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is a Japanese style of Karate–dō. Karate-do. Karate-do translates as "Way of the Empty Hand." The three kanji (Japanese symbols) that make up the word Yoshukai literally translate as "Training Hall of Continued Improvement." However, the standardized English translation is "Striving for Excellence." Yoshukai Karate has been featured in Black Belt Magazine.Buttitta, Bob. Yoshukai Karate: Not for the Weak of Heart. Black Belt Magazine, May 1984, p. 54.Klase, Bill. "Rough, Tough Yoshukai Karate: Traditional Karate's Link to Full-contact Fighting." Black Belt Magazine, March 1988, p. 56.Baker, Timothy. "The Weapons of Yoshukai Karate: Nunchucks, Swords, Sickles, Staffs, Sai and Bo." Black Belt Magazine. January 1992, p. 24. Yoshukai karate is a separate Japanese style from Chito-ryu (which still retains its strong Okinawan roots). Kata, kobudo, kumite, and all karate aspects are drawn from the Founder, Mamoru Yamamoto. Yoshukai is a newer derivative Japanese style.
In the late fifties, Chitose's top ranking student and protégé was Mamoru Yamamoto (Yamamoto Mamoru). Mr. Yamamoto was given the dojo name of Yoshukan by Dr. Chitose. Bill Dometrich (2006; http://www.chito-ryu.com/index2.html ) reports of difficulty between Dr. Chitose and Mr. Yamamoto with Yamamoto withdrawing (some say he was expelled). Mr. Yamamoto adapted new fighting techniques and traditional weapons from Okinawa from Chito-Ryu. After leaving the Chito-Kai Federation in 1971, Yamamoto became founding a new style of karate known as Yoshukai Bill Dometrich states the separation in his 2006 book (Karate, the Endless Quest; pp. 230–234). In addition, interviews with Mike Foster, Mike Sadler, and others confirmed these stories.Heinze, Thomas. Die Meister des Karate und Kobudo: Teil 1: Vor 1900
During this early period, Yamamoto worked with Mas Oyama of Karate to develop the rules for Japanese full contact sparring to replace the sun dome tournament rule of the time. This rule meant that competitors must spar at full speed but could not make contact with one another,Nakayama, Masatoshi. Best Karate, Vol.5: Heian, Tekki which made judging of fighting very subjective. One competitor might move faster but the other could be more powerful, and it was up to the judge to determine which might win in the exchange of techniques. This development of new rules led to the modernization of tournament fighting in both Japan and the U.S.
Yamamoto was considered a tough fighter and top competitor in Japan and held the title of All-Japan Karate Open Tournament Champion from 1958 to 1960. In the early days of his dojo, he established his school through a practice called dojo yabe in which a martial artist visited neighboring schools and fought with its top practitioners. The winner established their school as stronger, and if a school was badly defeated, they often closed their doors and stopped teaching.
Yamamoto represented Japanese Karate at the Canadian International Exposition in 1967, and also demonstrated Yoshukai Karate at the World's Fair in Japan in 1970. Yamamoto and some of his students, including Mike Foster, accompanied Chitose on a promotional visit to Canada in 1967, where they conducted demonstrations, a clinic, and presided over the Karate Canada tournament. This trip was organized by Mas Tsuruoka, widely recognized as the father of Canadian Karate and, later, the founder of Tsuruoka Ryu.
In 1971 Mamoru Yamamoto withdrew from the Japanese Chito-kai Karate Federation. Bill Dometrich was sent to speak with Mr. Yamamoto because he “had elevated himself in authority and importance to the same level as Chitose Sensei. No one had ever done that before. Chitose Sensei had no Japanese students who would confront Yamamoto about his breach of etiquette, even on the telephone” (Dometrich, 2006; p. 230). Bill Dometrich met with Mr. Yamamoto and it was indicated that it was time for him to move on. In his departure, Yamamoto took with him the dojos established by his students in the United States.
Foster returned to the U.S. in 1966 as 4th degree black belt and became recognized as one of the top fighters in the U.S.A. He was named the director of the U.S.A. Yoshukai Karate Association by Yamamoto, and in this capacity established and headed karate schools in the United States which became part of the U.S. Chito-ryu Karate Federation. He returned to Japan on other occasions to study for a total of ten years under Yamamoto, during which time Yamamoto separated from the Chito-ryu Federation. Foster remained in the U.S. director position until 1980 when he stepped down and founded his own Yoshukai International Karate Association (YIK). In 1989 after a lawsuit, Mike Sadler was awarded the right to use the name; hence, Mike Foster could use "Yoshukai International Karate Association."(Mike Foster, et al. v. United States Yoshukai Karate Association, California no. 89-D-741-N)
Foster opened his first dojo in the U.S. in the mid-sixties at Tampa, Florida, and shortly afterward established the first of several Yoshukai Karate schools associated with colleges and universities at St. Leo College, Florida. From Tampa he moved to Orlando, Florida, where he kept a dojo during the early seventies. During the late seventies and eighties Foster maintained a dojo in Daytona, Florida. In the early nineties he relocated to Titusville, Florida, where he shared a hombu dojo (headquarters) for seven years with aikido Tom Walker. Foster continued to instruct senior grades at his hombu dojo in Titusville until 2008, when he retired from active teaching for health reasons.
Yoshukai became official 1973. Koda affiliated with the new U.S.A. Yoshukai style under Mamoru Yamamoto and Mike Foster continued to assist with establishing and developing schools in the United States. With the assistance of Yoshukai black belt Rayburn Nichols, he moved his family to Birmingham, Alabama, and named his organization Mid-South Yoshukai. In 1978 Hiroyuki Koda assumed the U.S.A. director position vacated by Mike Foster and renamed the Mid-South Yoshukai to the "U.S. Yoshukai Karate Association (USYKA)". In 1982, the Koda family moved to Texas, and in 1987 to Montgomery, Alabama, where Koda set up a honbu dojo (headquarters).
In 1997, Koda died from pancreatic and liver cancer, and his eldest son, David Yuki Koda, took over the directorship duties of the US Yoshukai Karate Association.
Yoshukai uses mainly forward, side and natural stances and technique that emphasizes lack of regression in movement. Outside Japan, techniques and stances are adapted from Japanese karate to fit taller Westerners with longer legs and higher hara or center of gravity. Although Yoshukai is considered a full-contact style, students are also trained to participate in light- to medium-contact sparring within the dojo to develop strategy and control of technique.
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| Name | Kanji | Description |
| Nijushichi (Nijuhichiko) | 二十七 | 27 Movements |
| Zenshin Kotai | 前進後退 | Advancing and Retreating |
| Heian Kihon 1–4 (H-Forms) | 平安 | Peaceful Mind, 1-4 |
| Shihohai | 四方拝 | Four Quarters |
| Tai Ho Jitsu 1 – 5 | - | |
| Seisan | 正整 (十三) | Correct Arrangement (Thirteen Hands) |
| Niseishi | 二十四歩 | Twenty-four Hands |
| Rohai Sho | 鷺牌 小 | Vision of a Crane (minor) |
| Rohai Dai | 鷺牌 大 | Vision of a Crane (major) |
| Sochin | 荘鎮 | Tranquil Force |
| Tenshin | 転身 | Twisting Body Motion |
| Mugen (Yamamoto kata) | 無限 | Endless |
| Bassai | 披塞 | To Penetrate a Fortress |
| Chinto | 鎮東 | Subdue the East |
| Kusanku | 公相君 | Viewing the Sky/Night Fighting |
| Sanshiryu | 三十六歩 | Thirty-six Hands/Dragon |
| Ryusan | 龍山 | Dragon Spiraling Upward |
| Sanchin | 三戰 | Three Battles |
| Tensho | 転掌 | Rolling Palms |
| Tai Ho Jitsu 1 – 10 | - | - |
| Hen Shi Ho Jitsu 1 – 50 | - | - |
| Hanten | - | - |
| Rinten | - | - |
| Kakete | - | To advance against the opponent |
| Te Waza | Upper body throwing technique | |
| Koshi Waza | Mid body throwing technique | |
| Ashi Waza | Foot, lower body throwing technique | |
| Ne Waza | Ground technique | |
| Nage Waza | - | Throwing technique |
Foster studied with Yamamoto in Japan for a period of ten years and in 1966 brought the system to the United States. In 1977 Mike Foster left Yamamoto's organization and established the Yoshukai International Karate Association. At the same time Hiroyuki Koda established the U.S. Yoshukai Karate Association (USYKA).
Foster was noted as a karate champion in the early days of his career, and after retirement from active competition, remained a premiere karate official and teacher in America. Other noted champions and officials associated with the style include Larry Pate (retired),Cirone, George D. "Karate Kop-Out." Black Belt Magazine. June 1970, p. 48. Calvin Thomas,"New England Open Draws Top Competition." Black Belt Magazine. October 1992, p. 75. Mike Smith, Donnie Hair and Tracy Moorehead. Yoshukai International at one point had dojos all over the world, including the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico, Germany, Latvia, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.
Depending on the source, the outline of the crest patch represents a cherry blossom or possibly Yata no Kagami (八咫鏡), the sacred mirror of Japan which stands for wisdom and honesty. The three kanji symbols that make up the word "Yoshukai" across the top of the crest (養秀会), literally translated, mean: Training Hall of Continued Improvement. The flag in the center of the crest is the Nisshōki (日章旗 "sun flag") or Hinomaru (日の丸 "sun disc") and the kanji symbol superimposed on it (忍) is "Nin" which stands for patience (a later addition to the patch).
Dojo Kun or rules are (numbers 2–6 were adopted from Shotokan):
Most dojos within Yoshukai International used four belt colors without stripes to recognize the standard kyu (below black belt) and dan (above black belt) ranks, although some dojo use belts with stripes to indicate the specific ranks. Many years of disciplined study are required for belt advancement, and increase in rank is approved or denied based on specific stringent criteria judged by a panel of more highly ranked judges. Alexandria Plumer, an American studying under Gerry Blank in Los Angeles, is the youngest female in the world to achieve black belt status in Yoshukai Karate. Plumer achieved her first-degree black belt in 1997 at the age of 9-years-old. Grant Clements, now an Audio Engineer and Music Producer in Nashville, TN accomplished the same feat at 8-years old in 2004. Due to Mike Foster's success as a practitioner and instructor, Yoshukai International in its "zenith" established schools all over the world, including throughout the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, Germany, Latvia, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.
In 1973, the Yoshukan branch of Chito-kai became Yoshukai Karate, an independent karate style. The Yoshukai Karate organization grew quickly as students reached black belt status and began opening schools throughout Alabama and surrounding states. Its growth was further accelerated when several instructors from other styles transferred their entire schools to the organization. In 1975 Koda assumed directorship of United States Yoshukai schools under Mamoru Yamamoto and renamed his organization U.S. Yoshukai Karate.
In 1997, after Koda died of pancreatic and liver cancer, his eldest son, David Yuki Koda, took over the directorship of the US Yoshukai Karate Association, though managerial duties remained with Gwen Koda until 2000, when she passed these duties to David Koda's wife, Adrienne Koda.
The system is an amalgamation of two primary karate systems (Chito Ryu Karate & Yoshukai International Karate); and also offers the study of Japanese budo arts including Judo, Kobudo and Iaido. Robertson was the Honbu-Cho (chief instructor) for Yoshukai International Karate in Canada from 1996 to 2004 and holds senior ranks in Yoshukai International Karate (6th Dan-2004, Shihan-1998) under Kaicho Mike Foster and 7th Dan, Kyoshi under Kaicho Masaru Inomoto, a direct student of Tsuyoshi Chitose. Robertson also holds a 5th Dan from the National Karate Association under Hanshi Masami Tsuruoka and 4th Dan, Shidoin diploma directly from Tsuyoshi Chitose and a Godan (5th Degree Black Belt) in Ryu Kyu Kobudo Hozon Shinkokai under Hanshi Devorah Dometrich and ranks in Muso Shinden Ryu Iaido and Kodokan Judo.
The association operates various dojo across Ontario and Quebec and is a member in good standing with both Karate Ontario and Karate Canada. Kancho Robertson was formerly a vice president of the Karate Ontario Association and vice-chairman of the provincial technical committee. In 2019 Kancho Robertson was inducted into the Canadian Karate Association Black Belt Hall of Fame.
German Yoshukai schools fall under the leadership of Yoshukan Dortmund. Dojos are a members of Yoshukai-International Karate Association and also of the German Karate Federation.
Neil Frazer maintains a dojo in Sydney, Australia and continues to direct Yoshukai Australasia. The dispersed nature of New Zealander karateka means that New Zealand Yoshukai practitioners maintain their training in Malaysia, Canada, France and England. The organization operates a Facebook.com group to provide news and communications.
Initially the Neguss martial arts club worked as an affiliate of Riga's Budo Center, but in 1997 the club affiliated with Yoshukai, historically linking with Chito-ryu. On 3 April 1999, the club was accepted into the International Yoshukai Karate Association by Mike Foster. The Yoshukai-Karate branch of Latvia is part of the European Yoshukai group under the leadership of Shihan Otto Rumann. The Neguss club continues to represent Yoshukai Karate in Latvia.
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