Kyokushin karate was started by Masutatsu Oyama, better known as Mas Oyama. He was born in Korea in 1923 and lived in Manchuria and Korea until he was 15 years old, at which point he moved to Japan. After traveling and demonstrating what he could do, Oyama opened dojos where he could teach his style of martial arts. In 1957, he officially named it Kyokushin, meaning "ultimate truth or reality." As with most martial arts systems, Kyokushin karate requires its students to learn terminology.
Significance
The terminology of Kyokushin karate is in Japanese, and that language actually functions as a lingua franca, allowing students from different countries to understand each other even if they don't speak the same languages outside of class.
Basics
Kyokushin terminology covers much of what you'd expect in a martial arts class: numbers, titles, body parts and the names of the moves. You'll have to learn at least the numbers one through 10, if not higher; luckily, Japanese numbers follow a fairly predictable pattern. You'll also need to know basic polite address terms such as "kohai," or junior student, and "sempai," or senior. Your school will give you a list of the terms you need and tell you how to apply them.
Body Parts and Moves
You'll have to be able to understand what you're being instructed to do, so body parts are among the terms you'll need to know, again in Japanese. These include "kakato," heel, and "teisoku," or arch of the foot. As with most systems, the names of the moves and stances within the system will be in the language of the system rather than English. You'll likely learn these terms as you learn the moves, but that could vary by teacher. Terms include "neko ashi dachi," cat stance; "kiba dachi," horseback stance or horse stance; and "sanchin dachi," three-point stance or offset toe-in stance. You can already see that "dachi" is the word for "stance."
Oath and Mottoes
Kyokushin karate schools typically repeat an oath called the dojo kun after each class. The oath has seven points regarding study, spirit, peace and dedication among other qualities. United States Kyokushin Karate notes that Oyama developed an 11-point document called the Eleven Mottoes; these detail his philosophy regarding martial arts and life in general. These aren't repeated after a class, but knowing them will help you better understand the philosophy behind the system.
References
- Connecticut Budo Karate: Terminology: Why We Learn Japanese Terms
- Connecticut Budo Karate: Terminology: Basic Terminology
- Connecticut Budo Karate: Kyokushin Karate
- Connecticut Budo Karate: Terminology: Counting
- Connecticut Budo Karate: Terminology: Techniques
- Kyokushin Karate Misawa Dojo: Terminology
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