Significance of Kata

We've often heard about the importance of kata for Karate and how without kata there is no Karate. Various teachers over the years have presented their thoughts on this. Here, I wanted to add another perspective from someone less known. 

The article below was written by Kanbun Izumikawa, who was the oldest son of Kanki Izumikawa and the second head of the Senbukan dojo after his father passed away. I thought it might be interesting for people to see what he thought about kata.

Significance of Kata - Kanbun Izumikawa

Originally, karate training was centred on kata. “Kata” is the foundation of karate. Combining practical offensive and defensive techniques, this is the most effective training exercise. Karate kata are not only training for attack and defence, but also for kokyu no donto, chikara no ire nuki, eye contact, and body movement, as well as for mental training, self-defence, and physical education.

All kata performances begin with bowing, and when we analyze each technique in the performance itself, we find that most of them begin with "uke,'' or "preventive techniques".  It is a true testament to the teaching of  "Karate ni sente nashi".

When performing a kata, it is important to act seriously, with the intention of always facing the enemy. If you do this poorly, the "kata" will die and you will end up with only a form. Once you have truly mastered a kata, you will be able to attack and defend freely in response to your opponent's moves, and this is when the true value of the kata is revealed. It takes at least two to three years to fully master a kata.

Juhatsu Kyoda: Kanki Izumikawa's First Naha Te Teacher

Juhatsu Kyoda is someone who isn't spoken about much, despite being one of the most senior students of Kanryo Higaonna. He began his training with Kanryo in 1902, joining a few months before Chojun Miyagi. The two were considered brother disciples and can be seen in several early photographs training together. Kyoda is also said to have trained with Kanyu Higaonna and learned Seisan Kata from him too. 

Juhatsu Kyoda

There aren't too many stories of his training with Kanryo. The most famous one has to do with Sanseiru kata. Most people have heard this already, but it's said while Chojun Miyagi was away on military service, Kanryo Higaonna taught Sanseiru to Kyoda. Indeed, the Kyoda version of Sanseiru does have a number of key differences from Goju-Ryu.

Even after Kanryo Higaonna passed away, it seems Kyoda, Miyagi, Higa, Mabuni and others remained on friendly terms as they can be seen in several group pictures together from the 1920's time period. Around 1924, Kanki Izumikawa began learning Naha Te from Kyoda. At this time, neither Goju Ryu nor To'on Ryu were named yet.

Prior to this, Izumikawa mainly trained Shuri Te with his grandfather, who was a direct student of Sokon Matsumora. Izumikawa trained with Kyoda for about four years and appears to have learned Sanchin, Seisan and partially Sanseiru. I say partially because the Izumikawa Sanseiru kata has some traits of Kyoda's teachings, but it also has some techniques from the Goju-Ryu version.

This brings up another interesting question. It's often said that Kyoda never passed on the Kanryo version of Seisan. Indeed it seems his students on the mainland only learned the Kanyu version. However, if Kanki Izumikawa learned Seisan, then he may have learned the Kanryo version. The kata is close to Seiko Higa's but contains a few key differences. 

While Kanki Izumikawa later moved to the mainland in 1939,  there was still contact and communication with Kyoda, who also lived on the mainland. In 1958, Kanki Izumikawa sent Keisetsu Yoshimaru, one of his senior students to Beppu to train with Kyoda. Yoshimaru received additional corrections on Sanseiru and other kata which he then presented upon his return to the Senbukan. 

Ultimately, both Juhatsu Kyoda and Seiko Higa had a rather big influence on Kanki Izumikawa's teachings. This also explains why his kata aren't quite like the Shodokan as well, because Seiko Higa wasn't his only teacher. One of the techniques in the Senbukan Gekisai Nidan (which Kanki Izumikawa created as his own version Of Gekisai Ni), was taken from Kyoda's Kanyu Seisan. Since Kanki Izumikawa trained under two students of Kanryo Higaonna, it can be said he preserved the old ways of Naha Te, with techniques not seen in other Goju-Ryu schools.  

A comparison of the same technique in Izumikawa's 
Gekisai and Tou'on Ryu Seisan 

The deeper meaning of Goju-Ryu's Mawashi Uke

Mawashi Uke is one of the most recognized techniques in Goju-Ryu and is found in many of the kata. Sanchin, Saifa, Seisan, and Kururunfa all end with this technique. Generally, the application is taught as a circular block to a punch, followed up by a strike to the chin and groin. 

While the fighting applications are interesting, there are other meanings to this technique that many people don't seem to talk about often. Let's consider the following quote given by Genkai Nakaima, who was a senior student of Chojun Miyagi:

"The hand position at the ending of Sanchin is the same as that of a Buddha statue." Miyagi Sensei often told us this story. I think the hand position at the ending of Sanchin is the most beautiful expression of praying. In fact, I saw the same hand position of Buddha statues in some temples."

If you look at the picture of the Buddha statue below, there should be an obvious resemblance to the end position of mawashi uke, but what does it mean exactly? 

Lingshan Grand Buddha Statue

In this case, the statue is expressing two different Mudra. The right hand is known as "Semui-in". The left hand is "Yogan-in". These are the names in Japanese but other cultures will also have their own way of referring to it. More commonly, you may find it as Abhaya Mudra and Varada Mudra.

The right hand is meant to symbolize fearlessness. At the same time, the five fingers point to heaven. The left hand or Yogan-in symbolizes charity and compassion.  

Another example of Semui-in

The same position in Goju-Ryu is no coincidence and has an intended meaning. In the Goju Kata we see many of them have numbers in the names, which also has ties to Buddhism (it's not merely the number of techniques or steps). I think if you truly want to understand Goju-Ryu, it's important to study all its aspects. Simply looking at the fighting applications is only one area of it.   

The mystery of Seiko Higa's Sanseiru

The Sanseiru kata practiced within Seiko Higa's organization has always been a bit of a puzzle to me in terms of its origins. First, this version differs in several ways from what's considered the "standard" Goju-Ryu Sanseiru. 

The official story I heard is that Seiko Higa learned this version directly from Kanryo Higaonna, which makes it the oldest known version of Sanseiru. It's also been said that it shares some similarities with the Tou'on Ryu version. However, besides the shared knee strike at the beginning, I honestly don't see a lot in common. You can see a clip of it below. 

While the idea that Higa learned this kata from Kanryo is possible, there's one main reason I doubt it. Outside of Higa's organization, it's not practiced by any of Higa's senior students. Kanki Izumikawa, Seiko Fukuchi and Seikichi Toguchi are three of the most senior and earliest students of Seiko Higa. Yet, none of them or their students practiced the "Higa" Sanseiru. 

If Higa knew this version from the beginning, shouldn't his earliest students know it too? Why do the three I mentioned above do a more standard Sanseiru kata? This issue is further complicated by the fact that some Shodokan people have a so called Sanseiru Ichi and Sanseiru Ni. Sanseiru Ichi is the Higa version, while Sanseiru Ni is the more common Goju one we all know. 

There is however one other group that has a Sanseiru kata that's nearly identical to the Shodokan, and that's Ryuei Ryu. If you comapre the video of Sakumoto, the enbusen and techniques are almost all the same. 

During the 60s Kenko Nakaima taught Ryuei Ryu Kobudo to some of Seiko Higa's students, notably Juei Tamaki. Is it possible he learned Sanseiru from Nakaima too? I have also heard the reverse and that Higa's students actually taught Sanseiru to Nakaima. 

In the end it's hard to say exactly what happened. Personally I think the two versions are too simialr to have been preserved that way since Ryu Ryu Ko's time. Stories also change depending on who you're talking to. We may never know where Seiko Higa's students got this version from but it's interesting to ponder. 

Uke Waza in Old Style Naha-Te

The Izumikawa lineage of Goju has numerous differences from the more well known Goju-Ryu schools. Even if you compare it to the Shodokan (Seiko Higa's dojo), things aren't exactly the same. So where did these differences come from?

It turns out some of it may be from Juhatsu Kyoda's influence, who was a senior student of Kanryo Higaonna. Before Kanki Izumikawa became a student of Seiko Higa, he trained with Koyda for roughly four years.

In particular, I wanted to talk about the uke waza and how they're done. In the Senbukan, and other schools from Izumikawa's line the uke are typically done in a snapping motion, as well as other techniques too. 

There was an interview with Kanzaki Shigekazu (a senior student of Kyoda) published in the Journal of Asian Martial Arts in 2000 where he said something interesting about this subject. "Changing the topic a little, the blocks used nowadays....how should I put it? Looking at karate kata today, the blocks just simply throw the arm out and stop. The block should be a sweeping action. It should sweep out and snap back. The blocks nowadays are just thrown out there". 

Below is a video of Kiyoshi Yonemoto, a senior student of Sosui Ichikawa (one of Kanki Izumikawa's earliest and most senior students) performing Seienchin kata. This snapping motion in the gedan uke and other areas should be quite obvious. 

The Main Students of Seiko Higa

I spoke before about some of the notable students of Chojun Miyagi. Today I thought it would be interesting to go over Seiko Higa's notable and senior students. Interestingly, many of his students were about the same age as Miyagi's, if not a little older. 

One of the best sources for finding out who Higa's students were is the memorial book that was published for him and his son Seikichi Higa by the Goju-Ryu Kokusai Karate Kobudo Renmei (Higa's organization). Near the back, there's a lineage chart showing his key students: 

Right to left, the names are: Juei Tamaki 玉城 寿英 1905-1997, Kanki Izumikawa 泉川 寛喜 1908-1967, Choboku Takamine 高嶺 朝睦 1908-2006, Seiko Fukuchi 福地 清幸1919-1975, Seikichi Toguchi 渡口 政吉 1917-1998, Yohena Tomoshige 饒平名 知繁 1923, Seikichi Higa 比嘉 世吉 1927-1999, Choshin Ishimine 伊志嶺 朝信 1931-1996, Choyu Kiyuna 喜友名 朝有 1931, Eikichi Fukumoto 福元 英吉 1936-1995, Eiki Kurashita 蔵下 英喜 1941, Yuzuro Oshiro 大城 譲 1945, Seiki Gibo 宜保 成喜 1939.

The only ones from this list that are still living are Choyu Kiyuna, Eiki Kurashita, and Seiko Gibo. 

Seienchin Kata

Seienchin (Seiunchin) is one of the core Goju-Ryu kata and usually one of the early ones you'll learn. Typically this comes after Saifa, although the Meibukan seems to have it later in their curriculum. With most of the Goju-Ryu kata, there's not a whole lot of historical information that's been published and most of it boils down to "Kanryo brought in back from China". 

I thought today I'd share a translation I did on Seienchin from Akio Kinjo's book, Karate Denshin Roku. Kinjo trained with Seiko Higa and Chosin Ishimine before later going to China to study various kung fu styles and the origins of karate. I still think his book is probably one of the most detailed but sadly it's never received an English translation. 

セイインチン (青鷹戦) Seienchin (Blue Hawk Battle)

This kata is a kata of Goju Ryu that Kanryo Higaonna has transmitted, but after the transmission, it has been Okinawanized. The pronunciation has changed slightly depending on the kai-ha (school), such as `seiinchin'`sēenchin' `seiyunchin' and so on.  「セイインチン」「セーエンチン」 「セイユンチン」

In this kata as well as other kata before the war, they were expressed in katakana characters, but after the end of the war, various types of kanji are used.

Depending on the kai-ha the kanji: 「清栄戦」「征遠鎮」「制引戦」「制引鎮」can be used. 

Correctly it is "青鷹戦" and " Chieiinchin" 「チエイインチン」 in Fukkien-Go.

It is a kata created by incorporating the conflict and movements of the "hawk".

An analysis of the contents of the Goju Seienchin kata shows the first photograph is a posture in which the wings are spread and inflated to intimidate the opponent when confronted with a strong enemy. The second figure is a posture in which the opponent’s forearm is gripped by a claw. The third picture is the last technique of Goju Ryu Seienchin, This is exactly the appearance of a hawk after its activity, landing on a tree branch and resting with a cool breeze by opening the wings to lower the body temperature, which means the end of the kata.

Seienchin postures from Kinjo's book

So, for the most part, Akio Kinjo believes this was a hawk related kata. As a side note, this kata also seems to have the most variety in how it's written/spelled.  In my lineage of Goju (Higa Izumikawa) we say Seienchin, others sometimes say Seiunchin or Seiyunchin. 

Sosui Ichikawa Biography (Goju Kensha Kyohan 1977)

Below is a translation of a short biography written on Sosui Ichikawa sensei by Tadahiko Ohtsuka sensei in the Goju Kensha Kyohan. Ichikawa sensei was one of the senior students of Kanki Izumikawa sensei from the Senbukan who introduced the Goju-Ryu of Seiko Higa sensei to the mainland. 

Born in Shitaya, Taito-ku, Tokyo (Taisho 12 August 29). Current address: 3-11 Higashi-Ueno, Taito-ku Sosuikan Karate Dojo. 

While attending the former Komagome Junior High School, he received karate instruction from a Chinese literature teacher, Nakasone sensei. After graduating, he volunteered to join the Navy. Mr. Kinjo from Okinawa was enrolled as a subordinate, and both worked hard at training.

Right to Left, Sosui Ichikawa, Kanki Izumikawa,
Hiroshi Kinjo, Tsutomu Takato 

After the end of the war, in showa 21 (1946), a club was formed at Nishimachi Elementary School in Taito Ward. In showa 22 (1947), he heard that there was a karate dojo in Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture. Going in kind to Kanki Izumikawa sensei, kancho of the Senbukan. After the general license was received in showa 25 (1950), he established the present Sosuikan in showa 27 (1952).

Currently, he is the Nihon Karate-do Renmei Kaicho, Sosuikan Kancho and also active as a judo therapist (bonesetter).  A teacher who never stops hoping to become stronger, the school of  Ichikawa Sosui sensei is on the way to prosperity.

Sosui Ichikawa Suparinpei
enbu

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Iken Tokashiki Okinawa Times July 4th 2021

The recent weekly karate article from the Okinawa Times featured Iken Tokashiki sensei. He's the founder of the Gohaku Kai which combines the Tomari Te of Seiyu Nakasone and Goju-Ryu of Seiko Fukuchi. Below is a translation of the article: 

Iken Tokashiki Kaicho (81) = Hanshi 10th Dan = of the "Okinawa Goju-Ryu Tomari Te Association (Gohaku Kai)", a school that combines Goju-Ryu and Tomari Te, received guidance from his predecessors, karate experts. While repeating rigorous training, he is focusing on the succession and development of the two schools.

Tokashiki sensei, 
chairman of the
Gohaku Kai

He was born in Naha City. He grew up listening to the heroic stories of karate ka from his father, who was an actor in Okinawa plays and was familiar with the history and culture of Okinawa. "I was told that boys have to practice martial arts," he recalls his childhood memories.

I joined the karate club in junior high school and started on the path of karate do. Four years later in 1957, he was allowed to begin training with Seiyu Nakasone sensei, a karate expert with a close relationship with his father.  Mr. Nakasone was a successor to Kosaku Matsumora (1829-98), who is known as the ancestor of Tomari Te, but had no students for many years.

Seeing his own hand with a callus, he felt that he was training. I was asked "Do you want to do karate?" At first, the training was just meditation, and then severe training began. It`s said that martial arts practitioners must pay attention to their daily behavior and words and deeds, saying that they must respect etiquette.

Tomari Te master Seiyu Nakasone sensei
in the middle

Sensei would say karate do is the martial art of a person of noble character. Strengthen your body and protect yourself. I was told that the essence of karate is not to become belligerent and avoid unnecessary conflict.

Under Mr. Nakasone, I came to want to learn modern karate teaching methods while practicing traditionally. In 1967, with the permission of Mr. Nakasone, he joined the Senbukan Goju Ryu dojo of Seiko Fukuchi, who had a close relationship with Nakasone.

Sensei (*Referring to Fukuchi now) always had the motto that attack and defense are one.  At the Fukuchi dojo I was assigned to be a shihan dai and started teaching. After practicing at the Fukuchi Dojo, Mr. Fukuchi hoped to teach Tomari Te with the permission of Mr. Nakasone.

After Mr. Fukuchi died, Mr. Tokashiki became the second chairman of Senbukan in 1975. In 1976, he received the signboard of Matsumora ha seishinkan as the successor to Mr. Nakasone who was old.  In this way, he inherited and developed the two schools, and in 1982 he established a new school, "Okinawa Goju-Ryu / Tomari Karate do Promotion Association (Gohaku Kai)", which combines Goju-Ryu and Tomari Te. Four years later, the name was changed to "Okinawa Goju-ryu / Tomari Karate do Association" and the style name (ryuha) name was changed to "Gohaku Ryu".

Goju-Ryu master, Seiko 
Fukuchi sensei.

"The association was established to inherit and develop the world-class traditional Okinawan karate. I have inherited the teachings of Nakasone and Fukuchi sensei, and have continued with the idea that I must teach both, "he recalls.

Currently, his oldest son, Tadao (55), has taken over as director and teaches his students, but Tokashiki continues to practice at the dojo even now as chairman. He is also devoting himself to research, and he is eager to acquire the skills and knowledge of traditional karate, such as holding a workshop once a year where about 30 executives from inside and outside the prefecture gather.

Tadao said “Kaicho (referring to Iken) is a person above the clouds”.  (*Translators Note = This means something like “out of my league” in English. He has such a high level of skill he far above and unreachable) I can’t easily imitate his movement (ugoki) and body timing while teaching.

Chairman Tokashiki said, "I am reminded what my teacher taught me as I move my body during training. I hope that I will continue to inherit the wonders of the two schools and techniques."

 

Who Were the Senior Students of Chojun Miyagi?

When people talk about the students of Chojun Miyagi, Seiko Higa, Meitoku Yagi, Seikichi Toguchi and Eiichi Miyazato are usually the main ones that come to mind. It might come as a surprise to learn Miyagi had more than a dozen other senior students, although as most of them didn’t open schools they are much less known. Despite this, they did still influence Goju-Ryu in numerous ways.

While Goju is often split into “pre-war” and “post-war” versions, I’d say you could group the pre war into two sperate categories too. 

Earliest Students 

These would be the very first people that trained with Chojun Miyagi. This is the first group of his students and the most senior. The key individuals here would be Seiko Higa, Hohitsu Gushimiyagi, Jinsei Kamiya, Jinan Shinzato, Keiyo Madambashi, Genkai Nakaima, Nanjo Kiju and Tatsutoku Sakiyama.

Chojun Miyagi with Seiko Higa, Kenwa Mabuni,
Juhatsu Kiyoda, Jinan Shinzato, Keiyo 
Madambashi, Genkai Nakaima,
Nanjo Kiju and Tatsutoku Sakiyama. (1924)

There might be a few new names on there, or at least some you didn’t often hear about. Higa of course needs no introduction, he originally trained with Kanryo himself. After his death it was natural to continue training with his senpai Chojun Miyagi. He’s also the only one from this group that opened a school and went on to teach students of his own.

Hohitsu Gushimiyagi was another student of Kanryo Higashionna. He remained a life long friend of Chojun Miyagi. In the memorial picture for Chojun Miyagi, he can be seen sitting next to the portrait of Chojun Miyagi.

Jinsei Kamiya holds a very important role in Goju-Ryu history.  In addition to being a student of Miyagi, he was also a physician and close friend.  While Miyagi often gets the credit for developing the Junbi undo, he was greatly assisted by Jinsei Kamiya.  

Main Pre War Students 

Here we find some more familiar names like Meitoku Yagi and Seikichi Toguchi. It also includes Seiko Kina, Shunshin Furugen, Kiei Tomoyose, Jitsui Yogi and Seijin Nakamoto.

Seiko Kina was one of the first of this group to begin teaching. According to the Okinawa Karate Kobudo Jitten, he was running a dojo in Izumizaki-cho where Miyagi and Shinzato would occasionally visit as well.

Chojun Miyagi teaching to various students

Shunshin Furugen never opened a school but did teach several students of Miyagi’s other students. His specialty kata was Kururunfa, which he learned directly from Miyagi himself. He is known to have taught at least Zenshu Toyama and Masanobu Shinjo.

When Morio Higaonna founded the IOGKF in 1979, many of the names above became advisors to the organisation.

Post War Students

We now come to the final group of students. The most senior here was undoubtably Eiichi Miyazato. Others included Koshin Iha, Aniichi Miyagi, Chisen Bise, Seikichi Kinjo and Suichi Aragaki. After the passing of Chojun Miyagi almost all of the post war students remained closely associated with Eiichi Miyazato, at least for a period of time.

Miyazato continued teaching in the garden dojo, and when the location got too small due to the number of new students, the Jundokan dojo was built.

The Founding of the Goju-Ryu Shinko Kai

During Chojun Miyagi’s life time several of his students got together to form an organisation for the preservation and promotion of Goju-Ryu. The founding members were Genkai Nakaima, Seiko Higa, Jinsei Kamiya and Keiyo Madambashi. Chojun Miyagi was the first president of the organisation. After his death, Seiko Higa was the second president. The organisation would eventually evolve into the Okinawa Goju Kai.

A notice in the newspaper about the Shinkokai.
The four main members are listed.  

If you’re interested in more Goju-Ryu history, my book History and Stories of Goju-Ryu has much more detailed biographies of most of the individuals mentioned above, and many more: https://www.lulu.com/en/ca/shop/filip-konjokrad/history-and-stories-of-goju-ryu/paperback/product-1y8w9n86.html?page=1&pageSize=4

 

Kanbun Izumikawa: The Successor of Kanki Izumikawa

Kanbun Izumikawa was the oldest son of Kanki Izumikawa, born in Kawasaki city in 1942. From an early age he was absorbed in karate and learning the Senbukan Goju-Ryu from his father Kanki. It is typically the tradition for the firstborn son to succeed the father as the head of the school and he was being prepared for this role early on. Kanbun would have received a detailed instruction in the inner techniques and teachings of Goju-Ryu from his father.

In 1967, Kanki Izumikawa the shodai soke of the Senbukan passed away. Kanbun Izumikawa then became the second soke of the Senbukan and inherited his father’s teachings and legacy. Under his leadership the “Goju Ryu karate do Senbukan” was renamed to "Goju Ryu karate do Senbukai”.  According to his younger brother Katsuya, Kanbun was very serious about karate and practiced it strongly. He was committing to growing and expanding the Senbukai. Unfortunately, though, following the passing of their father, many of Kanki Izumikawa's senior students left and established their own organisations.

From 1963-1968 he had consecutive victories in kata competition at the All Nihon Karate-do Senshu Ken Taikai which was sponsored by the Nihon karate Do Rengokai. In 1973 he also travelled to the Senbukan branch dojo on Hawaii to teach as his father did before. In addition, each summer he would travel to Okinawa and train with Juei Tamaki who was a senior student of Seiko Higa and former dojo brother of his father Kanki Izumikawa. These annual visits went on for a period of ten years and were to further his understanding of the Seiko Higa lineage of Goju-Ryu. Kanbun also served as director of the Kawasaki Karate Association.

In 1982, sadly he succumbed to an illness and died at the young age of 39. His younger brother Katsuya Izumikawa who was his assistant instructor inherited the Senbukai as the third soke and continues to pass on the traditional Goju-Ryu teaching from his father and brother.

Kanbun Izumikawa 
Sanchin Kata

Shuichi Aragaki Okinawa Times May 2019

The following is a translation of an interview with Shuichi Aragaki which appeared in the Okinawa Times May 2019 as part of their weekly feature on karate. There's some interesting information about the time he spent training with Chojun Miyagi. 

Shuichi Arakaki (90) = Urasoe City = who is a direct pupil of Chojun Miyagi (1888-1953), the founder of Okinawa Karate Goju-ryu, inherited the teachings of Chojun's later years and handed down Goju-ryu.  The saying of Miyagi sensei was do not hit people and do not be hit by people. "The important thing about karate is humble feelings and kindness."

Mr. Arakaki was born in Taiwan in 1929 and returned to Okinawa with his family in 1947 after the end of the war.  His grandfather, Ryuko was Chojun's first karate teacher. When Mr. Arakaki became interested in karate, Mr. Ryuko said, "I will guide you to Matsu (childhood name of Mr. Chojun)."

He became a disciple of Chojun Miyagi when he was 22 years old

At that time, Mr. Chojun had no disciples other than Mr. Anichi Miyagi, but when his first teacher, Mr. Ryuko, visited him, he thanked him and immediately allowed him to become a disciple. In 1951, Mr. Arakaki was 22 years old and Mr. Chojun was 63 years old.

As soon as I finished my work, I started going to Mr. Chojun's house in Mihara, Naha City. At first, I wasn’t allowed into the house,  I just took care of the surroundings such as cleaning the garden, drawing water from the well, and chopping (chopping wood?), but in reality, this is also part of the training. It is said that Mr. Chojun was dressed up and sat upright, watching the situation.  I can't say " please tell me". If you ask a question, you will be told, "you don't have enough hardship".  He was quiet and polite, but it was tough when it came to training. Mr. Arakaki is still in awe.

During the Sanchin practice, he was allowed to enter the house. Mr. Chojun looked at the movement of his legs and how to use his muscles, and gave guidance by hitting the bad points by hand. The struck shoulder would swell, and the thighs are squeezed during training. The size of the clothes didn't fit and I was in trouble.

Life and practice

Many dojos now have a fixed date and time for training, but at that time life itself was training. When passing through the stone wall road of Tsuboya, I struck the rugged rock surface with my bare hands to train them. I still remember the teaching that "if you take a day off, it will take three days to get it back."

On the other hand, when the training was over, he also showed a gentle side, saying, "Eat dinner." Mr. and Mrs. Chojun, Mr. Anichi, and Mr. Arakaki surrounded the table on a daily basis. I was told about karate, and before I got home late at night, I was told, "Walk in a bright place even if you take a detour at night."

Three years after the introduction, Mr. Arakaki moved to Tokyo to go on to higher education. It was a month later that Mr. Chojun's news arrived.

Mr. Arakaki says, "I've been taught not to tell people that I'm doing karate" because people started fights to test my skills and the number of enemies increased. In any situation, I faced it with karate, which was placed in the center of my mind and body, saying, "This is karate."

Guidance around the dojo

In Tokyo, he taught karate to fellow students and children in the neighborhood, and later served as a teacher at the dojo of Mr. Chojun's eldest son, Kei.  When he returned to Okinawa in 1972, he taught Mr. Anichi and his juniors. “I started to go around the dojo and teach because I thought that it was one of my responsibilities to spread what I learned from Mr. Chojun”.

Based on Mr. Chojun's teaching, "The important thing in doing karate is socializing. Don't contend with people. The important thing is humble feelings and kindness. "

Karate became an official event at the Tokyo Olympics to be held next year, but Mr. Arakaki said, "Karate is a way to protect yourself. You have to go back to the starting point. It looks like karate is from Japan, but it's Okinawa." He also said that there are many anecdotes left in Okinawa Karate, and he said with a gentle expression, "That's interesting."

Shuichi Aragaki at Kei Miyagi's 
dojo. 

The many faces of Sanseiru

 Sanseiru kata of Goju-Ryu is interesting for many reasons. One of them is that there seems to be more versions and variations of sanseiru than any other kata. The other interesting aspect is the story that only Kyoda learned sanseiru from Kanryo Higashionna because Chojun Miyagi was away on military service during the time the kata was taught.

Today I wanted to go over some of the different versions of the kata that exist, centring mostly on the Seiko Higa lineage. It might be surprising to hear that even just within Higa's lineage, there are multiple variations.  Let's start with the first one.

1.) Juei Tamaki's Sanseiru

Juei Tamaki was a senior student of Seiko Higa, and the oldest one having been born in 1905. The version below is performed by his senior student Zensei Gushiken. 

The key differences from the usual Goju sanseiru is the knee strike at the beginning, and also the absence of the two chudan uke near the end. The final turn is also in a different direction.

2.) Kanki Izumikawa lineage Sanseiru 

This version of sanseiru is performed by Tsubamoto sensei, a senior student of Sosui Ichikawa. Ichikawa was one of the senior students of Kanki Izumikawa. This is a bit closer to the standard sanseiru, with the kensetsu geri at the beginning a major difference. As a side note, when I visited the Komeikan dojo of Toru Miyagi, they had this same kick at the beginning of their sanseiru.  

3.) Seikichi Toguchi's Sanseiru

The Shoreikan sanseiru is a fairly standard version overall. Toguchi was initially a student of Seiko Higa, then later became a senior student of Chojun Miyagi as well. The kata is performed by Hirakawa sensei who was one of his senior students in Japan. 

4.) Chosin Ishimine's Sanseiru

Chosin Ishimine was another long term senior student of Seiko Higa. Here we see one of his students performing Sanseiru. This version is vastly different not just from the usual Goju-Ryu sanseiru, but any other version shown so far. One interesting thing to note is the use of the open hand block in place of the usual chudan uke. This is similar to what is seen in to'on-ryu. 

5.) Seiko Fukuchi's Sanseiru

Seiko Fukuchi was another senior student of Seiko Higa. He assisted Higa teaching karate at the prison as well as at the Shodokan dojo. The kata below is performed by Tetsuhiro Hokama who was one of his most senior students. For the most part this follows a fairly standard pattern. 

So, there it is, five different versions from five different lineages of Seiko Higa. When it comes to the other kata, they are much more similar. The question then is, why is sanseiru so different? Was there in fact more than one version that was taught? I have a feeling it may never be definitively solved but it is interesting to think about. 

Choshin Ishimine's Suparinpei

 Choshin Ishimine was a senior student of Seiko Higa sensei. While not quite as well known as some of Higa's other students it seems he was very well regarded. In Akio Kinjo's karate denshin roku there was an interesting entry on Ishimine: "Sensei Choshin Ishimine was the best among disciples of Sensei Seiko Higa. When he was young, he was devoting all his time and energy to karate training with Sensei Higa. His performance of Suparinpe is so excellent that no one could do better than him. I think that in 1953 there were only five or six karateka who could perform Suparinpe well." 

Below we can see Suparinpei performed by one of his senior students: 

There are a few interesting things going on here. In particular, the crane stepping in the middle of the kata instead of the usual sanchin step. Even within Seiko Higa's lineage there is a fair bit of variety in terms of how the kata are done. 

Notable Books On Goju-Ryu

Taking a little break from translations and history I thought today I would share my thoughts on some of the major books that have been written on Goju-Ryu Karate. For this list I considered books of historical importance, as well as books that made really good technical manuals. I only included books by Okinawan/Japanese authors. The list is not presented in any particular order. 

1.) Okinawa Den Goju Ryu Karate Do - Eiichi Miyazato

The original Japanese edition

It should be no surprise the first book on the list would be by a direct senior student of the founder. This book also represented the first of it's kind written by a student of Chojun Miyagi. Here you will find much of the Goju-Ryu curriculum including: junbi undo, hojo undo, kihon, all the kata and basic applications for the forms. According to Miyazato himself (from the Okinawa Karate Kobudo Jitten) the book was written at a time when the sports karate was beginning to take more of a hold and it represented an attempt to create a clear guide on the traditional Okinawan Goju-Ryu. It's also worth mentioning the book was translated to English by the members of the Jundokan honbu. The pictures however were all replaced by new photos taken at the time of the publication. It's a bit unfortunate, as the original photos certainly had great historical value. The Japanese version is of course long out of print and an extremely rare item. 

2.) Goju Kensha Kyohan - Tadahiko Ohtsuka

2008 Reprint Edition

The Goju Kensha Kyohan was written by Tadahiko Ohtsuka, a notable teacher of Goju-Ryu on mainland Japan. Ohtsuka was a senior student of Sosui Ichikawa, who was himself a senior student of Kanki Izumikawa. The book was originally published in 1977 as a set of 13 individual booklets.  It was reprinted again in 2008 as a single large book. To date, it might be the most comprehensive and detailed book ever written on Goju-Ryu Karate. The book contains essentially everything, from the stretches, warmups, detailed explanations of all kihon waza, applications of the kihon, all the kata, kata applications and a detailed section on vital points and vital point striking. Also included are descriptions on numerous more advanced teachings in Goju-Ryu. The book was intended to act as a teaching manual for the senior instructors, which is one reason it contains more advanced materials.  Sadly the book was never translated to English in it's entirety and even the reprint is hard to come by now. 

3.) Traditional Karate Do 4 Volumes - Morio Higaonna 

Vol 1

These four books are likely not new to anyone and neither is the author. The books were the first of their kind in the English language and revolutionary at the time of release. Today they are still highly sought after. Across the four volumes Morio Higaonna covers essentially the whole Goju-Ryu curriculum. You will find detailed explanations of all aspects of the style including the junbi undo, hojo undo, all kihon (stances, uke, strikes etc..) all the kata (with in between motions) and applications for all the techniques. Included are also detailed descriptions of Sanchin kata, history and numerous other topics.  These four books contain a solid base of knowledge for any practitioner. 

4.) Okinawan Goju-Ryu 1 & 2 - Seikichi Toguchi 

The second book

Rather than writing about the books separately I will include them both together.  These represent another publication by a direct senior student of Chojun Miyagi and as such are highly valuable.  The first one includes history, kihon and a detailed overview of Gekisai Dai Ichi and Sanchin. Both kata are performed by Toguchi himself. Included as well are some of the kumite and bunkai sets Toguchi  devised himself. The second book includes much more history and personal stories about Chojun Miyagi, Seiko Higa and other individuals which are highly interesting. Technically, it continues from where the first book left off with Gekiha kata (created by Toguchi) and Saifa kata. Both books are full of very valuable information, but like the others mentioned above they are also out of print. 

5.) Karate Do Kyohan (I) & (II) - Seikichi Toguchi

Karate Do Kyohan I & II

Unlike the two previous books by Toguchi, these are far less known. In fact, I don't know if these were ever a public release. Rather I think they were largely disturbed among Shoreikan members. They continue to be extremely rare. These books do contain all of the Goju-Ryu kata, as well as the kata created by Seikichi Toguchi such as Gekiha and Kakuha. Included are also demonstrations of the Kiso Kumite sets and Bunkai Kumite for select kata. The 10 main Goju-Ryu kata are all demonstrated step by step by Toguchi himself. As such it presents an invaluable record of kata by a direct student of the founder. The rest of the kata and techniques in the book are demonstrated by his senior students at the Shoreikan

6.) Seito Karate Do Nyumon - Kei Miyagi

 

Seito Karate Do Nyumon

Kei Miyagi was not only the oldest son of Chojun Miyagi, but also one of his senior students. Overall he wrote three books on Goju-Ryu Karate, with this one being the last. It's interesting that a lot of  people don't know that he opened a dojo and taught Goju-Ryu, which is now run by his son Toru (Chojun Miyagi's grandson).  The book covers much of the fundamental areas of the style. You'll find the junbi undo, hojo undo, kihon and the kata Gekisai 1-2, Sanchin, Tensho, Saifa and Seiunchin. Included are also some kumite drills from Goju-Ryu.  This book (and his other two) represent a very valuable addition to any Goju-Ryu library. 

7.) Karate Do no Shinzui - Gogen Yamaguchi

Karate Do no Shinzui

Whether you love him or hate him, there is no denying Yamaguchi was hugely influential in popularising Goju-Ryu karate around the world. For much of the 60s, 70s and even into the 80s he was perhaps the most well known teacher of Goju-Ryu. This book is certainly an interesting one, and packed full of photographs. It contains an autobiography of Yamaguchi, demonstrations of various techniques, certain kata, and select applications for each of the kata. The book has been translated into English, but both versions are very rare. This was one of the very first books to be written on Goju-Ryu. 

8.) The History of Karate Goju-Ryu - Morio Higaonna 

The History of Karate

This represents the most detailed book on Goju Ryu history written by any Okinawan or Japanese master. It is full of information on the history of Goju-Ryu as well as numerous direct students of Chojun Miyagi. Included are also interviews the author has conducted with different students of the founder. While the book has been highly successful and sought after, it hasn't been without controversy. The history is undoubtedly slanted to instructors that were relevant to the IOGKF and as such certain people received very little attention. For example Seikichi Toguchi seemed to receive no mention at all and Meitoku Yagi was spoken about very little. Additionally the book had disparaging remarks about several notable individuals including Chojun Miyagi's son and Seiko Higa. Despite some shortcomings it is still a rich source of information, but it is important to read it critically. 

9.) Okinawa Goju-Ryu Karate Do no Kata - Tetsuhiro Hokama

The cover of the book

While the text itself was written by one of Hokama's senior students (Sakugawa) the work was supervised by Hokama himself. It includes step by step photos of all 12 Goju Ryu kata from Gekisai to Suparinpei.  The book is notable for detailed descriptions and explanations of each part of the kata. Additionally you will also find the applications of the kata techniques explained, with pictures showing the applications in certain sections. Tetsuhiro Hokama was originally a student of Seiko Higa at the Shodokan dojo and then continued his training with Seiko Fukuchi after his death in 1966. This book contains a lot of useful information on the kata, but again there is no translation in English available. 

10.) Koden Goju-Ryu Kenpo vol 1,2,3 - Yoshio Kuba 

The first vol

The final set of books on this list comes from Yoshio Kuba. Kuba is currently one of the most senior and renowned students of Seikichi Toguchi. He is well known for his mastery of the kata applications and showing advanced teachings openly. Across the three volumes you will find all the kata (including the Toguchi created ones), junbi undo, kihon, and of course the applications he is so known for. As a bonus the books also come with a DVD showing the contents of the book. Currently this is another hard to come by set, but very informative and valuable. 

So, those are ten of the most notable books on Goju-Ryu that have been released over time. Certainly there are many other books but I wanted to limit this list to only ten. Did you know about them already? Are there any on the list you just found out about? Did I maybe miss something important? Let me know your thoughts. 

Interview With Sadayuki Taira, Senior Student of Meitoku Yagi

There was an interesting article that just came out in the Okinawa Times. It featured an interview with Sadayuki Taira, a senior student of Meitoku Yagi. I decided to post and English translation I was able to do. Enjoy: 

Sadayuki Taira sensei

Those who practice karate must learn life through karate. Sadayuki Taira (67), Chairman of the Okinawa Karatedo Gojukai, learned from his teacher, Meitoku Yagi (prefectural designated intangible cultural asset holder, 1912-2003). However, he inherits the spirit and practices every day.

Karate has been familiar to me since I was little. When I was 16 years old, I visited the Yagi Dojo in my neighborhood, four or five adults in their thirties who seemed to be strong were practicing karate. With a longing for "I want to be as strong as these people," I entered the Yagi Dojo of Meitoku Yagi sensei.

Yagi sensei’s judgment of kata cannot even be imitated and is described as "an existence like above the clouds." (* Note: It is an expression that means someone’s level is far higher than yours). I learned from Yagi sensei by watching the basics of kata. I repeated the basic movements many times and thought about the application myself. Since everyone has a different body shape, they cannot move in the same way. I repeated the same movements over and over again so that it would soak into my body, and by repeating training, I found a movement that suits me.

Currently he instructs about 15 students three times a week. Through "Sanchin", the practice teaches the basics such as how to stand, how to tighten muscles, and how to breathe correctly. Along with teaching, he is energetically active, such as serving as a referee for the Okinawa Karatedo Gojukai Boys and Girls Championship, in which about 150 people participate every year.

There is no goal in karate. Even if I remember the kata, I forget it, so I keep in mind that it is important to continue my daily training. The goal is "to continue karate until the age of 100". Pursue dreams with the aim of practicing lifelong quests.

Performing a technique
from Seipai kata

Seipai (18 hands) is a kata made by Chojun Miyagi sensei (1888-1953), the founder of Goju-ryu. There is a lesson from Miyagi sensei that says "do not hit people, do not get hit by people". As this lesson implies, Seipai also starts with "kamae" and "ukete" and does not attack first. It is a kata that values peace.  There are many effective self defense techniques for when the opponent approaches such as kogeki waza, hazushi waza, kansetsu waza, and techniques to deal with the opponent’s attacks.  There are many changes in movement, such as changing from fast powerful movements to those with muchimi.

It is also important to do kata with the rhythm of breathing.  Practice A-un breathing (A-un no Kokyu) while imagining that there is a partner. When a person is inhaling, the body is soft. At that moment, he exhales for a short time, "hatsu", and performs a powerful technique. I am always conscious of practicing Seipai according to the flow of breathing.

I learned Seipai when I was 16 years old when I started karate. Even after practicing, he says, "I haven't mastered it yet. It's difficult to apply kata for many years." I will repeat the training every day so as not to destroy the kata that I learned from my teacher, "he said, showing his determination to keep the tradition.

Originally published in Japanese, Okinawa Times Feb 14 2021

Translated by Filip Konjokrad

 

Choyu Kiyuna, the oldest living student of Seiko Higa

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. 

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. 

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. 

Sokan-Ryu: The Kobudo of Busen Arakawa

Sokan-Ryu is a little known style of kobudo founded by Busen Arakawa in mainland Japan. Arakawa sensei was a senior student of Kanki Izumikawa at the Senbukan dojo and later also learned Ryukyu  kobudo from Shinken Taira. In 1960 Arakawa was awarded with a shihan license in Ryukyu kobudo from Taira. In 1966 he received 7th dan from Kanki Izumikawa.  Since there is virtually nothing written on Arakawa or Sokan-Ryu in English I wanted to share some of what I have been able to learn. 

Sokan Ryu has both Japanese and Ryukyu elements. In the late 40s Busen Arakawa was told about the nunchaku on Okinawa by Kanki Izumikawa. This led Arakawa to devise his own version of it based on the descriptions he was given. The Japanese version of it came to be known as sosetsukon and had several differences from the Okinawan version. The sosetsukon was longer and also had a shorter cord. Arakawa had also developed several unique techniques with it not practiced on Okinawa. 

Busen Arakawa (right) practicing kobudo in
his younger years (early 50s)

In 1951 it was shown to the public in Japan for the first time. At the request of Kanki Izumikawa, Arakawa gave a demonstration of his sosetsukon techniques. Afterwards he was approached by numerous people who wanted to learn from him. It's thought Sokan Ryu was the first school outside Okinawa to popularise the techniques of the nunchaku. In 1955 Arakawa founded his own dojo in Suginami Tokyo as a branch of Izumikawa's Senbukan. In 1965 he renamed his dojo to Rinbukan. Arakawa taught both Sokan-Ryu and Izumikawa's Goju-Ryu together. 

While Arakawa sensei's kobudo started out only with nunchaku, Sokan Ryu encompasses a full kobudo curriculum including bo, sai and tonfa. Izumikawa was also a noted expert of kobudo and must have had a great influence on Arakawa. One of the kata preserved in Sokan Ryu is Izumikawa no Sai, which is presumed to have been taught by Kanki Izumikawa. In Taira's encyclopedia of Ryukyu Kobudo Izumikawa was listed as an advisor, and Busen Arakawa was listed as a member of the board of directors and Shihan. 

Kanki Izumikawa demonstrating Sai Jutsu

Over the years Arakawa earned the nicknames "first nunchaku master in Japan" as well as "god of nunchaku". He was so well known for his skills in Kobudo practitioners of other karate schools came to him for instruction. This includes some members from the Shudokan founded by Kanken Toyama and people from Gensei Ryu as well. 

During his lifetime Arakawa sensei continued to research and refine the techniques of  Kobudo. The only two students he authorised to open official branch dojo were Sosen Nanao (Hokushikan) and Soushun Kobayashi (Koshinkan). Today Kobayashi sensei is the head of Arakawa sensei's Rinbukai. 

Arakawa sensei demonstrating
Sokan Ryu in his Rinbukan dojo

Dojo From the Izumikawa Lineage

In my last article I went over some of the major dojo from the lineage of Seiko Higa sensei. Today I wanted to write a bit more about the Kanki Izumikawa lineage which I practice. Compared to Seiko Higa there is even less information on Kanki Izumikawa and his students. Here, I will go over some of the major groups that branched off from the Senbukan.

Rinbukan --> Busen Arakawa

The Rinbukan dojo was founded in 1955 as the Suginami branch dojo of the Senbukan. In 1965 it was officially renamed to "Rinbukan" by Busen Arakawa. Busen Arakawa was one of the most senior student of Kanki Izumikawa. He was awarded 7th dan by Kanki Izumikawa in 1966, the only student to receive the rank. He also held a shihan license in Ryukyu Kobudo from Shinken Taira. Arakawa sensei was a strict and disciplined man, who placed a high emphasis on ethics and morals. He earned the nicknames "god of nunchaku" and "first nunchaku master in Japan" for his legendary skills. Arakawa sensei's two most senior students were Sosen Nanao and Soushun Kobayashi. 

Busen Arakawa (center) with students in the 
Rinbukan honbu dojo

Sosuikan --> Sosui Ichikawa

The Sosuikan dojo was founded by Sosui Ichikawa. Originally it was the Taito branch dojo of the Senbukan. Sosui Ichikawa was one of the earliest senior students to join the Senbukan after the war. In 1950 he received his dojo license from Kanki Izumikawa and opened his dojo in 1952. Eventually he would receive 6th dan from Kanki Izumikawa. Ichikawa sensei also trained Judo and Daito Ryu Aiki Jutsu in addition to Goju-Ryu. He was well known for his skills in kumite and applying the kata techniques. He placed a great emphasis on the study of the bubishi and eventually wrote his own manual the koshudo. Overall Ichikawa sensei produced the largest number students from Izumikawa's line who went on to open dojo of their own such as the Gobukan, Tanshinkan, Kenshinkan, Goju Kensha, Seibukan, Shigakukan, Goshikan, Jinbukan and others. 

Sosui Ichikawa (center) with senior students
in the Sosuikan.

Hawaii Senbukan --> Kenneth Murakami 

The Hawaii Senbukan was the only branch dojo founded by a student of Kanki Izumikawa that did not go independent after his death. The dojo was founded by Kenneth Murakami who was from Hawaii. After the war he was stationed in Japan and was able to train at the Senbukan dojo with Kanki Izumikawa during the 50s. Before Murakami left for Hawaii Izumikawa asked him to open a dojo when he returned home and teach his karate. Kanki Izumikawa came to the Hawaii branch dojo both in 1961 and 1964 to teach the students there. During the 1964 trip, he took Busen Arakawa and Ryoichi Yanase with him. The dojo was later taken over by Tomu Arakawa after Murakami retired. Today it is run by Alan Lee and they still continue to teach the "old ways" of Kanki Izumikawa. 

Kenneth Murakami (right) with Kanki
Izumikawa in the Senbukan honbu dojo.

Seishin Juku --> Hyotaro Harada

Seishin Juku was founded in 1965 in Arakawa, Tokyo. Hyotaro Harada was a top senior student of Izumikawa who stepped in as Senbukan director after his death. Several of his students opened dojo in Tokyo such as Isamu Terada and Yuichi Yaguchi. Harada was later awarded 8th dan by the Zen Nihon Karate Do Renmei. In 1995 the dojo was relocated to it's present location in Adachi Tokyo. 3 years later Hyotaro Harada died of a stroke at the age of 63.  

Hyotaro Harada (2nd from left) in the honbu dojo
Satoru Suzuki is on the far right.

Suzuki Dojo --> Satoru Suzuki

Satoru Suzuki was born in 1933. He began training martial arts at a young age. He learned Goju-Ryu karate from Kanki Izumikawa at the Senbukan dojo. At the same time, he also studied the techniques of Ryukyu Kobudo. He would eventually open his own dojo, simply known as the "Suzuki Dojo". He appeared in the famous movie “budo the art of killing” where he demonstrated nunchaku techniques. He was also recognized as 8th dan Kiyoshi by the Zen Nihon Karate Do Renmei. Currently he is the last senior living student of Kanki Izumikawa.

Satoru Suzuki (far left) with several students.

Nihon Karate Do Kai --> Tsutomu Takato

Tsutomu Takato was one of the main senior students of Kanki Izumikawa.  He first opened his own dojo as the branch chief for the Senbukan in Ota. Later, when the Nihon Karate Do Rengokai was formed he played an important role as one of the directors. Eventually he founded his own organization the Nihon Karate Do Kai. 

Tsutomu Takato (far left) with Kinjo Hiroshi,
Kanki Izumkawa and Sosui Ichikawa. 

Seishinkai --> Kazunari Sekishiro 

Kazunari Sekishiro was a senior student of Kanki Izumikawa from the earliest days. He can be seen in a number of photos with Kanki Izumikawa and other Senbukan students. According to Katsuya Izumikawa he was one of few students to have trained with his father for over ten years. At the memorial for Kanki Izumikawa he performed Kururunfa kata in honor of his teacher. He formed the Seishinkai and began to pass on Izumikawa's Goju. The organization is run by his two sons today. 

Kazunari Sekishiro (middle, back row) with
Kanki Izumikawa in the Senbukan. 
 

Gobukan --> Kenjiro Chiba

Kenjiro Chiba began his training with Kanki Izumikawa at the Senbukan dojo. In 1962 he opened the Gobukan in Sendai City. He also went on to join the Sosuikan dojo of Sosui Ichikawa. Chiba would eventually receive Hanshi Judan from Sosui Ichikawa. As a result of his training with Izumikawa the Gobukan has retained some of the older methods of Kanki Izumikawa in addition to Ichikawa's teachings.  There are a number of branch dojo of the Gobukan in and around Sendai. The dojo is run by his son Kojiro Chiba today. 

Kenjiro Chiba (center, Red belt) with other senior students
in the Gobukan Honbu

Yuzenkai --> Yoshiaki Naganuma 

Yoshiaki Naganuma first began his training in the early 60s at the Senbukan with Kanki Izumikawa. After he passed away in 1967, Naganuma continued training with the successor to Kanki Izumikawa (his oldest son) Kanbun Izumikawa. Following the death of Kanbun in 1982, Naganuma established the Yuzenkai in Atsugi City. In 2013 the organization was passed on to Kazunori Omoto, his most senior student. Today it is one of the larger groups from Kanki Izumikawa's lineage. Omoto sensei is a high school vice principle in his professional life. 

Omoto sensei performing sanchin shime on 
a student