Bobby Lowe

Edward 'Bobby' Lowe (August 23, 1929 – September 14, 2011) was a prominent Chinese American master of Kyokushin karate. He was the first uchi deshi (live-in student) of Masutatsu Oyama, founder of Kyokushin karate, and established the first Kyokushin school outside Japan. Lowe held the title of shihan and was the Senior Instructor and an International Committee Chairman of the International Karate Organization founded by Oyama. At 23 years of age, he was ranked 4th dan in judo, 2nd dan in Kosho-ryu kempo, and 1st dan in Yoshinkai aikido. Oyama promoted him to 4th dan in or before 1957, 5th dan in 1965, 7th dan in December 1976, and 8th dan in October 1984. Mas Oyama's karate as practiced in Japan (1954) The 'Young Lions' of Mas Oyama's Kyokushin karate headquarters (1985) Kyokushin karate: Self-defense techniques (1999)

Later life On September 17, 2005, Lowe was recognized for his contributions to karate by the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii, at the Celebration of Lifetime Achievement dinner for 2005. Lowe was ranked 8th dan,

On September 14, 2011, Lowe died peacefully in hospital in Honolulu. He was survived by his wife, daughter, and son. Lowe was posthumously awarded 10th dan ranking by Matsui on November 6, 2011, during a memorial service at the 10th World Tournament.