Kyokushin Karate

Kyokushin ("極 真", roughly "the ultimate truth") is a Japanese style of full-contact karate founded by Masutatsu "Mas" Oyama in 1964. Oyama developed kyokushin based on his studies of the karate styles shotokan and goju-ryu, as well as judo, in which he had 4th, 7th and 4th dance black belt respectively.

When Oyama opened his first dojo in Tokyo in 1953, while the kyokushin was in its infancy, he quickly became well known throughout Japan, including by traveling the kingdom and fighting bulls with his bare hands to show the strength of his karate. As a coach, Oyama was as uncompromising as the training was hard, which together with the spectacular performances attracted many students.

Kyokushin is characterized by its strong focus on discipline, physical strength, endurance, fitness and hard full contact sparring (kumite). When competing in kumite, the most common rule system is the so-called knockdown, which means that points are primarily given for you succeeding in harming your opponent and not for e.g. technician quality. Kicks to the head are allowed, but not hand techniques. Likewise, techniques aimed at joints, writing and spine are prohibited. No protection other than suspensoar and breast protection is used.

Kata is also practiced, and is also available as a competition discipline, but generally does not enjoy the same focus as in traditional karate. Kyokushin has also given rise to a variety of other karate styles such as ashihara, enshin and seidokaikan.