Yoshiji Soeno
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese
karateka
from the Kyokushin Kaikan (極真会館) and a retired professional welterweight
kickboxer
. He is the founder of Shidōkan (士道館) and a Director of Karate
in Japan
. His title as head of the Shidōkan organization is “Kancho” (Grandmaster
- 9th Dan).
. Originally he found that Karate was not strong compared to Judo, but Karate
was evolving and becoming much stronger. He first studied Wado-ryu a while. He began the study of Kyokushin karate at the headquarters (honbu) of Kyokushin Kaikan at Ikebukuro
, Tokyo
, where founder Masutatsu Ōyama
taught on September 1, 1964. Soeno practiced with the senior pupils who were Shigeru Ōyama, Yasuhiko Ōyama (both from The World Ōyama Karate in the United States
- Shigeru is Sōshu and Yasuhiko is Saikō Shihan
), Tadashi Nakamura
and Hideyuki Ashihara
at the time.
After entering Josai University
, Soeno founded the Karate club and taught karate. Miyuki Miura
was 2 years one's junior at the club. Soeno had reached the rank of shodan
(1st degree black belt
) on April 15, 1967.
Televised kickboxing
was a huge boom from 1965 to 1975 when it was broadcast on the four TV stations, TBS, Nippon Television
, TV Asahi
and TV Tokyo
all over Japan
. TV Asahi requested a player from Kyokushin in February, 1969, and Masutatsu Ōyama
elected Soeno and Terutomo Yamazaki
to enter the competitions. Ōyama also founded a kickboxing gym called Kyokushin Gym where they practiced kickboxing about two months before entering the kickboxing competitions in April, 1969. Soeno fought in the welterweight
division at kickboxing.
Kyokushin was planning to hold the First All-Japan Full Contact Karate Championships (AJFCKC) at the Tokyo
Metropolitan Gymnasium in September, 1969. It was not only a karate championship
, but martial artists of various kinds also participated in this competition. Athletes included Gidon Gaddary who was an Israeli
Judo
player weighting over 100 kilograms; Paul Jackson who was a heavyweight
boxer
from the United States
; and three Muay Thai
boxers from Lumpinee-ranked boxers
including Birahon, Sakao and Samanso. The competition was fighting against other combative arts. The rules were simple: It was a foul to use a hand or elbow to the face and to attack a man's vital point. The players did not use any protection. They fought using bare hands, bare knees and bare legs. Soeno lost Yamazaki at finals and won 2nd place.
After graduating University, he opened ‘Soeno Dojo’ and ‘Soeno Gym’, giving lessons in both karate and kick-boxing. He also practiced Muay Thai
in Bangkok
, and Karate in the United States. He founded The World Karatedo Association Shidokan and The Japan Fighting Association New Fighting Shidokan in 1981.
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
karateka
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,...
from the Kyokushin Kaikan (極真会館) and a retired professional welterweight
Welterweight
Welterweight is a weight class division in combat sports. Originally the term "welterweight" was used only in boxing, but other combat sports like kickboxing, taekwondo and mixed martial arts also began to use it for their own weight division system...
kickboxer
Kickboxing
Kickboxing refers to a group of martial arts and stand-up combat sports based on kicking and punching, historically developed from karate, Muay Thai and western boxing....
. He is the founder of Shidōkan (士道館) and a Director of 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,...
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...
. His title as head of the Shidōkan organization is “Kancho” (Grandmaster
Grandmaster (martial arts)
Grandmaster and Master are titles used to describe or address some senior or experienced martial artists. Such titles may be, to some extent, aligned to the elderly martial arts master stock character in fiction...
- 9th Dan).
Career
From childhood, Soeno was very interested in martial arts, and learned JudoJudo
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...
. Originally he found that Karate was not strong compared to Judo, but 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,...
was evolving and becoming much stronger. He first studied Wado-ryu a while. He began the study of Kyokushin karate at the headquarters (honbu) of Kyokushin Kaikan at Ikebukuro
Ikebukuro
is a commercial and entertainment district in Toshima, Tokyo, Japan. Toshima ward offices, Ikebukuro station, and several shops, restaurants, and enormous department stores are located within city limits....
, Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, where founder Masutatsu Ōyama
Masutatsu Oyama
, more commonly known as Mas Oyama, was a karate master who founded Kyokushinkai Karate, considered the first and most influential style of full contact karate. He was born Choi Yeong-eui . A Zainichi Korean, he spent most of his life living in Japan and acquired Japanese citizenship in 1964...
taught on September 1, 1964. Soeno practiced with the senior pupils who were Shigeru Ōyama, Yasuhiko Ōyama (both from The World Ōyama Karate in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
- Shigeru is Sōshu and Yasuhiko is Saikō Shihan
Shihan
- Title of "Master" is a Japanese Honorific Title, Expert License Certification used in Japanese martial arts for Master Level Instructors. The award of the Expert License Certification is if designated by the qualification by virtue of endorsement by the [A] Association of Chief Instructors or [B]...
), Tadashi Nakamura
Tadashi Nakamura
is the founder of Seidō juku karatedo.-Early years:Tadashi Nakamura was born on the February 22, 1942 in the town of Maoka on the island of Karafuto. Nakamura trained in various martial arts including Goju-Ryu, Kendo, and Kyokushin...
and Hideyuki Ashihara
Hideyuki Ashihara
was a Japanese master of karate who founded the Ashihara karate system in 1980. This karate style is based on Kyokushin karate. Ashihara, often attributed as one of the originators of the tai sabaki method, held the rank of 10th dan in karate and wrote three books on his martial art.-Early...
at the time.
After entering Josai University
Josai University
is a private university in Sakado, Saitama, Japan, established in 1965. The predecessor of the school was founded in 1918.-External links:*...
, Soeno founded the Karate club and taught karate. Miyuki Miura
Miyuki Miura
is a prominent Japanese master of karate, first practising Shotokan, then Kyokushin, then World Ōyama, and now operating independently.-Early life:...
was 2 years one's junior at the club. Soeno had reached the rank of shodan
Shodan
, literally meaning "beginning degree," is the lowest black belt rank in Japanese martial arts and the game of Go. The 2nd dan is higher than Shodan, but the 1st dan is called Shodan traditionally and the 1st dan is not called "Ichidan"...
(1st degree black belt
Black belt (martial arts)
In martial arts, the black belt is a way to describe a graduate of a field where a practitioner's level is often marked by the color of the belt. The black belt is commonly the highest belt color used and denotes a degree of competence. It is often associated with a teaching grade though...
) on April 15, 1967.
Televised kickboxing
Kickboxing
Kickboxing refers to a group of martial arts and stand-up combat sports based on kicking and punching, historically developed from karate, Muay Thai and western boxing....
was a huge boom from 1965 to 1975 when it was broadcast on the four TV stations, TBS, Nippon Television
Nippon Television
is a television network based in the Shiodome area of Minato, Tokyo, Japan and is controlled by the Yomiuri Shimbun publishing company. Broadcasting terrestrially across Japan, the network is commonly known as , contracted to , and abbreviated as "NTV" or "AX".-Offices:*The Headquarters : 6-1,...
, TV Asahi
TV Asahi
, also known as EX and , is a Japanese television network headquartered in Roppongi, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. The company writes its name in lower-case letters, tv asahi, in its logo and public-image materials. The company also owns All-Nippon News Network....
and TV Tokyo
TV Tokyo
is a television station headquartered in Toranomon, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Also known as , a blend of "terebi" and "Tokyo", it is the key station of TX Network. It is one of the major Tokyo television stations, particularly specializing in anime...
all over 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...
. TV Asahi requested a player from Kyokushin in February, 1969, and Masutatsu Ōyama
Masutatsu Oyama
, more commonly known as Mas Oyama, was a karate master who founded Kyokushinkai Karate, considered the first and most influential style of full contact karate. He was born Choi Yeong-eui . A Zainichi Korean, he spent most of his life living in Japan and acquired Japanese citizenship in 1964...
elected Soeno and Terutomo Yamazaki
Terutomo Yamazaki
is a Japanese karateka from the Kyokushin Kaikan and professional lightweight kickboxer. He is the founder of Gyakushin-Kai and a Director of Karate in Japan. He presides over the International Budo Karate Organization Gyakushin-Kai from the headquarters of the organization in Ōmiya-ku, Saitama,...
to enter the competitions. Ōyama also founded a kickboxing gym called Kyokushin Gym where they practiced kickboxing about two months before entering the kickboxing competitions in April, 1969. Soeno fought in the welterweight
Welterweight
Welterweight is a weight class division in combat sports. Originally the term "welterweight" was used only in boxing, but other combat sports like kickboxing, taekwondo and mixed martial arts also began to use it for their own weight division system...
division at kickboxing.
Kyokushin was planning to hold the First All-Japan Full Contact Karate Championships (AJFCKC) at the Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
Metropolitan Gymnasium in September, 1969. It was not only a karate championship
Championship
Championship is a term used in sport to refer to various forms of competition in which the aim is to decide which individual or team is the champion.- Title match system :...
, but martial artists of various kinds also participated in this competition. Athletes included Gidon Gaddary who was an Israeli
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
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...
player weighting over 100 kilograms; Paul Jackson who was a heavyweight
Heavyweight
Heavyweight is a division, or weight class, in boxing. Fighters who weigh over 200 pounds are considered heavyweights by the major professional boxing organizations: the International Boxing Federation, the World Boxing Association, the World Boxing Council, and the World Boxing...
boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
; and three Muay Thai
Muay Thai
Muay Thai is a combat sport from Thailand that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques. It is similar to other Indochinese kickboxing systems, namely pradal serey from Cambodia, tomoi from Malaysia, lethwei from Myanmar and muay Lao from Laos...
boxers from Lumpinee-ranked boxers
Lumpinee Boxing Stadium
Lumpinee Boxing Stadium is an indoor sporting arena located in Bangkok, Thailand. Opened more than a decade later than Rajadamnern Stadium, the Lumpinee is run by Royal Thai Army on behalf of Thai Government. It has become the symbol of modern Muay Thai. Only Rajadamnern Stadium rivals the...
including Birahon, Sakao and Samanso. The competition was fighting against other combative arts. The rules were simple: It was a foul to use a hand or elbow to the face and to attack a man's vital point. The players did not use any protection. They fought using bare hands, bare knees and bare legs. Soeno lost Yamazaki at finals and won 2nd place.
After graduating University, he opened ‘Soeno Dojo’ and ‘Soeno Gym’, giving lessons in both karate and kick-boxing. He also practiced Muay Thai
Muay Thai
Muay Thai is a combat sport from Thailand that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques. It is similar to other Indochinese kickboxing systems, namely pradal serey from Cambodia, tomoi from Malaysia, lethwei from Myanmar and muay Lao from Laos...
in Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
, and Karate in the United States. He founded The World Karatedo Association Shidokan and The Japan Fighting Association New Fighting Shidokan in 1981.