Karate Academy Information

Goju-Ryu Karate-Do is a mixture of Chinese martial arts and traditional martial arts in Ryukyu, which is now known as Okinawa (about 500 years ago). During the Ryukyu age, weapons were not allowed for any civilians because of the government's policy. These peasants who developed martial arts called Te, fought with barefoot and bare hands. In the process of spreading over Ryukyu, different kinds of martial arts were created, such as Naha-te, Shuri-te, and other Styles. Kanryo Higaonna (1852-1915 ) was still in his teens when his father died. At the age of 14, he began his formal training in Chinese Kempo with Seisho Arakaki (1840-1920), who had studied the Fukien style. Kanryo decided he wanted to continue his studies in martial arts abroad and he set his heart on traveled to Fuzhou, China for this purpose. It is said that he visited the port city in 1873 for fifteen years. Some martial arts historians explain his motive for visiting the city was to study the Chinese Martial Arts. Higaonna did, in fact, study a Southern Shaolin Chaun style with Sifu (instructor) Liu Liu Gung and remained there for 15 years, during his stay in that city. As explained by other historians, his initial reason for visiting China was the result of his political involvements. He arrived in Fuzhou in the year 1869, he was 15 or 16. It is believed that Higaonna Sensei also studied the styles of Hung Gar-Shaolin Chuan, hard style Chinese martial arts of Chi-Chi and/or I-Chi as well with another master named "Woo". He began his studies with Ryuruko in 1876 at the age of 23 in Fujian Province, China, and he remained there under the severe instruction of his teacher for approximately 13 years. After he came back to Ryukyu, he combined both techniques and created a new style called To-dei. This martial arts was the beginning of Karate. During this transitional period of time when this martial art was becoming more popular in mainland Japan, it was called "Karate Kempou" which meant Chinese Hand Fist System. Later during 1930s Japanese ...