Japanese Goju Ryu

They differ in a number of ways.

 

One way a sensei described the difference to Me is as follows .. 

  • Gogen held onto that solid  Okinawan powerful engine, but over time he replaced the outer shell with a Sports car looking body.  Beast power remained, yet it was nicer to look at and faster. 

 

  • Another is the fact that Gogen came from Samurai Lineage and introduced that culture into his dojo making it very different to that of Okinawa . 

 

Gogen Yamaguchi - Japanese Goju Ryu Karate Table View Gogen Yamaguchi with his top students of Gojukai

 

  • In 1937, Chojun Miyagi appointed Gogen Yamaguchi to head the progression of GoJu Ryu on mainland Japan.
  • This lead to rapid growth and popularity of GoJu Ryu throughout mainland Japan.
  • Yamaguchi Sensei put Goju on the map and it spread like wildfire across the world.
  • At that time Gogen focused on the sport aspect, but later regretted that decision and soon history showed his reasoning.

GoJu Ryu is distinctive in that it has remained largely unchanged from its original Chinese combat arts with Lin Shixan (White Crane).

Then to Pan Yuba (White Crane), Taitei Kojo (Kojo-Ryu), Wai Xinxian (Hsing-I/Monk Fisrt) to RuRuKo (Whooping Crane).

This then passed on to Okinawa masters Aragaki Sisho (Monk Fist), to his student Kanryo Higaonna and ultimately to his students, Chojun Miyagi (Founder GoJu Ryu) and Seiko Higa. 

Contact Seiwa Kai  Cape town on more for how to join us 

 

Grand master of Gojukai Japan

In due course, Yamaguchi formulated his own system of “Goju Shinto,” a combination of Goju style karate, yoga and shinto, with some zen included too.

We should note, that this is more a personal thing with Gogen Yamaguchi, and the yoga and shinto aspect does not affect the vast majority of Goju kai practitioners; they practice their karate just as other karatemen do.

Japanese  vs Okinawan karate  

  • Gogen / Goshi Yamaguchi added a series of H pattern forms called the Taikyoku kata. 
  • Practice of kobudo Weapons is generally more prevalent among Okinawan Goju-ryu
  • Various small variations in kata such as use of angles in the end of the Gekisai kata
  • Yamaguchi Goju-ryu Kata Bunkai uses many steps, combinations and Aikido
  • Okinawan Goju-ryu tends to use two man kata bunkai sets which explain the meaning of the kata
  • Yamaguchi Kumite is hard and fast using open hand strikes and groin kicks, however the JKF Goju-ryu tends to be more sport-flavored

 

 

How It spread to mainland Japan

Japanese Goju-ryu has become very popular, and Yamaguchi Gogen sensei can be credited with bringing the style to the rest of the world.

There is no real written fact to how Long Gogen Yamaguchi trained with Miyagi before he started building GOJUKAI .. 

Japan Karate Federation (JKF) Goju Kai

The Japan Karate-do Federation was established in 1964 to organise and oversee all styles of traditional Japanese Karate. This organisation is part of Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (文部科学省 Monbu-kagaku-shō). It is led by a member of Cabinet who is selected by Japan’s Prime Minister.

The vast majority of traditional Goju Ryu organisations are members of the JKF Goju Kai. This organisation seeks to preserve and perpetuate the style of karate that was developed in Okinawa, Japan by Mr. Chojun Miyagi. Seiwakai is one of the 13 member organisations of the JKF Goju Kai.

  1. Mr. Shuji Tasaki, Hanshi (1933 – 2011) is the Founder of Seiwakai Goju Ryu. He began training in Goju Ryu in 1952 under the tutelage of Gogen Yamaguchi. In 1971 he formed Seiwakai.
  2. Mr Tasaki was a 9th Dan in both the JKF Goju Kai and the Seiwakai.

Mr. Seiichi Fujiwara Hanshi is the President and Chief Instructor of Seiwakai Goju Ryu international. He holds an 8th Dan with the JKF Goju Kai and currently serves as the Head of Overseas Committee.