Description of Goju Ryu_Kata of Karate

The founder of Goju-ryu was Chojun Miyagi (1888-1953). He became a disciple of Kanryo Higaonna (1853-1915), the founder of the Naha-te style, when he was 14. He endured harsh ascetic practices and in 1915 went to Fujian Province in China to perfect his skills in the martial arts. He also undertook a lot of research on noted Chinese warriors. As a result, he was able to take over and organize karate techniques and the principles of the martial arts that he had been taught. He consolidated modern karate-do, incorporating effective elements of both athletics and the martial arts in addition to the principles of reason and science.

Chojun Miyagi's most promising disciple, Jinan Shinzato, gave a demonstration at the 'All Japan Martial Arts Tournament Offering Congratulations on the Emperor's Accession' held in Meiji Jingu Shrine in 1929. Afterwards he was asked what school of karate he belonged to. When he returned home, he told master Miyagi about this and Miyagi decided to choose the name Goju-ryu (the hard-soft style), inspired by one of the 'Eight Precepts' of Kempo, written in the Bubishi, and meaning 'The way embraces both hard and soft, both inhalation and exhalation. The main characteristic of Goju-ryu is the 'respiration method' accompanied by vocal exclamations, emphasizing 'inhaling and exhaling'and 'bringing force in and sending force out'.

The kata of Goju-ryu are broadly divided into: Sanchin (basics), Kaishu-gata (open hand forms), and Heishu-gata (closed hand forms). The traditional kata passed down from Kanryo Higaonna to the present include: Sanchin, Saifa, Seienchin, Shisochin, Sanseiryu, Seipai, Kururunfa, Seisan, and Suparinpe (or Pecchurin). In addition to such traditional kata, Goju-ryu has added Kokumin Fukyugata, a series of kata created by Chojun Miyagi for the nationwide popularization of the school-Gekisai I, Gekisai II and Tensho-which complete the kata of Goju-ryu for Tanren.