Gogen Yamaguchi

Jitsumi Gogen Yamaguchi (山口剛玄 b. 20 January 1909, d. 1989) [http://www.gojukai.com/myweb2/yamaguch.htm] was a Grandmaster of Japanese Karate-dou and founder of the International Karate do Goju Kai Association. He was decorated by the Emperor of Japan in 1968 with the Ranju-Hosho ("Blue Ribbon Medal"), which is a fifth order of merit and equivalent to the Nobel Prize, for his enormous contribution to the spread world wide of the Japanese martial arts. For many years Gogen Yamaguchi was listed in the Guinness Book of Records. According to his obituary, "His name was a household word in Karate circles, and he appeared in all the major Martial Arts magazines and publications, both in Japan and the western world." [Starling Paul., The End of an Era, Obituary Gogen Yamaguchi in "Australasian Fighting Arts", Aug/Sept Issue 1989 pp.68-70]

Early years

According to his autobiographical work: "Karate Goju-Ryu by the Cat Tokyo, Japan (1963)", Gogen Yamaguchi was born on January 20th in 1909 in Miyakonojou Shonai, Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan, near Kagoshima City on the island of Kyushu. In his 5th year of primary school Yamaguchi commenced his karatedo training under the guidance of Maruta San, a carpenter joiner from Okinawa. Maruta San was a Gojuryu practitioner.

Gogen Yamaguchi was named Jitsumi Yamaguchi by his father Tokutaro who was a merchant and later a schoolteacher and superintendent; his mother was Yoshimatsu . Jitsumi was their 3rd son and there were ten children in this very large Japanese family. Gogen Yamaguchi was also famously known in the world of Karate do as ‘the Cat’; he was a very small man, just over five feet and a mere 160 pounds, however he projected the impression of great bulk and an aura reminiscent of the samurai era. He was first dubbed 'the Cat' by American GI’s for his gliding walk and flowing hair. He alone was primarily responsible for the spread of Gojuryu throughout the world today whereby hundreds of thousands of practitioners have experienced some form of training within traditional and non traditional Karate Dojo. According to Gogen Yamaguchi himself when interviewed by French magazine Karate journalist Rolland Gaillac, April 1977 edition , he stated: "Even today, young man, if you were to face me in combat, I would be able to determine in a second the strength of your Ki. Immediately I would know if you were a good opponent. It is this quality, and no other, which has given me the name of The Cat."

Early training in Kyoto

Gogen then began the serious study of Karatedo with Sensei Takeo Maruta after his family relocated to Kyoto. Maruta was also a carpenter or joiner by trade and was himself a student of the legendary Chojun Miyagi of Okinawa. Gogen Yamaguchi studied directly with Chojun Miyagi later in 1929, after he and his then-current teacher and friend Jitsuei Yogi wrote to Chojun Miyagi and invited him to come to Japan.

Gogen meets Chojun Miyagi

Chojun Miyagi visited the University dojo schools of Kansai, Osaka, Ritsumei, Kyoto, and Doshisha Universities, whilst Gogen was attending the Ritsumei Kan University in Kyoto. There he studied Law and in 1930 Yogi together with Gogen Yamaguchi co-founded the Ritsumei-Kan Dai-Gaku Karate Kenkyu Kai, the first Karate club at Ritsumei-Kan University. The Ritsumei-Kan Karate-do Kenkyu Kai was the first University Karate club in western Japan and was infamous for its hard style training and fierce Karate fighters. Both Yogi and Yamaguchi attended Ritsumei-Kan University during the time Chojun Miyagi visited, and Chojun Miyagi stayed in Sensei Yogi’s apartment.

Chojun Miyagi later gave Gogen Yamaguchi the responsibility for spreading Goju Ryu on mainland of Japan. In the early 1930’s Gogen designed what would become the legendary signature Goju Ryu fist. It is said to be modeled after the right hand fist of Chojun Miyagi.

Introduces Jiyu Kumite and Forms the All Japan Karate do Goju Kai Federation

After graduating from the Ritsumei Kan University in Kyoto during 1934, that same year Gogen designed and introduced Jiyu-Kumite which has become known today as sport and tournament fighting Kumite.In 1935 he officially formed the All Japan Goju Kai Karate-Do Association (which later split into the JKF Gojukai and the J.K.G.A.) Also in 1935 Gogen began his travels with the Japanese Government as an intelligence officer and his first son Norimi Gosei Yamaguchi was born (the current leader of Goju Kai USA).

World War II

During his military tour in Manchuria in World War II, Gogen was captured by the Soviet military in 1942 and incarcerated as a prisoner of war in a Russian concentration camp; it was here that he battled and defeated a live tiger according to his autobiography (cited above). Gogen Yamaguchi was originally targeted for hard labour in the POW camp however he had impressed even these hard nosed Russians and who discovered who he was and requested that he teach Karatedo to the Russian soldiers, it was then that, 'the prisoner became the master of the guards, who became his students'.

In 1945, Gogen returned to Japan where he re-opened his initial Karatedo Dojo in Nippori which was later destroyed by fire, and advertised with a sign outside reading Goju Ryu Kai. Many people thought his school was closed forever and that he had been killed in the war; accordingly Gogen held large exhibitions in Tokyo which showcased the various Chinese and Japanese martial arts that he had experienced. His school re-opened and moved at a later date to the Suginami Ku area of Tokyo. Here he quickly expanded throughout a network of independent Goju-Ryu dojo 'schools'. The rapid growth and expansion was reinforced by Gogen's energetic and forceful persona which resulted in a worldwide network of Karate schools which he single handedly built into a powerful martial arts empire.

Registers the name Goju Ryu, opens his Honbu Dojo

Gogen Yamaguchi established the legendary Goju-Kai Headquarters in Suginami Ku Tokyo Japan nearby to the busy shopping precinct of Roppongi. It was also at this time that he registered the name Goju-Ryu formally with the Butoku-Kai, ("the official government body and Headquarters for the Japanese Martial Arts").By 1950 Goju-Kai Headquarters was officially relocated to the Suginami Tokyo school which contributed to an almost tripling of membership to 450,000 according to his autobiography. Five years later he officially chartered the I.K.G.A. Later in 1964 Gogen Yamaguchi along with other founder members Otsuka Hironori from Wado Ryu; Nakayama Masatoshi from Shotokan; Mabuni Kenei and Iwata Manzao of Shito Ryu, unified all the Karate Dojo in Japan to form the All Japan Karate-do Federation which is still in existence today as the Japan Karate Federation (JKF).

Goju Ryu Kai spreads throughout the western world

By 1966 his organization comprised more than 1,200 dojos and clubs and 600,000 members within the Goju Kai system. Peter Urban had opened his New York Dojo and initiated the spread of the style throughout the USA. In Australia, Paul Starling (the most senior Caucasian pupil graded by Gogen Yamaguchi in his lifetime) had been training for four years with Gogen's first Australian student Mervyn Oakley.

University years

Gogen studied Law at Kansei University until he was expelled for fighting in 1928. He then transferred to Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto, where he studied Law from 1929-1937. While at Ritsumeikan University, Gogen Yamaguchi established his first Karatedo Dojo. It was during this period that Gogen Yamaguchi created the first stages of the jiyu kumite free fighting, and established rules to decide the winner of a match. Some of the rules are still in use today in what is known as sport or competition karate.

Contributions to Budo

Gogen Yamaguchi's contributions to Goju Ryu karatedo and to karatedo in general have been enormous. Under his leadership and guidance the International Karate-do Goju-Kai Association (I.K.G.A) has developed and thrived. The organization has increased in popularity both in Japan and other Asian and Western countries throughout the world. By 2008 there were approximately 60-70 countries teaching the Goju-Kai karatedo principles and training methods. Gogen Yamaguchi succeeded in unifying all the karate schools in Japan into a single union which resulted in the formation of The Federation of All Japan Karate-do Organization (F.A.J.K.O.) in 1964. The Kokusai Budo Renmei - (The International Martial Arts Federation) in Japan, whose chairman was Prince Higashikuni of the Japanese Imperial Family appointed Master Yamaguchi as a Shihan - Master of that organisations Karatedo division. He added to the Goju system the Taikyoku Kata forms, - training methods for the beginner students to prepare them for the more advanced kata.

It has been argued that "'never before has a single man had such profound effect on the development and propagation of karate-do'. (De Jong, Ingo, (1989). Goju-Kai Karate-do Hard and Soft in Harmony - Volume 1. Sweden, Jakobsbergs Tryckeri AB." Master Gogen Yamaguchi 10th Dan was a man of intense dedication and determination can truly be called a karate legend.

Gogen Yamaguchi visited Sydney and Melbourne, Australia on two occasions, in 1970 and 1972.

Family

Gogen Yamaguchi Kaiso died in 1989. He had been married twice, firstly to Midori, with whom he had four children: Gosei Norimi Yamaguchi, Gosen Kishio Yamaguchi, Makiko Yamaguchi, Goshi Hiroufumi Yamaguchi. He and his second wife, Mitsue, had one child, Gokyoko Wakako Yamaguchi. All of his children practiced Karate-do and became Masters in their own right. The names commencing with GO were their Karate names. Gosei Norimi Yamaguchi has his own organisation in the United States and Goshi Hirofumi Yamaguchi is the President of the International Karate do Goju Kai, with branches in 60 countries. Gosen Kishio Yamaguchi is an executive of Japan Airlines. Kishio, who passed away in the early 1990s, was deeply involved in the running of the IKGA. Wakako Yamaguchi was an All Japan Kata Champion. Makiko Yamaguchi died from cancer at a relatively young age in the 1980s.

Notes

ources

* Yamaguchi Gogen., Karate Goju-Ryu by the Cat. 1963 Rapid Print Co. Ltd Tokyo, Japan.
* Alexander, George., The Cat, Gogen Yamaguchi 10th Dan Collectors Edition DVD, (2002).
* Brennan, Kevin., Australasian Fighting Arts Magazine 1977 April Edition.
* Black Belt Magazine., College of Hard Knocks,Gogen Yamaguchi's Nippon Karatedo Senmon Gakko. (Summer Edition 1974).
* Kane et al., The Way of Kata: A Comprehensive Guide for Deciphering Martial Applications (2005)
* Bishop, Mark., Okinawan Karate: Teachers, Styles and Secret Techniques, (1999).
* Williams, Johnpaul., All Gojuryu Network: Chronological Timeline (1999) www.gojuryu.net.
* Starling, Paul., The End of an Era, Gogen Yamabuchi- Obituary, Australasian Fighting Arts,Aug-Sept Issue, p.p.68-70 (1989). Training in Japan, Ibid, 1977 April issue.
* Kanazawa, Hirokazu., Karate My Life, (2003).
* Urban, Peter., The Karate Dojo, (reprint 1991.)
* De Jong, Ingo.,Goju-Kai Karate-do Hard and Soft in Harmony Sweden, Jakobsbergs Tryckeri, (1989)
* Craig, DM., IAI: The Art Of Drawing The Sword
* Kim, Richard., The Weaponless Warriors, (1974)
* Green, TA, Svinth JR., Modern Arts in the Modern World, (2003)
* Ratti, O; Westbrook, A., Secrets of the Samurai: A Survey of the Martial Arts of Feudal Japan , (1999.)
* Noble, Graham., The Life Story of Karate Master Gogen Yamaguchi, Dragon Times.
* Urban, Peter., The Karate Dojo, (1967)
* Yamaguchi, Norimi Gosei., Goju Ryu Karate do, Ohara Publications (1974)
* Yamaguchi, Gogen., Goju Ryu Karate do Kyohan, Rising Sun Productions (1999)
* Yamaguchi, Goshi., Goju Ryu Karate A Visual Guide to Kumite Techniques Japan (1993)
* [http://www.karatedo.co.jp/goju-ryu/index.html Headquarters of IKGA Japan]
* [http://www.gojuryu.net Goju Ryu Network]
* [http://www.gojukai.se Headquarters of IKGA Scandanavia and Europe]
* [http://www.gojukai.com.au Headquarters Sydney Australia]
* [http://www.gojukai.com Norimi Gosei Yamaguchi USA]
* [http://www.dragon-tsunami.org/Dtimes/Pages/articlej.htm Article Graham Noble - Dragon Publications]