Richard Kim
Encyclopedia
Richard Kim was an American
karate
teacher. Born in Honolulu, Hawaii
, he began studying judo
as a child in the early 1920s, under Kaneko. Around the same time, he also began studying karate
under Arakaki Ankichi. Before World War II
, his service in the merchant marines
took him to east Asia. He cited many martial artists as his teachers, including Tachibana, Chen Chen Yuan, and Choa Hsu Lai. While in Japan
, Kim studied Daito-ryu under Kotaro Yoshida
and lived with him for seven years. Kim stated that he had in his possession the Daito-ryu
scrolls and had been granted the Daito-ryu
menkyo kaiden. Kim also studied and taught Japanese
and Okinawan weapon
ry.
In 1959, Kim began teaching martial arts
in San Francisco. He traveled extensively throughout the United States
, Canada
, and Europe
teaching wherever he went. As well as teaching the physical aspects of the martial arts
, Kim taught the philosophy
, history
, strategy
, and spiritual aspects. He died on 8 November 2001.
Kim wrote a monthly column for Karate Illustrated magazine, and wrote a number of books including: The Weaponless Warriors, The Classical Man, and an instructional series on weaponry (Kobudo
). There has been some controversy surrounding The Weaponless Warriors, published in 1974, as the bulk of the work appears taken, without acknowledgement, directly from Eizo Shimabukuro's 1963 work Old Grandmaster Stories, which was translated into English for the first time in 2003. Kim was named Black Belt Magazines "Karate Sensei of the Year", in 1967, and was later inducted into the Black Belt Magazine Hall of Fame. Kim was the Director of the American Amateur Karate Federation and Vice-President for the International Traditional Karate Federation (ITKF). At his memorial service, Hidetaka Nishiyama
of the ITKF presented Kim with the rank of Judan
(10th degree black belt) posthumously.
Kim's students continue through a number of organizations: the okusai Butokukai is the international organization that Richard Kim started as the Busen Butoku Kai and is made up of : Zen Bei Butoku Kai (founded by Richard Kim in 1959), Butoku Kai Canada, Butoku Kai France, Germany, Spain, Poland, Finland, and Scotland. The Bu Toku Do founded by Don Warrener a senior student of Richard Kim, The Zen Bei Butokukai International was founded by Brian Ricci and Frank Gaviola two of Richard Kim's senior students.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
karate
Karate
is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
teacher. Born in Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii. Honolulu is the southernmost major U.S. city. Although the name "Honolulu" refers to the urban area on the southeastern shore of the island of Oahu, the city and county government are consolidated as the City and...
, he began studying judo
Judo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
as a child in the early 1920s, under Kaneko. Around the same time, he also began studying karate
Karate
is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
under Arakaki Ankichi. Before World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, his service in the merchant marines
United States Merchant Marine
The United States Merchant Marine refers to the fleet of U.S. civilian-owned merchant vessels, operated by either the government or the private sector, that engage in commerce or transportation of goods and services in and out of the navigable waters of the United States. The Merchant Marine is...
took him to east Asia. He cited many martial artists as his teachers, including Tachibana, Chen Chen Yuan, and Choa Hsu Lai. While in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, Kim studied Daito-ryu under Kotaro Yoshida
Kotaro Yoshida
was an 19th to 20th Century Japanese martial artist and member of the Amur River Society , an ultra-nationalist organization of disenfranchised ex-samurai who promulgated "pan-Asiatic ascendancy" in line with the rise of Japanese imperialism...
and lived with him for seven years. Kim stated that he had in his possession the Daito-ryu
Daito-ryu
, originally called , is a Japanese martial art that first became widely known in the early 20th century under the headmastership of Takeda Sokaku. Takeda had extensive training in several martial arts and referred to the style he taught as "Daitō-ryū"...
scrolls and had been granted the Daito-ryu
Daito-ryu
, originally called , is a Japanese martial art that first became widely known in the early 20th century under the headmastership of Takeda Sokaku. Takeda had extensive training in several martial arts and referred to the style he taught as "Daitō-ryū"...
menkyo kaiden. Kim also studied and taught Japanese
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
and Okinawan weapon
Weapon
A weapon, arm, or armament is a tool or instrument used with the aim of causing damage or harm to living beings or artificial structures or systems...
ry.
In 1959, Kim began teaching martial arts
Martial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
in San Francisco. He traveled extensively throughout the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
teaching wherever he went. As well as teaching the physical aspects of the martial arts
Martial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
, Kim taught the philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
, history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
, strategy
Strategy
Strategy, a word of military origin, refers to a plan of action designed to achieve a particular goal. In military usage strategy is distinct from tactics, which are concerned with the conduct of an engagement, while strategy is concerned with how different engagements are linked...
, and spiritual aspects. He died on 8 November 2001.
Kim wrote a monthly column for Karate Illustrated magazine, and wrote a number of books including: The Weaponless Warriors, The Classical Man, and an instructional series on weaponry (Kobudo
Okinawan kobudo
Okinawan kobudō is a Japanese term that can be translated as "old martial way of Okinawa"...
). There has been some controversy surrounding The Weaponless Warriors, published in 1974, as the bulk of the work appears taken, without acknowledgement, directly from Eizo Shimabukuro's 1963 work Old Grandmaster Stories, which was translated into English for the first time in 2003. Kim was named Black Belt Magazines "Karate Sensei of the Year", in 1967, and was later inducted into the Black Belt Magazine Hall of Fame. Kim was the Director of the American Amateur Karate Federation and Vice-President for the International Traditional Karate Federation (ITKF). At his memorial service, Hidetaka Nishiyama
Hidetaka Nishiyama
was a prominent Japanese master of Shotokan karate. He was an internationally recognized instructor, author, and administrator, and helped to establish the Japan Karate Association. Nishiyama was one of the last surviving students of Gichin Funakoshi, founder of Shotokan karate...
of the ITKF presented Kim with the rank of Judan
Judan
Judan can refer to:# The 10th degree black belt in Dan rank in Japan,# Judan : a Go competition in Japan,# A Shogi competition in Japan between 1962 and 1987. Now it was changed Ryu-oh....
(10th degree black belt) posthumously.
Kim's students continue through a number of organizations: the okusai Butokukai is the international organization that Richard Kim started as the Busen Butoku Kai and is made up of : Zen Bei Butoku Kai (founded by Richard Kim in 1959), Butoku Kai Canada, Butoku Kai France, Germany, Spain, Poland, Finland, and Scotland. The Bu Toku Do founded by Don Warrener a senior student of Richard Kim, The Zen Bei Butokukai International was founded by Brian Ricci and Frank Gaviola two of Richard Kim's senior students.