Founded
by Grand Master Chojun Miyagi.
Born on April 25, 1888 in Higashi-machi, Naha City, Okinawa.
He began training in karate under Kanryo Higaonna at the age of 14,
in 1902, he became “uchi deshi”(private disciple) of Kanyro Higaonna.
He studied with his teacher for 14 years before his teacher’s death
in 1915.
In 1915, he sailed to Foochow in Fukien province China, the province
where his teacher had studied martial arts, to further his research.
After returning from China he began to teach martial arts at his
home in Naha. Later, he also taught at the Okinawan Prefecture
Police Training Centre, at the Okinawan Master’s Training College,
and at the Naha Commercial High School.
Chojun Miyagi worked hard to spread karate throughout Okinawa and
mainland Japan, to earn Naha-te status. To achieve this he travelled
frequently to mainland Japan where he was invited to teach karate at
Kyoto University and Ritsumei Kan University.
Chojun Miyagi dedicated his whole life to karate. He was responsible
for structuring Naha-te (which he later named Goju-Ryu) into a
systematized discipline which could be taught to society in general.
