Edward Lowe

About

**Edward "Bobby" Lowe** (August 23, 1929 – September 14, 2011) was a pioneering Chinese American martial artist, best known as the first *uchi deshi* (live-in student) of **Masutatsu Oyama**, founder of **Kyokushin Karate**. He established the first Kyokushin dojo outside Japan in Hawaii in 1957 and became a senior instructor, holding titles like Shihan, IKO International Committee Chairman, and North & Central American Chairman. He was posthumously awarded 10th dan by the IKO. Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, to Chinese American parents (father a Sil Lum Pai Kung Fu teacher), Lowe began martial arts early. By age 23, he held: - 4th dan in Judo (from Seishiro Okazaki's Danzan Ryu). - 2nd dan in Kosho-Ryu Kempo (under **James Mitose**). - 1st dan in Aikido (Yoshinkan style). - Also competed as a respected welterweight boxer. He trained in Kempo under Mitose (direct black belt in the 1940s–early 1950s) and had additional training under **William K.S. Chow** (Mitose's top student). In late 1952, after seeing Oyama demonstrate in Hawaii, Lowe moved to Tokyo (1952–1954) to train intensively as Oyama's first live-in student, earning his 1st dan in Kyokushin in 1953. Lowe returned to Hawaii, opened his dojo, and promoted Kyokushin globally. He authored books like *Mas Oyama’s Karate as Practiced in Japan* (1954) and taught full-contact, rigorous Kyokushin until his death in Honolulu at age 82. **Sources**: - Wikipedia: Bobby Lowe (karateka) – comprehensive bio and references. - Finding Karate: Detailed early life and Kyokushin career. - Alchetron and mixedmartialartsrankings sites: Early training with Mitose/Chow and ranks. - Official IKO announcements and Kyokushin news (e.g., 2011 passing notices). - Various Kyokushin associations (e.g., AKKA, WKKO) and historical timelines.

Details

Born

1929-08-23

Died

2011-09-14

Photos

Lineage Trees (2)