Miyagi Chojun Sensei
Sensei Higaonna’s number one student and personal disciple was Miyagi Chojun Sensei who is known as The founder of Goju ryu karate, Miyagi Chojun, was born in Okinawa in 1888 and began training at age 12. As teacher and student they devoted their lives to improvement and advancement of Naha-te, until Higaonna Sensei’s death in 1915. After his masters death Miyagi Sensei took a trip to china to broaden his martial arts knowledge. Upon returning he began teaching in his garden Dojo. In 1933 Karate was offically accepted by Butoko Kai, the Japanese centre for Martial Arts. After WWII Miyagi Sensei begins to teach Karate at the Police Academy of Okinawa and also at his home, where he continued to improve and hone his style and teaching skills eventually naming his Martial Art Go Ju Ryu, (Hard and soft style). Among his students was Miyazato Eiichi who would eventually become his successor of the head of Go Ju Ryu. Chojun Miyagi Sensei’s life was devoted to Karate adapted Go Ju Ryu to the demands of modern society and made it available to the public.