The bridge to Venezuela
Katsuya Ishiyama
8th Dan
Student of Cruz and teacher of Zambrano. His teaching was the direct link that brought the ISKA lineage to Venezuela; Dojo Ishiyama bears his name.
The bridge between the Americas and Venezuela
Katsuya Ishiyama, 8th Dan, is the vital link connecting the teaching of Hanshi Vincent Cruz with traditional karate in Venezuela. Trained under the direct guidance of Cruz within the International San Ten Karate Association (ISKA), Ishiyama mastered the San Ten methodology and the principles of traditional karate at the highest level.
Transmission to Venezuela
Through his work with Hanshi Ramón Zambrano, Ishiyama brought Cruz's teaching to Venezuela, cementing the bond between ISKA and USKTV. Dojo Ishiyama in San Cristóbal, Táchira, bears his name in honor of that transmission — acknowledging his role as the catalyst who rooted the lineage in Venezuelan soil.
Technical legacy
His contribution to USKTV's technical development is reflected in the fidelity to the San Ten curriculum and in the methodological rigor that characterizes instruction across Venezuelan dojos. Ishiyama embodies the fifth generation of the Funakoshi lineage, serving as the living bridge between Master Cruz and Hanshi Zambrano.