Also known as

Description

Founder of Kyokushin Karate, the first and most influential style of full contact karate. Born in Korea, Oyama trained in Shotokan under Gichin Funakoshi at Takushoku University, in Goju-ryu under Nei-chu So, and in Daito-ryu under Kotaro Yoshida. He won the first post-WWII All Japan Tournament in 1947, spent 18 months training in solitude on Mt. Kiyosumi, and opened his first dojo in 1953. He is legendary for fighting and defeating bulls bare-handed. Oyama established the International Karate Organization Kyokushinkaikan in 1964 and held the first All Japan Open Tournament in 1969 and the first World Open Tournament in 1975. He authored several books including What is Karate? (1958). He died of lung cancer in 1994.

Teachers (3)

• 
  Funakoshi Gichin

  linkKarate 3

  Confirmed

  Wikipedia confirms Oyama studied Shotokan under Gichin Funakoshi at Takushoku University for two years

  sports_kabaddiTakushoku University badge (1946-1948)

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source

  fact_check

  Wikipedia confirms Oyama studied Shotokan under Gichin Funakoshi at Takushoku University for two years

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "Oyama later attended Takushoku University in Tokyo and was accepted as a student at the dojo of Gichin Funakoshi where he trained for two years."

  — Wikipedia contributors. (2026). Mas Oyama - Wikipedia (EN). Wikipedia (English)linkinfo
• Ne
  Nei-chu So

  linkKarate 2

  Probable

  Wikipedia confirms Oyama studied Goju-ryu under Nei-chu So for several years.

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source

  fact_check

  Wikipedia confirms Oyama studied Goju-ryu under Nei-chu So for several years.

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "Oyama then studied Goju-ryu karate for several years with Nei-chu So, who was a fellow Korean from Oyama's native province and a senior student of the system's founder, Chojun Miyagi."

  — Wikipedia contributors. (2026). Mas Oyama - Wikipedia (EN). Wikipedia (English)linkinfo
• 
  Kōtarō Yoshida

  linkDaitō-ryū Aiki-jūjutsu 3balance

  Confirmed - conflicting evidence recorded

  Oyama called Yoshida 'the greatest of all my teachers' in 'This is Karate' (1965), and the relationship is confirmed by Yoshida's student registry and Kondo Katsuyuki's testimony (Gottner 2025). The training dates are contested between sources; the relationship itself is not.

  (1943-1945) balance (1954-1966)

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  4 sources

  fact_check

  Oyama called Yoshida 'the greatest of all my teachers' in 'This is Karate' (1965), and the relationship is confirmed by Yoshida's student registry and Kondo Katsuyuki's testimony (Gottner 2025). The training dates are contested between sources; the relationship itself is not.

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "C'est Richard Kim qui présente Mas Oyama à Kotaro Yoshida en 1943. Bien que la relation entre les deux hommes ait été relativement courte (deux ans), elle n'en sera pas moins intense."

  — Ashura (Overblog). (2013). Kotaro Yoshida, Mas Oyama et Daito-Ryulinkinfo

  blockdisputes

  "Nevertheless, there is no evidence of the connection between Ōyama and Tokimune, nor Yoshida during the war—and in the absence of circumstantial evidence, most likely it never occurred."

  — Gottner, Richárd Gábor. (2025). The Self-Defence Scroll of Kyokushinkai Karate: Analysing the Mokuroku Ōyama Masutatsu Received from Daitō-ryū Aikijūjutsu Master Yoshida Kōtarō linkinfo

  "While Tokimune sensei used the name Aikibudo when generally referring to the art, the name Aikijujutsu would always be used for densho and later koryu demonstrations held by national organizations. Most importantly, it suggests that Oyama probably practiced between 1954 and 1966."

  — Trudel, Marc. (2025). The Next Generation: Yoshida Kotaro, Mas Oyama, and cultural influenceslinkinfo

  blockdisputes

  "C'est Richard Kim qui présente Mas Oyama à Kotaro Yoshida en 1943."

  — Ashura (Overblog). (2013). Kotaro Yoshida, Mas Oyama et Daito-Ryulinkinfo

Students (2)

• 
  Roy Y. Suenaka

  linkKyokushin 3

  Confirmed

  Suenaka's official biography lists Kyokushinkai karate training under Masutatsu Oyama, 1961-1963

  (1961-1963)

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source

  fact_check

  Suenaka's official biography lists Kyokushinkai karate training under Masutatsu Oyama, 1961-1963

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "1961-1963 | Masutatsu Oyama, founder: Kyokushinkai Karate"

  — Biography of Roy Y. Suenaka, founder of Wadokai Aikidolinkinfo
• 
  Roger Lesourd

  linkKyokushin 3

  Confirmed

  Multiple sources confirm Roger Lesourd was a direct student of Mas Oyama at the Oyama Dojo in Japan from 1956 to 1960

  sports_kabaddiOyama Dojo badge (1956-1960)

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  2 sources

  fact_check

  Multiple sources confirm Roger Lesourd was a direct student of Mas Oyama at the Oyama Dojo in Japan from 1956 to 1960

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "In the 1960's, Mas Oyama accepted a French student, Roger Lesourd. Roger lived and trained in Japan directly under Mas Oyama and was eventually awarded a Third Dan Black Belt along with the title of Branch Chief for Canada."

  — Ronin Kai Karate — Our Historylinkinfo

  "A disciple of Mas Oyama, the founder of Kyokushin, he trained at the Oyama Dojo in Japan from 1956 to 1960 and won the title of branch manager along with the black belt Sandan."

  — All India Kyokushin-Kai Karate Federation — About WKKOlink

Honors (1)

• receipt_longFounder 3

  Confirmed

  Oyama founded Kyokushin Karate in 1953 and established the IKO in 1964 — universally recognized as the style's founder

  Title

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source

  fact_check

  Oyama founded Kyokushin Karate in 1953 and established the IKO in 1964 — universally recognized as the style's founder

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "He was the founder of Kyokushin Karate, considered the first and most influential style of full contact karate."

  — Wikipedia contributors. (2026). Mas Oyama - Wikipedia (EN). Wikipedia (English)linkinfo

Sources