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World All Kyokushin Karate Union established 2012 世界極真空手連盟
Updates coming soon. As of July 2026, Shihan Chad Newhide will be acting Director of World All Kyokushin Karate Union.
Soshi Seiji Kanamura
One of Mas Oyama’s top students, Seiji Kanamura has been involved in Karate since its early days. He has done much to establish Kyokushin Karate in the United States and the wider world.
Seiji Kanamura was born in 1944, in Tokyo, Japan.
Kanamura’s father was a friend of Mas Oyama.
In 1958 Kanamura began training under Oyama, who was teaching Oyama Karate at the time.
Kanamura enrolled at Meiji University in the late 1950s, where he eventually earned a degree. He followed this with a two-year postgraduate diploma in Food Chemistry.
By 1967 Kanamura had been promoted to 1st Dan and had become a Hombu dojo instructor. He also became Oyama’s driver and bodyguard.
In 1968 Kanamura became the Chief Instructor at the Hombu dojo.
In 1971 Oyama sent Kanamura to the United States to establish Kyokushin Karate in New York. Initially, he was supposed to teach in the United States for two years. However, when his time was up, Oyama asked him to extend his stay in the United States.
Apart from teaching in the United States, Kanamura travelled to other countries to teach. In 1974 he travelled to Hawaii to teach.
In March 1974, six karateka were sent from Japan to live and train in New York for two months. This was to get them used to competing against non-Japanese fighters. They were Joko Ninomiya, Yoshiji Soeno, Yukio Nishida, Katsuaki Sato, Nobuyuki Kishi, and Toshikatsu Sato. They were accompanied by coach Yuzo Goda. They were nicknamed The Seven Samurai. They visited the dojos of Shigeru Oyama, Tadashi Nakamura, and Kanamura. They had the opportunity to train and compete against the likes of William Oliver, and Willie Williams.
In 1975 Kanamura was appointed the Chief Instructor of the United States team that travelled to Tokyo to compete in a Karate tournament.
Always looking to promote Kyokushin Karate, Kanamura travelled to Venezuela and Brazil, where he taught several classes.
In 1979 Kanamura was again appointed the Chief Instructor of the United States Kyokushin Karate team. He was in charge of a team that travelled to Japan to compete in the Open Karate Tournament, held in Tokyo.
From 1979 to 1983, Kanamura continued travelling to different countries to teach Kyokushin. In 1979, he travelled to Canada. He travelled to Haiti in 1980, and Italy in 1983.
Apart from Karate, Kanamura became a professor of Sports Science at Long Island University, during the 1980s. At the university, he was part of a study examining whether non-contact or semi-contact Karate offered the best cardiovascular workout.
In 1987 Kanamura was promoted to 7th Dan by Mas Oyama.
Kanamura produced a workout videotape in 1987. It was called Karate At Home.
On 26 April 1994, Kanamura’s teacher, Mas Oyama died. Following Oyama’s death, his organisation, the IKO (International Karate Organisation) split into several different factions. Kanamura remained with the IKO-1 which was led by Shokei Matsui.
In 2003, Kanamura decided to leave the IKO-1, after several years with the organization. He joined the All Japan Kyokushin Union.
Kanamura was still a much-in-demand instructor and continued to teach abroad.
Between 14-18 July 2010, Kanamura was invited to be a special instructor at the Kyokushin Karate Summer Camp held in Cefalu, Sicily. It was organised by Aldo Raimondo.
In 2012 Kanamura left the All Japan Kyokushin Union and joined the International Kyokushin Budoken Organisation in Japan.
In 2014 Kanamura helped establish the The World All Kyokushin Karate Union. He became the organization’s honorary President. Kancho Kanamura holds the rank of 9th Dan.
Seiji Kanamura was born in 1944, in Tokyo, Japan.
Kanamura’s father was a friend of Mas Oyama.
In 1958 Kanamura began training under Oyama, who was teaching Oyama Karate at the time.
Kanamura enrolled at Meiji University in the late 1950s, where he eventually earned a degree. He followed this with a two-year postgraduate diploma in Food Chemistry.
By 1967 Kanamura had been promoted to 1st Dan and had become a Hombu dojo instructor. He also became Oyama’s driver and bodyguard.
In 1968 Kanamura became the Chief Instructor at the Hombu dojo.
In 1971 Oyama sent Kanamura to the United States to establish Kyokushin Karate in New York. Initially, he was supposed to teach in the United States for two years. However, when his time was up, Oyama asked him to extend his stay in the United States.
Apart from teaching in the United States, Kanamura travelled to other countries to teach. In 1974 he travelled to Hawaii to teach.
In March 1974, six karateka were sent from Japan to live and train in New York for two months. This was to get them used to competing against non-Japanese fighters. They were Joko Ninomiya, Yoshiji Soeno, Yukio Nishida, Katsuaki Sato, Nobuyuki Kishi, and Toshikatsu Sato. They were accompanied by coach Yuzo Goda. They were nicknamed The Seven Samurai. They visited the dojos of Shigeru Oyama, Tadashi Nakamura, and Kanamura. They had the opportunity to train and compete against the likes of William Oliver, and Willie Williams.
In 1975 Kanamura was appointed the Chief Instructor of the United States team that travelled to Tokyo to compete in a Karate tournament.
Always looking to promote Kyokushin Karate, Kanamura travelled to Venezuela and Brazil, where he taught several classes.
In 1979 Kanamura was again appointed the Chief Instructor of the United States Kyokushin Karate team. He was in charge of a team that travelled to Japan to compete in the Open Karate Tournament, held in Tokyo.
From 1979 to 1983, Kanamura continued travelling to different countries to teach Kyokushin. In 1979, he travelled to Canada. He travelled to Haiti in 1980, and Italy in 1983.
Apart from Karate, Kanamura became a professor of Sports Science at Long Island University, during the 1980s. At the university, he was part of a study examining whether non-contact or semi-contact Karate offered the best cardiovascular workout.
In 1987 Kanamura was promoted to 7th Dan by Mas Oyama.
Kanamura produced a workout videotape in 1987. It was called Karate At Home.
On 26 April 1994, Kanamura’s teacher, Mas Oyama died. Following Oyama’s death, his organisation, the IKO (International Karate Organisation) split into several different factions. Kanamura remained with the IKO-1 which was led by Shokei Matsui.
In 2003, Kanamura decided to leave the IKO-1, after several years with the organization. He joined the All Japan Kyokushin Union.
Kanamura was still a much-in-demand instructor and continued to teach abroad.
Between 14-18 July 2010, Kanamura was invited to be a special instructor at the Kyokushin Karate Summer Camp held in Cefalu, Sicily. It was organised by Aldo Raimondo.
In 2012 Kanamura left the All Japan Kyokushin Union and joined the International Kyokushin Budoken Organisation in Japan.
In 2014 Kanamura helped establish the The World All Kyokushin Karate Union. He became the organization’s honorary President. Kancho Kanamura holds the rank of 9th Dan.
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Kancho Seiji Kanamura 9th Dan (Japan) is one of the first Mentors of The World All Kyokushin Karate Union and Honorary President. He was born in Tokyo. His father and Mas Oyama knew each other for a long time. In early 1960’s, he became Mas Oyama's student. While training hard, he successfully finished food chemistry at Meiji University in Tokyo. Between 1968 and 1971, he was the chief instructor in the Honbu Dojo. He became the Sosai Masutatsu Oyama's personal driver and bodyguard. In 1970, he received Best Technique and Best Spirit Awards as well as Best Attendance in special black belt training. Along side Masutatsu Oyama, he was in many movies and books.
In 1971, Sosai Masutatsu Oyama sent him to the United States to teach for two years. After the two years, Sosai Oyama asked him to stay for another year. Kancho Kanamura answered with an OSU! Each year, Mas Oyama asked him to stay for another year and the answer was always the same. Since then, he has been living and teaching Kyokushin in New York. He took over the dojo in downtown Brooklyn, which has been a legend in US since. Since early 1980's, he has been a professor at the Long Island University teaching sport science and karate. He has taught in many places around the world including Hawaii in 1974, Venezuela and Brazil in 1977, Canada in 1979, Haiti in 1980, and Italy in 1983. Kancho Kanamura puts together the famous sword demonstration which was shown at many competitions. Kancho Kanamura was the national team coach many times since 1975. At Sosai Oyama's request, he did unforgettable demonstrations at many championships worldwide. Each year since 2001, Kaicho Kanamura has been frequently visiting many countries teaching Kyokushin Karate and leading trainings. He is guiding and supervising the standards of The World All Kyokushin Karate Union. |
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Purpose of Establishment
The purpose of the International Karate Organization KyokushinKaiKan, World All Kyokushin Karate Union is to spread Sosai Masutatsu Oyama Kyokushin Karate in a proper and professional manner.
After the death of our founder Sosai Masutatsu Oyama, the original IKO Kyokushin KaiKan Karate started dividing to many karate groups moving forward in time. Our Purpose is to ensure that the correct syllabus taught by Sosai Masutatsu Oyama is presented and delivered correctly in a professional manner.
The World All Kyokushin Karate Union respects all legally registered Kyokushin Organizations around the world, and recognizes all the Kyokushin Karateka and their ranks affiliated with these established Organizations.
We are here to help Kyokushin Karateka who would like to work with IKOK World All Kyokushin Karate Union. It is not our goal to establish a Kyokushin Union with the largest number of dojos or branches, but our goal is to preserve the Kyokushin way.
The purpose of the International Karate Organization KyokushinKaiKan, World All Kyokushin Karate Union is to spread Sosai Masutatsu Oyama Kyokushin Karate in a proper and professional manner.
After the death of our founder Sosai Masutatsu Oyama, the original IKO Kyokushin KaiKan Karate started dividing to many karate groups moving forward in time. Our Purpose is to ensure that the correct syllabus taught by Sosai Masutatsu Oyama is presented and delivered correctly in a professional manner.
The World All Kyokushin Karate Union respects all legally registered Kyokushin Organizations around the world, and recognizes all the Kyokushin Karateka and their ranks affiliated with these established Organizations.
We are here to help Kyokushin Karateka who would like to work with IKOK World All Kyokushin Karate Union. It is not our goal to establish a Kyokushin Union with the largest number of dojos or branches, but our goal is to preserve the Kyokushin way.
World All Kyokushin Karate Union
After decades of continuous training, many received awards and achievements, loyalty to the International Karate Organization Kyokushin Kai Kan, and Sosai Masutatsu Oyama, Kancho Kanamura 9th Dan (Japan) continued promoting Kyokushin Karate and Full Contact Budo Karate worldwide. After the death of Sosai Oyama in 1994, Kancho Kanamura continued holding his International Leadership roles and being loyal to The International Karate Organizationa KyokushinKaiKan IKO 1 Matsui Group, training, teaching, and working with Kyokushin world leaders.
In 2003, Kancho Kanamura felt it is best to join his Japanese Kyokushin Karate friends that they grew up and trained with for decades in the All Japan Kyokushin Union. When the All Japan Kyokushin Union most senior officers Kaicho Kanamura 9th Dan, Saiko Shihan Hasegawa 9th Dan and Saiko Shihan Ohishi 9th Dan decided to leave the All Japan Kyokushin Unoin in 2012, Saiko Shihan Hasegawa and Saiko Shihan Oishi started a new Kyokushin Organization - World Sokyokushin. Kaicho Kanamura first started the International Kyokushin Budoken Organization inside Japan, and in January 2014, Kaicho Kanamura with his Kyokushin Karate students worldwide decided to activate The World All Kyokushin Karate Union under his leadership, guidance, direction and supervision, and work on Karate activities with the highest ranking Kyokushin Grandmasters in the world inside Japan and internationally. Today, The World All Kyokushin Karate Union (Kyokushin Union) stands strong, working with authentic, well known, well reputed Kyokushin leaders who were direct students of Sosai Oyama.
We respect all Kyokushin Karate Organizations, karate practitioners, professional martial artists, and we are happy to work with everyone teaching, training and promoting Kyokushin Karate without any discrimination, one world, one Kyokushin, OSU!
After decades of continuous training, many received awards and achievements, loyalty to the International Karate Organization Kyokushin Kai Kan, and Sosai Masutatsu Oyama, Kancho Kanamura 9th Dan (Japan) continued promoting Kyokushin Karate and Full Contact Budo Karate worldwide. After the death of Sosai Oyama in 1994, Kancho Kanamura continued holding his International Leadership roles and being loyal to The International Karate Organizationa KyokushinKaiKan IKO 1 Matsui Group, training, teaching, and working with Kyokushin world leaders.
In 2003, Kancho Kanamura felt it is best to join his Japanese Kyokushin Karate friends that they grew up and trained with for decades in the All Japan Kyokushin Union. When the All Japan Kyokushin Union most senior officers Kaicho Kanamura 9th Dan, Saiko Shihan Hasegawa 9th Dan and Saiko Shihan Ohishi 9th Dan decided to leave the All Japan Kyokushin Unoin in 2012, Saiko Shihan Hasegawa and Saiko Shihan Oishi started a new Kyokushin Organization - World Sokyokushin. Kaicho Kanamura first started the International Kyokushin Budoken Organization inside Japan, and in January 2014, Kaicho Kanamura with his Kyokushin Karate students worldwide decided to activate The World All Kyokushin Karate Union under his leadership, guidance, direction and supervision, and work on Karate activities with the highest ranking Kyokushin Grandmasters in the world inside Japan and internationally. Today, The World All Kyokushin Karate Union (Kyokushin Union) stands strong, working with authentic, well known, well reputed Kyokushin leaders who were direct students of Sosai Oyama.
We respect all Kyokushin Karate Organizations, karate practitioners, professional martial artists, and we are happy to work with everyone teaching, training and promoting Kyokushin Karate without any discrimination, one world, one Kyokushin, OSU!
