We are sorry to hear about the passing of Kaicho Kiyoshi Yamazaki on 30th August at 83 years.
Kiyoshi Yamazaki was a renowned karate master born on August 16, 1940, in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. Trained from a young age by his father, a Kendo master, Yamazaki was a disciplined and talented athlete. He began learning Shindo Jinen Ryu Karate at 16 under Yasuhiro Konishi, a legendary martial artist. Yamazaki later attended Senshu University, where he also trained in Shotokan Karate.
After graduating with a BA in Economics in 1964, he moved to California in 1969 to teach karate and later opened his own dojo. He served on committees for international karate championships and continued to promote Shindo Jinen Ryu Karate throughout his life. In the 1980s, he ventured into the film industry, working with stars like Arnold Schwarzenegger and appearing in movies like “Conan the Barbarian.”
Yamazaki was a proponent of the philosophy of Budo and believed in the unifying power of martial arts. He was promoted to 8th Dan by the Japan Karate Federation and 9th Dan in Shindo Jinen Ryu. He served as the Deputy Chief Instructor of the Japan Karate-Do Ryobu-Kai (JKR) and later became its President. His daughter, Mina, also became a karateka, representing the U.S. in international competitions.
Yamazaki passed away on August 30, 2023, at the age of 83, leaving behind a legacy of bridging cultural gaps through martial arts and contributing significantly to the global karate community.