Kyokushin Karate is a traditional Japanese style of karate that was created by Sosai (President) Mas Oyama (1923–1994), who developed the style in part from Shotokan, the first karate style ever to be taught in Japan, Goju Ryu karate, a traditional Okinawan style, and Chinese Kempo.
At the time – and even today – most karate styles featured little or no contact in their training or their tournaments. Mas Oyama, on the contrary, believed that if you wanted to use karate effectively for self-defense, you had to train hard and fight hard. In addition to traditional Kyokushin kihon (basics) and kata (forms), with their self-defense applications, Mas Oyama incorporated jissen kumite (full-contact fighting) into his style.
As a result, Kyokushin Karate evolved into one of the most formidable martial arts styles in the world. It soon became known as "The Strongest Karate", not only because of the incredible feats of strength and endurance that Mas Oyama performed, but also because of the rigorous requirements of training and competition. Today, there are more than twelve million practitioners of Kyokushin Karate in over 120 countries worldwide.
For more information about Sosai Mas Oyama and Kyokushin Karate, visit the USA-IFK Kyokushin Karate website.