MESTEREINK
MIYAGI CHOJUN
Miyagi Chojun was born in 1888 in Higashi Machi Naha Shi, the son of an herbal medicine merchant. It is believed that he began his training under Higashionna at the age of 14. At the age of 20, he was drafted for three years of military service. When Higashionna was dying, Miyagi took care of him until his death in 1917. Throughout his life, Miyagi traveled extensively, always striving to expand his knowledge and incorporate it into his karate style. He had the opportunity for these long journeys because his family was very wealthy. At that time, Miyagi’s karate did not yet have a proper name. During a Budosai (Budo demonstration) when his top student, Jin’an Shinzato (1901-1945), performed, the time had come to name his style. He named his karate „Goju Ryu” based on the „Eight Poems of the Martial Arts”. One line of the poem reads: „The way of inhaling and exhaling is hard and soft”.
The „Kenkon” symbolizes the sky and the earth, where the circle represents the sky and the square symbol represents the earth. Similar to the Ying-Yang symbol, it represents the universal harmony of „Hard and Soft”. From this, we can infer the meaning of Goju Ryu as well, with „Go” referring to the hard aspect and „Ju” to the soft aspect of our karate style. The square symbol is also the family crest of Miyagi Chojun Sensei.
„Above all, you must learn the art of true patience. Follow the path of patience to the seventh power, and never hurry in learning. Think first and do not act rashly. Do not harm anyone and do not let anyone harm you.”
– Miyagi Sensei –
MIYAGI ANICHI 10th DAN
Born on the 9th of February, 1931, in Naha, Okinawa, Miyagi An’ichi Shihan was one of the last living direct disciples of Miyagi Chojun Bushi. It is noteworthy that Miyagi An’ichi was not related to Miyagi Chojun. Miyagi An’ichi Sensei passed away on April 27, 2009, in Naha, Okinawa.
In early February 1948, at the age of 16, Miyagi An’ichi began his training with Miyagi Chojun, along with three friends. The training sessions placed significant emphasis on Junbi Undo (warm-up exercises) followed by Hojo Undo (supplementary training) and Ude Tanren (conditioning training). Approximately one year later, he learned the Sanchin Kata and the accompanying Shime (concentration and endurance test). Although Miyagi Chojun initially taught all students (including Jin’an Shinzato) only the Sanchin Kata and one or two additional Katas, he changed this approach for Miyagi An’ichi. Realizing that he did not have much time left, Miyagi Chojun wanted to pass on the Goju Ryu Karate-Do legacy to a worthy successor. Between 1949 and 1951, Miyagi An’ichi trained intensely as Miyagi Chojun’s sole student, learning all the Katas and associated Bunkai in the Goju Ryu system. Until Miyagi Chojun’s death in 1953, Miyagi An’ichi remained his personal disciple. Until his own passing, Miyagi An’ichi served as a technical advisor for the International Okinawa Goju Ryu Karate-Do Federation (IOGKF) and was the master and teacher of Higaonna Morio Shuseki Shihan.
HIGAONNA MORIO 10th DAN
Higaonna Morio was born on the 25th of December, 1938, in Naha, Okinawa. Originally, he began learning karate at the age of 14 from his father, who was a Shorin-Ryu karateka. At the age of 16, he was introduced to Goju Ryu Karate and, on the recommendation of Koshin Iha Shihan, became a student of Miyagi An’ichi Shihan. During his studies at Takushoku University in Tokyo, Japan, he founded the successful Yoyogi Dojo. In 1979, along with senior senseis, he established the IOGKF in Poole, UK. After a brief stay in the United States, he returned to his homeland, Okinawa. From Okinawa, he conducted seminars and training camps worldwide to promote and pass on the legacy of Miyagi Chojun Bushi’s Okinawa Goju Ryu Karate-Do. He organized extensive research and scholarly travels and has published four karate textbooks and a history book on Okinawa Karate, as well as produced numerous training videos.
In September 2007, he received the 10th Dan (the highest rank in karate) from Miyagi An’ichi Sensei and Shuichi Aragaki Sensei. At the 2012 IOGKF Budosai in Naha, Okinawa, he announced his retirement from the position of IOGKF Chief Instructor and passed this responsibility to Nakamura Sensei.
In September 24, 2022, Higaonna Shihan founded the TOGKF (Traditional Okinawan Goju Ryu Karatedo Federation) to preserve Goju Ryu Karate as he had learned it: not as a sport but as a way of life
LAUBSCHER BAKKIES 9th DAN
Born on November 30, 1948, in Bethlehem, South Africa, Bakkies Shihan is the highest-ranking student of Higaonna Shihan. Bakkies Shihan began his karate career in the Kyokushinkai style in 1964, switched to Shotokan (JKA) in 1965, and earned his Shodan rank at the age of 16. In 1966, he transitioned to the Goju Ryu style and first trained with Higaonna Shihan in 1972 when Higaonna visited South Africa for three months. In 1973, he spent six months training at the Yoyogi Dojo in Tokyo.
Over the subsequent years, he made regular visits to Japan and Okinawa. He is one of the few non-Okinawans who trained in Okinawa during the „old days.” In his humble opinion, not many modern karatekas could endure that type of training.
Although he achieved significant sports accomplishments (South African national team; 5th place in the „World Individual Kumite Championships”; quarterfinalist in Los Angeles at the World Championships in 1975, etc.), since 1975, he has dedicated himself to traditional karate.
In November 2015, during the IOGKF Chief Instructors Gasshuku in Naha, Okinawa, he was awarded the 9th Dan rank. As a representative of Higaonna Shihan, he conducts training camps, seminars, and Gasshukus worldwide.
Bakkies Sensei holds a Bachelor’s degree in Physical Education and a Higher Teachers’ Diploma. This education, combined with his decades of experience, allows him to blend traditional karate training with the most modern sports science methods.
He had a successful career as a professional officer in the South African Air Force, retiring with the rank of lieutenant colonel.
Within the TOGKF, Bakkies Sensei serves as one of the Vice Chief Instructors alongside Terauchi Kazuo Sensei (9th Dan).
RAOUL VOGEL 7th DAN
Raoul Vogel was born on the 1st of August , 1961, in Cape Town, South Africa. At the age of three, his family moved to Windhoek, Namibia, where he grew up.
From a young age, Raoul was very active, engaging in swimming and tennis, and even played on the national team in high school. Inspired by Bruce Lee’s movies, he started practicing Goju Ryu Karate in 1976 with his brother, Robert.
Unfortunately, the dojo closed after a year, so Raoul occasionally trained at the Tenshinkan Dojo. However, his life took a new turn in 1979 when Sensei Hennie de Vries moved from Cape Town to Windhoek and revived Goju Ryu Karate there. After about four years, he was awarded the Shodan rank by the then South African chief instructor, Etienne Coetzee Sensei. Over the next two years, he and his brother joined the Namibian national karate team, participating in various international events. After some time, he decided to leave his sports career and fully focus on traditional karate.
In 1985, Raoul moved to South Africa and began training under Tony de Beer Sensei. During this time, he met Charlie Avis, with whom he collaborated and helped teach at his dojo in the northern part of Pretoria, South Africa. Over the following years, he lived in South Africa, returned to Namibia, spent two years in Germany, and then moved back to South Africa. During these years, he reached the rank of 4th Dan. He started attending Bakkies Sensei’s seminars and Gasshukus and has since considered him his personal master.
In 2001, Raoul permanently left South Africa, moved to Germany, and a year later to Austria, where he still resides. In 2005, he opened his own dojo there, founding IOGKF Austria. Following the organization’s split in 2022, he followed Bakkies Sensei and established TOGKF Austria. He has worked in close cooperation with the Slovak Kobudo Kai and the SUOKK organizations for many years, conducting seminars and Gasshukus in Austria, Slovakia, and other countries. His motto is: „A karateka is always fit because you never know when the next fight will be!”
Raoul Senseis dedication to traditional karate and his extensive experience make him a respected figure in the karate community, continuing to pass on his knowledge and skills to new generations of karatekas.
ISTVÁN GREGOR 3rd DAN
Chief instructor of Hungary
Born on the 13th of August , 1986, in Budapest. He grew up in Nagykanizsa, where he spent most of his childhood playing soccer and getting involved in school mischief. He attended high school in Austria and continued his university studies in Vienna, where he was introduced to Shotokan karate. His connection with karate was purely coincidental. After accompanying a friend to a training session, he was immediately captivated by the atmosphere of the dojo. He switched to the Goju Ryu style in 2009 after attending a trial session with Sensei Raoul and nearly „died.” That’s when he knew he had to continue training there. The Goju Ryu style resonated with him right away, appreciating its short fighting distance, focus on efficiency, spirituality, and the Okinawan culture that permeates the style.
In 2014, he successfully passed his 1st dan examination at an international training camp, followed by achieving his 2nd dan in 2016 in Slovakia. He attained his 3rd dan in 2020 in Vienna.
In 2022, when IOGKF founder Higaonna Sensei left the organization, Gregor Sensei followed him and joined the newly established association, TOGKF.
In 2023, he moved to Hungary with his wife and completed the Karate Sports Coach training.
In 2024, he founded the TOGKF Hungary Karate Federation. He opened his dojo, Gregor Dojo, in the 11th district of Budapest.
His approach to training:
Traditional, sincere, rigorous training; excellent physical condition; emphasis on repetition.
The learning process never ends, no matter what level we are at.
He holds very high expectations for himself and his students: they must be positive role models and follow through with their actions.
No coach or senior karateka can take any position for granted – everyone must earn respect through regular training and the right attitude.