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The Byakuren Kaikan (Japanese'':'' 白蓮会館 ''-'' literally translated: "''White Lotus Association''") or Byakuren Karate is a full contact karate style founded in 1984 by Sugihara Masayasu (Japanese'':'' 杉原 正康). The Byakuren Kaikan is a member of the Japan Fullcontact Karate Organization (JFKO) and of the World Kumite Organization (WKO). The Byakuren Kaikan is registered in Japan as a nonprofit organization (NPO). == History == Despite being classified as a Karate school its origins date actually back to the Shorinji Kempo, a martial art that blended the techniques of Chinese boxing with the power and logic of Karate. Henceforth, Byakuren Kaikan, much like it's parent, divides the techniques into two main categories: ''Gōhō'' (剛法 - i.e. "''hard techniques''": punches, kicks, etc.) and ''Jūhō'' (柔法 - "''soft techniques''": throws, joint locks, etc.). Sugihara Masayasu (Born in Osaka, Japan, In 1951) started practicing Judo and Karate from a very young age, and eventually discovered and trained mainly under Shorinji Kempo. By the age of 28, Sugihara held a 6th Dan rank in the art, and he was a bodyguard and close student of the founder of Shorinji Kenpo Dōshin Sō. Although Shorinji Kempo did not allow its followers to take part in contact competitions, an exception was made for Sugihara, and he allowed to participate in numerous tournaments, albeit under the intention of merely promoting Shorinji Kempo. Regardless, Sugihara acquired a reputation as a tough, skilled warrior, and it was during this time that he contemplated starting his own school. On 1980, Doshin So passed away due to heart problems. Soon after, the Shorinji Kempo organization stipulated that not even the higher ups could participate in tournaments. Despite this, Sugihara was eager to test his fighting skills against real opponents, and decided to enroll anyway in a Karate contest. In 1983 he joined a national tournament organized by the Seidō Kaikan using "''Byakuren Kaikan''" as pseudonym for his school. Although he ended up among the winners, the truth was soon to be discovered and to avoid further friction with the organization, he decided to leave in 1984 to establish his own style which he called "International Karate-Kempo Federation Byakuren". There are three reasons why the name was chosen: the bodyguard corps which he belonged to in Shorinji Kempo was called "''Byakuren''"(White Lotus), it was also the name of a technique of the martial art; furthermore, since he was about to undertake a new path in Karate, he would have had to start from the very beginning using the white belt. Despite the rather acrimonious split from the Shorinji Kempo organization, Sugihara expressed great gratitude for his previous master. Unlike many other schools of the time, since its foundation the members of Byakuren began to participate in many competitions organized by other styles, becoming a new contender on the scene. In the full contact karate environment Sugihara will earn the title of "''Fighting Master''" and "''invader''". Since 1985 the Byakuren Kaikan regularly organizes regional and national Full Contact Karate tournaments. In 2004, on the 20th anniversary of the foundation, the Byakuren Kaikan organized its first world Karate tournament in Osaka. Currently the style is present with schools all over Japan and in the following countries: Iran, Russia, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Italy, India, Sri Lanka, Canada, USA, New Zealand, Korea, Hong Kong. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Byakuren Kaikan」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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