Tadashi Yamashita

In 2010, Yamashita performed at the United States Martial Arts Festival, hosted by Koyamada International Foundation at the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center in Redondo Beach, California.

Yamashita has made many movies over the past 20 years. His first was The Karate in 1973. For several years, he was billed in American films as Bronson Lee.

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.

Tadashi Yamashita (山下忠, Yamashita Tadashi, born February 5, 1942) is a Japanese American martial artist and actor.

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.