Kanken Tōyama

Kanken Tōyama

Kanken Tōyama (遠山寛賢 Tōyama Kanken, 24 September 1888 – 24 November 1966) was a Japanese schoolteacher and karate master, who developed the foundation for the Shūdōkan karate style. Born into a noble family in Shuri, Okinawa, Japan, he was given the name Oyadameri Kanken.

He trained under: Itosu Anko and Itarashiki primarily, and under Ankichi Aragaki, Azato Anko, Choshin Chibana, Oshiro, Tana, Yabu Kentsu and Kanryo Higashionna.

Nine years old, he began his karate (Shuri-te) training under Ankō Itosu, and remained a student there until Itosu died in 1915. He also studied Naha-te under Kanryō Higaonna and Tomari-te under Ankichi Aragaki.

In 1924 Toyama moved his family to Taiwan where he taught in an elementary school and studied Chinese Ch'uan Fa, which included Taku, Makaitan, Rutaobai, and Ubo. Given this diverse martial arts background, the Japanese government soon recognized Toyama's prowess, and awarded him the right to promote to any rank in any style of Okinawan karate. An official gave Toyama the title of master instructor.

In early 1930 he returned to Japan and on March 20, 1930, he opened his first dojo in Tokyo. He named his dojo Shu Do Kan meaning "the hall for the study of the karate way." Toyama taught what he had learnt from Itosu and the Ch'uan Fa and did not claim to have originated a new style of karate. In 1946, Toyama founded the All Japan Karate-Do Federation (AJKF) with the intention of unifying the various forms of karate of Japan and Okinawa under one governing organization.

The individuals listed below are Shudokan pupils of Toyama. The translated partial list includes the karate-do shihan and hanshi title license and high degree rank (fifth dan to eighth dan). The '*' symbol indicates persons and organizations that did not train directly with Toyama, but were confirmed as members with the responsibilities of the shihan title and high degree rank. The '?' symbol indicate partial or missing translations.

Name	Title	Position / Location
Iwasa Kahoya	Hanshi Shihan	Hokaido Superior Branch Coal Mine, Branch Mining Director
Ito Mikihiro	Hanshi Shihan	Tokyo Distinguished College Teacher, Mori Dojo Director
In Hei Jin (Yun Byon In)	Shihan	Seoul, Korea Dojo
Ki Whang Kim	Shihan	Nihon University
In ? Hei (Yun Uoi Byon)	Shihan	Tokyo Kanbukan (Korean Martial Hall) Director
Izumikawa Hiroki	Hanshi Shihan	Kawasaki City, Senbukan Director	*
Inoue Kiyoshi	Shihan	Tokyo Metropolitan Ota District
Hanaue Toshio	Hanshin Shihan	Kanagawa Prefecture, Atsugi City, Kodokan Director
Toshishinga Fumio	Shihan	Hokaido, Toshishinga Dojo Director
Onishi Eizo	Shihan	Ehime Prefecture, Iyo City, Koeikan Director
Onishi Kazuhiro	Shihan	Ehime Prefecture, Kawanoishi
Ogawa Hideharu	Shihan	Tokyo Metropolitan, Shinjuku District
Watanabe Kenichi	Hanshin Shihan	Tokyo Metropolitan, Ota District, Seidokan Director
Katsumura Masao	Hanshin Shihan	Yokohama City, Seidokan Director	*
Yoshikawa Hideo	Hanshin Shihan	Tokyo Metropolitan, Nerima District, Seifukan Director
Yoshida Tetsuo	Shihan	Ibaragi Prefecture, Tatsugazaki City, Taiikukyokai Karate Club Director
? Tamaki	Hanshin Shihan	Oita Prefecture, Beppu City, Tachinaka Section Junior High School Principal
Takamine Michio	Shihan	Kyushu
Tsuchiya Hideo	Shihan	Kanagawa Prefecture, Odawara City
Taruzaki Takeo	Hanshin Shihan	Tokyo Metropolitan, Setagaya Kempokan Director
Nakagomi Ichiro	Shihan	Yamanashi Prefecture, Yu Dan Sha (Grade/Ranking) Chairman
Korishima Ichiro	Hanshin Shihan	Tokyo, Retired Army Lieutenant General
Kurita Yoshifumi	Shihan	Ehime Prefecture
Yabiku Isamu	Shihan	Tokyo Metropolitan, Muronouchi
Fujiwara Fumiyoshi	Shihan	Fukuoka City, Tenjin Cho, Seiki Dojo Director
Kinoshita Yoshifumi	Shihan	Saitama Prefecture, Kitaadachi County
Koizumi Shonosuke	Shihan	Tokyo Metropolitan, Meguro District
Koyasu Michio	Shihan	Kyushu
Amamiya Hiroshi	Shihan	Yamnashi Prefecture, Shioyama City
Akamine ?	Shosuke Shihan	Kawasaki City, Nakajima	*
Arai Toshiro	Shihan	Tokyo Metropolitan, Toshima District, Chihaya Preparatory School Director
Arakaki Ryusho	Shihan	Tokyo Metropolitan, Yoyogi Shudokan Branch Dojo Director
Sakura Toshio	Shihan	Tokyo Metropolitan, Daito District
Kinjyo Hiroshi	Hanshi Shihan	Tokyo Renbukan Shihan	*
Shimabukuro Kosuke	Shihan	Yokohama City, Tsurumi District, Shimabukuro Dojo Director
Shibanaka Isao	Shihan	Ehime Prefecture
Shimono Keiji	Shihan	Self Defense Force General Affairs Director
Higa Yoshito	Hanshi Shihan	Okinawa, Public Prosecutor General
Higa Yoshiaki	Shihan	Yokohama City, Tsurumi District
Higashiona Hiroshi	Hanshi Shihan	Kanagawa Prefecture, Omichikan Headquarters Director	*
Higa Seitoku	Shihan	Ryukyu Public Prosecutors Office, Prosecuting Attorney
Morita Sadao	Shihan	Yokohama City
Suzuki Hideaki	Shihan	Tokyo Metropolitan, Ota District
Suzuki Yosh ?	Shihan	Shizuoka Prefecture, Seishukan Director
Gijin Hiramatsu	Shihan	Nagano City,
Sunabe Koichi	Shihan	Yokohama City, Tsurumi District, Sunabe Dojo Director
Akitani Seiji	Shihan	Shudokan Chairman
Murata Yoshitaro	Shihan	Hokaido

References

http://www.wkf.org/shudokan.html#toyama