Born on June 6th, 1923,
he is the founder of direct striking style karate (kyokushin -full contact karate). Masutatsu Oyama travelled many countries across the globe to study various martial arts and teach karate.
Became a deciple of Gichin Funakoshi at the age of 15 and later on studied at Takushoku and Waseda university. He secluded himself in montain Seicho from April 1948 for 1 year and 8 months in order to train.
In 1952 he crossed the Pacific with judo professional Koukichi Endo（4th dan) to stay 1 year in America. There, Mas Oyama performed karate demonstrations all over the country while also fighting against professional boxers and wrestlers.
Upon returning home, he defeated 47 bulls with bare hands (4 of which died instantly) and images of the battles were made into a movie "Bull fighting" released in 1954. Sosai founded the International Karate Organization Kyokushinkaikan at the remains of a balley studio in Ikebukuro in 1964, where numerous pupils and famous fighters appeared one after another.
Kyokushin becomes the source of many full contact styles and the first World Open Karate Championship was held in 1975, leading to an international kyokushin karate boom.
Mas Oyama passed away suddenly on April 26th, 1994. At that time he was 70 years old.
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