#10
Gogen Yamaguchi
He was born Jan. 20 1909, on the island of Kyushu Japan. His given name was Jitsumi Yamaguchi. He showed interest in martial art training at a young age. At about the age of 12-13 he began his studies with kempo and kendo. It wasn't until after his family moved to Kyoto that he seriously began his training of karate. He met a carpenter named Takeo Maruta who was a student of Chojun Miyagi(remember him?). He later studied directly with Miyagi and Miyagi is said to have gave him the name "Gogen" for his mastery of the hard, or physical, side of Goju (the name goju basically translates "hard,soft"). Mr. Yamaguchi had quite an acomplished life. He went to law school and received his law degree in 1934. It was at this time that he opened his first karatedo dojo at Ritsumeikan University. in 1935 he organized the All Japan Goju Kai Karate-do association (today's I.K.G.A.) He also began his travels as a military intellegence officer, and celebrated the birth of his first son(he later had a total of five children). In 1942 during his military tour in Mancuria he was captured by the Russians, and spent two years as a POW. Gogen's autobiography says during his time as a POW the Russians were looking for some entertainment and put a live tiger in the cell with Gogen. He was able to defeat the tiger and once the Russians realized who he was he began teaching them Goju. After his release and end of military service in 1945 he reopened his school of Goju-kai. Under his leadership the I.K.G.A.(International karate-do Goju-kai Association) has flourished and goju-kai is being taught in over 60 countries. He also succeeded in united all the karate schools in Japan into a single union called the The Federation of All Japan Karate-do Organization. He nickname of Gogen "The Cat" is also pretty interesting. There are a number reasons that are given as to why. It is said it comes from his fight with a tiger, or it's from his speed and favorite stance know in english as the "cat stance", or it could be from the american GI's who gave him the name because of his gliding walk, long hair, and ability seems bigger than he was (He was only a little over 5 ft and 160 lbs). His contributions to the martial arts have been immeasurable. He died of natural causes in 1989. The beginning of this clip has Master Yamaguchi showing some striking techniques.
He was born Jan. 20 1909, on the island of Kyushu Japan. His given name was Jitsumi Yamaguchi. He showed interest in martial art training at a young age. At about the age of 12-13 he began his studies with kempo and kendo. It wasn't until after his family moved to Kyoto that he seriously began his training of karate. He met a carpenter named Takeo Maruta who was a student of Chojun Miyagi(remember him?). He later studied directly with Miyagi and Miyagi is said to have gave him the name "Gogen" for his mastery of the hard, or physical, side of Goju (the name goju basically translates "hard,soft"). Mr. Yamaguchi had quite an acomplished life. He went to law school and received his law degree in 1934. It was at this time that he opened his first karatedo dojo at Ritsumeikan University. in 1935 he organized the All Japan Goju Kai Karate-do association (today's I.K.G.A.) He also began his travels as a military intellegence officer, and celebrated the birth of his first son(he later had a total of five children). In 1942 during his military tour in Mancuria he was captured by the Russians, and spent two years as a POW. Gogen's autobiography says during his time as a POW the Russians were looking for some entertainment and put a live tiger in the cell with Gogen. He was able to defeat the tiger and once the Russians realized who he was he began teaching them Goju. After his release and end of military service in 1945 he reopened his school of Goju-kai. Under his leadership the I.K.G.A.(International karate-do Goju-kai Association) has flourished and goju-kai is being taught in over 60 countries. He also succeeded in united all the karate schools in Japan into a single union called the The Federation of All Japan Karate-do Organization. He nickname of Gogen "The Cat" is also pretty interesting. There are a number reasons that are given as to why. It is said it comes from his fight with a tiger, or it's from his speed and favorite stance know in english as the "cat stance", or it could be from the american GI's who gave him the name because of his gliding walk, long hair, and ability seems bigger than he was (He was only a little over 5 ft and 160 lbs). His contributions to the martial arts have been immeasurable. He died of natural causes in 1989. The beginning of this clip has Master Yamaguchi showing some striking techniques.
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