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View Full Version : Why is it so difficult to find a Kyokushin dojo?



Adam McCarthy
2nd December 2005, 12:04
I am just curious as to why it seems to be incredibly difficult to find a place to observe and possibly train in Kyokushin karate? I have primarily been a Goju-ryu person, but I had been interested in at least checking out a Kyokushin place just to see it for myself. Unfortunately, I have come across very little in Texas (one place in Austin that I am not 100% sure on), and little else throughout the U.S. in general.

I guess my real question is why does this particular style seem to be amongst the least popular or available? Am I just missing something or is this the case? Additionally, as I did ask in one thread...if anyone knows of any other resources (especially in Texas), I would greatly appreciate any feedback.

Martin H
2nd December 2005, 14:52
Yes. kyokushin is one of the largest styles of karate worldwide, but in the US it is tiny. I think part of this is due to the fact that two of the men thas Oyama sent to the US to promote the style, left kyokushin and took "their" dojos with them when they founded new styles (Tadashi Nakamure founded World seido karate, Shigeru Oyama founded world oyama karate) in the late 70ies. This put a serious break on the spreading of kyokushin in the US.
Other well known kyokushin teacher split with ashihara to form ashihara karate. The most well known of these then left ashihara to form enshin karate.
The schools that remaijn are divided among the many rivaling kyokushin organisations that refuse to cooperate or even aknowledge each other.

Add to this the fact that kyokushin is knockdown karate, and knockdown karate tend to scare many away.

There is kyokushin in the US. but not as much as you would expect.
Modt dojos are on the eastcoast and near NY.

http://www.american-kyokushin.com/cnt.akk.n-america.html#south
The above is the AKKA kyokushin organisation. there are more, and a few independent kyokushi dojos (such as the sun-dragon that I think you refere to in one in austin http://www.sundragon-martialarts.com/ ) aswell, but with the independent dojos it is hard to say what standard they uphold.
one I found the directions to online is West Texas Kyokushin Karate Redbud YMCA Abilene, TX 79601 (325) 695-3400

If you cant find kyokushin, try one of the splinter groups I named. They are basicaly identical to kyokushin exept for the kata (and both world oyama karate and world seido karate are almost identical there aswell).
I do remember hearing that there are a few ashihara dojos in texas.

manofleisure
27th July 2006, 18:18
Here is the local area chapter.....

http://www.enshin-karate-texas.com/

dingodog1
27th August 2006, 20:37
We have an enshin karate branch here in Charlotte and an instructor has begun teaching Kyokushin Karate here also. He migrated here from New York City.

They are the only Kyokushin type schools of instruction I've ever run into personally here in NC.

There is, however a school in Durham that I recently discovered: www.budokaratehouse.com HARDCORE!