Shihan began training Kyokushin Karate in March 1968 with the Richmond Kyokushin Karate Club, a branch school of the Vancouver Kyokushin Karate Club and is currently graded Rokudan. He is Branch Chief of the IKOK Canada, awarded by Sosai Mas Oyama, January 27, 1984. His responsibilities for Kyokushin Karate in Canada are the Western & Central regions of the country. He is Head Instructor of the Richmond Kyokushin Karate Club, South Arm Dojo.
Stuart has traveled extensively throughout the world training, competing, officiating and conducting IKO Officiating Seminars. He competed in the 14th All Japan Championships and the 3rd World Tournament in Tokyo. Shihan has the distinction of being the non-Japanese North American, with the exception of Shihan Lowe, who has trained the most extensively with Sosai Oyama. This has included regular training at the old Honbu Dojo, Mt. Mitsumine, Yugawara camps, Hawaii Summer Camps & North American Black Belt Conferences. Shihan is also a Battalion Chief with the Richmond Fire Department with responsibility for fire response & fire fighter training.

Advisors:

Kyokushin Karate North American Chairman
IKO International Committee Chairman
Senior IKOK-C Advisor:

Shihan B. Lowe

Shihan Bobby Lowe, 8th dan, is the Senior Instructor and International Committee Chairman of the International Karate Organization Kyokushinkaikan.

In 1953, Sosai awarded Shihan Lowe Shodan in Nihon Karate-jutsu Oyama-ryu. He attained yondan by 1957, Godan in 1965, shichidan on December 25, 1976, and Hachidan on October 25, 1984. He is the most senior and oldest direct student of Mas Oyama still active in the organization. Sosai referred to Shihan as his brother because of their friendship and close personal relationship that lasted for 40 years.

In 1952, Mas Oyama gave a demonstration in Hawaii. Shihan saw him and was awed by the power of his demonstration. After which, Shihan met with Sosai Mas Oyama and arranged to train with him. As a result Sosai invited Shihan to Tokyo to train with him. In this way Shihan Lowe became the first Kyokushin uchi deshi or "live-in student" of Mas Oyama. In late 1952 through early 1954 he trained daily with Mas Oyama. He has returned to Tokyo every year since that time to actively support the IKO through his leadership, teaching and training.

Shihan has related that the training in the early days consisted each day of 2 - 3 hour sessions; the morning session for self-defense and kata, the evening session for basics and kumite. The kumite was always knockdown fighting and in those days the contact was more extensive than it is today. Contact was allowed to the face with the hands and the groin was an active target also. Limited grabbing was allowed also.

This was changed about 1969/1970 in response to the start of the annual All Japan Open Tournaments sponsored by the IKO. Grabbing in tournament fighting was officially excluded in 1981 for the 13th All Japan Open Tournament. This type of fighting was predominant in western Canada until about 1980.

In 1965 Shihan decided to start tournaments in the USA to promote Kyokushin Karate. In April 1977 & 1978 he sponsored the Hawaii vs. Japan Kyokushin Tournament. The Japanese team in 1978 consisted of Japanese film star Sonny Chiba, Isao Kobayashi, Tatsuo Nakamura, Teruo Aonuma, Makoto Nakamura, Toshio Noguchi, Seiji Kanemura, and Takashi Azuma. This was the first major tournament exposure of the Japanese Kyokushin fighters outside of Japan. The tournament attracted 6000 spectators. Also giving demonstrations at the event were Shigeru & Yasuhiko Oyama and Miyuki Miura. Shihan also became active in teaching karate to law enforcement agencies & Police departments for Honolulu, Las Vegas, Dallas, and Salt Lake City.

Shihan is very experienced in other martial arts as well. While still quite young, his achievements were significant. By the age of 23, he was yondan in judo, nidan in Kosho-ryu kempo, shodan in Yoshinkai aikido, and a highly regarded welterweight boxer. His father, a Kung Fu instructor, trained Shihan in the hard style of Silum Pai. He trained judo with Kaiman Kudo and Tetsuro Higami at the Nuuanu Hongwanji Boys Club on Beretania Ave.; Yoshinkai aikido with Yukio Noguchi; and kosho-ryu kempo under Matayoshi Mitose at the Honolulu’s Official Self-Defense Club in the Beretania Mission. He was one of only 5 students that received shodan from Mitose.

Shihan opened the first “School of Oyama” outside Japan in 1957 in Hawaii.

IKOK-C Advisors:

Board of Directors:

Kathy Miller
Kathy Desroachers
Anthony Evangelista
Curtis Mason
Steve Doyle
Magnus Murphy
Brad Gillespie
　

Board of Directors terms of reference:

Bylaws - International Karate Organization Kyokushikaikan Canada

Letters of Patent

Operating Policies

Branch Chief Certificate

Letter of Authorization from Mas Oyama, Sosai