Toyotaro Miyazaki (1944-2021) was the head of the International Shotokai Federation.

Miyazaki was born September 25, 1944, in Tokyo, Japan. At college he majored in Economics.[1] He left Japan and moved to California in 1966.[1]

He began his karate training at 15 at the KenKoJuku Dojo under Tomasaburo Okano,[2] who was a direct student of the founder of Shotokan Karate Gichin Funakoshi.[3] He trained in Kenkojuku Karate (Shotokan Style) in Japan until his mid twenties before coming to the United States.[3] He served as the head instructor of Tokutai Karate-Do.[3]

Upon arriving in the United States he quickly achieved fame in both kata and kumite. He fought the likes of Dwight Frazier and others.[4] He also competed against Grant Campbell, a top US competitor and Kevin Thompson (karate).[5] Miyazaki had a top 10 ranking in karate for 2 decades. His skills brought him to be on the cover of Black Belt Magazine, Karate Illustrated, and Official Karate Magazine. He retired from competition in 1971.[1] Chuck Norris described Miyazaki as one of his toughest opponents.[6]

Established in Flushing over 40 years ago, Miyazaki has taught thousands of students and has produced hundreds of black belts, some of whom have become Instructors at their own Karate Dojos.

Miyazaki is also a former instructor of the Long Island University Karate Instructor Certification Program.

Toyotaro Miyazaki died on August 11, 2021, while residing in Japan.

His students include Kai Leung[7] George Aschkar[8] Shihan Gustavo Larrea, Jorge Decena,[3] Nixon Feliz.,[3] Vincent Riqueros, and Ian Rugel, 9th dan in Ecuador, Victor Garrido 7th Degree Black Belt and ISF of International Shotokai Federation,[9][10] and Beatriz Elster 5th Degree Black Belt,[11][12] and 5th degree black belt Gabriel Trance who moved to Washington State and opened a school in the town of Tumwater.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Black Belt June 1979". google.com. June 1979.
  2. ↑ Bustillo, Antonio (1 April 2001). Steady Training. iUniverse. ISBN 9780595179862 – via Google Books.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "History of Karate of Lineage". uskda.com.
  4. ↑ "Black Belt December 1969". google.com. December 1969.
  5. ↑ "Master Kevin Thompson Interview 2013 Maritalforce.com Behind The Mask".
  6. ↑ Bustillo, Antonio (29 April 2001). Steady Training. iUniverse. ISBN 059517986X.
  7. ↑ "Shihan Kai Leung". Kai Leung's Shotojuku.
  8. ↑ "Interview with George Aschkar". martialforce.com.
  9. ↑ "Wayback Machine has not archived that URL". Retrieved 2023-05-24.
  10. ↑ "Victor Garrido Sensei". www.victorgarridosensei.com (in Spanish). Archived from the original on July 4, 2013. Retrieved 24 May 2023.
  11. ↑ Martinez, Beatriz (3 July 2015). Powerful Senior KARATE. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. ISBN 978-1727721027.
  12. ↑ Martnez, Beatriz Elster (10 July 2017). El Arte de Ensear Karate-Do: Cmo Convertirse en Sensei Desde el Primer Intento. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. ISBN 978-1981948291.
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