30/05/2026
After the death of Mas Oyama in 1994, the world of Kyokushin karate entered one of the most chaotic periods in its history. Organizations split apart, leadership battles erupted, and many senior instructors disagreed over who should carry Oyama’s legacy forward. Among them stood Hatsuo Royama — one of Oyama’s longtime students and a fighter shaped by the brutal old-school era of Kyokushin. But unlike others who focused on power and politics, Royama believed something far more important was being lost: the spirit Mas Oyama built the art upon.
Royama felt Kyokushin was slowly drifting away from its original purpose. To him, Kyokushin was never supposed to become only a sport, a business, or a collection of tournaments. Oyama created it as a path of discipline, hardship, respect, and real fighting spirit. The endless conditioning, the severe training camps, the humility, and the warrior mindset were all part of that identity. Royama feared that modern changes were weakening those traditions and turning Kyokushin into something softer and less connected to its roots.
Rather than quietly accept the direction things were heading, Royama made a difficult decision. He separated and eventually founded Kyokushin-kan, an organization built around preserving what he believed was Mas Oyama’s true vision. It was not simply a rebellion against leadership — it was a rebellion for principle. Royama wanted future generations to experience the same spirit that existed during the harsh golden age of Kyokushin, when karate was about character as much as combat.
Through Kyokushin-kan, Royama emphasized traditional budo values, strong basics, discipline, and realistic full-contact training. He believed that protecting Kyokushin’s soul mattered more than popularity. To many followers, Royama became more than a fighter or instructor. He became a guardian of Oyama’s legacy — a student who refused to let his master’s original vision disappear with time.
