Tadashi Yamashita

is a Japanese American martial artist and actor. Early life Tadashi Yamashita was born in Japan in 1942, but he considers himself an Okinawan. His father died when he was three and he and his mother moved to Okinawa when he was 8, after the second world war. He began martial arts at 11. Yamashita was awarded his black belt when he was 16. He captured the All-Okinawan Shorin-Ryu Free Sparring Grand Championship Title in 1960. He visited Japan in 1968 and tested before Shugoro Nakazato and Chosin Chibana. He lived in Okinawa until in 1966 he came to the USA where he became a citizen. Yamashita began training in martial arts at the age of 11 when the school PTA president, who was also a martial arts instructor, took him on as a student because he was picking fights with other students. He began training with Hanshi Shugoro Nakazato and Hanshi Shinpo Matayoshi in 1953 and in 1968 he tested before his Sensei Shugoro Nakazato, and Grand Master Chosin Chibana. At that time Tadashi Yamashita became the youngest 7th Degree Black Belt in the history of Japan. In 1973 at the Pro-Am Tournament in Los Angeles 7,000 spectators gave him a standing ovation for his demonstration of Kobudo. Sensei Yamashita is known for teaching the late Bruce Lee how to use nunchaku.