The founder of our
system, Masutatsu Oyama, 10th Dan, has been described by some
as being a "legend in his own time". He was born in Korea in
1923 and began his martial arts training by studying Kenpo at
the age of nine.In 1938, he moved to Japan to further his
academic studies but also found time to master the art of
judo. However, it was karate that fascinated him most so he
joined a karate school headed by Gichin Funakoshi. He trained
very hard every day and at the age of eighteen was awarded his
Nidan. By this time, it was becoming obvious to him that this
style of karate could not give him what he was looking for and
therefore decided to study under a great master of the time
called Sodeiju. He managed to attain the grade of Yondan
before volunteering to fight
in the air force toward
the end of the second world war.
After the war,
he spent a year training at Mt. Minobu, living in an isolated
temple. It was after this years training that he competed in an
"All Japan Championship", which he duly won. It was this event
that prompted him to devote his live completely to karate. He
isolated himself for almost two years on Mt. Kiyozumi, in Chiba,
living in a small hut that he build himself. For food, he relied
mostly on what grew and lived around him, which was presumably
enough to sustain him during vigorous daily program. As the
months passed, he became both physically and mentally stronger and
many hours were spent in meditation.
In 1949, he
came down from the mountain and took up residence close to a
slaughter house. It was at this slaughter house that he got the
opportunity to try out the power in his techniques on some of the
bulls awaiting slaughter.
In 1952, he toured America
giving demonstrations and exhibition matches. His breaking
ability earned him the name "The divine hand",
and he frequently made appearances on television. During this
tour he was sometimes challenged be various people including both
wrestlers and boxers and by all accounts defeated them all.
In 1953, he was
approached by a Japanese film company who wanted to film him
fighting a bull, which he readily agreed to do. In order to
increase his speed he had to lose weight, for he knew this
would be of the utmost importance against a fast bull. On
the day of the match he weighed 180 lbs and it is reported
that the bull weighed 990 lbs with horns four inches in
diameter. According to the account in Kancho Oyama's book
"This is Karate", the whole
match lasted more than 30 minutes. His
tactics were to tire the bull out by constantly dodging the
animal's charge. At one point in the match he was evidently
gored in the stomach, but this did not stop him from eventually
toppling the bull over and chopping off a horn.
match lasted
more than 30 minutes. His tactics were to tire the bull out by
constantly dodging the animal's charge. At one point in the
match he was evidently gored in the stomach, but this did not stop
him from eventually toppling the bull over and chopping off a
horn.
He later went on to fight more bulls,
defeating them all in one way or another. He endured all this he
says "in order to test to the limit, human ability and the
incredible power of karate".
April 26, 1994 Dies of lung cancer at the age of
70.
