Karate: Kyokushinkai celebrating 50th anniversary

The Sri Lanka branch of the international Kyokushinkai Karate Organization is celebrating it’s 50th anniversary on November 11. 

The Sri Lanka branch of IKO was inaugurated in 1966, by the Former Director late Shihan D.A Welgama, who was the first Japanese qualified Karate Instructor in Sri Lanka. 

In 1969 The Kyokushinkai Organization was selected to the board of control for Karate in Sri Lanka. 

Kyokushinkai Karate is a discipline through which practitioners may find clues to assist them in their own spiritual development and self-exploration. 

It is also, importantly, a martial art, encompassing philosophical consideration of life and death, struggle and survival. 

It is a practical form of self-defence, emphasizing (at the initial stage) kicks, punches, blocks and body movements. 

It is an intense physical activity, which directly benefits mental conditioning. 

Sosai (Great Master) Masutatsu Oyama is the founder of kyokushin Karate- the world most wide spread style of Karate. 

Among Master Oyama’s many accomplishments, he is perhaps best known for introducing tameshiwari or ‘stone breaking’ into the practice of modern karate. 

Master Oyama reasoned that through hard training he could condition his hands to be as powerful as a hammer. 

This incredible power he then translated directly into his theory of fighting Karate, reasoning that if he could break stones, human bones would break beneath his blows as well. 

Perhaps his greatest contribution to Japanese Karate, therefore, was the introduction and popularization of full-contact fighting karate. 

Mas. Oyama died in April 1994, leaving the world a legacy of the world’s strongest karate. 

International Kyokushinkai Organization had over 12 million members in 133 countries at the time of his death. Current President/Director General of IKO is KanchoShokei Matsui. 

Current Director and Branch Chief of Sri Lanka Branch of International Kyokushinkai Organization is Shihan (Master Teacher) Nanda Siriwardana. 

He is the only person appointed personally by late SosaiMasatatsuOyama to represent the Sri Lanka Branch. 

Shihan (Master Teacher) Nanda Siriwardana is a proficient instructor with 5th Dan Black Belt and experience of more than 40 years. 

He was trained by the Grand Master MasatatsuOyama, Shihan Royama (Who was the winner of the 2nd world Karate Tournament in 1979) and KanchoShokei Matsui (winner of the 4th world karate Tournament in 1987 and the current Director General of IKO). 

Shihan Siriwardana have represented Sri Lanka in the 1975 and 1979 World open Karate Tournaments held in Japan. 

In addition, he has taken part in the capacity of an official judge at several International Tournaments. 

During the last 50 years, the Sri Lanka Branch of IKO has taken part in nine world karate tournaments, eleven Asian karate tournaments, two mini world tournaments held in Japan, Australia, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, India, Nepal, Russia and France.