Yamaguchi Gōgen

Also known as

The Cat · Yamaguchi Yoshimi

Description

Japanese karate teacher who spread Goju-ryu in Japan and abroad, founder of the International Karate-do Goju Kai Association. He introduced free sparring (jiyu kumite) at the Ritsumeikan University karate club in the 1930s. His claim to be Miyagi Chōjun's successor is disputed.

Teachers (1)

• 
  Miyagi Chōjun

  sports_martial_artsGoju-ryu Possiblebalance

  Possible – conflicting evidence recorded

  His own account. Miyagi's 1936 list of his students omits him, and Okinawan Goju teachers dispute the relationship.

  Some evidence points to the claim, but it is thin, indirect, or in unresolved conflict with other evidence.

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  2 sources expand_more

  fact_check

  His own account. Miyagi's 1936 list of his students omits him, and Okinawan Goju teachers dispute the relationship.

  visibilityFirst-hand alt_routeIndirect

  “Yamaguchi tells us that he was named as the successor to Miyagi, the founder of Goju Ryu. Yamaguchi asserts that Miyagi told him, “Yamaguchi, you are well qualified to become the successor of Goju School Karate.… I have nothing more to teach you.”

  — Cramer, Mark I.. (2018). The History of Karate and the Masters Who Made It: Development, Lineages, and Philosophies of Traditional Okinawan and Japanese Karate-doinfo

  blockdisputes search_offNegative

  “Finally, in 1936, Miyagi listed all of his students in both Okinawa and Japan, and Yamaguchi’s name is conspicuously missing from that list.”

  — Cramer, Mark I.. (2018). The History of Karate and the Masters Who Made It: Development, Lineages, and Philosophies of Traditional Okinawan and Japanese Karate-doinfo

Students (2)

• person
  Tasaki Shūji

  sports_martial_artsGoju-ryu Probable

  Probable

  Single source.

  The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.

  (1951)

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source expand_more

  fact_check

  Single source.

  “Shuji Tasaki began training in Goju Ryu directly under Yamaguchi. This was on August 15, 1951.”

  — Cramer, Mark I.. (2018). The History of Karate and the Masters Who Made It: Development, Lineages, and Philosophies of Traditional Okinawan and Japanese Karate-doinfo
• person
  Nei-chu So

  sports_martial_artsGoju-ryu Probable

  Probable

  Single source.

  The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source expand_more

  fact_check

  Single source.

  “Nei-Chu So, one of Yamaguchi’s early students in the Ritsumeikan University karate club, confirmed that Yamaguchi was the originator of jiyu-kumite”

  — Cramer, Mark I.. (2018). The History of Karate and the Masters Who Made It: Development, Lineages, and Philosophies of Traditional Okinawan and Japanese Karate-doinfo

Honours (1)

• receipt_longSuccessor of Goju-ryu (claimed) Possiblebalance

  Possible – conflicting evidence recorded

  His own account of private words only; senior Okinawan students dispute it, and Miyagi's 1936 list of his students omits him.

  Some evidence points to the claim, but it is thin, indirect, or in unresolved conflict with other evidence.

  Title

  granted by Miyagi Chōjun

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  3 sources expand_more

  fact_check

  His own account of private words only; senior Okinawan students dispute it, and Miyagi's 1936 list of his students omits him.

  visibilityFirst-hand

  “Yamaguchi tells us that he was named as the successor to Miyagi, the founder of Goju Ryu. Yamaguchi asserts that Miyagi told him, “Yamaguchi, you are well qualified to become the successor of Goju School Karate.… I have nothing more to teach you.”

  — Cramer, Mark I.. (2018). The History of Karate and the Masters Who Made It: Development, Lineages, and Philosophies of Traditional Okinawan and Japanese Karate-doinfo

  blockdisputes

  “Moreover, Graham Noble tells us that Yamaguchi’s claim that he was designated by Miyagi to be his successor in Goju Ryu is disputed by many of Miyagi’s senior Okinawan students”

  — Cramer, Mark I.. (2018). The History of Karate and the Masters Who Made It: Development, Lineages, and Philosophies of Traditional Okinawan and Japanese Karate-doinfo

  blockdisputes alt_routeIndirect

  “Finally, in 1936, Miyagi listed all of his students in both Okinawa and Japan, and Yamaguchi’s name is conspicuously missing from that list.”

  — Cramer, Mark I.. (2018). The History of Karate and the Masters Who Made It: Development, Lineages, and Philosophies of Traditional Okinawan and Japanese Karate-doinfo

Sources

Identifiers