World Oyama Karate is a classic, full-contact, Japanese style of Karate. Mas Oyama, Director of the International Kyokushin Organization, sent two of his chief instructors from Tokyo to the United States to spread Kyokushin Karate. These men were Shigeru Oyama, sent to New York in 1965, and his brother Yasuhiko Oyama, sent to Birmingham, Alabama in 1972. In 1985, these two brothers founded the World Oyama Karate Organization as an independent organization. The World Oyama Karate Organization experienced astounding growth in the following years. Over 150 official World Oyama Karate dojos were established in 19 countries by the 1990's. An uncompromising dedication to teaching excellence and a well-founded reputation for coaching some of the best international full-contact Karate champions has made World Oyama Karate a phenominal success in the world of Martial Arts. The ultimate goal of World Oyama Karate is to develop students with strength, discipline, and integrity. This is accomplished by serious training on a steady basis. The emphasis in classes is on respect, hard work, commitment, and, above all, strong spirit. Our practice of basics, kata, and kumite (free sparring) are smoothly integrated so that practice of any one enhances the others. The World Oyama style is known for its hard, practical fighting techniques.
World Oyama Karate is based on the ancient traditional system of training. Our style is quite different from most modern styles of Karate. Modern Karate is arranged for education. This academic approach is not bad, but it misses some important basic points. In most modern Karate styles, the student just punches the air, kicks the air and blocks the air. There is no contact. Without contact, the student cannot really understand the connection between basic training, KATA training and KUMITE training. Too much emphasis is placed on the mental and spiritual aspects of Karate. Many modern Karate instructors fear that students will be hurt if they train with contact. But this results in too much emphasis on blocking and self defense. The result is that the fundamental purpose of Karate training is lost.
"Shihan" (Master) Mitsugu Sakai is a "Hachi Dan" ( Eighth Degree Black Belt ) certified instructor in the USA OYAMA division of the World Oyama Karate Organization. Shihan has been studying and teaching karate for over 30 years. He trained in a special apprenticeship position, "Uchi-deshi", under Soshu Shigeru Oyama, the founder of World Oyama Karate.Shihan Sakai is a veteran tournament competitor, having won repeatedly in both full contact and point system fighting match. He is 3 times World Oyama Full Contact Champion. He is expert in the practice of " kata" (forms) competitions, in which he has taken first place numerous times. Shihan Sakai excels in teaching the following martial arts weapons: nunchaku, tonfa, bo and sai. Shihan Sakai's teaching philosophy emphasizes respect, patience and appreciation as focal points for his students as they become proficient in this dynamic martial arts style. He empowers this students with self discipline, self esteem and confidence as they develop their physical capabilities. Shihan Sakai stresses "kihon" (basics) as foundation to the more complicated and sophisticated movements in kata and "kumite" (fighting). His dojos are located in White Plains, New York and Linden, New Jersey.
Classes are Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.
On the forth Saturday each month, Shihan Sakai teaches a Black and Brown Belt class, in which advanced techniques and katas are taught.
