Here I wanted to take the opportunity to share a little bit about Choyu Kiyuna, who is currently the most senior living student of Seiko Higa (Today also happens to be his birthday).
Choyu Kiyuna was born on Okinawa in 1931. He started learning karate in 1948. At first he was training in Shorin Ryu karate. In 1954 he joined the Shoreikan dojo of Seikichi Toguchi shortly after it opened and began to study Goju-Ryu. When the Shodokan dojo opened he was asked to come and train with Higa sensei and this would be his final dojo. In 1965 he received the title of Renshi from Seiko Higa.
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| Choyu Kiyuna standing behind Seiko Higa, while he teaches Seipai. |
In 1966 Seiko Higa passed away. Afterwards the Shodokan dojo was inherited by his son Seikichi Higa. Choyu Kiyuna then continued to learn Goju Ryu from Seikichi Higa. Not a long time after he was awarded Kiyoshi in August of 1968. In 1992 he opened his own dojo the Seidokan. Previously he was still active as an instructor at the Shodokan dojo itself. In the same year he was awarded the Hanshi title.
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| Seikichi Higa performs Sanchin Shime on Kiyuna. |
Today he is not only the most senior living student of Seiko Higa, but one of the most senior Goju Ryu masters in the world. He continues to teach and preserve the traditional Goju Ryu inherited from Seiko Higa and his son. Kiyuna sensei credits his long life to his karate training.
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