Karate-do is a great cultural legacy that has been handed down to us over the years. Every living creature possesses the instinct of defence. As a reference, when anyone tries to hit a small child on the head, his reaction is to protect his head with his hands. This involuntary reaction is a reflex act of the instinct of self-defence. Consequently, it is logical to believe that the art of karate comes from our instincts. This leads us to believe that karate begins with the start of humanity.

It is believed that, in India, the empty-hand martial art (Kalaripayt, a Hindi martial art), was used by warriors a long time before the birth of Buddhism. One theory holds that the art of Kalaripayt was studied and then introduced in Okinawa by sailors who had travelled to southern India in search of trade. It is believed that this Okinawan art, called "Te", was later combined with the Chinese art of "Kempo" (empty-handed techniques) and developed in a martial art of karate.

This form of fighting, Okinawa-Te (Okinawa hands), gave rise to the so-called styles (Nahate, Shuri-Te and Tomari-Te). Similarly, martial arts were developed with the work tools, such as (Nunchaku, Tonfa, Bo etc.) Giving rise to Kobudo (fighting with oriental weapons). At the end of last century, the so-called Karate-Do appeared (Kara = empty, Te = hands, Do = road), together with the various schools (Goju-Ryu, Shito-Ryu, Shotokan, Kyokushinkay, etc.) Nowadays, it can be looked on as an authentic martial art that is practised in every country of the world.

The Goju-Ryu school (Go = hard, Ju = soft, Ryu = school) was created by Sensei Chojun Miyagi, a student of Sensei Kanryo Higaonna, who, in turn, was a student of the grandmaster Ryu RyuKo in China.

HISTORY OF OKINAWA GOJU-RYU KARATE-DO FACTS AND DATES.


520 BC. - The monk Bodhidharma arrived in the Chinese province of Hunan to teach Buddhism and was considered as the father of martial arts owing to the fact that he taught the monks of the SHAO LIN Temple a system of strength and self-defence.

1372 - The first document that mentions the Chinese kempo in Okinawa. In the same year, Okinawa sent ambassadors with taxes for the Emperor of China. 1392. During the reign of King Satto, a community of Chinese monks and craftsmen was set up in the region of Kume (Okinawa), responsible for teaching martial arts.

1429 - Beginning of the Sho dynasty (Rei Sho Hashi) and unification of the three kingdoms of Okinawa.

1477 - Prohibition of the use and wearing of arms as a result of important social and political problems. The fall of the Sho dynasty and the establishment of a new Sho dynasty. All the nobles were forced to live near the royal castle. The Okinawan karate and kobudo appeared.

1609 - The Satsuma clan of Japan invaded and controlled Okinawa. The prohibition of the use of arms was maintained and the invasion was kept secret in China.

1683 - A Chinese envoy called Wanshu (Wang ji), a kempo master, taught martial arts in the town of Tomari; one of the katas, known by Wanshu, still exists.

1755 - The karate expert Sakigawa Shungo travelled to China to learn martial arts. Later, he spread his learning by creating the schools of Shuri-te and Tomari-te.

1756 - The Chinese kempo master Kusanku travelled to Okinawa to teach. The Kusanku kata still exists in the Shuri-te school (Shotokan, etc.). 1853. Sensei Kanryo Higaonna was born in Naha (10/03/1853). When he was a little boy, he was called "Machu".

1866 - Last delegation sent to Okinawa by the Emperor of China.

1868 - At the age of 16, Sensei Kanryo Higaonna started to practice Chinese kempo with the master Aragaki Seisho (1840-1920) and later with the master Kojo Taite (1837-1917) in the town of Kume.

1874 - At the age of 22, Sensei Kanryo Higaonna set off for Fukien in China (November) and was to remain there for 14 years practising in the dojo of Sensei Ryu Ryuko.

1887 - Return of Sensei Kanryo Higaonna to Okinawa in spring. 1888. Sensei Chojun Miyagi was born (25/04/1888).

1899 - Sensei Chonjun Miyagi began to practice karate with the master Ryuko Aragaki. 1905. Naha-te karate classes began in the public schools of Okinawa.

1915 - In May, Sensei Chojun Miyagi accompanied by his friend Gogenki, set off for China to find the school of the master Ryu Ryuko. He found only one former students owing to the fact that China had undergone great political and social change (Boxer Rebellion in 1900). He returned hurriedly to Okinawa. He took the master Kanryo Higaonna into his home to look after him. Sensei Kanryo Higaonna died at the age of 63 (October).

1920 - Sensei Chonju Miyagi created the Tensho kata and the Jumbi Undo (warm-up exercises).

1921 - Demonstration by Sensei Chonju Miyagi for Prince Hirohito (future Emperor of Japan). 1926. The karate club was founded with other masters.

1927 - The founder of judo, the master Jigoro Kano, visited Okinawa and a great friendship was born between the two masters.

1930 - At the coronation ceremony of Emperor Hirohito, Sensei Jinan Shinzato (the main student of Sensei Chojun Miyagi) gave a demonstration, during which he was asked for the name of his school of martial arts. Sensei Shinzato was unable to answer since there was no need for giving karate schools names at that time.

1931 - After a period of reflection, Sensei Chojun Miyagi decided to name his school Goju-Ryu. He was inspired by an ancient book on martial arts called "Bubishi", which he held in high esteem. Sensei Anichi Miyagi was born (09/02/1931).

1933 - Sensei Chojun Miyagi officially registered the name of his school as Goju-Ryu with the imperial organisation of Japanese martial arts, the "Butoki-kai". He was the first master to do so.

1934 - Sensei Chojun Miyagi set off for Hawaii, where he stayed for 10 months, spreading the word of karate.

1935 - The Okinawan masters decided to rename their art and called it karate, which means 'empty hands', instead of 'Chinese hands'.

1936 - Sensei Chojun Miyagi travelled to China (Shanghai) to investigate the martial arts of the famous Jing Mo Goon School, better known by its Japanese name of Sei Bu Kan.

1938 - Sensei Morio Higaonna was born (25/12/1938).

1940 - Sensei Chojun Miyagi created the Gekisai Dai Ichi and Dai Ni katas to make karate popular at school.

1946 - Sensei Chonjun Miyagi was appointed director of the civil association of physical education of Okinawa and started teaching at the police school of Okinawa.

1948 - Sensei Anichi Miyagi started to train with Sensei Chojun Miyagi in the dojo in the garden at his home in Tsuboya-Cho (Naha).

1953 - Sensei Chojun Miyagi died (08/10/1953).

1979 - Foundation of the International Federation of Okinawa Goju-Ryu Karate-do in Poole, Bournemouth (England).