Chojun Miyagi - April 25,1888 - October 8th, 1953. Born in Higashi-Machi (Naha-shi) Okinawa of a wealthy family who's business was import/export. Originally Miyagi Chojun was born as Miyagi Matsu however his name was changed to Chojun at the age of 5 by his uncle whom adopted him after the death of his father in 1893. His family owned two ships which made regular trips to mainland China, placing them among the wealthiest families in the area and enabled a young Miyagi Chojun Sensei to travel to China to study the style of his instructor and develop the style of Karate we call Goju Ryu today. However his original Martial Arts training started with his neighbor Ryu Ko Aragaki (one of the very few fighters ever to beat the legendary Choki Motobu) at 11 years old. Ryu Ko Aragaki Sensei, before moving his family to Taiwan, later introduced him to Kanryo Higashionna, and he began training at the age of 17 in the fall of 1905 after fulfilling a host of chores for his new sensei (the traditional way of being accepted by an instructor).

Because of his outstanding ability and incredible determination, he progressed very qiuckly. The training he received was rigorous beyond belief but he practiced ever harder with an enthusiasm unmatched by any of the other students. Chojun Miyagi became "uchi deshi" (private disciple) of Kanryo Higaonna. Chojun Miyagi, as successor to Naha-te pushed himself to the limits of ability in his desire to emulate the extraordinary skill of his teacher. After training approximately 15 years with Higaonna Sensei Miyagi made his first trip to China to study Chuguko Kempo (Chinese Fist) in Fouchow, Fukien Province, from 1915 to 1917. Miyagi made many trips to China during his lifetime in order to futher his knowledge of the martial arts. During his travels in China he studied not only the building blocks of his teachers art Hung Gar-Shaolin Chuan Chi-Chi, but also I-Chuan, Pa Kua Chang and Tai Chi Chuan. It was at this time he learned the form (kata) Rokkishu which later became the foundation for the Kata he would later create called "Tensho".

He returned to Okinawa in 1915 due to the sudden death of Higaonna Sensei. Miyagi Chojun Sensei arranged for Higaonna's funeral and paid all expenses. A short time later Chojun Miyagi decided to return to China in search of Higaonna's teacher but was unable to find him or his dojo.

Upon his return to Okinawa Miyagi began to teach from his home where he turned the garden into a dojo. Later, he also taught at the Okinawan Prefecture Police Training Center, at the Okinawan Master's Training College, and at the Naha Commercial High School (where his teacher had once taught). However, his private teaching at his home remained strictly in adherence to the principles and traditions of the teacher, Kanryo Higashionna. Blending the strong snap techniques of the Okinawan style and the dynamic and free techniques of the soft Chinese Kempo, his style was complete.With his extensive martial art training in Okinawa-te, Naha-Te and the hard-soft arts he learned in China, Miyagi Sensei develop