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09 Sep 2010 [16:40 UTC]

Japan Martial Arts Centre

Okuyama Universal Peacekeeping

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Kancho Bio

Kancho Takemasa Okuyama - Bio

Created by: David Zahoruk, Last modification on 25 Jun 2009 [04:17 UTC] by annie
  • President and Chief instructor of Hachi-O-Kai
  • International Karate Associations in Canada, Argentina, Bosnia, Cehia, Columbia, Croatia, Ecuador, Hungary, Israel, Macedonia, Palestine, Russia, Slovakia, Ukraine, Yugoslavia and in India.
  • President of the Universal Peacekeeping Martial Arts Organization
  • General Director of the International Karate Association
  • Honourary Member of the Official International Association of Private Security Manpower, and in the North American Martial Arts Hall of Fame.
  • World Budo Federation
  • Vice President of the Canadian Security College (CSC)

Mr. Okuyama received the Key to the City of Cali, Columbia from Mayor Ricardo Cobo, for his efforts in the movement for peace, and has received special awards from the City of Be'er Sheva, Israel from Mayor Kakuv for peace work between Israel and Palestine.

The martial art journey of a true karate master lasts for a lifetime. Takemasa Okuyama is an example of someone who has risen to the top of his discipline by a never-ending desire to train and expand his knowledge about his chosen art. It has taken him to five continents as a teacher and tournament official, and he is now recognized internationally for his karate instruction.

Kancho (director or Principal) started training in sumo and judo as a seven year old, with his father Takemi and brother Takao, who was captain of the Nippon University Nojui Gakubu judo team. Young Takemasa Okuyama trained hard and was eventually made captain of the Hachijo High School judo team. His introduction to karate came when he was 13, through a karateka from Okinawa named Mr. Kinjo.

Okuyama entered Takushoku University in April, 1960 and studied political science and received a degree in foreign trading. At the same time, he studied Karate under Senseis (Teachers) Tabata, Hamanaka, Ozawa, and Tsuyama. This university has produced some of the finest karateka and instructors in the world, and Takemasa Okuyama took advantage of his opportunity to learn. Okuyama came to Canada in 1969 and organized the IKA Canadian chapter under Soke Kubota.


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