NAKAYAMA Masatoshi was born in Yamaguchi prefecture in Japan and began practicing Karate in 1932 after enrolling in Takushoku University in Tokyo, where he trained under FUNAKOSHI Gichin Sensei and later under his son FUNAKOSHI Yoshitaka Sensei. In 1949 Nakayama Sensei founded the Japan Karate Association with Funakoshi Sensei as chief instructor and together they created the JKA instructors course. Later, Nakayama Sensei established Karate competitions and also worked to spread Shotokan Karate throughout the world. Nakayama Sensei wrote several books on Karate, among them the "Best Karate" series.
