Tag: Mas Oyama

Trevor Tockar

Only when you recognise your own weaknesses can you improve and develop. Trevor Tockar One of the most respected names in South African and Australian Kyokushin Karate, Trevor Tockar, was one of the youngest men graded to 5th Dan by Kyokushin founder Mas Oyama. He was one of the men at the forefront of Kyokushin …

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This week in history (21 June – 27 June)

22 June On 22 June 1931, Teruyuki Okazaki was born in Nogata, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. He was the second son of a family that came from a samurai lineage on his grandmother’s side. Okazaki has been described by some, as one of the most technically gifted karatekas to come from the Japanese Karate Association (JKA). …

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Yoshiji Soeno

Known as the ‘Tiger of Josai‘, Yoshiji Soeno was one of Mas Oyama’s early Kyokushin students. The character, Ryu, from the Street Fighter game, is said to have been based on him. Yoshiji Soeno was born in Tokorozawa, Japan, on 29 September 1947. He was descended from an ancient samurai family on both his father …

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This week in history (10 May – 16 May)

10 May On 10 May 1957, the founder of Shotokan Karate, Gichin Funakoshi, was laid to rest at the Zen Sho-ji temple in Kakiu. He was cremated and his ashes laid alongside those of his wife. Funakoshi had died on 26 April, in a Tokyo hospital, surrounded by his close family and his student Shigeru …

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This week in history (26 April – 2 May)

26 April On 26 April 1957, Gichin Funakoshi, the founder of Shotokan Karate, died in a Tokyo hospital, aged 88. His family and close student Shigeru Egami were at his bedside. On 26 April 1965, a touring party from the JKA gave their third authorized demonstration in Britain. The party consisted of Taiji Kase, Hirokazu …

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Nikola Cujic

Through Kyokushin, I have brothers in every part of the world. Nikola Cujic An early practitioner of Kyokushin Karate in Australia, Nikola Cujic has been a student, competitor, coach, instructor, and Branch Head. Many of his students have gone on to successfully compete at a state, national, regional, and international level. Nikola Cujic was born …

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This week in history (12 April – 18 April)

12 April On 12 April 1998, Osamu Ozawa host the 18th Annual Traditional Karate Tournament International for the last time. Since its inception in 1981, the tournament had become a showcase for traditional Karate styles. Many of the world’s top masters would give demonstrations and seminars at the event. The 18th running of the event …

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This week in history (5 April – 11 April)

5 April On April 5, 1870 founder of Motobu Ryu, Chōki Motobu, was born in Okinawa. Motobu was the third son of a noble family. As the third son, he was not allowed to learn the family martial art of Motobu Udundi. This meant he trained under various Okinawan masters such as Anko Itosu, and Sokon Matsumura. A …

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Peter Chong

…. Focus on your training, do the best you can do, never think you are better than anybody else, we are all born equal and it is up to each of us to make the best of it. If you want to be the best in the world, give it all you have…. Peter Chong …

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This week in history (29 March – 4 April)

29 March On 29 March 1965, the JKA World Tour commenced at Hanada Airport, Tokyo. The touring party consisted of Taiji Kase, 6th Dan, who had started training in 1944 at the original Shoto-Kan under Yoshitaka Funakoshi. Hirokazu Kanazawa, 5th Dan, was the next member of the party. He was the first All Japan JKA …

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