Higaonna Kanryu was born March 10, 1853 in Naha’s
Nishumura district.
He was the descendant of the Shin Se Kei family who were
of the “Chiku Udon Pechin” class (Samurai).
He began his martial arts training around 1867 under Aragaki
Seisho, also of the Pechin class. He studied under Aragaki
until the latter’s departure for China in 1870.
He then trained under Kojo Tatei until 1873. In 1873, with
the help of Kojo Tatei and Yoshimura Undun Chomei (1830-1898),
he traveled to China to study directly from Wai Xianxian
his martial arts “Grand Father,” who had retired
to teaching the martial arts at the Kojo Dojo in Fuzhou.
Under
what must have been an elderly Wai, Higaonna would continue
his studies from 1873-1877.
Probably
after Wai’s passing, he then continued his training
under his Sempai Ryu Ryu Ko from 1877-1882.
Higaonna would finally return to Okinawa in 1882. Therefore,
in total, when the years in Okinawa are combined with those
in China, Higaonna trained for approximately 14 years under
four different masters in the same “Shorei”
style of Chinese martial arts.
About
his more mundane life several details are known. His father
was a boat merchant (yanbanrusen) and made his living through
trade between the different Islands that make up the Ryukyu
archipelago and with China.
At
an early age Higaonna joined in the family business. His
work involved loading and unloading shipments as a dockworker
and learning the ins and outs of the business.
But
according to Morio Higaonna (no relation) this tranquil
life was soon interrupted by violence. In 1867 when Kanryu
was only 14, he lost his father to a violent street fight.
It was out of a desire for revenge that he supposedly began
his study of the martial arts.
Whilst
in Fujian China it would seem that Higaonna continued to
be employed in the yanbusaren business while simultaneously
training at the Kojo Dojo in Fuzhou. It is unknown exactly
why he came back to Okinawa when he did; but it may have
been related to starting a family since he got married the
same year he returned to Okinawa (1882).
On
Okinawa he continued in the yanbusaren business but typhoons
would destroy several of his cargo shipments leaving his
family impoverished.
Perhaps
motivated by the need to survive and feed his family, Higaonna
decided to start teaching the martial arts. By the year
1905 Higaonna was teaching Karate at the Naha Commercial
High School. He would teach at various places, including
the police academy, for the rest of his life. At the end
of his life it is said that Higaonna became the Karate instructor
of King Sho Tai-O, the last Okinawan King.
In
Goju Ryu oral history there has long been an assumption
that Higaonna taught all of the kata in the modern Goju
Ryu curriculum to Miyagi Chojun.
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