Goju Ryu karate had its origins in the Fukien Providence, of China. In the
late 1800's, Master Kanryu Higashionna (1853-1917), brought the art (known as
Shorin Ryu), to the island of Okinawa. After training for a time in Chinese Boxing,
Master Higashionna developed a self defense system called Naha-Ta; a combination
of Naha (an Okinawan city), and Te (a bare-handed fighting technique).
One of the master's famous students, Chogun Miyagi, studied with the Master
while on Okinawa, and later on, traveled back to Fukien Providence for additional
study. Miyagi returned to Okinawa in 1917 (about the time of Master Higashionna's
death) Miyagi then further modified the art, adding katas, and formalizing the
system.
Realizing that the theory of a "One Strike Kill" would not be well accepted
in the educational programs of the day, Sensei Miyagi began developing an art
that combined soft movements (breathing katas) with dynamic tension exercises
(hard movement). In this manner, karate was used not only for spiritual enlightenment,
but for exercise, and for self defense.
Around 1930, Master Miyagi also gave the style the name, Goju, (meaning 'hard-soft
style'). This is one of the first systems possessing the name not denoting it's
place of origin. Master Miyagi died in 1953. Among Master Miyagi's better known
students are: Seiko Higa; Seikichi Toguchi; Meitoko Yagi; and Gogen Yamaguchi.
Sensei Yamaguchi went on to become the Headmaster of the Japanese Goju System.
Meitoku Yagi became the recognized leader of the Mei Buken school of Okinawan
Goju.
A - C