Blackbelt Magazine's 1979 Instructor of the Year (Japanese Arts)

Blackbelt Magazine's 1980 Man of the Year

Master Hidy Ochiai is a Karate legend. He has been inducted into the Black Belt Hall Of Fame twice, as Instructor of the Year and as Man of The Year. A member of the international Masters Exhibition Team, he has traveled around the world to demonstrate his renowned skills. 

Hidehiko (now known as "Hidy") Ochiai never asked a question or hesitated for a moment when ordered by his teacher to come to the United States to propagate the techniques and philosophy that he learned in so many years under his master's guidance. Master Ochiai's mission was to systematize, theorize and develop the vast knowledge of martial arts that he inherited from his master, and he was to spread it among the people in a land which was foreign to him - the United States. Master Ochiai came to the United States in 1962 and entered Albright College as preparation for his mission of teaching the martial arts in this country. In 1966, he opened his first official Washin-Ryu dojo (training hall) while he was pursuing his graduate studies in philosophy at the State University of New York at Binghamton. He waited until 1966 to embark upon his destined duty of the propagation of Washin-Ryu since he had promised his master that he would not start teaching martial arts in this country until he had completed his undergraduate degree. Best known for his spectacular demonstrations, Hidy Ochiai is considered by many to be the world's foremost professional martial arts demonstrator and practitioner. He has awed and inspired both live and television audiences throughout the world with his amazing exhibitions of martial art skills. 

• Official Web Site Master Hidy Ochiai's official website.