During the 14th century Kempo (Chaun-Fa) was introduced to Okinawa. It won popularity as an art of self-defence, 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 into the martial art known today as Karate.

Japan invaded Okinawa in1609. They reinstituted the ban on weapons (first declared by King Sho Shin in 1477). The Japanese also banned the practice of martial arts. Consequently, the Okinawans  continued with martial arts in secrecy.

During the next three centuries the martial art developed 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 characterised by an offensive attitude.

• Naha-te influenced by the softer techniques of Kempo including breath control and 'ki'. It was characterised by a more defensive attitude with grappling, throws and locking techniques.

• Tomari-te  influenced by both the hard and soft techniques of Kempo very close to shurite.

At the end of the 19th century Shuri-te and Tomari-te were subsumed under the name Shorin ryu,  which developed into several slightly different styles. Naha-te was later renamed Goju ryu (the hard and soft style).

 

FOUNDER OF GOJU RYU - MASTER CHOJUN MIYAGI (1888-1953):

 

Goju Ryu Karate was founded by Chojun Miyagi (1888-1953) an Okinawan who lived in China for many years where he studied  nahate & Chinese Kenpo By master Higashionna. Higashionna training under  Ryu Ryu Ko great master of south china shaolin kempo. Master Miyagi blended the soft Chinese movements with the hard Okinawan movements to form Goju (hard/soft) school of karate.

Jin'an Shinzato was exceptionally talented student of Miyagi. Chojun Miyagi had chosen him as his successor to the Goju school in Okinawa. Shinzato was tragically killed during the Second World War. Later, after the war, Chojun Miyagi chose Meitoku Yagi Sensei to succeed him in Okinawa and Gogen Yamaguchi to succeed him in Japan under the Goju-Kai school, to pass on Goju-Ryu to the next generation.

The other major students of Miyagi sensei in okinawa was Seiko Higa( shodokan), Ichi Miyazato (jundokan) and Seigichi Toguchi (shoreikan).

 

Chojun Miyagi passed away on October 8th , 1953, leaving a great legacy behind. He predicted that during the twentieth century karate would spread throughout the world. Today we can see that this prediction has been realized, karate is not only practiced in Japan, but it can be found throughout the world. Karate can no longer be referred to as a solely Okinawan or Japanese martial art, but it has become an art with no boundaries, an art for all nations and all people of the world.

 

MASTER GOGEN YAMAGUCHI FOUNDER JAPAN GOJUKAI (1909-1989):

 

In 1931 Chojun Miyagi introduce Goju Ryu Karate in the Japanese inland Gogen Yamaguchi was one his senior student, At Ritsumeikan University Gogen Yamaguchi train with the other Goju student such as Ujita, Uchiage,  Kisaki, Katano, Tada and Akamura and all of them were training under the founder of Goju-Ryu, Chojun Miyagi.
Gogen Yamaguchi was the founder of Japan Goju-Kai Karate in 1950.

 

MASTER SHOZO UJITA FOUNDER KENBUKAN SCHOOL (1917-1989) :

 

Shozo Ujita was one of Chujun Miyagi and Gogen Yamaguchi student in Japan, together with other Goju masters they modernised and organised the Goju-Ryu system that led to the formation of the Japan GOJU KAI in 1950. Shozo Ujita became the first President of the JKF GOJU KAI in 1972, he was also the Mayor of the Wakayama City for 24 years and also the personal trainer of the Japanese Emperor Hirohito and the founder of Kenbukan dojo of Goju Ryu.

 

 

MASTER OSAMU HIRANO 8th DAN JKF,FOUNDER KUYUKAI GOJU-RYU :

Born in Wakayama Japan in October 1940 , In 1950 Saiko Shihan began training under Master Syozo Ujita, the past President of the  JKF GOJUKAI Federation, and continued his training with Shihan Gogen Yamaguchi in 1963. 

Hirano Shihan founded  Kuyukai Goju-Ryu school in 1968 in Wakayama, Japan.