Genealogy
March 1853 - December 1916: Higaonna Sensei was born the year U.S. Commodore
Matthew Perry landed in Okinawa. At a young age he took up the practice of karate, called
simply "ti" (hand) in his time. When he was a little past the age of twenty, he went to Fujian
Province in China to study the martial arts. He founded the fighting style Naha-Te, later to
be known as Goju-Ryu Karate.
4 April 1888 - 8 October 1953: Miyagi Sensei was born in Naha, Okinawa and began his
karate training under Kanryo Higaonna at the age of 14. Miyagi Sensei was the successor
of Higaonna Sensei and went on to found Gojy-Ryu Karate. Chojun Miyagi dedicated his
life to karate. He was responsible for structuring Goju-Ryu into a systemized discipline
which is now taught around the world.
5 July 1922 - 11 December 1999 -- Miyazato Sensei was born in Naha, Okinawa and began his
Karate training at age 13 with his father. He became a student of Chojun Miyagi Sensei at the
age of 15 and except for a short time during WWII, Miyazato Sensei remained with Miyagi Sensei
until his death in 1953. After Miyagi Sensei's death, Miyazato Sensei inherited all of Miyagi's Hojo
Undo equipment and at the request of his fellow students and Miyagi's family, he continued
teaching at the Garden Dojo (Miyagi's Dojo). In April 1954, at the general meeting of the then
Okinawa Goju-kai, he was officially recognized as the successor to Miyagi Sensei. In 1957 he
opened the Jundokan Karate Dojo (House for the Following in the Footsteps of the Father) in
Asato, Naha City where he continued teaching traditional Goju-Ryu.
Founder and Head Instructor, Okinawa Goju-Ryu Goyu-Kai
Director and Senior Instructor, Okinawa Goju-Ryu Goyu-Kan, USA
Recently moved to Deerfield, New York
Contact at tonyw510@goyukan-usa.com
