Another sad news hits the global karate community: Teruyuki Okazaki passed on April 21st 2020. According to the official announcement by the International Shotokan Karate Federation, which founder he was, Okazaki Shihan passed away due to an infection with the Coronavirus. The karate world mourns with all ISKF members. Our thoughts are now with his family, relatives, and friends.

Teruyuki Okazaki became 88 years old. The age of 88 is considered sacred in Japan. Because the Chinese characters for 88 look very much like the character of rice (see the Japanese tradition of “beiju“).

Short Biographical Spotlights of Teruyuki Okazaki

Teruyuki Okazaki belonged to a special group of Shotokan karate masters. Born on 22 June 1931 in Nogata, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan he had the chance to train at Takushoku University under the guidance of Masatoshi Nakayama and sometimes also under Gichin Funakoshi. He himself taught after greaduating from Takushoku University at the JKA honbu Dojo and several universities in Tokyo.

Gichin Funakoshi, Masatoshi Nakayama, and Teruyuki Okazaki (right)

In 1961, Teruyuki Okazaki moved to the United States to become an oversees Shotokan karate instructor. He became a world wide known and was mainly based at the east cost of the USA. In 1977, he formed together with other Shotokan masters the International Shotokan Karate Federation (ISKF) and split away from the All-American Karate Federation (AAKF) led by Hidetaka Nishiyama.

Together with Hirokazu Kanazawa, Hiroshi Shirai, and Masaaki Ueki, Teruyuki Okazaki became the only living 10th dan in Shotokan karate. He received this accolade in 2007.

For a full and detailed biography of Teruyuki Okazaki please visit findingkarate.com.