Morio Higaonna

Morio Higaonna (東恩納 盛男, Higaonna Morio, born December 25, 1938) is a prominent Okinawan karate practitioner who is the founder and Chief Instructor of the International Okinawan Goju-ryu Karate-do Federation (IOGKF).^[1][2] He is a holder of the highest rank in Goju-ryu karate, 10th dan.^[1] Higaonna has written several books on Goju-ryu karate, including Traditional Karate-do: Okinawa Goju Ryu (1985)^[3] and The history of Karate: Okinawan Goju Ryu (2001).^[4] Martial arts scholar Donn Draeger (1922–1982) reportedly once described him as "the most dangerous man in Japan in a real fight."^[5][6][7]

Early life

Higaonna was born on December 25, 1938, in Naha, Okinawa.^[8][9][10] He began studying Shōrin-ryū karate at the age of 14 with his father and then with his friend Tsunetaka Shimabukuro.^[8] It was Shimabukuro who recommended that Higaonna learn Goju-ryu karate at Chojun Miyagi's garden dojo (training hall).^[8] In the late 1950s, he began training under Ei'ichi Miyazato,^[11][12] the most senior student of Chojun Miyagi, 1888–1953, who founded the Goju-ryu style.^[13]

Higaonna was awarded black belt status by Miyazato in 1957.^[10] In 1960, he moved to Tokyo to study at Takushoku University.^[8] On December 30 of that year, Higaonna was promoted to the rank of 3rd dan at the first all-style dan grading of the Okinawa Karate-do Renmei.^[8][14] He was invited to teach at Tokyo's Yoyogi dojo, where he attracted a large following of karateka (practitioners of karate).^[14][15]

Promoting Goju-ryu across the world

In July 1979, Higaonna founded the IOGKF in Poole, England.^[2][8] He was ranked 7th dan at the time.^[16] In 1980, Higaonna married a US student, Alanna Stevens, and their son Eric was born in November that year.^[17] The family lived in Okinawa from May 1981 to May 1985, then in Tokyo from 1985 to 1987.^[17]

In September 1987, Higaonna moved with his family to Southern California to establish a new dojo.^[17] With San Marcos as a base,^[17][18][19] he began hosting budo festivals while continuing to research, practice, and travel worldwide to teach, such as in the former Soviet Union.^[17] Higaonna received his 8th dan and 9th dan promotions from Yuchoku Higa.^[20] In 2004, Higaonna was a member of the Okinawan Karatedo and Kobudo Encyclopedia Committee.^[9]

Higaonna later returned to live in Japan,^[17] and attained the rank of 10th dan in September 2007.^[2] His wife, Alanna Higaonna, is Administrative Director^[21] and an Advisor^[22] for the IOGKF, and his son, Eric Higaonna, is also a karateka.^[17] Higaonna remains active in karate, teaching in his home city, in Tsuboya, Naha, Okinawa.^[2][12]

In 2009, Higaonna took part in a CBBC show called Hai Karate Journey to Japan where four children and one of their parents from the UK went to Japan to learn karate, and had three weeks to gain their first rank promotion, to yellow belt.^{[citation needed]}

On October 12 during the Euro Asia Gasshuku in Moldova, Higaonna Sensei received a special award from the President of Moldova, Nicolae Timofti, for his many years of contribution to spread traditional karate and its value to the country as well as building friendship between Moldova and Japan. It was the highest award that foreigners can receive in the country.

References

External links

• Higaonna Dojo, Naha, Okinawa
• Facebook Fan Page

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