- 1923. Young I-Choi, who later took the name of Matsutatsu Oyama, and became the Sosai of the International Karate Organization Kyokushin, was born on the 27th July.
- 1925. Matsutatsu Oyama was sent to his sister's home in Manchuria.
- 1936. Matsutatsu Oyama entered primary school in Seoul Korea , where he started the study of Chinese Kempo under Mr. Yi. He gained proficiency in the eighteen hands technique and in the second year he gained the equivalent to shodan.
- 1938. Matsutatsu Oyama entered Yamanashi Airway school in Japan.
He studied karate under Gishin Funakoshi, one of the first three to bring karate to Japan and under Mr. So Nei Chu , who was also Korean and from the same district as Matsutatsu Oyama . So Nei Chu was foremost expert in Goju Karate at the time and is credited with introducing Goju to Japan.
- 1940. Matsutatsu Oyama entered Takushoku University. Gained Nidan rank.
- 1943. Matsutatsu Oyama joined Japanese Air Force.
- 1945. Matsutatsu Oyama started the Eiwa karate-do Research Institute in Sinami-kuTokyo ,six months later it closed.
- 1946. Matsutatsu Oyama entered the physical Education Department of Waseda University. Matsutatsu Oyama visited Eiji Yoshikawa and Shiro Ozaki, two famous Japanese writers, to learn more about the old Samurai way, Eiji Yoshikawa "Musashi" a book that Matsutatsu Oyama took with him when he went into the mountains to give him inspiration. Matsutatsu Oyama went to mount Minobi for training. Matsutatsu Oyama picked this mountain, as it is the place where Musashi developed his Nito-Ryu style of fencing.
- 1947. Matsutatsu Oyama entered the first All Japan Championships in Maruyama Gymnasium Kyoto and became Champion.
- 1948. Matsutatsu Oyama traveled to decided to develop his life to karate and trained alone for 18 months on Mount Kiyosumi in Chiba, to perfect his techniques and to form his karate way. After 18 months his sponsor wrote to him and told him that he could not civilization. However by this time he had developed his path of karate and his philosophy of "Ichi geki hissatsu" one strike certain death.
- 1950. Fought against a bull in Chiba. He acquired a room in a butcher's establishment and trained to kill bull with his bare hands. Usually by striking them between the eyes. Altogether he killed 47 bulls 4 of which died instantly.
- 1951. Matsutatsu Oyama started teaching karate to the U.S. Army in Japan, at camp Zama, Fuchu, Tachikawa, Yokohama, Yokosuka and Takorozawa. Matsutatsu Oyama started training in judo at the Sone dojo in Chiba. He was eventually to achieve the grade of yondan in judo.
- 1952. A Karate organization in America invited Matsutatsu Oyama to the USA , and over the next year he did 32 demonstrations, taught in various states and participated in 7 fights.
- 1953. Matsutatsu Oyama traveled to the US again , where he fought a bull in Chicago and became popular by chopping off the bulls horns.
- 1954. Matsutatsu Oyama returned to Japan to under-go training for a movie in Boso Chiba. Matsutatsu Oyama traveled to opened his first dojo in a burnt out area in Meijiro Tokyo, which consisted of a grass lot. The instructors were K. Mizushima and E. Yasuda.
- 1955. 1955 Matsutatsu Oyama was invited by a USA promoter to the USA. He also traveled a South America and Europe fighting against many people. Chopping the neck off whisky bottles was a very popular demonstration.
* Matsutatsu Oyama fought another bull in Chicago and was highly criticized by the Animals friend Club.
- 1956. Starting in Okinawa, Matsutatsu Oyama traveled through South East Asia studying many different fighting styles.
* The "Oyama Dojo" was opened behind the Rikko University. The instructors were K. Mizushima, E. Yasudo, M. Ishibashi and T. Minamomoto. Sosai oyama said this was the very beginning of Kyokushin, which at that time was called " Oyama Dojo". The beginning of a karate based on the principle of a 1,000 days training a beginner,10,000 days training a glimpse of the mysteries.
* Matsutatsu Oyama returned from South East Asia.
- 1957. Matsutatsu Oyama traveled to Europe. Matsutatsu Oyama traveled to USA.
- 1957. Matsutatsu Oyama traveled to Mexico to fight against a bull; he was injured and required 6 months in hospital.
- 1958. The book " What is Katate" was published, becoming the first best selling book on Japanese Karate. The first overseas branch was opened under Shihan Bobby Lowe. The FBI. In Washington invited Matsutatsu Oyama to teach and demonstrate.
The West point army school invited Matsutatsu Oyama to teach. Matsutatsu Oyama went to Hokkaido to fight a bear but was unsuccessful. - 1959. The first Hawaiian Tournament was held and Matsutatsu Oyama attended as the Supreme Judge. He also demonstrated at this tournament. The Oyama dojo held its first Summer Training School at Ichinoniya in Chiba.
- 1960. Matsutatsu Oyama started 72 Branches in 16 countries.
- 1961. The First North American Open Tournament was held in Madison Square Gardens, at which Matsutatsu Oyama attended as the Chief Judge.
- 1963. Construction started on the building in ikebukuro, which was to become the Kyokushin Karate Honbu.
- 1964. Muai Thai Kickboxing challenged Japanese Karate. Matsutatsu Oyama accepted the challenge as no other style was up to it. He sent three student to Thailand, who won 2 out of the three fights, redeeming the name of Japanese karate, E. Sato (former Prime Minister and Nobel Prize winner) became the Kaicho (President) of Kyokushin Kaikan. Matsutatsu Oyama became Kancho(director).
Tokyo Honbu was officially opened and IKO was established - 1965. The first winter training was held at Mount Mitsumine.
"This is Karate" was published and became the "Bible " of karate. 3,000 pages of preparatory notes and 20,000 photographs were used for this publication. - 1966. K.Kurossaki was sent to Europe to teach "Dynamic Karate" (Japanese edition) was completed and the Japanese magazine "Modern Karate" was started.
* This magazine became very popular . This USA IKO was founded. The South American IKO was founded. - 1967. Shigero Kato was sent to Australia to teach. Vital Karate was published.
Lock Hollander achieved the 100-man kumite. - 1968. Kancho Oyama began a long overseas trip to promote Kyokushin Karate. The trip covered Hawaii, USA Britain, Europe and Jordan. The European IKO was established.
* Lock Hollander was appointed Chairman . The middle East IKO was established.
* The south Pacific IKO was established . Ivan Zavetchanos was appointed Chairman
* Kancho Oyama gave private lessons to His Majesty the king of Jordan. - 1969. Matsutatsu Oyama organized the First Open Kyokushin Full-Contact Karate Tournament in Tolyo. The event attracted Kickboxers, judo-ka and other karate styles. A very large audience attended and it had 48 competitors.
The results were:
- 1st Terutomo Yamazaki
- 2nd Yoshijim Soena
- 3rd Ikko Hasagowa.
* The South Africa IKO was established. The South East Asian IKO was established.
* Yoshikazu Matsushima went to South East Asia to teach. - 1970. Advanced Karate and Karate Class(Japanese edition) was published.
- 1971. The "Karate Baka Ichidai" was published, the comic book story of Sosai's life. It become an instant success. The Area Chairman was appointed.
- 1972. Fighting Spirit(Japanese edition was published).
- 1974. Mas oyama gave a demonstration for prince sham of Iran.
* Mas oyama (then Kancho)was made 9th dan by all the Branches. - 1975. The First World Open Kyokushin Karate Tournament was held on the 1st November, with 128 competitors from 32 countries participating.
- 1976. The First World Tournament Movie " The Strongest Karate " was released. The second edition " Strongest Karate " movie was released.
- 1977. Matsutatsu Oyama attended the 1st Australian Open Full-Contact Tournament.
* The English Quarterly Magazine "Kyokushin Karate" began. The Japanese Monthly magazine "Strongest Karate" began. - 1978. The comic strip "The Godhand" started.
- 1979. The second World Open Kyokushin Karate Tournament was held on the 23rd - 25th November , with 187 competitors from 62 countries.
- 1980. Shigeru Oyama , Hideyuki Shihara and Yoshiji Soeno were all suspended from Kyokushin Kai.
- 1981. H.R.H.Prince Faizel of Saudi Arabia went to Honbu for a private meeting with Sosai Matsutatsu Oyama.
- 1982. Matsutatsu Oyama lectured at the Kyoto Citizen's University.
- 1983. 3000 people attended a party to celebrate 20 years of Kyokushin Karate.
- 1984. The Third World Open Kyokushin Karate Tournament was held on 20th, 21st & 23rd January. "My Karate Budo Education" and "Shawa Gorin-no Sho" was published.
* Crown Prince of Nepal came to see to Sosai Matsutatsu Oyama and demonstration was held. - 1985. The movie "Kyokushin Way" was released by Shochiku Fuji Company. The president of Kyokushin Kaikan, Mr.Matsuhie Mori died on the 12th May.
- 1986. Branch established in every prefecture of Japan.
- 1987. The Forth World Open Kyokushin Karate Tournament was held on the 6th - 8th November with 207 competitors.
- 1988. The first British Commonwealth KyoKushin Championships was held in Sydney.Sosai Oyama attended the event.
- 1990. Japanese team sent to Ukraine for major exhibition.
- 1991. The fifth world open kyokushin karate Tournament was held on the 2nd -4th November with 250 competitors.
- 1992. Singapore International Tournament at Singapore 1994 Sosai matsutatsu Oyama dies due to lung Cancer. A solemn procession of over seventhousand mourners queue at his funeral to pay their last respects to the legendary founder of Kyokushin.
* According to mas oyamas will ,Shokei matsui is named successor to the International Karate Organisation Kyokushin Kaikan and becomes Kancho(Director). - 1994. The 26th All Japan open karate Tournament held.
- 1995. The 6th world open Karate Tournament,the first since the death of mas Oyama, is held. 168 Competitors from 85 countried participated.Spectators number 25,000.
- 1996. The Knock-down System of International Karate Organisation is introduced world wide to womens competition and the first Women's World Karate Tournament Held to a Crowd of 13,000 Spectators.
- 1997. Mas oyama Memorial World Weight category Karate Tournament is held in Tokyo. So competitors from all over the world participated. Spectators : 9,000.
- 1998. World Cup-Team Karate Tournament held in paris,France with 12 teams representing the 9 regions of the world. Spectators : 22,000. Telecast live in all of Europe.
* The 30th All Japan open Karate Tournament and the 2nd Womens World Karate Tournament held consecutively in Tokyo. Spectators : 15,000. - 2000. The 32nd all Japan open karate Tournament held.
- 2001. April : International one match challenge held.
June: Three Great Tournaments, including the 2nd world weight category championships, were held at Osaka Gymnasium . Excellent fighters from 33 countries participated. - 2002. March : The Kyokushin International challenge is held before sports Arena in pairs, france. 32 world-class athletes from 16 countries completed.
August: lopa do Mundo world cup team championships were held at sao Paulo , Brazil. - 2003. The 8th world open karate Tournament is held.
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