Founder - Kaiso Gogen Yamaguchi
The 5th Karate-Do Gojukai Champonships concided with the celebration of 100yrs of the legend Gogen Yamaguchi.
Gogen Yamaguchi, our founder and legend born 20th January 1909 in Kagushima, Japan. He was a decendant of the Samurai and one of the most complex figures to ever grace the World Karate stage. As the chosen successor by Master Miagi in 1953, Gogen Yamaguchi set about uniting Goju as one organisation, Gojukai., The martial arts fraternity in Japan bestowed upon him the honour of Grand Master, 10th Dan Hanshi and is therefore referred to as Kaiso, ‘Our Father’.
His first Karate Dojo was established in Western Japan in 1930. Under his powerful leadership the Gojukai Karate system began to spread rapidly across the island nation. Gogen Yamaguchi was to radically alter the course of Karate. He wanted to allow greater freedom of movement and the idea that was born, was Kumite. The Japanese term for ‘freestyle sparring’. Which was developed into what we recognise as tournament Karate. In 1930, Gogen Yamaguchi succeeded in his efforts to have Karate admitted into Gurukaan, the official Government headquarters for Japanese Martial Arts.
"I shall be happy if you understand that the essence of the Martial Arts is not the strength, not the art, but that which is hidden deep within yourself."
After the second World War, where he earned the title of ‘The Cat’, Gogen Yamaguchi returned to Japan after being held as a prisoner of war.
He found his school badly disorganised in his absence, but with strength, honour and dignity he began to rebuild the ancient ways. By doing this Gogen Yamaguchi re-affirmed his faith in the countries basic traditions previously inherited from the Samurai. As a deeply spiritual man, Gogen Yamaguchi realised that Martial Arts required much sacrificing, effort and discipline, and he would go into the mountains once a month to toughen himself up, spiritually and physically. Using the powerful technique of Ibooki breathing. He stood for several hours under icy waterfalls to make his mind and spirit impenetrable to adverse physical conditions. Every year during the coldest part of winter Gogen Yamaguchi set off for two weeks of gruelling training in snow-clad mountains. Everyday he performed Kata Sunction and Tensho under the thunderous waterfall of Mount Kuruma. At the end of his daily waterfall training session he ran barefoot up the hill to the Ontake Shrine to meditate.