History of Okinawa Goju Ryu Karate Do
The following historic review is based on Higaonna Senseis book "Traditional Karate-Do - Okinawa Goju Ryu", Morio Higaonna, Sugawara Martial Arts inc. Tokyo 1993 (ISBN 0-87040-595-0).
Origin
Based on mans instinct of self-defense, different fighting arts were developed in most cultures, especially in central Asia, Egypt and Turkey. The principles of the Asian martial arts are believed to have spread from Turkey to India, where they were further developed to sophisticated arts ("kalaripayt").
Chinese Kempo
According to legend, the Zen Buddhist monk Bodhidharma travelled to Hunan province in China around 500 A.D. He spent nine years in the Shao Lin temple, whereafter he started to teach different breathing techniques and physical exercises to the monks of Shao Lin. He also explained to the monks how to develop their mental and spiritual strength, in order to endure the demanding meditation exercises. Bodhiharmas teaching is considered as the birth of chinese kempo. When kempo is spread throughout China, it is divided in two main styles, the Northern and the Southerns style. The Northern style was characterized by straight and hard techniques, while the Southern had circular and softer techniques. The kempo techniques were often inherited within the family as a well-preserved secret.
Okinawa
During the 14th century kempo is introduced into Okinawa. It wins popularity and is trained as an art of self-defense, under the name of 'tote' (= chinese hand). At Okinawa the native fighting art 'te' was practiced long before the introduction of kempo. It is believed that 'te' was combined with 'kempo' by the Okinawans and developed to the martial art karate. When Japan invades Okinawa 1609 the ban of carrying weapons (first pronounced by king Sho Shin in 1477) continues, but the Japanese also bans the practice of martial arts. Consequently, the Okinawans must continue with martial arts in secrecy. During the next three centuries the martial art develops into its own character and is called 'Okinawa te'. It is split into three main styles: Shuri-te influenced by the hard techniques of kempo and characterized by an offensive attitude. Naha-te influenced by the softer techniques of kempo including breath control and 'ki'. It was characterized by a more defensive attitude with grappling, throws and locking techniques. Tomari-te influenced by both the hard and soft techniques of kempo. In the ending of the 19th century Shuri-te and Tomari-te were subsumed under the name Shorin ryu, which during the years has developed into several slightly different styles. Naha-te becomes known under the name Goju ryu (the hard and soft style) and has remained basically unified.
Miyagi Chojun Sensei
The founder of Goju ryu karate, Miyagi Chojun , was born at Okinawa in 1888. At the age of twelve he started to train karate for Aragaki Ryuko Sensei. At the age of fourteen he was introduced to Higaonna Kanryo Sensei and was eventually accepted as Higaonna Senseis personal disciple. Together they devoted their lives to improvement and advancement of Naha-te, until Higaonna Senseis death in 1915. After his masters death Chojun Miyagi travels to China to develop his knowledge of the martial arts. After his return to Okinawa he begins to teach in his home, where he turns the garden into a dojo. He put a great effort in to spreading his knowledge, the ambition being to give karate the same status as judo and kendo. In 1933 the karate was offically accepted by Butoko Kai, the Japanese centre for martial arts. After WWII Miyagi Sensei begins to teach karate at the Police Academy of Okinawa and also at his home, among his students were Miyagi Anichi Sensei, and Aragaki Shuichi Sensei, whos grandfather introduced Miyagi Sensei to Higaonna Sensei. Students who trained before the war, such as Yagi Meitoku and Miyazato Eiichi, would come occasionally to pay respects. In his last years Miyagi Sensei devotes his time to pass on his heritage to future generations and chooses Miyagi Anichi Sensei as his personal disciple. Chojun Miyagi Sensei's life was devoted to karate. He structured the system of Naha-te, adapted it to the demands of modern society and made it available to the public.
The name Goju ryu
One of Chojun Miyagi Sensei disciples, Jinan Shinzato, was once on mainland Japan to demonstrate Naha-te. After the performance he was asked to what school of karate he belonged. He was unable to answer the question, since 'naha-te' was not the name of a style. At his return he told Miyagi Sensei about the occurence, who thought about the problem and decided that it should be advantageous to have a name for his martial art system in order to promote and spread it. He choosed the name 'Goju ryu' (the hard-soft style), inspired by the "Eight precepts" of Kempo, written in the Bubishi.
Miyagi Anichi Sensei
Anichi Miyagi was born in the city of Naha in 1931 and began to train for Chojun Miyagi Sensei at the age of 17. He devoted all his time to study and train Goju ryu and is later appointed as a personal disciple of Chojun Miyagi Sensei. He is the only student that is taught the complete system of Goju ryu. He follows the tradition and teaches the complete system of Goju ryu to only one student, Morio Higaonna Sensei.
Morio Higaonna Sensei
Morio Higaonna Sensei, 9th dan and Chief Instructor of the International Okinawan Goju-Ryu Karate-Do federation (IOGKF) , was born in 1938 in the city of Naha. He began his training at the age of 14, and at the age of 16 he began training in Goju-Ryu under the guidance of Miyagi Anichi Sensei. From this stage on Morio Higaonna dedicated himself to the training and practicing of Goju-Ryu. After having being taught by good instructors, his fascination with karate led him to devote his entire life to enrichment of the spiritual depth and virtue of karate. In 1960, at the age of 21, he moved to Tokyo to study commerce at Takushoku University. He was invited to teach at Tokyos Yoyogi dojo, where he soon attracted a large following of dedicated karate-ka. Higaonna Sensei taught at Yoyogi dojo until 1981. During this time he established IOGKF, which is now established in 40 countries world-wide. Training has always been the the central theme of Higaonna Senseis life. He has never sought the limelight in the martial arts and his reputation is simply the result of of his superb skills and mastery of his art - a mastery which is only exceeded by his genuine modesty and humility.
Fatih Ince Sensei
Sensei Ince was born in 1960 in
Turkey. He obtained his black belt in Taekwon-do in 1979. In 1982
he started karate and obtained his black belt (Shodan) in 1986. After gaining
many
first place prizes from tournaments throughout the country,
he successfully completed 'master trainer' course in
Ankara (SESAM) in 1987 and become Karate-do Trainer.
After participating and successfully completing many national and international courses and seminars in France, Sweden, Spain, England, Holland, Canada, he went on to publish numbers of articles in various newspapers and sports magazines such as Samurai, Karakusak and Siyahkusak. He also appeared on Turkish television Ege-TV; taking part in several discussion panels regarding the true meaning and understanding of the Far-East martial arts.
In 1990, he stopped practicing his original style of Karate due to its non-recognition in World Karate Federation (WKF) and took the opportunity to go abroad to research and learn more about Goju Ryu Karate. In 1990, he became the first Turkish member of International Okinawan Goju-Ryu Karate Federation (I.O.G.K.F). Sensei Fatih was officially invited by the master Morio Higaonna (9th Dan) to the European Goju Ryu Karate Trainers' Coaches and Chief Instructors course in France, Mulhouse Strasbourg(1991). It was a privilege for him to be taught personally by Sensei Higaonna himself. Later on, he opened his own Karate Dojos (clubs) T.O.G.A. (Turkish Okinawan Goju-Ryu Karate Association) in Izmir, Turkey and taught seniors and juniors.
In 1992, he became an instructor and the following year he was appointed as a Chief Instructor of the Turkish Goju-Ryu Association in Sweden, Stockholm. The 13th European Gasshuku (International Chief Instructors Seminar) took place in Spain in 1995 and he was then given the legitimate responsibility by Sensei Higaonna for introducing Goju-Ryu Karate to other Turkic Republics and Islamic countries. He then continued on attending International Gasshukus in England on 1997, Holland on 1998, and Canada on 2003.
Sensei Ince was invited to Karate Ontario as an official Karate Referee. In 2003, he became a Canadian National Referee with the support of the International Referee Sensei Zvonko Celebija. During this time, he managed to learn Kobudo from Kei Tsumura, 8th Dan Shihan whom is the Founder & Chief Instructor of Canada of the Shito-Ryu-Itosukai Karate and Kobudo Association.
Sensei Ince opened his first Canadian Dojo (club) on 2003 in Toronto(i.c.c.o.). He is currently studying Okinawa Koshiki Goju-Ryu Shirenkan, Kobudo, Jundokan-Goju Ryu, Seiwakai Goju-Ryu and is running this own Dojo in Toronto, Canada.
WKF/ History / Tarihce
