Founders

Higaonna Kanryo Sensei was born in the village of Naha on March 10, 1853. He belonged to the lower gentry and went by the name “Machu” as a small boy. From childhood Machu showed great interest in the fighting arts and was eager to learn as much as possible. Despite his small size for his age, Machu could move very quickly …

Goju Ryu karate was founded by Miyagi Chojun Sensei, a personal disciple of Kanryo Higaonna Sensei. Miyagi Chojun was born on April 25th, 1888, in Naha, the capital of Okinawa. His family was wealthy and belonged to the upper class. They owned two trading ships that imported medicine from China for both the government and private …

An’ichi Miyagi Sensei (no relation to Miyagi Chojun) was born in Naha, Okinawa on February 9th, 1931. At age 14, during WW II, he lost both his parents and worked to support his two younger brothers at the US Air Force Base. An’ichi and his brothers lived about a five-minute walk from Sensei Miyagi’s garden dojo….

Sensei Higaonna was born in Okinawa on December 25th, 1938. He began training in karate at age 14 under the tutelage of his father, a policeman who taught Shorin Ryu in their home. Two years later, in April, 1955, he was given an introduction to the garden dojo of Sensei Miyagi Chojun, and began training with Sensei An’ichi Miyagi …