GOJU RYU

 ORIGINS AND TRANSMISSION

All the following facts and anecdotes were transmitted to Morio Higaonna by his teacher An'ichi Miyagi and many senior students of Chojun Miyagi , who were eyewitnesses or received these informations from Chojun Miyagi himself. This latter having inherited this knowledge from his teacher Kanryo Higaonna. Many other witnesses, nearest relatives, friends, personalities also allowed a more complete and reliable history.

RYU RYU KO
 (CHINA - unknown dates).

Ryu Ryu Ko was the first chain link leading to todays Okinawan Goju Ryu. He learned  fighting art from a  Shaolin temple in the mountains of Fujian province (China). We unfortunately do not have any precise date concerning his birth and death. On the other hand, we know that he was very well-known in the town of Fuzhou (Fujian). At this time, he had a small store where he manufactured and sold various articles of cane and rattan. He was famous for his very strong grips. Excelling in bare hands martial art, he taught it to Kanryo Higaonna, as well as weapons and herbal medecine. It should be noted that according to Chojun Miyagi who learned it from Kanryo Higaonna, there was, at the same time as Ryu Ryu Ko, another famed teacher  practising the same style. This latter, Wan Shin Za, smaller than Ryu Ryu Ko, had a broader and longer Sanchin stance . Kanryo Higaonna said to Chojun Miyagi :"my teacher is Ryu Ryu Ko".This information was transmitted to An'ichi Miyagi who imparted it to Morio Higaonna.

KANRYO HIGAONNA

Born on March 10, 1853 in Nishimura, district of Naha, the current capital of Okinawa, he has been acknowledged , by every karateka as the Naha-te* Master at this period. His father (Kanyo) owned three small boats and traded with the ports distant from Naha, as with the close islands. He also sometimes worked on bigger boats joining China. Back from there, he told about extraordinary accounts on the wonders of its culture and on mythical Chinese martial arts stories . It surely was one of the reasons of the journey of Kanryo Higaonna in China.

 It should be known that in 1867 his father was killed during a brawl. The assumption of  a revenge is not to draw aside, because he went to China ,in the Fuzhou's town, the same year. He was 14 years old. During 14 years, he shared the life of his teacher Ryu Ryu Ko. This latter passed him on his whole martial arts' knowledge. Back to Okinawa, he took the same job as his father. It is thought that, following the loss of two boats due to  typhoons, he started to teach his martial arts. His reputation of expert  preceeded him and many were the request for teaching. One does not exactly know when he really started to spread his knowledge. On the other hand, in september 1905, four years after the introduction of karate into schools, he taught at Naha Commercial High School. During his life, several times the police will ask him to take part in arrests of dangerous criminals. For these occasions, his favorite technique was mae geri, the adversary fell on his back and the police was able to control him. It's probably the reason why he was called "Higaonna the legs" . He died in October 1915

* Naha-te = Fighting art of Naha's village, in Okinawaaha-Té.

CHOJUN MIYAGI

Chojun Miyagi was born on April 25, 1888 in the district of Higashi-machi in Naha. Chojun, second son of Chosho Miyagi, lost his elder at the age of 5 and so became the family successor.Very early, one thought for him of the study of karate to develop both physical and mentally strength. His first meeting with a great martial artist was with Ryuko Aragaki (1875-1961) who had learned the Tomari-te*. He was 11 years old. For the anecdote, Ryuko Aragaki was famous to have fought the well-known Choki Motobu. Shuichi Aragaki, Ryuko's grandson, a senior disciple of Chojun Miyagi, is currently IOGKF technical adviser and teach in the dojo of Morio Higaonna in Naha.It is at the age of 14 years that Chojun Miyagi was introduced to the famous master of Naha-te, Kanryo Higaonna, by Ryuko Aragaki. Young person, Chojun  was called "bad child". As soon as he began to train under Kanryo Higaonna, his behavior changed. He became calmer and more sociable. When he was admitted in Kenritsu Dai Ichi Chugakko, the todays' higher school of Shuri, his passion for karate increased regulary. He used to run to and from school everyday. Then, after the school, he went on seashore to develop his muscles by lifting stones up. The first weighed approximately 60 kilos. His system was as follows: he started to move one on a side to the other until having enough strength to be able to raise it. When he succeeded, he changed to a heavier stone. Many other exercices with natural weights were his trainning regime. He became quickly what one call an athletic man. For Kanryo Higaonna, Chojun was his top student. So, when the collective karate lessons finished,the young Miyagi stayed and continued to train. Then, the Master of Naha-te passed him on the integrality of his art. In 1910, he joined the army for two years. During this period, he really discovered Judo. He had previously studied Sumo from Okinawa, different from Japanese. It is also during this stay that he joined the medical corporation as corporal. He started to study body's conditionning. When his Master died, Chojun Miyagi had received from the latter the totality of his knowledge as regards karate, that he had never done for anybody else, as well as the privilege (and the duty?) to succeed to him. Some old students of Kanryo Higaonna sensei will testify some. This succession will be perhaps ,for Miyagi, the occasion to make more thorough research in several ways. Initially historical and technical because he will return several times to China in Fuzhou. Between 1917 and 1921, he will create the kata Tensho, a modified form of the Chinese kata Rokkishu learned during recent trips. At the same time, he developed warming up exercices with scientific sources and referring to Karate techniques. He was so famous that he was asked to teach karate at the Police Academy of Naha. He accepted in 1922. The Naha-te passed down by Kanryo Higaonna and modified by Chojun Miyagi was named by this latter GOJU RYU ("the school of hard and soft") in 1930. He took as the starting point the famous Bubishi, treaty of (/on) Chinese fight wich said "the way of inhaling and exhaling is hardness and softness". That makes sense with the different power, speed, breathing rates and general idea of the techniques to be used accordind to the adversary. In 1940, he creates both kata Gekisai Dai Ichi and Gekisai Dai Ni. His top student was Jinan Shinzato who was unfortunately killed during the 2nd world war. After this war wich had  hardly affected  him, he lost his top student, two of his daughters, several other students as well as friends. He taught in his garden. It was bad times and Okinawans people have to endure the devastations of war and poverty. Due to the hardness of the trainning, only a few students remained with him. If before the war his priority had been the research, the development and the promotion of Karate, after the war and until his death, he did nothing but teach and organised Goju Ryu as a system. Thus the tradition of Okinawa Goju Ryu was fully transmitted, wich it had never given to any of his students even not to Jinan Shinzato. It is the young  An'Ichi Miyagi (no family tie) who inherited this fabulous knowledge. Chojun Miyagi died in the first hours of October 8, 1953. He was much more than a genious. He devoted his entire life to his martial art making it recognized and admited by all.
*Tomari-te = fighting art of Tomari’s village, in Okinawa. 

Bernard COUSIN beside the Memorial Chojun MIYAGI and Kanryo HIGAONNA in Naha, Okinawa.

AN'ICHI MIYAGI

An'Ichi Miyagi was born in Naha on the 9th of february 1931. He lost both parents during the war at the age of 14 and became thus top of family and was left to provide for his two younger brothers. He began the study of karate in february 1948 in Chojun Miyagi's house. The Master of the place realized very quickly that the young An'Ichi was impassioned. From the very start, he gave him some tasks to be made and to other students too. Later, according to An'ichi Miyagi sensei, he gave to him many others and only for him. In fact, it allowed Chojun Miyagi to observe his student's behaviour. Also, very early, he will invite An'Ichi to continue his trainning further.After Karate lessons, the students left but An'Ichi stayed and continued trainning. Each time Miyagi sensei spoke to him about his experience, gave him special tips, passed him on his knowledge. Many anecdotes relating to Chojun Miyagi were transmitted to us by An'Ichi Miyagi sensei. Before the war, Chojun Miyagi exceptionally taught two or three kata, acting alike his teacher Kanryo Higaonna. Jinan Shinzato who will study almost 20 years with the Goju Ryu founder, had learned from him the kata Sanchin, Tensho and Sesan. For Kina sensei, it was Sanchin and Seiyunchin, Yagi sensei Sanchin and Suparinpe, Tomoyose sensei Sanchin and Sepai, Furugen sensei Sanchin and Kururunfa. To know the others kata they should exchange them each other. And that was how Toguchi sensei learned Gekisai Dai Ichi from Eiichi Miyazato sensei. After the war, certainly due to death of his close relations and because he had approached death, he decided to give his whole karate's knowledge to the rising generation. This will profited to An'Ichi Miyagi. Fully aware he had passed on the legacy of Goju Ryu to An'Ichi, Chojun Miyagi says to him: "I did not even teach Jinan Shinzato in such details. You must train hard and value this treasure I have given to you." Chojun Miyagi did not only teach him techniques. He also learned to him how to cure oneself with medicinal herbs, taught Japanese to him, because most of Okinawans spoke a specific dialect that islanders spoke. He spoke to him about Zen, about thorough philosophical subjects, the result of time on the vital points, by the best way of feeding, complexities of the society in Okinawa,  history, economy. It was an advice a day. He behaved like a father with his son. Concerning this subject, Ken Miyagi, the fourth son of the founder, said to Morio Higaonna sensei: "An'Ichi always watched over my father, making tea, food, washing him and much more other things. He was certainly more a son for my father than I ever was."

An'Ichi Miyagi sensei is always among us.
He is the Honorary Chairman of the International Okinawan Goju Ryu Karate-do Federation (IOGKF) and technical adviser of Morio Higaonna sensei.

MORIO HIGAONNA

Born on December 25, 1938 in Naha, Okinawa. He started studying karate at the age of 14 under the guidance of his father, who practising Shorin Ryu*. At the age of 15 years, he continued practising Shorin Ryu style in his School's club and with a friend, Tsunetaka Shimabukuro. At the age of 16 years, he adopted the style he would never leave: Goju Ryu with An'Ichi Miyagi as instructor, in Chojun Miyagi's garden. Regularly, he trainned up to two hours in his school on the afternoon and in Chojun Miyagi's garden the evening. It is at this time that was born his passion for Karate. In 1960, the first official Dan grading in Okinawa was organised. During this session chaired by Shoshin Nagamine sensei, the top-instructors of Schools were awarded Godan, 25 karateka ( among them Morio Higaonna ) Sandan, 23 Nidan and 40 Shodan. Following his entry at Tokyo Takushoku University where he taught a few times karate, his fame grew up at the Yoyogi Dojo. He was invited to perform a demonstration at the World Karate Championships in Paris in 1972. His fame spread. Thanks to this one, many foreigners came to train under him in Tokyo.
In 1979 in England was formed the International Okinawan Goju Ryu Karate-do Federation (IOGKF) and now has members in 52 countries. Higaonna sensei, 10th Dan, still himself trains and continues his research. Anyone who has ever met him will not only be impressed by his powerful, his knowledge but also by his humility and simplicity. We can affirm that he is a true Master. Every members of the IOGKF are proud to have such a leader.

*Shorin Ryu: fighting art from Shuri-te and Tomari-te.

BERNARD COUSIN

Born on the 7th of june 1947, he discovers karate in 1966. Really struck by karate, he will be, with two friends, at the starting point of karate in the town of Troyes (Aube). At the time, Mr. Battaglia, teacher of Judo, had lent them a room to train. The three impassioned used to go every saturday to Paris in a "true" club with the purpose to learn and to have matter to continue trainning during the week. One year after and for professional reasons, Bernard Cousin came to Paris where he could train at leisure. Shodan Shotokan* in 1970, it is in 1974 that he discovers Okinawan Goju Ryu. In 1976, he remains one month in Okinawa. During this stay he will meet the already famed Morio Higaonna. In 1979 was formed in England the International Okinawan Goju Ryu Karate-do Federation (IOGKF) .He joined this federation in 1980 and never leave it. Higaonna senseď will realize the work that has been achieved, and for his physical, technical and human qualities will appoint him Chief Instructor in 1984. In 1994, during a world trainning course for chief instructors, Morio Higaonna senseď submitted some practisers to unplanned test.

At the end of this training course, Bernard Cousin received from the hands of the master the title of "Shihan". It is a very great honor when one knows that Shihan quite means: "the one who must be imitate". In 2002, in Higaonna's dojo in Naha, Okinawa, he passed successfully the 7th test in front of a prestigious jury made up especially of An'Ichi Miyagi senseď, 10th Dan and direct student (disciple) of the founder Chojun Miyagi and Morio Higaonna senseď 9th Dan at this time.

Bernard COUSIN is graduate in teaching by the government and the author of "Goju-ryu Karate Bu-jutsu" published by Budo Editions.

*Shotokan: fighting art descending from Shorin Ryu

Bernard Cousin in Okinawa with Shuichi Aragaki senseď, direct student of the Goju Ryu founder Chojun Miyagi. 

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