A Passing of a Great Friend of the Beginning of Martial Arts in the USA, Hidetaka Nishiyama, 9th Dan 1928 – 2008
For those of us involved in the early development of martial arts in the United States Air Force during the early 1950’s, the name Hidetaka Nishiyama was already legend in Karate circles. Born in Tokyo, Japan in 1928, at the age of 15, Nishiyama began his Karate training under Gichin Funakoshi, founder of the modern Shodokan Karate. Completing his Master of Arts degree in Economics at Takushoku University in 1951, he co-founded the All Japan Collegiate Karate Federation and was elected its first Chairman.
In 1952, he was selected as a member of the martial arts combat instruction staff for the United States’ Strategic Air Command (SAC) Combat Training Program. In this program, SAC personnel received training in Judo, Aikido and Karate from top martial arts instructors including Gichin Funakoshi, Masatoshi Nakayama and Isao Obata. In 1953, the late General Le May, Commanding General, SAC invited Nishiyama as part of a ten-member Budo Mission from Japan to visit SAC bases in the United States for three months to give instruction in the martial arts.
My first meeting and training with Nishiyama Sensei in 1953 was at Fairchild Air Force Base, Spokane, Washington. He was a young man then, as were we all, and his speed and snap was amazing. Over the years I got to train with Nishiyama Sensei several times at the old Kodokan during the SAC combative instructor training. Reassigned from Camp Crawford, Sapporo, Japan to Green Park, Tokyo, Japan in 1959, I trained at Fuchu Air Force Base under Nishiyama Sensei. Nelson Cross, a former USAF Judo champion and a somewhat giant of a man, also assigned at Fuchu, took part in the Shotokan classes.
In recognition of Nishiyama’s decades of effort on behalf of Traditional Karate and his contribution towards the physical and psychological health of Americans through Karate, the U.S. National Flag was flown over the Capitol in Washington, D.C. on October 10, 1999 on the occasion of his 71st birthday.
In May 2000, Nishiyama was further honored when the Nishiyama Cup was held in Moscow, the first official Karate event conducted in Russia since the end of the Soviet Union. Then in November of 2000, the Emperor of Japan awarded Nishiyama with “Kun-Yoto” – Fourth Order of Merit – and was decorated with “Zuiho-sho” – The Order of the Sacred Treasure – for his many contributions to promote Japanese culture through Traditional Karate.
In addition, the Republic of Poland honored Nishiyama in October 2001 when the President of the Republic of Poland, Mr. Alexander Kwasniewski, bestowed upon him one of the highest medals in Poland, the Officer’s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland, on the occasion of the first Traditional Karate World Cup.
Because of his superior technical expertise and disciplined instruction, Nishiyama’s reputation has spread worldwide. He has trained thousands of students, many of them now well known themselves as national and international champions and instructors.
The year 2005 marked the completion of his over three decade’s long study. He said, “At this time, I am very proud to have finally completed this lifelong project and have confidence that we can now pass on the true art of Traditional Karate to future generations. Now it is your time to meet the new challenges and accept the opportunities offered by this body of knowledge so that Traditional Karate
may continue to grow and develop for the benefit of all that strive for higher levels of understanding both mind and body.”
The passing of Sensei Nishiyama is indeed a sad occasion, but one tempered with the wonderful and rich memories of the past when many of us were privileged to train under his amazing skills.
Robby Robinson, hachidan - USJA
Image: 1953—Prof. S. Kotani (back row, center) was the leader as well as the organizer of the group of martial artists invited to the U. S. in 1953 by SAC and the USAF. The purpose of the trip was to train Air Force personnel and to exhibit martial arts at various cities throughout the U.S. This was the beginning of the great expansion of judo together with the lesser-known martial arts, such as karate and aikido, in the U.S. Standing, left to right: Prof. Kobayashi (judo), Ishikawa (judo), Kotani (judo), Prof. Tomiki (aikido), and E. Bruno (chief of SAC project). Kneeling left to right: Nishiyama (karate), Kamata (karate).