Terutomo Yamazaki
| Terutomo Yamazaki 山崎 照朝 | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 31, 1947 Yamato, Yamanashi, Japan |
| Died | June 22, 2025 (aged 77) |
| Other names | The Dragon of Kyokushin The Genius Karate Fighter |
| Nationality | Japan |
| Height | 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in) |
| Weight | 62 kg (137 lb; 9.8 st) |
| Division | Lightweight Welterweight |
| Style | Kyokushin Karate, Muay Thai, Kickboxing |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Team | Kyokushin Gym |
| Rank | 7th dan black belt in Gyakushin-Kai |
| Years active | 1969–1970 |
| Kickboxing record | |
| Total | 10 |
| Wins | 8 |
| By knockout | 8 |
| Losses | 2 |
| By knockout | 0 |
| Draws | 0 |
| No contests | 0 |
| Other information | |
| Occupation | Grandmaster of Gyakushin-Kai |
| Notable students | Shokei Matsui, Katsuaki Satō, Miyuki Miura, Seiji Isobe, Howard Collins, Toshikazu Satō, Takashi Azuma, Makoto Nakamura |
| Website | https://archive.today/20040615005232/http://www15.ocn.ne.jp/~j-karate/ GYAKUSHIN-KAI (in Japanese) |
Terutomo Yamazaki (山崎 照朝, Yamazaki Terutomo; July 31, 1947 – June 22, 2025) was a Japanese karateka from the Kyokushin Kaikan (極真会館) and professional lightweight kickboxer. He was the founder of Gyakushin-Kai (逆真会館) and a Director of Karate in Japan. He presided over the International Budo Karate Organization Gyakushin-Kai from the headquarters of the organization (honbu) in Ōmiya-ku, Saitama, Japan. His title as head of the Gyakushin-Kai organization was "Kancho" (Grandmaster - 7th Dan).
Yamazaki was the first champion of the All-Japan Full Contact Karate Open Championships in 1969, and made Kyokushin famous through his accomplishments. Because he fought and defeated Muay Thai boxers, he created a reputation for Kyokushin before the First All-Japan Open Full Contact Karate Championships was held.
Yamazaki was highly skilled at and an authority on fighting and breaking. When he fought someone, it was usual that he knocked them out without receiving any injuries himself. He was nicknamed "The Genius Karate Fighter" or "The Dragon of Kyokushin", and when he was an active fighter, he was the most popular figure of the time. He showed off his mixed karate and Muai Thai style of fighting at both full contact karate open championships and kickboxing, and was noted internationally as a prominent fighter in karate's history, appearing in Black Belt Magazine in the United States.