14 Facts About Masami Tsuruoka

Masami Tsuruoka, was a Japanese Canadian karate instructor and practitioner recognized as "The Father of Canadian Karate" by Black Belt Magazine.

Masami Tsuruoka kept Chito-ryu karate before the Canadian public from 1958 to 1968 through newspaper articles, magazine articles, and frequent public appearances, demonstrations and exhibitions across Canada.

Masami Tsuruoka formed the National Karate Association of Canada in 1964, followed by the Tsuruoka Karate-do Federation in 1979.

Masami Tsuruoka was appointed a member of the Order of Ontario in 1998 for his significant contribution to martial arts.

In 1945, after the end of World War II, Masami Tsuruoka moved with his father to Japan and at age seventeen began the study of Chito-ryu karate in Kumamoto, Japan, under Dr Tsuyoshi Chitose.

Masami Tsuruoka received his first degree black belt at age twenty, and after continuing his study and receiving his third degree black belt, moved back to Canada in 1956.

When Masami Tsuruoka began studying with Chitose, karate was at the point where two eras crossed, the old ways of Okinawa and the new ways of post-war Japan.

Masami Tsuruoka was one of the first students of the group that was to reshape modern karate.

In 1967 as part of his efforts to promote Chito-ryu karate in Canada, Masami Tsuruoka invited Dr Chitose, along with Mamoru Yamamoto, later noted as founder of Yoshukai Karate, and some of his students including Mike Foster, to Canada, where they conducted demonstrations, a clinic, and presided over the Canadian National Karate Association tournament.

In 1964 Masami Tsuruoka founded the National Karate Association of Canada and served as its first president.

In 1979, Masami Tsuruoka stepped down from his position as director of the Canadian Chito-kai, and with the help of his chief technical director, Ron Fagan, founded his own organization, the Tsuruoka Karate-do Federation.

On Wednesday, May 27,1998, Master Masami Tsuruoka received the Order of Ontario presented by the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, the Honourable Hilary Weston.

On May 13,2006, Masami Tsuruoka received his 10th-Dan rank, awarded by the National Karate Association.

On October 10,2014, Masami Tsuruoka died at the age of 85.