The Lineage of Ketsugo Goju-Ryu

Master Ryu Ryu Ko (Xie Zhonhxiang in Chinese) was the founder of Whooping Crane Gong Fu. He was a student of Pan Yuba who was in turn the student of Lin Shixian, a master of White Crane Gong Fu.

In 1870 he accepted Kanryo Higaonna as a student. Higaonna trained with him until he returned to Okinawa in 1881.

Master Kanryo Higaonna was born in March, 1853, in Naha, the capital city of Okinawa during the time when Okinawa Island was occupied by the Satsuma Clan of Japan.

Higaonna began his martial arts training in 1867 in Monk Fist Boxing from Seisho Aragaki (1840-1920) of Kume. Aragaki was well known among Okinawans with his favorite Kata called Seisan. In 1870, at the age of 16, he traveled with his instructor to the Fukien province, Fuzhou, China. Once in Fuzhou, he studied the Chinese martial arts under the great Master Ryu Ryu Ko.

In 1881 he returned to Okinawa and began to teach martial arts in and around Naha, which would become known as Naha-te. Unlike Shuri-te, Naha-te represented newly imported Chinese forms from the Fukien Province of China. Higaonna systemized Naha-te with contemporary Chinese arts, thus it was called To-te (Tode), or Chinese Hand.

In October of 1905, Higaonna began teaching at the Naha Commercial High School. When teaching, Higaonna was an extremely hard taskmaster. However, in his everyday life he was a quiet and humble man and one who was renowned for his virtuous character. He was a person who had no need or desire for worldly things. He led a simple life that was devoted to the study and practice of martial arts.

Kanryo Higaonna is now bestowed with the title ‘Kensei (sacred fists) Kanryo Higaonna’ a title which is eminently fitting. His name is synonymous with Okinawan martial arts and Naha-te, and his spirit is destined to live on forever as a great and valued treasure within Okinawan culture.

Several of Higaonna's students went on to become influential masters of what came to be called karate, among them Chojun Miyagi, Juhatsu Kyoda, and Seiko Higa. Kanryo Higaonna’s whole life was devoted to karate. He died in December 1915 at the age of 63.

Master Chojun Miyagi was born in Naha, Okinawa on April 25th, 1888. He began his formal training at age 11, in the dojo of Ryuko Aragaki. At the age of 14, he was first introduced to Kanryo Higaonna, and after a period of doing chores for Sensei Higaonna to earn his place, was accepted as a student.

Training was very severe, with a lot of running and strength exercises. It is said that he sometimes passed out performing Sanchin kata, so demanding was Sensei Higaonna on his student's performance. He trained for 13 years in this manner until the death of Kanryo Higaonna, developing into a powerful karateka.

Sensei Miyagi then traveled to China to locate Master Ryu Ryu Ko, whom Higaonna had studied with. He was unable to locate him, but he did pick up some of the local arts of the Fukien area of China, notable the kata Rokkishu, which was instrumental in his creation of Tensho kata.

In 1921, he was chosen to represent Naha-te in a presentation to the visiting crown prince Hirohito (who would eventually become Emperor), and gave an impressive performance. He repeated this in 1925 for Prince Chichibu. Jigoro Kano (founder of Judo) began visiting Okinawa in 1927, and was so impressed with Sensei Miyagi that he invited him to Japan in 1930 and 1932 to demonstrate at several tournaments. It was at one of these tournaments that one of his senior students, Jin'an Shinzato was asked which school of karate he belonged to. Unable to answer (styles were only known by their geographical reference at that time); he approached Sensei Miyagi, who agreed that a name should be chosen for their unique style.

There is a Chinese text called the Bubishi, a very popular historical reference among karateka of the day, and in it are the Eight Poems of the Fists. The 3rd precept reads "The way of inhaling and exhaling is hardness and softness." Go means hard and Ju means soft. Since his style was a combination of these ideals, he began referring to his art as Goju-Ryu, and in 1933 it was officially registered as such at the Butoku-kai, the Japanese Martial Arts Association.

The Allied occupation of Okinawa was a very turbulent time in the history of Okinawa and the art of karate. Many lives were lost, including one of Sensei Miyagi's sons, two of his daughters, and his senior student, Jin'an Shinzato. He was forced to forgo much of his training while his homeland was restructured after the war. In 1946, he was appointed director of the Okinawan Civil Association of Physical Education, and resumed his training, teaching the Police Academy and opening a backyard dojo, known as the Garden Dojo.

It is here where Seiko Higa, Meitoku Yagi, Ei'ichi Miyazato, Seikichi Toguchi, and An'ichi Miyagi trained, along with many other notable karateka. Chojun Miyagi died on October 8th, 1953 at the age of 65. His legacy lives on through his senior students and the untold karateka whose lives he continues to influence.

Master Seikichi Toguchi was born on May 20th, 1917 in Naha, Okinawa. He began his training in Goju-Ryu in 1932 with Master Chojun Miyagi, the founder of Goju-Ryu. He served with the Japanese Imperial Army during World War II as an electrical engineer. After the war, he returned to Okinawa and assisted in rebuilding his war-torn homeland.

In 1952, Sensei Miyagi named him Executive Director of the Karate-Do Goju Association. Two years later he became the Vice-President of the organization.

In 1955 he founded Shoreikan Goju-Ryu and opened his Dojo in Koza City, Okinawa.

In 1962 he moved to Tokyo and served as chief instructor at Yoyogi Martial Training Society Karate Dojo. In 1962 he opened his Shoreikan dojo in Meguro Borough, Tokyo. Throughout the 70's and 80's he made many trips to the United States, Canada, and Europe for instruction seminars and demonstrations.

Master Seikichi Toguchi died on Aug. 31. 1998. His accomplishments and credits are too numerous to detail but suffice it to say that he was at the center of Okinawan Goju-Ryu Karate world. He was the last living Okinawan master to receive the title of 'Bushi' a title also held by his teacher, Master Chojun Miyagi.

Shodai Jay Trombley was born in Bellows Falls, Vermont in 1936. He began studying Goju-Ryu in Okinawa in 1955. He was stationed there while serving as a reconnaissance infantryman in the United States Marine Corps. Over the next five years he trained in traditional Shoreikan Goju-Ryu Karate. A man named Joe White, who was a sergeant in charge of Mr. Trombley's recon unit, introduced him to Goju-Ryu. Mr. Trombley began his karate training with 3 other marines (George Costas, Joe Augustine, and Mike Dikin) along with Joe White and many native Okinawans under Master Seikichi Toguchi.

After his tour ended in Okinawa, Shodai taught karate within a Jacksonville Beach Florida health club. Also in the health club was Jackie Simpson, who taught boxing. While Shodai taught karate, he also learned boxing techniques from Simpson, which would have a pronounced effect on his own style, still in the making. In 1970 he moved to Texas and three years later founded Ketsugo (United) Goju-Ryu.

Ketsugo Goju-Ryu is traditional Shoreikan Goju-Ryu with the addition of kicking techniques to high targets, along with many additions to the original system. Shodai added many kata to the system including Kihon Ichi (a basic kata for beginners), Gikisai San, Genshin, Juhito, Eshoo-Ni-San, Hento Do, Dobutsu San, Bushi Do Rea, and Yuryoku Do. Shodai has continually operated a Dojo in the Dallas/Fort Worth area since Ketsugo Goju-Ryu's inception.

Shodai has been teaching continuously for over forty years and his teaching credentials are quite extensive, beginning with teaching karate to marines and members of the Navy's elite U.D.T. (Underwater Demolition Team). Shodai has also worked with several law enforcement agencies. Since developing Ketsugo Goju-Ryu in 1973, he has trained thousands of students from all walks of life; however he has only promoted 26 students to the rank of Shodan (first degree black belt).

Shodai was also involved in the full-contact kickboxing scene since it started in Texas. He has been a trainer, judge, referee, and promoter in national and international kickboxing events. Shodai and his wife Karen have promoted the biggest full-contact kickboxing events in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area in 1983 and 1984.

Through his many years in the martial arts there are three awards Shodai is most proud of. In November 1985, his students presented him with a 450 year-old signed and dated samurai sword. In 1982 he was inducted into the "Who's Who" in Karate. In 1986 he was awarded the "Legion of Honor" from Official Karate magazine for his dedication, honesty, and service in the martial arts (only one karate person is selected per year out of the entire United States).