Yōshūkai
karate is a branch discipline of the Japanese/Okinawan martial art, Karate-do, or "Way of the Empty Hand." Yoshukai, while it includes several kicking techniques such as round house, hook, and jumping kicks, is mainly defined by its wide range of hand/palm/elbow techniques. A certain amount of grappling techniques are also taught, but this usually varies between schools. Sparring is full contact, and a cup and chest protector are required along with hand and foot gloves, head guard, and mouthguard.
The three kanji (Japanese symbols) that make up the word Yoshukai literally translated mean: Training Hall of Continued Improvement. The standard English translation is "Striving for Excellence". It is important to note that there are many styles of karate that call themselves "Yoshukai" around the world; however, only dojos in the World Yoshukai Karate Kobudo Organization are recognized by Yamamoto as legitimate outlets for his teachings.
History
Origins
Mamoru Yamamoto had always wanted to be considered "strong". As a young man, he pursued athletics and excelled in track and field. When he was fifteen years old, he was attacked by a group of older boys, and although he tried to defend himself using the judo taught at his Junior High School, he was defeated and beaten by the gang of ruffians. It was at this time he decided to start training in the art of Karate.
He began his karate training in the style known as Chito-ryu (1000 year-old fist from China) under its originator, Tsuyoshi Chitose. By the time Yamamoto was nineteen years old, he was considered the number one karate practitioner in Japan.
1960s
In the early 1960s, Chitose gave Yamamoto permission to start his own branch of karate. Yamamoto and his wife Sumiko began training students in their dojo under the name of Yoshukan. It wasn't until 1963 that Chitose visited Yamamoto and changed the 3rd kanji of their branch's name from "kan" - meaning to stand alone - to "kai" - meaning association. Chitose did this because he felt that Yamamoto's work was very strong and had great potential for growth; hence, he foresaw that his small dojo would grow and become a large organization. Yamamoto and some of his students including Mike Foster, accompanied Chitose on a visit to Canada in 1967, where they conducted demonstrations, a clinic, and presided over the Canadian National Karate Association tournament. This trip was organized by Mas Tsuroka, widely recognized as the father of Canadian karate and, later, the founder of Tsuruoka Ryu.
During this time period, Yamamoto worked with the Mas Oyama of Kyokushinkai Karate to develop the rules for Japanese Full Contact Sparring. During those times all competitive sparring was subject to the "Sun Dome" rule, meaning that competitors must spar at full speed but cannot make contact with one another. This made judging of fighting very subjective as one competitor might be faster but the other more powerful; thus, it was up to the judge to determine who would prevail in the exchange of techniques. This led Yamamoto to think, "What if they were to actually hit?" It was also commonly believed at that time that if one karate-ka hit another, the one receiving the blow could die.
Yamamoto was a strong individual and in the early days of his school, he participated in a practice called dojo yabe. In dojo yabe, a martial artist visits neighboring schools and fights with its top practitioners. In many cases, if a school is badly defeated, then they usually close their doors and stop teaching. It is estimated that Yamamoto fought in at least 25 other dojos.
Yamamoto was good friends with Watanade, who was Goju-ryu karate sensei at the Itazuke Administration Annex base gym. Michael G. Foster was stationed at Ituzuke Air Force Base in the late 1950s and studied karate under Watanade. Yamamoto met Foster in 1964 when Foster returned to Japan to test for second degree black belt. Foster spent AbOUT three weeks at Yamamoto's dojo. Foster returned to Japan in September 1964 and lived in Yamamoto dojo for approximately 19 months, returning to USA in 1966 as 4th degree black belt.
Foster was eventually named the U.S. officer of Yoshukai karate and was tasked with spreading Yoshukai in the United States. In 1969, Hiroyuki Koda went to the United States to help Foster in Florida with his mission of expanding the number of Yoshukai schools in America.
1970s
Mike Foster brought Yoshukai karate to the United States in 1965. Yuki Koda went to the United States in 1968 under the patronage of Mike Foster. Yoshukai Karate began to flourish in the United States; however, this growth was not without its problems. During this time period, Mike Foster - former head of Yoshukai development in the U.S. split from Yamamoto due to irreconcilable differences. In 1975 Mike Foster established the Yoshukai International Karate Association and Hiroyuki Koda established the U.S. Yoshukai Karate Association (USYKA). Other former Yoshukai Black Belts also split to form their own Yoshukai groups without the approval of Yamamoto. During this time period, the USYKA was the only Yoshukai organization sanctioned by Yamamoto; however, other branches of Yoshukai continued to strengthen and in 1989, Mike Foster was awarded the right to use the name "Yoshukai International Karate Association"
Koda later started a school in Lincoln, Illinois in 1971. Koda moved back to Florida later that year, but before he moved, he turned the Lincoln Dojo over to Bob Borowiak. Due to knee problems Borowiak retired in 1977, closing the Lincoln, Illinois Dojo, and putting Dan Dugan under the direct supervision of Yuki Koda. With Koda’s permission, Dan Dugan went on to spread Yoshukai Karate throughout Illinois.
It was some years later that Mike Foster broke away from Yamamoto and Koda and started his own Yoshukai organization called Yoshukai International. Stances and bunkai were modified to incorporate Foster’s ideas about weapon alignment, point and lack of regression.(This organization, its schools, instructors, and black belts are not recognized by Yamamoto as legitimate licensed practitioners of Yoshukai karate to this day.) Koda later formed the United States Yoshukai Karate Association.
1980s and 1990s
Dugan and his schools left Koda’s Yoshukai organization in 1988 and joined Foster’s Yoshukai International Karate Association. Over time, the instructors closed the Illinois branch dojos, leaving only Dugan’s dojo open in Illinois. After training with Foster for 14 years, Dugan left to train under American karate pioneer, William J. Dometrich, of Chito-ryu Karate. Like Yamamoto, Dometrich was a student who studied directly under Tsuyoshi Chitose.
In 1997, Koda passed away after losing the fight against the deadliest form of cancer, pancreatic and liver cancer. According to his wishes the directorship of the U.S. Yoshukai Karate Association was passed on to his eldest son, David Yuki Koda and managerial duties remained with his wife.
Yoshukai America which was renamed World Yoshukai is directly managed under the headquarters of Yoshukai Japan and its offices are located in Pensacola, Florida and Dothan, Alabama. World Yoshukai is the only organization directly administered by Yoshukai Japan. The organization is led by the director and Hiroaki Toyama (vice president of Yoshukai) and Mike Culbreth (vice president of Yoshukai). World Yoshukai now has more than 1,000 members in more than 30 branches throughout the United States, including Florida, Alabama, Texas, Georgia, California, Missouri, Nebraska and New Mexico.
21st Century
At Yamamoto's request, Hiroaki Toyama and Mike Culbreth started the World Yoshukai Karate Kobudo Organization (WYKKO) in 2000. This organization is the only Yoshukai Karate directly affiliated with Katsuoh Yamamoto. In 2006, during a trip to Japan, Hiroaki Toyama and Mike Culbreth were respectively awarded their 8th and 7th degree black belt.
In 2000, Gwen Koda, the manager for the U.S. Yoshukai Karate Association for 30 years, resigned her position, and passed those duties on to David Koda's wife, Adrienne Koda.
In November 2002, Daniel Dugan branched out on his own to start the Yoshukai Karate Alliance which is a group of independent instructors and black belts. The Yoshukai Karate Alliance presently has dojos located in Lincoln, Illinois and Williamsville, Illinois.
See also
- Chito-ryu
- Michael G. Foster
- Yoshukai International
- U.S. Yoshukai Karate
- Shingo-ha yoshukai
- Cheryl Wheeler-Dixon
References
fr:Yōshūkai