Ashihara
Ashihara kaikan is a stand-up, full contact Japanese martial art that was founded by Hideyuki Ashihara (December 5, 1944-April 24, 1995) in 1980 and existed under his direction until his death, in 1995. The official name of his organization is New International Karate Organization (NIKO) - Ashihara Karate Kaikan (in Japanese: Shin Kokusai Karate do Renmei Ashihara Kai Kan).The style is partly based on Hideyuki Ashihara's studies of Kyokushin Karate, but also includes many original techniques that he himself developed and taught. Often referred to as "fighting karate" by its practitioners, it is known for its emphasis on practical techniques and "hard contact" approach to training. The core curriculum of techniques is known as the Sabaki Method - to move to the side and attack from a safe angle. The traditional competition format is with Knockdown karate rules.