Tōyama Kanken was a uniquely important person in the transmission of karatedō from Okinawa to the main islands of Japan from 1930 through 1966. However, he is not as well known as other Karatedō teachers of his day.

A comprehensive biography of this great karatedō teacher has been long overdue, but little information has been available to karatedō historians about his life, even in his own books. Consequently, such a biography has been impossible.

The author’s unique background prepared him to write this biography. He lived in Tōkyō and trained at Tōyama sensei’s dōjō during 1960 and 1970. He studied karatedō history and the master’s life with Tōyama’s family, dōjō members who were with Tōyama the longest, and the foremost karatedō historian in Japan, Nakasone Genwa, who for decades, worked closely with Tōyama sensei and other laratedō leaders of the day.

I hope you will enjoy this view of the life of Tōyama Kanken.