Was born on January 20, 1909, in Miyakonojou,
Shonai, Miyazaki Prefecture near Kagoshima city on the Island of Kyushu
. As a child he showed great interest in the martial arts. During his
early school days when he was thirteen years of age, he studied
Goju-Ryu Karate Kempo with his instructor named Takeo Maruyama, he also
trained in kendo, (Japanese fencing) and it was during this
time that he started his karate training under the tutelage of Mr.
Maruta, a carpenter from Okinawa. Mr. Maruta who was a Goju
practitioner, was drawn to the youngsters serious attitude and his
willingness to train hard. Mr. Maruta taught Gogen Yamaguchi all he
knew about the Goju system.
Gogen Yamaguchi was named Jitsumi Yamaguchi at his
birth. His father Tokutaro Yamaguchi was a merchant and later a
schoolteacher and Superintendent, his mother Yoshimatsu was his
fathers’ assistant. Jitsumi was the couples 3rd son. There were 11
children in the family. Gogen Yamaguchi was also known in the world of
Karate as ‘the Cat’. Gogen Yamaguchi was a small man, just over five
feet and a mere 160 pounds, however he projected the impression of
great bulk and solemnity and was first dubbed “the Cat” by American
GI’s for his gliding walk and flowing hair. He alone is primarily
responsible for the spread of Goju Ryu in the world today.
Before training in the in Karate he studied Kendo
(Japanese fencing). His first taste of Goju Ryu Karate-do however
wasn't until his large family moved to Kyoto while he was in his teens
that he began the serious study of Karate. With Sensei Takeo Maruta at
the Maruta Dojo in Miyazai Kyushu. Mr. Takeo Maruta was a carpenter by
trade and student of Chojun Miyagi. Mr. Yamaguchi later studied
directly with Mr. Miyagi in 1929 after he and his then current teacher
and friend Jitsuei Yogi wrote (1929) to Chojun Miyagi and invited him
to come to Japan. In 1929 Gogen Yamaguchi invited Mr. Miyagi to visit
Japan, and , after a long wait he was introduced to Chojun Miyagi by
Jitsuei Yogi (September 27, 1912 - November 1997).
(
Chojun
Miyagi
visited
Japan,
to the schools of Kansai, Osaka,
Ritsumei, Kyoto, and Doshisha Universities, while Gogen attended
Ritsumei Kan University. There he studied law and of course in 1930
Sensei Yogi, together with Gogen Yamaguchi as the primary, co-founded
the Ritsumei-Kan Dai-Gaku Karate Kenkyu Kai, the first Karate club at
Ritsumei-Kan University. The Ritsumei-Kan Karate-do Kenkyu Kai was the
first University Karate club in western Japan and was infamous for its
hard style training and fierce Karate fighters. Both Yogi and Yamaguchi
attended Ritsumei-Kan University during the time Chojun Miyagi visited,
and Chojun Miyagi stayed in Sensei Yogi’s apartment. Until his death,
Yogi was a close friend and advisor to Morio Higaonna and the IOGKF. Chojun Miyagi later named Gogen. Yamaguchi the leader of
the Goju Ryu on mainland Japan.)
In the
early 1930’s Mr. Yamaguchi sketched out what would become the legendary
signature Goju Ryu fist. It is modeled after the right hand fist of
Chojun Miyagi.
After
graduating from the Ritsumei Kan University in Kyoto (1934),that same
year Yamaguchi Sensei invented Jiyu-Kumite which has become known today
as sport and tournament Kumite.
In 1935 he officially
formed the All Japan Goju Kai Karate-Do Association (now today’s
I.K.G.A.).
Also in 1935: Mr.
Yamaguchi began his travels with the Japanese Government as an
intelligence officer and the first son of Mr. Yamaguchi (Norimi Gosei
Yamaguchi) was born (June 25th, 1935).
During
his
military
tour
in
Manchuria Gogen Yamaguchi was seized by the
Russian military (1942) and so the fabled tales begin of Gogen
Yamaguchi’s infamous time in the Russian Concentration camp and he
battle and defeat of a live Tiger. Gogen Yamaguchi had been slated for
hard labor in the Russian POW camp. But he had impressed even his
Russian captors. When they found out who he was, they had him give
Karate lessons to the Russian troops. And so the captive became the
master of the captors, who became his students.
In 1945 after coming out of
the Manchurian war camp and finishing his tour from World War II, he
returned to Japan where he reopened his Karate do Dojo and posted a
sign outside reading Goju Ryu Kai. Many people thought his school was
forever closed and that he had been killed in the war. He decided to
hold large week long exhibitions in Tokyo featuring all the various
Chinese arts he had discovered during his years there as well as the
traditional Japanese arts. His school reopened and began a rapid
expansion through a network of independent Goju Ryu schools that went
on to teach without formal leadership. Through this expansion and with
his unmistakable flair, he built it into a powerful, sprawling Karate
empire
Mr. Gogen Yamaguchi
established Goju-Kai Headquarters in Tokyo Japan next to the legendary
Giho-Kai Judo Institute. Shihan Yamaguchi effectively had Goju-Ryu
formally registered into the Butoku-Kai, the official governing body
and ‘Government’ Headquarters for the Japanese Martial Arts, similar to
the American Pentagon.
MIDORI
YAMAGUCHI- A calm, sensitive person, Midori Yamaguchi displayed the
quiet strength and strong will , a characteristic for which she is
reknown. Many have said that if Gogen Yamaguchi hadn't had Midori at
his side during all these years he wouldn't have been able to organize
his system. Some students have felt greater affection for Midori
Yamaguchi than for the Gogen Yamaguchi. During the years of vigorous
training at the height of Goju Ryu Kai’s influence Midori Yamaguchi
played the part of a virtual Dojo Mother. Mr. Yamaguchi was actually
awarded his rank of Renshi in 1940 although not returning to Japan for
residency until 1945. In 1950 Goju-Kai Headquarters was officially
relocated to Tokyo Japan which contributed to an almost triple in
membership to 450,000. Five years later he officially chartered the
I.K.G.A.
Later in 1964 Mr.
Yamaguchi unified all the Karate Dojo in Japan to form the All Japan
Karate Federation which is still in existence today as the Japan Karate
Federation (JKF).
Prior to his death (in
1968), he was decorated by the Emperor of Japan with the Ranju-Hosho
(Blue Ribbon Medal) and the fifth order of merit for his contribution
to the martial arts.
YamaguchiSensei
produced
and
distributed
a
short film on training in
Taikgyo or Waterfall training. In the winter of 1965, the outdoor
excursion was held on the slopes of Mt. Nagano Ontake. Each day started
off with Sensei Yamaguchi and his followers pouring ice water over
themselves and this was filmed during one of his mountainside
excursions in the dead of winter heading a group of followers, without
shoes and clad only in a thin Gi. This ‘waterfall’ involves practicing
the Kihon Gata Sanchin and or Tensho as well as SanchinTensho,
utilizing the Yo and In practice of Ibuki breathing. The power of the
water fall forced the performers to maintain themselvesin that position
and when the film was mass distributed it marked the image of Goju Ryu
Kai practitioners as being close to invincible and this reinforced that
reputation.
In 1966 his Organization counted more than 1,200 Dojo
and clubs and 600,000 members claimed for the Goju Ryu system. Before
passing away of natural causes Yoshimi Gogen Yamaguchi had trained as a
Lawyer, Military officer, a was said to have been a highly decorated
war hero. He was a Shinto priest, and an influential Yoga Practitioner
(aligning the significance of Karate Do to that of Yoga) He was at the
same time a Karate Master, a father and Husband.
He
studied
Law
at
Kansei
University
in 1928 and Ritsumeikan University
from 1929 to 1937 and received Law Degrees according to his son, Norimi
Yamaguchi. During hiscollege days as a Law student, Yamaguchi Sensei
had established his first Karate do Dojo at the Ritsumeikan
University in Kyoto. Soon the dojo became famous in the
city, known for its hard training and fierce breathing exercise. In
those days students of karate do practised only kata (formal
movements) and yakusoku kumite (prearranged sparring) and were
unable to have matches between each other since they always fought with
full contact and did not hold back their techniques. It was during this
period that Gogen Yamaguchi Sensei created the first stages towards
what is known as jiyu kumite (free fighting), and established
rules to decide the winner of a match.
Some
of
the
rules
are
still
in use today in what
is
known as sport or competition karate.
In 1931, at the age
of 22, Gogen Yamaguchi Sensei had been introduced to the founder of the
Goju style, - Master Chojun Miyagi. This
meeting proved to have a profound affect upon Sensei Yamaguchi's
outlook on karate. Previously he had only considered the hard aspect of
Goju but after his meeting with Master Miyagi he
was determined to train himself spiritually as well as physically.
Master Miyagi thought highly of his new student who seemed to
have mastered the hard aspect of Goju so well and gave him the
nickname Gogen, meaning "Rough". He then appointed Gogen Yamaguchi as
his successor of the Goju school in Japan.
During the years to
follow, Gogen Yamaguchi Sensei often spent long stays at Mount Kurama
where he subjected himself to ascetic exercises and hard training with Sanchin,
meditation,
and
fasting.
Between
1938-1945
he was sent to Manchuria on
government and military assignments. On several occasions during his
stay there, he attributed his skills in karate and his mental training
for the fact that he had remained alive. During the Japanese-Russian
war, Gogen Yamaguchi was taken prisoner of war and sent to a prison
camp in Mongolia. He was kept there under harsh conditions for two
years. Once again his strength and skill were severely put to the test.
During all these years he still continued to train and develop Goju
karate.
After his release and return to Japan, Gogen
Yamaguchi became one of the most exciting figures in karate history.
Known throughout the world as "The Cat" because of his grace and speed
in movement and because of his favourite fighting stance, Neko Ashi
Dachi (cat leg stance). Many also argue that he was called "The
Cat" because during his time as a P.O.W. in the Japanese-Russian war,
he was locked up with a tiger and he killed it. (This position has been
discussed further by various karate ka and will be linked to this page.)
Master Yamaguchi's
contributions to Goju Ryu karate do and to karate do in general
have been enormous. Under his leadership the International
Karate-do Goju-Kai Association (I.K.G.A) has emerged. The
organization has increased in popularity both in Japan and other Asian
and Western countries around the world. Today there are about 60-70
countries teaching Goju-Kai karate. Master Yamaguchi succeeded
in uniting all the karate schools in Japan into a single union which
resulted in the formation of The Federation of All Japan
Karate-do Organization (F.A.J.K.O.) in 1964. The Kokusai
Budo Renmei - (The International Martial Arts Federation) in Japan,
whose chairman is Prince Higashikuni of the Japanese Imperial Family
appointed Master Yamaguchi as Shihan (Master) of the
organizations karate division. He added to the Goju system the Taikyoku
Kata forms, - training methods for the beginner students to prepare
them for the more advanced kata.
In
combining
his
religious
practices
with
karate do training, he
incorporated both Yoga and Shinto into Goju-Kai
karate do and founded in recent years Goju-Shinto. He stated
that both body and mind are interrelated and through proper breathing
and concentration the Karate ka will be able to understand the essence
of the martial arts. This is the reason why the Goju school
uses the unique breathing exercise called ibuki. Concentrating
all the muscular strength at one point, bringing mind and body into a
coherent whole.
Some have argued that 'Never
before has a single man had such profound effect on the development and
propagation of karate-do.' Master Gogen Yamaguchi, 10th Dan
(level), was a man of intense dedication and determination can truly be
called a karate legend. A master of Yoga and a Shinto
priest, a man that truly has united both aspects of go and ju
into a concerted union. 1.
Gogen Yamaguchi and Paul
Starling exchanging their countries flags on the occasion of a training
tour to the Honbu Dojo in Suginammi, for one month in 1980, for over 30
of PaulsGoju Kai students from Sydney Australia. This was the first of
many such training tours to Japan and Europe.
Grandmaster
Gogen
Yamaguchi
Hanshi
travelled
to
Australia on two occasions, 1970
& 1972. During both visits he stayed at the home of Paul Starling
Shihan and his parents. The Goju Kai members from Sydney , and
Victorian hold precious memories of training in the presence of
Yamaguchi Kaiso, and many hundreds of Australian members have since
taken the opportunity to train in his Hombu Dojo in Suginami Ku.
Paul
Starling
Shihan
was
the
first graduate as Shihan of Gogen Sensei's
prestigious Nihon Karate do Senmon Gakko, Japan Karate do College,
whereby Grandmasters Inoue Motokatsu- Ryukyu Kobujitsu, Ohtsuka
Hironori-Wado Ryu , and Tamae Sensei-Rembukan, as well as Iwata
Manzao-Shito Ryu , all taught regularly along side Yamaguchi Gogen
Hanshi and his son Yamaguchi Goshi Shihan. Paul was
the only Australian to graduate from the college as Shihan.
Goju Kai practitioners
throughout the world mourned the passing of Gogen Yamaguchi Kaiso in
1989. He had been married twice and had five children, Gosei Norimi
Yamaguchi, Gosen Kishio Yamaguchi, Makiko Yamaguchi, Goshi
Hiroufumi Yamaguchi, Makiko Yamaguchi and Gokyoko Wakako Yamaguchi. All
of his children practiced Karate do. Gosei Shihan has his own
organisation in the United states of America and Goshi Shihan is the
President of the International Karate do Goju Kai with branches in 60
countries. Gosen Shihan passed away recently and was fully involved in
the running of the IKGA. Wakako Shihan was an All Japan Kata Champion
and like her brothers a dedicated and inspirational instructor. Makiko
Yamaguchi passed away in the 1980's .2.
References
1.De Jong, Ingo, Goju-Kai
Karate-do
Hard
and
Soft
in
Harmony - Volume 1. [ Sweden,
1989] Jakobsbergs Tryckeri AB.
All queries to Paul Starling Shihan : Vice
President I.K.G.A.
In 1966 his Organization counted more than 1,200 Dojo
and clubs and 600,000 members claimed for the Goju Ryu system. Before
passing away of natural causes Yoshimi Gogen Yamaguchi had trained as a
Lawyer, Military officer, a was said to have been a highly decorated
war hero. He was a Shinto priest, and an influential Yoga Practitioner
(aligning the significance of Karate Do to that of Yoga) He was at the
same time a Karate Master, a father and Husband.
