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| Karate originated in Okinawa and has been in practice there for well over 1,000 years. Though it may trace its origins to the Chinese martial arts of the Tang Dynasty (618 A.D. to 906 A.D.), Okinawan oral tradition teaches that a karate-like art had become well established there by the 14th century. It was not practiced outside of Okinawa, however, until after 1923. |
| Karate is a pure, traditional Okinawan fighting art. It is an important part of the history and cultural heritage of the Okinawan people. Though many people around the world today refer to Japan as the "home of karate",in Japan, |
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| The Okinawans are the true masters of the art. Their knowledge is profound and unmatched, and their skill is legend. But, Okinawans are also a humble and peaceable people by nature. They refrain from self-promotion, ostentatious display, and exaggerated claims. As such, Okinawan karate masters generally did not, and still do not, bother to comment to any great extent on the inaccurate statements or excessive claims made by others. For these reasons, Okinawan karate has not received the full recognition and respect from the general public that it deserves. |
| For example, there have been those who have said that the martial arts of Okinawa during the 19th century were not of a very high caliber. It has been stated that these opinions were formed based on examinations of old photographs and the experiences reported by a number of travelers who journeyed to Okinawa. They are, in fact, based more on ignorance than an in depth understanding of Okinawan karate-do. And, they have more to do with the limited and incomplete knowledge of the detractors than any real deficiency or lack of sophistication on the part of this comprehensive Okinawan fighting art. And, none of these remarks were made by individuals who had the experience of facing the likes of Ankoh Itosu, Kanryo Higaonna, or Yatsusune Azato in combat. |
| The truth is that 19th century Okinawan karate masters were extremely powerful, and possessed skills that were both highly sophisticated and deadly. But, up until 1902, they practiced and taught in complete secrecy, and only accepted a few dedicated Okinawan students. Outsiders traveling through Okinawa would not have even been aware of these masters, nor would they have been allowed to learn their secret methods even if they were. As for those old photographs that some have made reference to, it is impossible to assess the true expertise and skill of any practitioner simply by looking at a few still photographs. |
| A true understanding of and appreciation for the sophistication, tradition, and history of Okinawan karate-do cannot be found in books. It can only be realized through serious study with a true Okinawan karate master. I was fortunate to be in Okinawa during the 1950's - which has been called the "Golden Age of Karate". It was during this period that Okinawan karate-do was first openly revealed to the outside world, and it was when Okinawan karate masters first began to teach their unique art to select and serious non-Okinawan students. I was even more fortunate during this period to be accepted as a student by Grandmaster Meitoku Yagi, the top practioner and successor of the legendary Grandmaster Chojun Miyagi, the founder of Goju-ryu karate. I was extremely honored at that time to be the first and only westerner allowed to study with Grandmaster Yagi, and eventually, after many years of hard practice, became the first and only westerner to receive a 9th degree black belt from him. |
| Meibukan Goju-ryu Karate-do is one of the four major styles of Okinawan karate-do practiced today, that are officially recognized by the Zen Okinawa Karate-do Remmei. It came into existence and pre-eminence due to the efforts of the following great Okinawan karate-do masters: |
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| These men had few equals in their time and are in a class by themselves when compared with today's karate-do practitioners. They trained intensively day in and day out, year after year, for their entire lives. They were highly motivated and completely dedicated to developing, perfecting, and mastering the art of Okinawan karate-do. |
| Their method and tradition continues today through the work and commitment of a few qualified individuals. They are listed in the chart below, which presents the Goju-ryu and Meibukan legacy originating with Grandmaster Kenryo Higaonna. |
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