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Ōyama Masutatsu

Mas Oyama
Masutatsu Oyama being trained.jpg
Born Choi Yeong-eui
(1923-07-27)July 27, 1923
Gimje, Jeollabuk-do, Korea
Died April 26, 1994(1994-04-26) (aged 70)
Tokyo, Japan
Style Kyokushin karate
Teacher(s)

Gichin Funakoshi

Gōgen Yamaguchi
Rank 10th Dan Black Belt in Kyokushin Karate
4th Dan Black Belt in Shotokan
7th Dan Black Belt in Gōjū-ryū Karate
4th Dan Black Belt in Kosen Judo
Spouse Chiyako Oyama (1926–1994), Sun-ho Hong
Notable students Shokei Matsui, Steve Arneil, Hideyuki Ashihara, Sonny Chiba, Tae Hong Choi, Bobby Lowe, Akira Masuda, Kenji Midori, Tadashi Nakamura, Terutomo Yamazaki, Katsuaki Satō, Jōkō Ninomiya, Nicholas Pettas, Dolph Lundgren

Gichin Funakoshi

Masutatsu Oyama (大山 倍達 Ōyama Masutatsu?, born Choi Yeong-eui (Hangul: 최영의 Hanja: 崔永宜); July 27, 1923 – April 26, 1994), more commonly known as Mas Oyama, was a karate master who founded Kyokushin Karate, considered the first and most influential style of full contact karate. A Zainichi Korean, he spent most of his life living in Japan and acquired Japanese citizenship in 1964. He was an alumnus of Waseda University.

Oyama was born as Choi Young-Eui (최영의) in Gimje, South Korea, during Japanese occupation. At a young age he was sent to Manchuria, Northeast China to live on his sister's farm. Oyama began studying Chinese martial arts at age 9 from a Chinese farmer who was working on the farm. His family name was Li and Oyama said he was his very first teacher. The story of the young Oyama's life is written in his earlier books.

In March 1938, Oyama left for Japan following his brother who enrolled in the Yamanashi Aviation School Imperial Japanese Army aviation school. Sometime during his time in Japan, Choi Young-Eui chose his Japanese name, Oyama Masutatsu (大山 倍達), which is a transliteration of 'Baedal' (倍達). 'Baedal' was an ancient Korean kingdom known in Japan during Oyama's time as "Ancient Joseon".


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Wikipedia

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