Brief History of Yoshukai Karate

Yoshukai Karate was initially developed as a branch of the Okinawan style of Chito Ryu. Katsou Yamamoto a top student of Dr Tsuyoshi Chitose, the founder of Chito Ryu and President of the All Japan Karate Do Federation became one of the top fighters in Japan and eventually All Japan Karate Champion. Master Yamamoto took what he’d learned from his study of various martial art styles, and added his own training and fighting philosophies to create Yoshukai. The kanji symbols that represent the name “Yoshukai” translated into English mean “Training Hall of Continuous Improvement. The style is known for its rigorous training, tough fighting, use of weapons, and its incredible demonstrations. One of Yamamoto’s top students and the man who would eventually carry the style to the US was an American serviceman named Mike Foster. Mr Foster lived and trained in Japan for 10 years studying under both Chitose and Yamamoto eventually attaining the rank of 4th degree black belt. He returned to the United States to establish Yoshukai schools in Florida while also becoming a multi USKA Grand Nationals Champion and Florida State Champion. Through Foster’s leadership, and with the assistance of several noted Yoshukai Black Belts such as Hiroyuki Koda, Mike Sadler, and Rayburn Nichols, Yoshukai became a worldwide organization with schools throughout North America and in several foreign countries. Philosophical and managerial disagreements between Foster and Yamamoto along with Nichols, Sadler, and Koda caused the Yoshukai organization to split with each man creating his own branch of the style.

Yoshukai Karate International

In 2008 the Board of Directors of Mike Foster’s Yoshukai International Association along with members of the Testing Board chose to sever ties with the YIKA and Foster to create the Yoshukai Karate International Association. The President of the YKI is Hanshi Michael McClernan 9th degree Black Belt. The association has member schools in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Australia, Germany, New Zealand, and Maylasia. Golden Isles Yoshukai Dojo along with all of its instructors and students are members of this association and will wear its crest on their uniforms. All student testing for 1st Kyu Brown Belt and all Black Belt ranks will be required to test before the YKI Testing Board.