SENSEI
Those who made the road before
Kanryo Higa(shi)onna
Isshinryu lineage: Kanryo Higa(shi)onna → Chojun Miyagi / Choki Motobu → Tatsuo Shimabukuro
Grandmaster Kanryo Higaonna (Higashionna was the original Okinawan pronunciation) was born on March 10, 1853, in Naha, the capital city of Okinawa. His father, Kanyo, worked as a merchant sailing between the small islands of Okinawa, trading everyday goods. From a young age Kanryo Higaonna helped his father in this work. This was strong physical labour, that helped Higaonna develop a strong body. Kanryo Higaonna was still in his teens when his father died suddenly.
Higaonna began his martial arts training in 1867 in Monk Fist Boxing from Seisho Aragaki. In 1870, at the age of 16, he travelled with his instructor to Fuzhou, China. Once in Fuzhou, he studied the Chinese martial arts under the great Master RuRuKo (Xie Zhonhxiang in Chinese). RuRuKo was the founder of Whooping Crane Kungfu and was a student of Pan Yuba who was in turn the student of Lin Shixian, a master of White Crane Kungfu. Higaonna also received instruction from numerous other Kungfu masters including Wai Xinxian and Iwah. Higaonna remained in China for approximately 13 years. In addition to studying the empty hand way and the weapon arts, he also became accomplished in herbology and Chinese medicine.
Chojun Miyagi (founder of Goju-Ryu and successor to Higaonna) said of Higaonna, "My sensei possessed incredible strength; the severity of the training he underwent in China is beyond comprehension.... Kanryo Sensei's speed and power were truly superhuman; his hands and feet moved faster than lightning".
Higaonna taught also Choki Motobu, especially Zen breathing methods. Choki Motobu taught Tatsuo Shimabukuro the same breathing methods between 1938-1940.
In the year 1881, he returned to Okinawa where his martial arts would become known as Naha-te though he always referred to it as chuanfa. Kanryo Higaonna taught these martial arts to the people of Okinawa and at the same time continued his own research and practice. In order to teach the youth of Okinawa he developed a teaching method that was specifically designed to develop the mind and body; to improve both physical well-being.
The first occasion on which the previously secretive art of Naha-te "opened" to society in general, occurred in October 1905, when Higaonna began teaching at the Naha Commercial High School. When teaching, Higaonna was an extremely hard task master. 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 lead a simple life that was devoted to the study and practice of martial arts.
Kanryo Higaonna's whole life was devoted to karate. He passed away in December 1915 at the age of 63. Kanryo Higaonna had four main students: Chojun Miyagi, his successor and the founder of Goju Ryu, Seiko Higa, became assistant to Miyagi after Higaonna's death, and Kenwa Mabuni, founder of the Shito Ryu style (who was also taught by Ankoh Itosu).