by Professor Peter Georgiou

When one discusses the history of GoJu Ryu (or as a general matter the history of karate) it is important to remember that there exist no accurate or verifiable historical records that would either prove or disprove that history which has been handed down in the karate community largely through the word of mouth during karate's short 150 year history. All attempts that have been made by various karateka and/or historians to discern the history of karate are based more on faith than hard historical facts. That is not to say, however, that no hard facts exist. They do. We thankfully do know certain fundamental historical events but we lack much knowledge for the periods in between them. Thus, large gaps exist that are often filled with inference (weak and strong), speculation and sometimes conjecture. The best we can do is to stay with the facts we do know and draw the best inference we can.

Okinawan Master Kanryo Higashionna, the father of karate, was born in Naha City in 1851. Higoshionna at the age of 10 began helping his father in the family business that consisted of transporting firewood in a small junk from island to island. By all accounts Higashionna was physically small for his age, but very quick in his movements. When he was 11 or 12 years old he developed an interest in the martial arts and began to train with a local instructor who was teaching a Fukien style of Kung Fu. The reason he became interested in the martial arts at the time remains unclear. In 1865 his father was killed in a fight. It is believed that his father's death caused him to intensify his desire to extend his martial arts training.

In 1874 Higoshionna traveled to Mainland China and reportedly spent the next 15 years learning kung fu from Chinese masters. There exist no verifiable records but it is widely accepted that Master Higashionna studied White Crane Kenpo from Master Ryu Ryu Ko in China's Fukien Prefecture. It is also widely accepted that Master Ryu Ryu Ko learned from Master Hayashi Toku Jun, a martial arts master and founder of Taiwan White Crane Kenpo. After his arrival in China he spent year the Okinawan settlement in Foochow, before he was introduced to Ryu Ryu Ko. Virtually nothing is known about Ryu Ryu Ko. Some martial artists/historians have suggested that it is possible that Ryu Ryu Ko is only the nickname given to him by Master Higashionna in order to protect his true identity. The reason Master Ryu Ryu Ko wished to keep his identity a secret is not readily discernible. The influence of Master Hayashi on both Master Ryu Ryu Ko and on Master Higashionna has caused GoJu practitioners to accept the connection that exists between White Crane Kenpo and GoJu-Ryu.

In 1889 Master Higashionna returned to Okinawa. Shortly after his return he began developing his own martial arts style. He was not, however, eager to teach and for a long period of time he did not accept any students for instruction. Neither did he bother to name or systematize his style. The style eventually became known as To-de, or Chinese hand, to distinguish it from Te, the native Okinawan martial art. Later the style took on the name Naha-Te to distinguish it from Shun-Te and Tomari-te the other two Okinawan styles. Ultimately Higashionna began to accept students and began teaching Naha-Te.

The next significant historical event in GoJu-Ryu history is Higoshionna's teaching of karate to Master Chojun Miyagi. Chojun Miyagi began his karate training under Master Higashionna at age 14. Following his initial instruction from Higoshionna Master Miyagi traveled to Fukien Prefecture, most likely at the urging of Master Higoshionna, to study the martial arts and to improve his technique. It is widely accepted that Master Miyagi was in China from 1904 to 1908. What styles of martial arts Master Miyagi studied in Fukien is the subject matter of much speculation. It is assumed that he followed in Higoshionna's footsteps. But this can either be confirmed or dismissed.

Upon his return to Okinawa Master Miyagi began teaching karate. Miyagi unlike Master Higoshionna, began to organize and systematize the style. A physical education teacher in the Okinawa school system, Master Miyagi began to introduce other elements in the basic physical training of karate. He began to incorporate aspects of calisthenics exercise in the traditional training methods of karate instruction. This attracted young men to the art and the art gained more notoriety in Okinawa. Master Miyagi also introduced two new kata into the system that were much simpler than the traditional kata Master Higoshionna had brought back from China. These two kata, known as Gikesai Ichi and Gikesai Ni, served to attract many young men into the style and helped to popularize GoJu Ryu.

As his popularity grew Master Miyagi traveled to Japan to teach GoJu Ryu karate. In Japan, he taught many pupils who later would become masters in their own right. Although Master Miyagi is credited as being the founder of GoJu-Ryu, he did not invent the system. Instead Master Miyagi systematized and popularized the martial art system handed down to a significant degree by Master Higashionna. To the degree that Master Miyagi systematized GoJu he is widely accepted as GoJu's founder.