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Jintatsu Higa Minoru Higa Oscar Higa Benito Higa Diego Higa

HANSHI, YUCHOKU HIGA (10th Dan)
- Founder - Okinawa Shorin Ryu Karate-Do Kyudokan Federation -
The Strong Fist of Okinawa - Yuchoku No Teji Kun


Hanshi, Yuchoku Higa(10th Dan), Founder of Shorin Ryu Kyudokan was born in Naha City, Okinawa in 1910. He was a well known 10th dan in Okinawa and famous as -The Strong fist of Okinawa-, because of the amazing power generated in his punch. He had a strong physique as a warrior because his long time practice in Karate.

But when he was a boy, he was skinny and had a weak constitution. Higa’s grandfather was worried about his delicate grandson, so he took his grandson to the home of Master Gichin Funakoshi (Later, Founder of Shotokan Karate), his cousin, and made Higa stay with Funakoshi’s family. The grandfather hoped that Higa learn karate from Master Funakoshi, and at the same time Master Funakoshi helps his grandson with his studies. At that time Master Funakoshi worked as a teacher at school. Four days later, Higa who was in the fourth grade of elementary school, escaped from Master Funakoshi’s home and went back to his home. He was very afraid and felt lonely when he lived apart from his family.

However, the grandfather could not give up his idea, so he tried again when Higa was in the sixth grade of elementary school. This time he took his grandson to the home of Master Chojun Miyagi, the founder of Goju-ryu karate. But again Higa escaped from Master Chojun Miyagi’s home. He said to his grandfather, "Please, please do not force me to learn karate!" Eventually the grandfather gave up and never took him to any karate masters.

When Higa was a student of Naha Commercial High School at age 16, he became willing to learn karate. He was physically weak, skinny and pale. He also had a slight stoop. Moreover, he was a bookworm. He liked reading books very much. Higa was an easy target to bully. He was being bullied at school, so he became reluctant to go to school. He felt so depressed that he even thought of trying to kill himself. But he changed his mind. He thought he could die at any time. "I will revenge someday!" said Higa to himself. So he decided and began learning karate.

"The motive for learning karate was not pure at all. I was just thinking I would revenge the bullies someday in the future. Ha ha ha!" said Higa with laughing.

He first started learning Karate under famous Shuri-te teacher Sensei, Jiro Shiroma. At first, Shiroma rejected this too weak boy. After three rejections, the old teacher accepted him. Firt, Yuchoku had to clean the Dojo and to wash getta, the Japanese wooden footware. Then, Jiro Shiroma, decided that the boy is ready to receive the instructions of his art. However, the Teacher imposed one condition: Yuchoku would never have to speak in public about Karate and. Of course, the youngster, promised to respect that desire. The training has begun.

Karate practiced in Okinawa at that time was very different from today. The courses essentially were constituted by the work of kata.

And after Sensei, Shiroma s death in 1933, Sensei, Yuchoku Higa train one year alone. Then he became a student of Jinnan Shinzato and Seiei Miyahira. He learnt Naha-te from Master Shinzato, who was a main pupil of Master, Chojun Miyagi. It brings the kata Seisan in to our system. And Master Higa learnt punching techniques from Master Seiei Miyahira, who was a specialist in punching techniques. This helped Master Higa to became a expert in punching techniques.

In 1941 Master Higa started teaching Karate.

In 1941 he became a student of famous Shorin Ryu Master Chosin Chibana, who was the most talented student of Anko Itosu. In a short time Master Higa became the best student of Chibana and he was the first one who received the 9th Dan from Chibana. ( Chibana Sensei awarded 9th Dans for five students before his death).

In 1945, with his police-officer qualification, Master Higa worked at Yonabaru police headquarters, being transferred 2 years later to the Naha police headquarters.

In the same year (1947) he inaugurated the Kyudokan Karate Dojo and applied himself to perfecting and developing everything that he had learnt from his masters, and especially from Choshin Chibana, with whom he continued to practice.

In 1961 when the first Shorinryu Karate-do Association of Okinawa was formed, presided over by Master Chibana, Yuchoku Higa was assigned the role of vice-president.

During that period he alternated his political affairs with his role as karate master. As well as having a role in the Okinawa House of Representatives, as either president or member, on eight successive occasions, he was also president of the Okinawa Federation of Karate and Kobudo, chief adviser for the Okinawa Association of Masters of Karate-do etc. Y.Higa also received countless awards, among which there was one for illustrious individuals who were invited to the Royal Palace in Tokyo, by the Emperor Hirohito.

In 1976 he received his Hanshi 10th Dan, the highest rank to which a master can aspire.

In 1992, along with other great masters, he took part in one of his last and most memorable exhibitions at the Shuri Castle. The following year, in February, he received the karate-do Merit Prize awarded by the Ryu Kyu press.

In 1972, a beautiful building of karate dojo was built for Master Higa by his supporters. However, Master Higa himself thought a dojo is not necessary for practicing karate. He said, "Before the dojo was built, I practiced karate at the yard or garden of my home. There were Gajimaru (a banyan tree) and Sakura (cherry blossoms) in my yard or garden. I loved practicing karate there under the moonlight. I think if we practice karate at the place surrounded by the beauties of nature, melted in nature, we can see a wonderful value of karate and understand karate better."

He also criticizes a karate tournament or karate as a sport. Master Higa said, "It is not a karate if you stop your punch before contact. But if you really fight, injury or worse than injury is inevitable. Essentially karate is not fit for a tournament. It is impossible to make karate a tournament sport."

Master Yuchoku died on November 6, 1994, in Naha, at the age of 84.

In an age when competition didn't exist, Master Higa was the star of numerous Kakidamishi (combat challenges), increasing his physical, mental and spiritual attributes through intensive training sessions.

His punch technique was so famous on Okinawa island, where it was known in the local dialect as "Yuchoku no tijikun", (Yuchoku's punch). He dedicated several hours of his practice every day to makiwara exercises, and contrary to what most people might imagine, he wasn't a hard and insensitive character.

He was passionate about bonsai trees, and kept numerous examples at the entrance to his dojo; he alternated this pursuit with his keen interest in bird-life.

He himself maintained that these hobbies were fundamental for the growth of his spiritual sensitivity.

His encouragement of the upkeep of tradition and the cultural heritage of Okinawa can be synthesized in the following sentence: "I would like the essence of Bujutsu Karate not to be lost; it is our sole inheritance from our native land and one which our forefathers left to the world with such pride". Synthesizing his thoughts about karate-do he stated; "up to a certain time I thought being strong was the most important thing. In time I realized that the most important thing is to be ready to give assistance to others. Moreover it is important not to set oneself limits, therefore I now preach “KYUDO MUGEN”( the study-trail is never ending). “The karate pathway is as immensely vast, profound and bondless as the heavens that go on for ever beyond all limits.”


Home Okinawa Karate Shorin Ryu Kyudokan School History & Masters Higa Family
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