[5][6] Despite being classified as a Karate school its origins date actually back to the Shorinji Kempo, a martial art considered to be derived from Shaolin Kung Fu.

[7] Sugihara Masayasu (Born in Osaka, Japan, In 1951) started practicing Judo and Karate from a very young age, and eventually discovered and trained mainly under Shorinji Kempo.

By the age of 28, Sugihara held a 6th Dan rank in the art, and he was a bodyguard and close student of the founder of Shorinji Kenpo Dōshin Sō.

[8] This martial art did not allow its followers to take part in contact competitions but Sugihara, eager to test his fighting skills against real opponents, decided to enroll anyway in a Karate contest.

Although he ended up among the winners the truth was soon to be discovered and to avoid further trouble to the Shorinji Kenpo organization he decided in 1984 to establish his own style which he called "International Karate-Kempo Federation Byakuren".

[16] Currently the style is present with schools all over Japan and in the following countries: Russia, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Italy, Spain, India, Sri Lanka, Canada, USA, New Zealand, Korea, Hong Kong, United Arab Emirates (UAE)[17] Practice in Byakuren Karate can be divided into four main categories:[18] Gōhō (剛法): i.e. "hard techniques".

Muscle strengthening and physical training: Byakuren Karate in strongly aimed at competition matches, therefore the curriculum includes many exercises to improve endurance, speed and power.