Master Morio Higaonna
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Master Morio Higaonna, 9th degree black belt, has been acknowledged as one of the leading karate senseis and foremost exponents of Goju-Ryu Karate in Japan for the last 25 years. Training has always been the central theme in his life. He has never sought the limelight in the martial arts and his world renowned reputation is purely a result of his superb skills and mastery of his art; a mastery which is only exceeded by his genuine modesty and humility.
Master Higaonna arrived in Tokyo, mainland Japan, from his native Okinawa in 1961. He was 22 years old. He had studied Goju-Ryu from the age of 14 with a ferocious dedication which is rare even in the greatest of masters. Therefore at 22, he was already an accomplished martial artist. Because of this obvious prowess, and despite his young age, he was invited to teach at Yoyogi Dojo in central Tokyo. His classes, although severe became extremely popular and it was not long before he was employed as a full time instructor there.
At this time many foreigners came to Tokyo to study the martial arts. They would arrive that the internationally well known dojos such as the JKA and Kyokushinkai. Once in Tokyo, however, their curiosity would lead them to other dojos in the Tokyo area. When they came across Yoyogi Dojo and saw the small but dynamic sensei there, many of them, awe-struck by Master Higaonna's superb technique and incredible power, immediately dropped what they were studying and began training under this charismatic and inspirational teacher.
It was not only Master Higaonna's karate that so impressed them, but also his manner and the manner of his students. In an age where foreigners in most dojos in Japan were considered no more than live bodies to be pummeled, this dojo was like a breath of fresh air. All Master Higaonna's classes were demanding and testing to the limits of endurance at times, but they were always fair and conducted in the true spirit of Budo, the martial way.
In the twenty one years that Master Higaonna taught at the Yoyogi Dojo thousands of karate students benefited from his unique brand of karate. His classes became so popular that he was teaching four classes a day totalling over 1,000 students daily.
Master Higaonna also built up a large overseas following and this lead to the founding of the International Okinawan Goju-Ryu Karate-do Federation (IOGKF) in 1979. With Master Higaonna at its head the IOGKF is now established in 50 countries with more than 30,000 members world wide.
In September 1987 Master Higaonna moved to the United States. On November 1, 1987 he opened the Institute of Traditional Karate (World Headquarters for the IOGKF) in San Marcos, California. Master Higaonna hopes that through his presence here he can expose a greater number of persons to the profound teachings and philosophy of Grandmaster Chojun Miyagi, the founder of Goju-Ryu Karate-Do.
Now Higaonna Sensei lives in Okinawa and travels to teach to his students around the globe.
For more news about the life of Higaonna Sensei: The Lion of Okinawa