Goju-Ryu means soft & hard. It is a suitable combination of traditional Okinawian & Chinese Martial Arts. Goju ryu was made by Master Chojun Miyagi. First he visited Master Higaona whom was teaching Nahata, and learned it thoroughly. After Master Higaona's death, he went to China and studied the styles of Shaolin and Chinese self defense, and then returned to Okinawa and chose the name Goju Ryu for the new style he made. The origin of the word Goju ryu comes from an old Chinese literature. In 1928, through an invitation by Master Gogen Yamaguchi, Master Miyagi traveled to Japan for teaching and went back to Okinawa later. Master Gogen Yamaguchi, developed Goju Kai and spread it allover the world. Master Miyagi believed that the personality corrections are extremely important and in light of that, he has left behind many good words like: According to Goju Kai basis, all the mankind in the world carry two forces of "GO" meaning hardness (which is positive force) and "JO" meaning softness (which is a negative force), when fighting for self defense, the forces of "GO" converts to attaching force and forces of "JO" to defending force and a combination of both (meaning "GOJO") leads to a peaceful force which what prevents the human from being aggressive.

Gogen Yamaguchi was born on January 20, 1909, in Kagoshima city on southern Kyushu. Already as a youngster he showed great interest in the martial arts. During his early school days he trained 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 young Yamaguchi's serious attitude and his willingness to train hard. Mr. Maruta taught Yamaguchi all he knew about the Goju system. In 1931, at the age 22, Gogen Yamaguchi was introduced to the founder of the Goju style, Master Chojun Miyagi. This meeting proved to have profound affect upon 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 Yamaguchi who seemed to have mastered the hard aspect of Goju so well and gave the nick name Gogen, meaning "Rough". He then appointed Gogen Yamaguchi as his successor of the Goju school in Japan. He added to the Goju system the Taikyoku Kata forms training methods for the beginner students to prepare them for the more advanced katas. In combining his religious practices with karate training, he incorporated both Yoga and Shinto into Goju-Kai karate and founded in recent years Goju-shinto. He states that "both body and mind are interrelated and through proper breathing and concentration we 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".

Goshi Yamaguchi was born in Shinjing, Manchuria on September 28, 1942 as the third son of Kaiso (the Founder) Gogen Yamaguchi. In 1951, at the age of eight, he began practicing Karate-Do at Senzoku Dojo in Asakusa. He was promoted to Shodan (first level black belt) in 1957 and to Nidan (second level black belt) in 1959. In 1962 he became a Sandan (third level black belt) and an instructor.

He entered Nihon University in 1963, majoring in cinema studies in the Department of Arts. While he was a student, he had an opportunity to teach karate-do at an American branch dojo for a year. After he came back to Japan, he taught in various Goju-ryu dojo. He graduated from University in 1969, when he became a full time Shihan (Master) in the head dojo with a view to promote and develop Goju-ryu Karate-do.

He has visited and taught in more than 40 countries in the world thus far as an authorized instructor of Gojukai, All Japan Karate-do Federation, Tokyo Karate Federation, and as an international referee.

In 1990 he was appointed to president of All Japan Karate-Do Gojukai Association, International Karate-Do Gojukai Association, and Saiko Shihan (Grand Master) for both associations.

Shihan Osamu Hirano
JKF 8th Dan
Worldwide Head of Ku Yu Kai

In 1953 Shihan began training under Master Syozo Ujita, the past President of the Go-Ju Kai Federation, in 1953 and continued his training with Shihan Gogen Yamaguchi in 1963.

Awards:

All Japan Go-Ju Ryu Karate Championships


1965 Gold for Individual Match

1965 Gold for Team Match

All Kansai Karate-do Championships


1968 Bronze for Individual Match

1967, 1968, 1969 Gold for Team Match

Renshi Shihan Ali Akbar Mohammadi Bagha was born in May 15, 1953 in Tehran, Iran. He started exercising wrestling at age 12 and continue till the age 16. When he was seventeen,, he started the Karate and received different titles in Kata and kumite and became a member of National Iranian Team.He is the founder of Goju-Ryu Karate in Iran and is carrying the title of Renshi Shihan. He is also the first International Referee in Iran and founder of The Referee Committee in Iran Karate Federation.Sensei Ali Azizi Started Karate under Diraction of Shihan Mohammadi Bagha in 1984.