Yoshukai Karate can trace its lineage back to the founding fathers of karate in Okinawa over three hundred years ago. The Japanese Grandmaster, Katsuoh Yamamoto, began his formal training in the Chit-Ryu style under Dr. Chitose. In 1959, he opened his own school in Kitakyushu, Japan. From 1960 to 1963, Yamamoto was considered the top competitor in Japan. In 1963 Dr. Chitose pronounced him the Grandmaster of the Yoshukai style of karate. Today, Yoshukai is a worldwide organization.

Shihan Hiroaki Toyama and Shihan Mike Culbreth established the World Yoshukai Karate Kobudo Organization, under the authority of Grandmaster Yamamoto. WYKKO is the only Yoshukai style in the US that is authorized and certified by Grandmaster Yamamoto