Chojun Miyagi is a renowned Japanese karate master, recognized as the founder of Goju-ryu, one of Okinawa’s main karate styles. Born on April 25 1888 in Naha, Okinawa, he played a key role in the promotion and development of modern karate.
Miyagi was born into a wealthy family and began learning karate at an early age. He was trained by great masters, including Kanryo Higaonna. Under Higaonna’s tutelage, he learned the Naha-te style, which later served as the basis for his own style, Goju-ryu.
In 1915, after Higaonna’s death, Miyagi went to China to deepen his knowledge of martial arts. He spent two years studying different styles of kung fu, incorporating what he learned into his own karate practice.
On his return to Okinawa, Miyagi began developing the style that would become Goju-ryu. The name “Goju-ryu” means “the school of hard and soft”, reflecting Miyagi’s philosophy that karate should incorporate both hard elements (physical strength and striking techniques) and soft elements (dodging and fluid movements).
Miyagi has worked hard to promote karate in Okinawa and beyond. In 1921, he performed a karate demonstration for Crown Prince Hirohito, and in 1925, he gave another demonstration to Prince Chichibu. These demonstrations helped raise the profile of karate in Japan.
In the 1930s, Miyagi set about formalizing and structuring the teaching of karate, creating a set of kata, or sequences of movements, which are still used in the teaching of Goju-ryu today. These kata include the Gekisai Dai Ichi and Gekisai Dai Ni series, which he created especially for teaching in Okinawa schools.
Miyagi devoted the rest of his life to teaching Goju-ryu in Okinawa and elsewhere. He trained numerous students, many of whom went on to become renowned karate masters themselves.
Chojun Miyagi died on October 8, 1953, but his legacy lives on. Today, Goju-ryu is practiced all over the world and is recognized for its balance between the hard and soft aspects of karate, as well as for its emphasis on breathing and concentration.
In short, Chojun Miyagi was a dedicated and innovative karate master whose contribution to the development of modern karate is invaluable. His style, Goju-ryu, remains an important element of the contemporary karate landscape, and
his influence is still felt in dojos around the world.