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The Kyokushin SystemWhat is Kyokushin?
For a long time we have thought we needed a link to what Kyokushin Karate is on our website. ( Or at least an explanation for the visitor who has never heard of our chosen path or way - Kyokushin karate). So we decided to research as to just what we could place on our site that would sum it up for the visitor. We really do not think any Kyokushin Student who has had some time in the dojo, or to read and study Mas Oyama’s writings, really needs to be told what Kyokushin Karate is (at least I hope not!). After searching the web for a long period we were amazed at what we found. There sure are a lot of different things written describing Kyokushin on the web. Some good, some bad, of course that’s only our opinion! We had just about decided to go with an overview of Mas Oyama’s own philosophy from his book " The Kyokushin Way", that being closest to what we have been told for many years, when we came across a description of Kyokushin Written in 1974 by Donn F. Draeger in his book Modern Bujutsu & Budo (1974,Weatherhill). Mr. Draeger had written overviews of many styles and systems in this book. We have decided his overview has merit, and although we can find some faults from a Kyokushin Karateka’s view, It is doubtful anyone will ever write Kyokushin’s description to the acceptance of everyone who ever reads it!
Following is the quoted text from Pages 134-135 of "Modern Bujutsu & Budo" by Donn F. Draeger.
"It may be history will prove that Korean-born Oyama Masatatsu, a naturalized Japanese, was a courageous, brilliant synthesizer of karate technique, though at present his popularity with Japanese karate-do officials is not great. Oyama began his study of Japanese karate-do under the influence of Yamaguchi Gogen’s teachings. Oyama already had extensive knowledge of Chinese Shaolin and Korean combat arts (subak, tang-su, kwanpup, tae-kwan, tae-kwanpup, and pakchigi), but his study of Goju karate-do focused his experience and enabled him to devise his own eclectic system. Oyama’s teachings, now contained in a style called Kyokushin, are developed essentially with the idea of combat in mind, in a style spiritually toned by Zen concepts. The Kyokushin style is definitively a dõ form, constituting as it does for Oyama "a way of courage" ; but Oyama is uncompromising in regard to the fact that all karate-like systems were originally combative arts and must remain so if they are to deserve the name "Karate." The idea of hitoisuki hitogeri, meaning "one punch, one kick," to achieve victory over an opponent pervades Oyama’s teachings. Kyokushin karate-do is also wide-ranging and efficient; its training methods are as unique as they are severe. Elements of Korean, Chinese, Japanese, Okinawan, and Siamese (toi-muay) fighting arts have been welded by Oyama in a sincere attempt to build an efficient system of self-defense. Kyokushin karate-do is primarily an empty-hand system, but the study of weapons is not rejected. Even in competitions, Oyama is insistent on the maintenance of combative reality. For Oyama a simple touch of the hand or foot, no matter how quickly and skillfully it may be made against an opponent, is not a telling blow; nor is a well-executed attack that is purposely stopped short of its target by the focus of one’s forces. To decide the winner of a contest in karate-do fashion, Oyama insists, contact must be permitted (as in boxing), and such contact must produce either a knockout or the resignation of a combatant. Of course, Oyama would provide some margin of safety for the contestants; specific rules and the use of protective armor, he believes, fulfill that necessity."
Well there you have it! , It is very interesting to see what has happened to the status of Kyokushin Karate since Mr. Draeger wrote his overview. Much of it remains the same for many of us.
I like to think our local school has embraced the Zen Concepts mention in the article, as we strive to make better and stronger people through our Kyokushin Karate training.
Osu…
©2004 Dolphin Karate Kyokushinkai, School of the Hawk
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