Our Souke Teruo Hayashi and Shito Ryu

Souke Teruo Hayashi was one of the greatest and most famous masters in Traditional Japanese Karate Do history.  He was the founder of Hayashi Ha Shito Ryu Kai and Okinawa Kobudo Kenshin Ryu Kai.  His style is still taught in many counties and continues to produce the world’s top karate athletes. 

Hayashi was born in Nara, the old capital of Japan in 1924.  At age 14 he began his Martial Arts training in Judo.  Having earned the rank of San dan at the age of 24.  After World War II, he discovered Goju Ryu karate and studied under Seiko Higa who was a student of Chojun Miyagi and Kangyo Higaonna.

His style is the result of over fifty years of research into and refining of the numerous Okinawan and Japanese Karate styles, Hayashi studied over his amazing lifetime.  Starting in Osaka, Japan, the birthplace of Shito-Ryu, Hayashi studied under Kosei Kuniba, a chief disciple of Shito-Ryu's founder, Kenwa Mabuni.

Certainly, there was many kata to learn, and technique can never be perfect.  Young Hayashi knew karate history, Karate came from Okinawa, a young man with much ambition, set out to master the world, his opponents and himself.  He traveled to Okinawa and train under masters there. 

He was able to contribute his talents, tournament experience and knowledge from Judo to become the technical chairman of the World Union of Karate-do Organization, which later reorganized as World Karate Federation WKF.

Late in his life, he dedicated his time and efforts to “Karate for the Olympic” committee.  Almost 20 years after his passing, Karate Do, finally became an International Olympic Sports in “Tokyo 2020” (2021). 

Souke Hayashi was a very robust and strict teacher. His philosophy to teaching was “show and demonstrate” to students.  He didn’t want to talk about it, he wanted to train.  He cared and loved his students all over the world.  Shihan Dougherty and Sensei Yuki are very fortunate to have been his students and learning directly from him for so many years. 

He was truly our role model as a karate teacher.   We miss him very much!