatedo student to test their techniques without having to hold back their power Practice of weapons (buki ho) In some aspects, Shorinjiryu Karate has a strong resemblance to Japanese Koryu Budo, in that it has a great emphasis on pre-arranged two-person drills (yakusoku kumite). One person kata is an important practice, and the main kata taught in the style in its early days were versions of Naihanchin, Nijushiho, Sanchin, Chinto and Kusanku, as well as a Bō (6 ft staff) kata (Shishiryu no Bo), a Jo (4 ft staff) kata and a Sai (iron truncheon) kata (Nijushiho no Sai). Other kata were introduced later, mainly by the son of the founder, Masayuki Hisataka. Following Kori Hisataka's retirement in 1974, his son Masayuki Hisataka took over as head of the organization. He has expanded the reach of the style worldwide and trained karateka all over the world.
Famous Japanese People: Karate Practitioner
Karate Practitioner: 74 people
The Japan Karate Association (日本 空手 協会; Nihon Karate Kyokai; JKA; sometimes referred to simply as Kyokai 協会 in Japan)…
The Japan Karate Association (日本 空手 協会; Nihon Karate Kyokai; JKA; sometimes referred to simply as Kyokai 協会 in Japan) is one of the oldest global Shotokan karate organizations in the world.
Shinichi Chiba (Japanese: 千葉 真一, Hepburn: Chiba Shin'ichi; born Sadaho Maeda; 22 January 1939 – 19 August 2021) IPA…
Shinichi Chiba (Japanese: 千葉 真一, Hepburn: Chiba Shin'ichi; born Sadaho Maeda; 22 January 1939 – 19 August 2021) IPA: [tɕiꜜba ɕiɰ̃itɕi], known internationally as Sonny Chiba, was a Japanese actor and martial artist. Chiba was one of the first actors to achieve stardom through his skills in martial arts, initially in Japan and later to an international audience. Born in Fukuoka, Chiba played a variety of sports in high school, including baseball and volleyball. He also practiced gymnastics and participated at the National Sports Festival of Japan in his third year. When he was a university student, he learned martial arts, earning a black belt in Kyokushin Karate in 1965 and later receiving a fourth degree in 1984. Chiba's career began in the 1960s, when he starred in two tokusatsu superhero shows. In his first role, he replaced Susumu Wajima as the main character Kōtarō Ran/Seven Color Mask in Seven Color Mask (Nana-iro Kamen) in the second half of the series. However, his breakthrough role was in the 1974 film The Street Fighter. Before retiring, Chiba had also appeared in a number of English language American films, including Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003) and The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006). Chiba died of COVID-19 complications at the hospital in Tokyo on 19 August 2021, at the age of 82.
Keigo Abe (October 28, 1938 – December 21, 2019) was a Japanese master of Shotokan karate who founded the Japan…
Keigo Abe (October 28, 1938 – December 21, 2019) was a Japanese master of Shotokan karate who founded the Japan Shotokan Karate Association in 1999 and is its Chief Instructor. He held the rank of 9th dan in karate, was a direct student of Masatoshi Nakayama (1913–1987), and was a senior instructor in the Japan Karate Association.
Keinosuke Enoeda (榎枝 慶之輔, Enoeda Keinosuke; 4 July 1935 – 29 March 2003) was a Japanese master of Shotokan karate. He…
Keinosuke Enoeda (榎枝 慶之輔, Enoeda Keinosuke; 4 July 1935 – 29 March 2003) was a Japanese master of Shotokan karate. He was a former Chief Instructor of the Karate Union of Great Britain. Enoeda was ranked 8th dan in Shotokan karate, and was widely renowned as a formidable karateka (practitioner of karate). Following his death, Enoeda was posthumously awarded the rank of 9th dan.
Tetsuhiko Asai (浅井 哲彦, Asai Tetsuhiko; June 7, 1935 – August 15, 2006) was a prominent Japanese master of Shotokan…
Tetsuhiko Asai (浅井 哲彦, Asai Tetsuhiko; June 7, 1935 – August 15, 2006) was a prominent Japanese master of Shotokan karate of the Japan Karate Association (JKA), founder and Chief Instructor of the International Japan Martial Arts Karate Asai-ryu (IJKA), and founder of the Japan Karate Shoto Federation (JKS; formerly known as the Japan Karate Shoto-Renmei).
Masashi Ishibashi (石橋雅史, Ishibashi Masashi; January 4, 1933 – December 19, 2018), was a Japanese karateka and actor. A…
Masashi Ishibashi (石橋雅史, Ishibashi Masashi; January 4, 1933 – December 19, 2018), was a Japanese karateka and actor. A 7th dan black belt in Kyokushin Karate, he was an early instructor of the style under Mas Oyama, with notable students including Sonny Chiba and Terutomo Yamazaki. As an actor, Ishibashi had an extensive career in Japanese television, where was famous as portraying villains in historical dramas. He had significant presence in television productions like NHK's Taiga drama series, The Unfettered Shogun, and the Hissatsu series. He also had frequent roles in various 1970s and 1980s tokusatsu series, most notably in Super Sentai series. His movie career was mostly specialized in martial arts movies and crime dramas, including many with his longtime student Chiba.
Kenji Kurosaki (黒崎健時, Kurosaki Kenji; born March 15, 1930) is a Japanese martial arts instructor, specializing in…
Kenji Kurosaki (黒崎健時, Kurosaki Kenji; born March 15, 1930) is a Japanese martial arts instructor, specializing in full-contact karate and kickboxing. He is a 10th dan black belt (1992) in Kyokushin Karate and operates various martial schools. He is most well known as a pioneer of full-contact karate and kickboxing in both Japan and the Netherlands.
Taiji Kase (加瀬 泰治, Kase Taiji; 9 February 1929 – 24 November 2004) was a Japanese master of Shotokan karate who was one…
Taiji Kase (加瀬 泰治, Kase Taiji; 9 February 1929 – 24 November 2004) was a Japanese master of Shotokan karate who was one of the earliest masters responsible for introducing this martial art into Europe. He taught his style of karate, Shotokan Ryu Kase Ha, in France from the late 1960s to the mid-1980s. In his later years, he travelled across the world teaching karate, but Paris remained his home. Kase held the rank of 9th dan in karate.
Tatsuo Suzuki (鈴木 達夫, Suzuki Tatsuo; April 27, 1928 – July 12, 2011) Yokohama, Japan was an 8th Dan Japanese karateka…
Tatsuo Suzuki (鈴木 達夫, Suzuki Tatsuo; April 27, 1928 – July 12, 2011) Yokohama, Japan was an 8th Dan Japanese karateka instrumental in spreading the martial art of Wadō-ryū karate to Europe and the United States.
Masutatsu Ōyama (born Choi Yeong-eui; 27 July 1923 – 26 April 1994), commonly known outside Japan as Mas Oyama, was a…
Masutatsu Ōyama (born Choi Yeong-eui; 27 July 1923 – 26 April 1994), commonly known outside Japan as Mas Oyama, was a Korean-Japanese karateka. He was the founder of Kyokushin Karate, considered the first and most influential style of full contact karate.
Seigo Tada (多田 正剛, Kyoto, Japan, 1922–1997) (8th Dan) was the founder of Goju-Ryu Seigokan Karatedo.
Seikichi Toguchi (渡口 政吉, Toguchi Seikichi; May 20, 1917 in Naha City, Okinawa, Japan – August 31, 1998 in Tokyo) was…
Seikichi Toguchi (渡口 政吉, Toguchi Seikichi; May 20, 1917 in Naha City, Okinawa, Japan – August 31, 1998 in Tokyo) was the founder of Shorei-kan karate.
Hideo Nakamura (中村 日出夫, Nakamura, Hideo; born Kang Chang-Soo (Korean: 강창수; Hanja: 姜昌秀); June 16, 1913 – January 8…
Hideo Nakamura (中村 日出夫, Nakamura, Hideo; born Kang Chang-Soo (Korean: 강창수; Hanja: 姜昌秀); June 16, 1913 – January 8, 2013) is a karateka from the Korean Peninsula. He was the first president of the Karatedo Kendokai, being ranked 10th dan.
Masatoshi Nakayama (中山 正敏, Nakayama Masatoshi; April 13, 1913 – April 15, 1987)[a] was an internationally famous…
Masatoshi Nakayama (中山 正敏, Nakayama Masatoshi; April 13, 1913 – April 15, 1987)[a] was an internationally famous Japanese master of Shotokan karate. He helped establish the Japan Karate Association (JKA) in 1949, and wrote many textbooks on karate, which served to popularize his martial art. For almost 40 years, until his death in 1987, Nakayama worked to spread Shotokan karate around the world. He was the first master in Shotokan history to attain the rank of 9th dan while alive, and was posthumously awarded the rank of 10th dan.
Jitsumi Gōgen Yamaguchi (山口剛玄; January 20, 1909 – May 20, 1989), also known as Gōgen Yamaguchi, was a Japanese martial…
Jitsumi Gōgen Yamaguchi (山口剛玄; January 20, 1909 – May 20, 1989), also known as Gōgen Yamaguchi, was a Japanese martial artist and student of Gōjū-ryū Karate under Chōjun Miyagi. He was one of the most well-known karate-dō masters from Japan and he founded the International Karate-dō Gōjū Kai Association. Prior to his death, Yamaguchi was decorated by the Emperor of Japan in 1968 with the Ranjū-Hōshō, らんじゅほうしょう(藍綬褒章), the Blue Ribbon Medal of the fifth order of merit, for his enormous contribution to the spread worldwide of the Japanese martial arts. For many years he was listed in the Guinness Book of Records regarding his rank and achievements. According to an obituary: His name was a household word in Karate circles, and he appeared in all the major Martial Arts magazines and publications, both in Japan and the western world.
Tatsuo Shimabuku (島袋 龍夫, Shimabuku Tatsuo; September 19, 1908 – May 30, 1975) was an Okinawan, Japanese martial artist.…
Tatsuo Shimabuku (島袋 龍夫, Shimabuku Tatsuo; September 19, 1908 – May 30, 1975) was an Okinawan, Japanese martial artist. He is the founder of Isshin-ryū ("One Heart Style/One Heart Way") style of karate.
Shōshin Nagamine (長嶺 将真, Nagamine Shōshin; 15 July 1907 – 2 November 1997) was an Okinawa karate master as well as a…
Shōshin Nagamine (長嶺 将真, Nagamine Shōshin; 15 July 1907 – 2 November 1997) was an Okinawa karate master as well as a soldier, police superintendent, assemblyman of Naha City between 1953 and 1957, play director and author.
Yasuhiro Konishi (小西康裕, Konishi Yasuhiro; 1893 - 1983) was one of the first karateka to teach karate on mainland Japan.…
Yasuhiro Konishi (小西康裕, Konishi Yasuhiro; 1893 - 1983) was one of the first karateka to teach karate on mainland Japan. He was instrumental in developing modern karate, as well as a driving force in the art's acceptance in Japan. He is credited with developing the style known as Shindō jinen-ryū (神道自然流).
Yasuhiro Konishi (小西康裕, Konishi Yasuhiro; 1893 - 1983) was one of the first karateka to teach karate on mainland Japan.…
Yasuhiro Konishi (小西康裕, Konishi Yasuhiro; 1893 - 1983) was one of the first karateka to teach karate on mainland Japan. He was instrumental in developing modern karate, as well as a driving force in the art's acceptance in Japan. He is credited with developing the style known as Shindō jinen-ryū (神道自然流).
Hironori Ōtsuka (大塚 博紀, Ōtsuka Hironori; June 1, 1892 – January 29, 1982)[a] was a Japanese master of karate who…
Hironori Ōtsuka (大塚 博紀, Ōtsuka Hironori; June 1, 1892 – January 29, 1982)[a] was a Japanese master of karate who created the Wadō-ryū style of karate. He was the first Grand Master of Wadō-ryū karate, and received high awards within Japan for his contributions to karate.
Kanken Tōyama (遠山寛賢 Tōyama Kanken, 24 September 1888 – 24 November 1966) was a Japanese schoolteacher and karate…
Kanken Tōyama (遠山寛賢 Tōyama Kanken, 24 September 1888 – 24 November 1966) was a Japanese schoolteacher and karate master, who developed the foundation for the Shūdōkan karate style.
Chōshin Chibana (知花 朝信, Chibana Chōshin; 5 June 1885 – 26 February 1969) was an Okinawan martial artist who developed…
Chōshin Chibana (知花 朝信, Chibana Chōshin; 5 June 1885 – 26 February 1969) was an Okinawan martial artist who developed Kobayashi Shōrin-ryū karate based on what he had learned from Ankō Itosu. He was the last of the pre-World War karate masters, also called the "Last Warrior of Shuri" He was the first to establish a Japanese ryu name for an Okinawan karate style, calling Itosu's karate "Shorin-Ryu" (小林流 or "the small forest school") in 1929.
Kiyou Shimizu (清水希容, Shimizu Kiyō, born 7 December 1993) is a Japanese karateka competing in the women's kata event.…
Kiyou Shimizu (清水希容, Shimizu Kiyō, born 7 December 1993) is a Japanese karateka competing in the women's kata event. She won the silver medal in the women's kata event at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. Shimizu is also a two-time gold medalist at the World Karate Championships and a three-time gold medalist at the Asian Games.