Kazuyoshi Ishii
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese master
of Seidokaikan
karate
and founder of the K-1
fighting circuit, a widely televised international martial arts competition combining Muay Thai
, karate, sanshou, taekwondo
, kenpo
, boxing
, and kickboxing
. His karate training began with Kyokushin karate, but he formed his own karate organization in 1980, began promoting televised karate competitions, and started staging K-1 events in 1993.
, Ehime Prefecture
, Japan. He is one of three siblings. As a boy, he was interested in sumo
and baseball, and was also introduced to gymnastics. While Ishii was in junior high school, a book by Masatoshi Nakayama sparked his interest in Shotokan karate
, but a Sonny Chiba
film later inspired him to pursue training in Kyokushin karate.
, who was then a senior instructor in Kyokushin's International Karate Organization
(IKO). By the time he was 16 years old, he had established a local Kyokushin dojo
(training hall) under his instructor's supervision. Six years later, in 1975, he opened a Kyokushin dojo in Osaka
, and this was a very successful venture.
When Ashihara left the IKO a few years later, Ishii followed, but then left Ashihara's organization after only a few months. He founded his own organization, Seidokaikan Karate, in 1980. Ishii's organization had dojo in the Kansai region. Within the next two years, he was promoting televised full-contact karate tournaments. In 1983, Ishii became the first Chairman of the newly formed All Japan Budo Promotion Association. Seidokaikan's reputation grew as Ishii's students, such as Masaaki Satake
, Toshiyuki Yanagisawa, and Toshiyuki Atokawa, earned tournament victories.
, the "K" element came from kakutogi (a Japanese collective noun for combat techniques) and the "1" element came from the competition's single weight division and the champion's unique position (given the single weight division). According to Black Belt magazine, Ishii said that he chose the "K" element since it was the first letter in the names of karate, kickboxing, kung fu, kempo, and many other combative arts. K-1's official website states that the "K" element also stands for "King."
Over the next ten years, the K-1 competition expanded to 24 events each year, across Japan, Europe, and North America. In January 2003, Black Belt magazine named Ishii as its Man of the Year for 2002. Together with late K-1 fighter Andy Hug
(1964–2000), Ishii supported the production of Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie
by creating fight scenes that utilized real-life combat techniques.
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 Seidokaikan
Seidokaikan
is a style of full contact karate, or Knockdown karate, founded by Kazuyoshi Ishii in 1980.-History:First formed in 1980 by Kazuyoshi Ishii, a former Kyokushin Karate practitioner who began his training under Hideyuki Ashihara in 1969...
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,...
and founder of the K-1
K-1
K-1 is a defunct world-wide kickboxing promotion based in Tokyo, Japan founded by Kazuyoshi Ishii, a formerKyokushin karate practitioner. K-1 combines stand up techniques from Muay Thai, Karate, Taekwondo, Savate, San Shou, kickboxing, western-style boxing, and other martial arts...
fighting circuit, a widely televised international martial arts competition combining Muay Thai
Muay Thai
Muay Thai is a combat sport from Thailand that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques. It is similar to other Indochinese kickboxing systems, namely pradal serey from Cambodia, tomoi from Malaysia, lethwei from Myanmar and muay Lao from Laos...
, karate, sanshou, taekwondo
Taekwondo
Taekwondo is a Korean martial art and the national sport of South Korea. In Korean, tae means "to strike or break with foot"; kwon means "to strike or break with fist"; and do means "way", "method", or "path"...
, kenpo
Kenpo
is the name of several Japanese martial arts. The word kenpō is a Japanese translation of the Chinese word "quánfǎ. This term is often informally transliterated as "kempo", as a result of applying Traditional Hepburn romanization, but failing to use a macron to indicate the long vowel...
, boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
, and kickboxing
Kickboxing
Kickboxing refers to a group of martial arts and stand-up combat sports based on kicking and punching, historically developed from karate, Muay Thai and western boxing....
. His karate training began with Kyokushin karate, but he formed his own karate organization in 1980, began promoting televised karate competitions, and started staging K-1 events in 1993.
Early life
Ishii was born on June 10, 1953, in UwajimaUwajima, Ehime
is a city located in Ehime, Japan. In 1595, what is now Uwajima was known as Itajima village. Takatora Tohdo became lord of the Uwa region, and ordered the restoration of Marugushi Castle...
, Ehime Prefecture
Ehime Prefecture
is a prefecture in northwestern Shikoku, Japan. The capital is Matsuyama.-History:Until the Meiji Restoration, Ehime prefecture was known as Iyo Province...
, Japan. He is one of three siblings. As a boy, he was interested in sumo
Sumo
is a competitive full-contact sport where a wrestler attempts to force another wrestler out of a circular ring or to touch the ground with anything other than the soles of the feet. The sport originated in Japan, the only country where it is practiced professionally...
and baseball, and was also introduced to gymnastics. While Ishii was in junior high school, a book by Masatoshi Nakayama sparked his interest in Shotokan karate
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...
, but a Sonny Chiba
Sonny Chiba
, also known as Sonny Chiba, is a Japanese actor, singer, film producer, film director and martial artist.Chiba was one of the first actors to achieve stardom through his skills in martial arts, initially in Japan and later before an international audience.- Early life :Born in Fukuoka, Fukuoka,...
film later inspired him to pursue training in Kyokushin karate.
Karate career
Ishii began training in Kyokushin karate under Hideyuki AshiharaHideyuki Ashihara
was a Japanese master of karate who founded the Ashihara karate system in 1980. This karate style is based on Kyokushin karate. Ashihara, often attributed as one of the originators of the tai sabaki method, held the rank of 10th dan in karate and wrote three books on his martial art.-Early...
, who was then a senior instructor in Kyokushin's International Karate Organization
International Karate Organization
The International Karate Organization was founded by Mas Oyama in Japan. Its purpose is to promote and teach the Kyokushin Way around the globe...
(IKO). By the time he was 16 years old, he had established a local Kyokushin 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...
(training hall) under his instructor's supervision. Six years later, in 1975, he opened a Kyokushin dojo in Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
, and this was a very successful venture.
When Ashihara left the IKO a few years later, Ishii followed, but then left Ashihara's organization after only a few months. He founded his own organization, Seidokaikan Karate, in 1980. Ishii's organization had dojo in the Kansai region. Within the next two years, he was promoting televised full-contact karate tournaments. In 1983, Ishii became the first Chairman of the newly formed All Japan Budo Promotion Association. Seidokaikan's reputation grew as Ishii's students, such as Masaaki Satake
Masaaki Satake
is a Japanese former super heavyweight karateka, kickboxer and mixed martial artist. He was one of the pioneering heavyweight fighters in K-1, after being a member of Kazuyoshi Ishii's Seido-Kaikan school and organization.-Biography and career:...
, Toshiyuki Yanagisawa, and Toshiyuki Atokawa, earned tournament victories.
K-1 promotional career
Following almost a decade of development, Ishii staged the inaugural K-1 tournament in Yoyogi Hall, Tokyo, in April 1993. According to The Japan TimesThe Japan Times
The Japan Times is an English language newspaper published in Japan. Unlike its competitors, the Daily Yomiuri and the International Herald Tribune/Asahi Shimbun, it is not affiliated with a Japanese language media organization...
, the "K" element came from kakutogi (a Japanese collective noun for combat techniques) and the "1" element came from the competition's single weight division and the champion's unique position (given the single weight division). According to Black Belt magazine, Ishii said that he chose the "K" element since it was the first letter in the names of karate, kickboxing, kung fu, kempo, and many other combative arts. K-1's official website states that the "K" element also stands for "King."
Over the next ten years, the K-1 competition expanded to 24 events each year, across Japan, Europe, and North America. In January 2003, Black Belt magazine named Ishii as its Man of the Year for 2002. Together with late K-1 fighter Andy Hug
Andy Hug
Andy Hug was a Swiss Seidokaikan and Kyokushin karateka and kickboxer from Wohlen. Hug was the K-1 World Grand Prix 1996 champion and runner up in 1997 and 1998.-Biography and career:...
(1964–2000), Ishii supported the production of Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie
Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie
Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie, known as in Japan and Australia, is a 1994 Japanese animated film adaptation of the Street Fighter II fighting games written by Kenichi Imai, directed by Gisaburō Sugii and animated by Group TAC. The film, originally released in Japan on August 8, 1994, has...
by creating fight scenes that utilized real-life combat techniques.