page_title: Hidetaka Nishiyama
section_title: Later life
hierarchical_section_title: Hidetaka Nishiyama / Later life
caption_attribution_description: Autorius: Modestas Tursa Fotografuota: 2006 m. gruodžio mėn. 1 d. tarptautinio seminaro Liubline, Lenkijoje metu. Kairėje - Hidetaka Nishiyama. Jam asistuoja - Nelson Carrion bei Wlodzimierz Kwiecinski.
context_page_description: Hidetaka Nishiyama was a prominent Japanese master of Shotokan karate. He was an internationally recognized instructor, author, and administrator, and helped to establish the Japan Karate Association. Nishiyama was one of the last surviving students of Gichin Funakoshi, founder of Shotokan karate. He was based in the United States of America from 1961 until his death in 2008, and was a pioneer of karate in that country. He was posthumously awarded the rank of 10th dan in karate.
context_section_description: In May 2000, Nishiyama was honored when the Nishiyama Cup was held in Moscow, the first official karate event conducted in Russia since the end of the Soviet Union. On November 3, 2000, the Emperor of Japan awarded the Order of the Sacred Treasure, 4th Class (Gold Rays with Rosette), to him in a ceremony on the grounds of the Tokyo Imperial Palace. Nishiyama was one of only 11 recipients of the award from outside Japan in that year.
  During the first Traditional Karate World Cup, in October 2001, Poland honored Nishiyama with the Officer's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland. The award was presented by the President of Poland, Aleksander Kwaśniewski. On November 1, 2003, the International San Ten Karate Association (ISKA) awarded Nishiyama the rank of 10th dan. The ISKA reported that "Master Nishiyama at first tried to turn aside the honor, but was moved by the heartfelt affection of the ISKA leadership." The calligraphy for the certificate was executed by Eri Takase.
  Nishiyama died on November 7, 2008, in Los Angeles, following a long battle with lung cancer. His funeral was held on November 30 at the Hompa Hongwanji Buddhist Temple in Los Angeles, with over 500 people in attendance. He was survived by his wife, Yohko, and their three daughters: Yumi, Amy, and Nami.
  On October 10, 2009, the ITKF posthumously awarded the rank of 10th dan to Nishiyama; his daughter Nami accepted the honor on his behalf. ITKF Chairman Richard Jorgensen recalled, "[Nishiyama] always said he never wanted to achieve the level of 10th Dan because he believed to do so and acquire the highest rank meant that his learning and his life would be over ... he would never accept the rank while he lived."
caption: Nishiyama at a karate seminar in 2006
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