Hidetaka Nishiyama
Encyclopedia
was a prominent Japanese master
of Shotokan
karate
. He was an internationally recognized instructor, author, and administrator, and helped to establish the Japan Karate Association
. Nishiyama was one of the last surviving students of Gichin Funakoshi
, founder of Shotokan karate. He was based in the United States of America from 1961 until his death in 2008, and was a pioneer of karate in that country. He held the rank of 10th dan
in karate.
master, and he had two sisters, Sumiye and Michiko. During Nishiyama's childhood, karate was mostly unknown in Japan, and children were required to train in either judo
or kendo in middle school. He started learning kendo in 1933 and judo in 1938. Recalling the beginning of his martial arts training, Nishiyama said, "I began, as is the custom in Japan, on the 5th day of the fifth month at the age of five. I started in kendo." His kendo instructor, Moorio Mochida, had a strong and lasting influence on the youth's development in the martial arts. By the time Nishiyama reached 14 years of age, he had attained black belt
status in judo.
In 1943, Nishiyama was promoted to the rank of 1st dan in kendo (and would eventually reach 3rd dan in that art), and began training in Shotokan karate at the art's honbu dojo
(headquarters training hall) under its founder, Gichin Funakoshi
. His interest in karate had been sparked by two things: an old book written by a sword master (Nishiyama estimated the book to have been written around 1550), and Zoku Sugata Sanshiro
(1945), a film by Akira Kurosawa
. He recalled that training in the honbu dojo was around 80% kata
(patterns) and 20% kihon
(basics), and that Funakoshi and his son, Gigō Funakoshi, would divide the teaching load evenly between them.
Nishiyama served in the Imperial Japanese Navy
before the end of World War II, and was unable to continue his karate training during this brief period. In 1946, he was promoted to the rank of 1st dan in karate, and in 1948, he was promoted to 2nd dan. With the war over, he was able to begin studying at university.
, Nishiyama became a member of the university's karate team, and in 1949 he was named team captain. That same year, he helped to establish the Japan Karate Association
(JKA). He also co-founded the All Japan Collegiate Karate Union, and was elected its first chairman. In 1950, Funakoshi promoted him to 3rd dan in karate.
Nishiyama received a Master of Arts degree in economics from Takushoku University in 1951. That year, he was appointed to the JKA's Board of Directors. He began working for Shell Oil
, but his JKA role soon became his full-time occupation. He was appointed to take charge of the JKA instructors' training program, and continued to oversee it until the late 1950s. Recalling notable graduates of the course, he said, "There were many but I think Mr. Kanazawa was exceptional, even though he left the JKA. There were many very good people, like Mr. Enoeda
, Shirai, Mikami
and many others as well."
In 1952, Nishiyama began teaching karate to US military personnel from the Strategic Air Command
(SAC). The other karate instructors for this program included Masatoshi Nakayama and Isao Obata
. The following year, United States Air Force
General Curtis LeMay
invited several instructors, including Nishiyama, to tour US air bases on the North American mainland. In 1960, Nishiyama published his first book, Karate: The Art of Empty-Hand Fighting (co-authored with Richard Brown). This work has been recognized as a seminal textbook on karate; the cover of a 1990 reprint noted that over 300,000 copies had been sold. In June 1960, Nishiyama was promoted to the rank of 5th dan in Shotokan karate.
invited Nishiyama to take charge of his karate students in the US, as Ohshima was planning to return to Japan following completion of his US university studies. The arrangement did not work out satisfactorily, and was to be a source of bitterness between the two men. Four years later, in 1965, Nishiyama organized the first United States vs. Japan Goodwill Karate Tournament. He wrote a long letter on the state of karate tournaments, published in 1967 by Black Belt magazine. In that letter, he warned of the dangers of unqualified competitors and officials. In 1968, he organized the first World Invitational Karate Tournament, held at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena
.
In 1973, Nishiyama co-founded the Pan American Karate Union and was elected its first Executive Director. He became Executive Director of the International Amateur Karate Federation (IAKF) in 1974. The first IAKF World Karate Championship was held in Los Angeles in 1975. The organization would later become the International Traditional Karate Federation
(ITKF) in 1985. In 1979, the AAKF became the American Amateur Karate Federation (and kept the same acronym). Nishiyama was elected as the inaugural President of the new AAKF.
Through the 1980s, Nishiyama served in a variety of administrative leadership roles, including President of JKA International (USA), Chairman of the AAKF, and President of the ITKF. He was based in Los Angeles, where he had settled with his family, but travelled across the world to teach karate. Nishiyama was featured on the cover of the December 1986 issue of Black Belt magazine. In 1989, he published the Traditional Karate Coach's Manual.
In the early 1990s, Nishiyama's refusal to align his ITKF organization with the World Union of Karate-Do Organizations
(WUKO) caused the International Olympic Committee
to suspend its recognition of WUKO as amateur karate's international governing body. The ITKF and WUKO had been due to merge and form a unified karate organization, but this did not eventuate. The WUKO eventually became the World Union of Karate-Do Federations in late 2008.
In 1999, the United States Senate
honored Nishiyama by presenting him with the US flag that had been flown on October 10 (his birthday) that year over the US Capitol
in Washington, D.C. The flag was awarded in recognition of his contributions to traditional karate. At the request of US Senator Slade Gorton
, the accompanying letter stated: "I would like to thank you for your many years of service to this country. Your efforts in bringing the art of Karate to the United States Armed Forces has been immeasurable. On behalf of your grateful students and friends, I wish you the best in your many endeavors."
. On November 3, 2000, the Emperor of Japan awarded the Order of the Sacred Treasure
, 4th Class (Gold Rays with Rosette), to him in a ceremony on the grounds of the Tokyo Imperial Palace. Nishiyama was one of only 11 recipients of the award from outside Japan in that year.
During the first Traditional Karate World Cup, in October 2001, Poland honored Nishiyama with the Officer's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland. The award was presented by the President of Poland, Aleksander Kwaśniewski
. On November 1, 2003, the International San Ten Karate Association (ISKA) awarded Nishiyama the rank of 10th dan. The ISKA reported that "Master Nishiyama at first tried to turn aside the honor, but was moved by the heartfelt affection of the ISKA leadership." The calligraphy
for the certificate was executed by Eri Takase.
Nishiyama died on November 7, 2008, in Los Angeles, following a long battle with lung cancer. His funeral was held on November 30 at the Hompa Hongwanji Buddhist Temple in Los Angeles, with over 500 people in attendance. He was survived by his wife, Yohko, and their three daughters: Yumi, Amy, and Nami.
On October 10, 2009, the ITKF posthumously awarded the rank of 10th dan to Nishiyama; his daughter Nami accepted the honor on his behalf. ITKF Chairman Richard Jorgensen recalled, "[Nishiyama] always said he never wanted to achieve the level of 10th Dan because he believed to do so and acquire the highest rank meant that his learning and his life would be over ... he would never accept the rank while he lived."
Grandmaster (martial arts)
Grandmaster and Master are titles used to describe or address some senior or experienced martial artists. Such titles may be, to some extent, aligned to the elderly martial arts master stock character in fiction...
of Shotokan
Shotokan
is a style of karate, developed from various martial arts by Gichin Funakoshi and his son Gigo Funakoshi . Gichin was born in Okinawa and is widely credited with popularizing karate through a series of public demonstrations, and by promoting the development of university karate clubs, including...
karate
Karate
is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
. He was an internationally recognized instructor, author, and administrator, and helped to establish the Japan Karate Association
Japan Karate Association
Japan Karate Association is one of the most influential Shotokan karate organizations in the world...
. Nishiyama was one of the last surviving students of Gichin Funakoshi
Gichin Funakoshi
was the creator of Shotokan karate, perhaps the most widely known style of karate, and is attributed as being the 'father of modern karate.' Following the teachings of Anko Itosu, he was one of the Okinawan karate masters who introduced karate to the Japanese mainland in 1921...
, founder of Shotokan karate. He was based in the United States of America from 1961 until his death in 2008, and was a pioneer of karate in that country. He held the rank of 10th dan
Dan (rank)
The ranking system is a Japanese mark of level, which is used in modern fine arts and martial arts. Originally invented in a Go school in the Edo period, this system was applied to martial arts by Kanō Jigorō, the founder of judo and later introduced to other East Asia countries.In the modern...
in karate.
Early life
Nishiyama was born on October 10, 1928, in Tokyo, Japan. His father was a lawyer and a kendoKendo
, meaning "Way of The Sword", is a modern Japanese martial art of sword-fighting based on traditional Japanese swordsmanship, or kenjutsu.Kendo is a physically and mentally challenging activity that combines strong martial arts values with sport-like physical elements.-Practitioners:Practitioners...
master, and he had two sisters, Sumiye and Michiko. During Nishiyama's childhood, karate was mostly unknown in Japan, and children were required to train in either judo
Judo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
or kendo in middle school. He started learning kendo in 1933 and judo in 1938. Recalling the beginning of his martial arts training, Nishiyama said, "I began, as is the custom in Japan, on the 5th day of the fifth month at the age of five. I started in kendo." His kendo instructor, Moorio Mochida, had a strong and lasting influence on the youth's development in the martial arts. By the time Nishiyama reached 14 years of age, he had attained black belt
Black belt (martial arts)
In martial arts, the black belt is a way to describe a graduate of a field where a practitioner's level is often marked by the color of the belt. The black belt is commonly the highest belt color used and denotes a degree of competence. It is often associated with a teaching grade though...
status in judo.
In 1943, Nishiyama was promoted to the rank of 1st dan in kendo (and would eventually reach 3rd dan in that art), and began training in Shotokan karate at the art's honbu dojo
Dojo
A is a Japanese term which literally means "place of the way". Initially, dōjōs were adjunct to temples. The term can refer to a formal training place for any of the Japanese do arts but typically it is considered the formal gathering place for students of any Japanese martial arts style to...
(headquarters training hall) under its founder, Gichin Funakoshi
Gichin Funakoshi
was the creator of Shotokan karate, perhaps the most widely known style of karate, and is attributed as being the 'father of modern karate.' Following the teachings of Anko Itosu, he was one of the Okinawan karate masters who introduced karate to the Japanese mainland in 1921...
. His interest in karate had been sparked by two things: an old book written by a sword master (Nishiyama estimated the book to have been written around 1550), and Zoku Sugata Sanshiro
Sanshiro Sugata Part II
is a 1945 film written and directed by Akira Kurosawa. It is based on the novel by Tsuneo Tomita.It was filmed in early 1945 in Japan towards the end of World War II....
(1945), a film by Akira Kurosawa
Akira Kurosawa
was a Japanese film director, producer, screenwriter and editor. Regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers in the history of cinema, Kurosawa directed 30 filmsIn 1946, Kurosawa co-directed, with Hideo Sekigawa and Kajiro Yamamoto, the feature Those Who Make Tomorrow ;...
. He recalled that training in the honbu dojo was around 80% kata
Kata
is a Japanese word describing detailed choreographed patterns of movements practised either solo or in pairs. The term form is used for the corresponding concept in non-Japanese martial arts in general....
(patterns) and 20% kihon
Kihon
is a Japanese term meaning "basics" or "fundamentals." The term is used to refer to the basic techniques that are taught and practiced as the foundation of most Japanese martial arts....
(basics), and that Funakoshi and his son, Gigō Funakoshi, would divide the teaching load evenly between them.
Nishiyama served in the Imperial Japanese Navy
Imperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes...
before the end of World War II, and was unable to continue his karate training during this brief period. In 1946, he was promoted to the rank of 1st dan in karate, and in 1948, he was promoted to 2nd dan. With the war over, he was able to begin studying at university.
Japan Karate Association
While enrolled at Takushoku UniversityTakushoku University
Takushoku University is a private university in Japan. It was founded in 1900 by Prince Taro Katsura . The university is located in Tokyo and has two campuses: the main campus in the Bunkyō district, and a satellite campus in the Hachiōji district...
, Nishiyama became a member of the university's karate team, and in 1949 he was named team captain. That same year, he helped to establish the Japan Karate Association
Japan Karate Association
Japan Karate Association is one of the most influential Shotokan karate organizations in the world...
(JKA). He also co-founded the All Japan Collegiate Karate Union, and was elected its first chairman. In 1950, Funakoshi promoted him to 3rd dan in karate.
Nishiyama received a Master of Arts degree in economics from Takushoku University in 1951. That year, he was appointed to the JKA's Board of Directors. He began working for Shell Oil
Royal Dutch Shell
Royal Dutch Shell plc , commonly known as Shell, is a global oil and gas company headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands and with its registered office in London, United Kingdom. It is the fifth-largest company in the world according to a composite measure by Forbes magazine and one of the six...
, but his JKA role soon became his full-time occupation. He was appointed to take charge of the JKA instructors' training program, and continued to oversee it until the late 1950s. Recalling notable graduates of the course, he said, "There were many but I think Mr. Kanazawa was exceptional, even though he left the JKA. There were many very good people, like Mr. Enoeda
Keinosuke Enoeda
was a Japanese master of Shotokan karate. He was a former Chief Instructor of the Karate Union of Great Britain. Enoeda was ranked 8th dan in Shotokan karate, and was widely renowned as a formidable karateka . Following his death, Enoeda was posthumously awarded the rank of 9th dan.-Early...
, Shirai, Mikami
Takayuki Mikami
is a Japanese master of Shotokan karate based in the United States of America. He holds the rank of 9th dan black belt in the art. In 1958, Mikami tied for first place in the All Japan Karate Championships. The following year, he became the All Japan champion in kumite as well as kata . In 1961,...
and many others as well."
In 1952, Nishiyama began teaching karate to US military personnel from the Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command
The Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
(SAC). The other karate instructors for this program included Masatoshi Nakayama and Isao Obata
Isao Obata
was a pioneering Japanese master of Shotokan karate. He was a senior student of Gichin Funakoshi, who is widely recognized as the founder of modern karate, and was a key figure in the establishment of the Japan Karate Association under Funakoshi in 1949...
. The following year, United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
General Curtis LeMay
Curtis LeMay
Curtis Emerson LeMay was a general in the United States Air Force and the vice presidential running mate of American Independent Party candidate George Wallace in 1968....
invited several instructors, including Nishiyama, to tour US air bases on the North American mainland. In 1960, Nishiyama published his first book, Karate: The Art of Empty-Hand Fighting (co-authored with Richard Brown). This work has been recognized as a seminal textbook on karate; the cover of a 1990 reprint noted that over 300,000 copies had been sold. In June 1960, Nishiyama was promoted to the rank of 5th dan in Shotokan karate.
United States of America
In July 1961, Nishiyama moved to the United States of America at the invitation of his students from the SAC, and founded the All American Karate Federation (AAKF). It was around this time that Tsutomu OhshimaTsutomu Ohshima
is a prominent Japanese master of Shotokan karate who founded the Shotokan Karate of America organization. He is the Shihan of the SKA, and to this day holds the rank of 5th dan in karate, which was awarded to him by Gichin Funakoshi...
invited Nishiyama to take charge of his karate students in the US, as Ohshima was planning to return to Japan following completion of his US university studies. The arrangement did not work out satisfactorily, and was to be a source of bitterness between the two men. Four years later, in 1965, Nishiyama organized the first United States vs. Japan Goodwill Karate Tournament. He wrote a long letter on the state of karate tournaments, published in 1967 by Black Belt magazine. In that letter, he warned of the dangers of unqualified competitors and officials. In 1968, he organized the first World Invitational Karate Tournament, held at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena
Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena
The Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena is a multi-purpose arena, in the University Park neighborhood, of Los Angeles, California, at Exposition Park. It is located next to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, just south of the campus of the University of Southern California.-History:The Los Angeles...
.
In 1973, Nishiyama co-founded the Pan American Karate Union and was elected its first Executive Director. He became Executive Director of the International Amateur Karate Federation (IAKF) in 1974. The first IAKF World Karate Championship was held in Los Angeles in 1975. The organization would later become the International Traditional Karate Federation
International Traditional Karate Federation
The International Traditional Karate Federation is the international governing body for Traditional Karate...
(ITKF) in 1985. In 1979, the AAKF became the American Amateur Karate Federation (and kept the same acronym). Nishiyama was elected as the inaugural President of the new AAKF.
Through the 1980s, Nishiyama served in a variety of administrative leadership roles, including President of JKA International (USA), Chairman of the AAKF, and President of the ITKF. He was based in Los Angeles, where he had settled with his family, but travelled across the world to teach karate. Nishiyama was featured on the cover of the December 1986 issue of Black Belt magazine. In 1989, he published the Traditional Karate Coach's Manual.
In the early 1990s, Nishiyama's refusal to align his ITKF organization with the World Union of Karate-Do Organizations
World Union of Karate-Do Organizations
World Union of Karate-do Organizations , was originally founded in 1970. The name of WUKO was abandoned in the early 1990s when WUKO and the International Traditional Karate Federation were to amalgamate as the World Karate Federation...
(WUKO) caused the International Olympic Committee
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
to suspend its recognition of WUKO as amateur karate's international governing body. The ITKF and WUKO had been due to merge and form a unified karate organization, but this did not eventuate. The WUKO eventually became the World Union of Karate-Do Federations in late 2008.
In 1999, the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
honored Nishiyama by presenting him with the US flag that had been flown on October 10 (his birthday) that year over the US Capitol
United States Capitol
The United States Capitol is the meeting place of the United States Congress, the legislature of the federal government of the United States. Located in Washington, D.C., it sits atop Capitol Hill at the eastern end of the National Mall...
in Washington, D.C. The flag was awarded in recognition of his contributions to traditional karate. At the request of US Senator Slade Gorton
Slade Gorton
Thomas Slade Gorton III is an American politician. A Republican, he was a U.S. senator from Washington state from 1981 to 1987, and from 1989 to 2001. He held both of the state's Senate seats in his career and was narrowly defeated for reelection twice as an incumbent: in 1986 by Brock Adams, and...
, the accompanying letter stated: "I would like to thank you for your many years of service to this country. Your efforts in bringing the art of Karate to the United States Armed Forces has been immeasurable. On behalf of your grateful students and friends, I wish you the best in your many endeavors."
Later life
In May 2000, Nishiyama was honored when the Nishiyama Cup was held in Moscow, the first official karate event conducted in Russia since the end of the Soviet UnionSoviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. On November 3, 2000, the Emperor of Japan awarded the Order of the Sacred Treasure
Order of the Sacred Treasure
The is a Japanese Order, established on January 4, 1888 by Emperor Meiji of Japan as the Order of Meiji. It is awarded in eight classes . It is generally awarded for long and/or meritorious service and considered to be the lowest of the Japanese orders of merit...
, 4th Class (Gold Rays with Rosette), to him in a ceremony on the grounds of the Tokyo Imperial Palace. Nishiyama was one of only 11 recipients of the award from outside Japan in that year.
During the first Traditional Karate World Cup, in October 2001, Poland honored Nishiyama with the Officer's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland. The award was presented by the President of Poland, Aleksander Kwaśniewski
Aleksander Kwasniewski
Aleksander Kwaśniewski is a Polish politician who served as the President of Poland from 1995 to 2005. He was born in Białogard, and during communist rule he was active in the Socialist Union of Polish Students and was the Minister for Sport in the communist government in the 1980s...
. On November 1, 2003, the International San Ten Karate Association (ISKA) awarded Nishiyama the rank of 10th dan. The ISKA reported that "Master Nishiyama at first tried to turn aside the honor, but was moved by the heartfelt affection of the ISKA leadership." The calligraphy
Japanese calligraphy
is a form of calligraphy, or artistic writing, of the Japanese language. For a long time, the most esteemed calligrapher in Japan had been Wang Xizhi, a Chinese calligrapher in the 4th century but after the invention of Hiragana and Katakana, the Japanese unique syllabaries, the distinctive...
for the certificate was executed by Eri Takase.
Nishiyama died on November 7, 2008, in Los Angeles, following a long battle with lung cancer. His funeral was held on November 30 at the Hompa Hongwanji Buddhist Temple in Los Angeles, with over 500 people in attendance. He was survived by his wife, Yohko, and their three daughters: Yumi, Amy, and Nami.
On October 10, 2009, the ITKF posthumously awarded the rank of 10th dan to Nishiyama; his daughter Nami accepted the honor on his behalf. ITKF Chairman Richard Jorgensen recalled, "[Nishiyama] always said he never wanted to achieve the level of 10th Dan because he believed to do so and acquire the highest rank meant that his learning and his life would be over ... he would never accept the rank while he lived."
External links
- Hidetaka Nishiyama Official Website
- International Traditional Karate Federation
- American Amateur Karate Federation
- Gekkan Karate-do (Pursuit of Budo Karate)