Hideyuki Ashihara, the founder of Ashihara  Karate Kaikan, was born on December 5, 1944, in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan.  Since opening his first karate school in Yawatahama, a small seaside village in  Ehime Prefecture, in 1965, he has devoted himself to the pursuit of the most  rational, logical karate techniques.

In his earlier days, his ability in  avoiding an attack by moving to the opponents back or blind side made him one of  the most sought after teachers. This combination of defence and offence into one  which he would later dub Sabaki, is demonstrated by him in the movie “The  Strongest Karate” which was made in 1976. In 1977, his student Takao Nakayama  came in second in the All Japan Championships. A year later, Joko Ninomiya who  was placed third in the 1st World Championships, won the 10th All Japan  Tournament. This established Ashihara even more and gave further rise to the  development of Sabaki.

In 1980, he founded the New International  Karate Organization – Ashihara School of which until his untimely passing on  24th April 1995, he was the Kancho (Headmaster). This school, at that  time, grew into one of Japan’s largest with members’ dojos spreading across the  world. His karate has been acclaimed as the most practical. He has taught at a  Japanese Police Academy and brought on some Japanese karate champions.