Aikido

Aikido (合気道) is a modern Japanese martial art developed by Morihei Ueshiba (植芝 盛平) that focuses on throws, pins and joint locks together with some striking techniques. Often translated as “the way of unifying (with) life energy” or as “the way of harmonious spirit,” Aikido is unusual among the martial arts because it was Ueshiba’s…

The Kyokushin Way [book]

The Kyokushin Way is the 1979 book written by Sosai Mas Oyama, founder of Kyokushin Karate. Unlike most other martial arts literature, this is Mas Oyama’s Karate Philosophy, which deals with much more than just martial arts. It talks about how to conduct one self in every day life, the importance of respecting your parents,…

Fighter in the Wind

Fighter in the Wind (Korean: 바람의 파이터) is a 2004 South Korean film , based on the Japanese book Karate Baka Ichidai which is a fictionalized account of karate legend Choi Yeung-Eui (최영의, 崔永宜) – a.k.a. Masutatsu Oyama (大山倍達), his Japanese name – who went to Japan after World War II to become a fighter pilot but found…

Kyokushin

Kyokushin (極真) is a style of full contact karate, founded in 1964 by Korean-Japanese Masutatsu Oyama (大山倍達 Ōyama Masutatsu), who had been developing it since the early 1950’s. “Kyokushinkaikan” is comprised of four Japanese words: Kyoku: Ultimate Shin: Reality or truth from within Kai: To meet, join or associate Kan: Temple, sanctuary, school The kanji lettering used to…

Masutatsu Oyama

The founder of Kyokushin karate, Sosai 総裁 (President) Masutatsu Oyama (大山 倍達 Ōyama Masutatsu) was born as Choi Yeong-eui (Hangul: 최영의 Hanja: 崔永宜) on 27th July 1923 during the Japanese occupation, and subsequent annexation of Korea. Born in the village of Gimje (in Jeollabuk-do), not far from Gunsan in Southern Korea, his parents were Yangban (nobility) in the…