Miyazato Ei'ichi
Encyclopedia
was a leading Okinawan master
of Goju-ryu karate
. He was a senior post-war student of Chōjun Miyagi
, founder of the Goju-ryu style. Miyazato held the rank of 10th dan
in karate and 7th dan in judo
; on his death, he was honoured with the degree of 8th dan in judo.
, Okinawa Prefecture
, Japan. Some sources indicate that Miyazato began training under Miyagi at the age of 13, while others state that Miyazato first trained under his own father and only began training under Miyagi at the age of 15. Miyazato's father had been a student of Kanryo Higaonna
, who had been Miyagi's teacher, so Miyagi accepted the young Miyazato as his student. Except for an interrupted period due to World War II, Miyazato learned from Miyagi continuously until the death of the latter in 1953. Apart from his karate training, he also studied judo under Shoko Itokazu.
(uniform) and obi
(belt) to him. Miyazato took up the position of teaching at the 'Garden dojo,' which had been Miyagi's dojo.
In 1957, Miyazato opened his own dojo, the Jundokan, in Asato, Naha
. The building had three levels, with Miyazato's dwelling located on the top level. In 1972, he retired from the police force and devoted the rest of his life to teaching karate. Through the early 1970s, he served as Vice-President of the Okinawan Judo Federation and President of the Okinawa Prefecture Karate-do Federation.
On March 20, 1988, the Okinawa Goju-ryu Karate-do Kyokai awarded him the rank of 10th dan in karate. Apart from his karate rank, Miyazato held the rank of 7th dan in judo from the Kodokan, and was President of the Okinawa Judo Federation.
. In 1994, he was awarded a Commendation for Distinguished Service from the Nihon Budo Kyogikai and received an official commendation from the Okinawa Judo Federation. In 1998, he received an official commendation from the Japanese Ministry of Education
.
Following a period of poor health, Miyazato died on December 11, 1999, in Naha Hospital. On his death, the Kodokan awarded him the rank of 8th dan in judo. Miyazato's students included Riyosei Arakai, Shinzo Chinen, Teruo Chinen
, Yoshio Hichiya, Morio Higaonna
, Koshin Iha, Shinichi Iribe, Masanari Kikukawa, Seikichi Kinjo, Dennis May, Chuck Merriman
, Nanko Minei, Keikichi Nakasone, Kenei Shiabuku, Koei Teruya, Ronald Yamanaka, and Tetsunosuke Yasuda. Miyazato's dojo is now run by his son, Yoshihiro Miyazato.
Grandmaster (martial arts)
Grandmaster and Master are titles used to describe or address some senior or experienced martial artists. Such titles may be, to some extent, aligned to the elderly martial arts master stock character in fiction...
of Goju-ryu karate
Karate
is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
. He was a senior post-war student of Chōjun Miyagi
Chojun Miyagi
was an Okinawan martial artist who founded the Goju-ryu school of karate.-Early life and training:Miyagi was born in Higashimachi, Naha, Okinawa on April 25, 1888, the adopted son of a wealthy businessman. He began his study in Karate-do at the age of nine . He first learned martial arts from Ryuko...
, founder of the Goju-ryu style. Miyazato held the rank of 10th dan
Dan (rank)
The ranking system is a Japanese mark of level, which is used in modern fine arts and martial arts. Originally invented in a Go school in the Edo period, this system was applied to martial arts by Kanō Jigorō, the founder of judo and later introduced to other East Asia countries.In the modern...
in karate and 7th dan in judo
Judo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
; on his death, he was honoured with the degree of 8th dan in judo.
Early life
Miyazato was born on July 5, 1922, in I-Chome, 13 Banchi, Higashi-machi, Naha, OkinawaNaha, Okinawa
is the capital city of the Japanese prefecture of Okinawa.Naha is a coastal city located on the East China Sea coast of the southern part of Okinawa Island, the largest of the Ryukyu Islands...
, Okinawa Prefecture
Okinawa Prefecture
is one of Japan's southern prefectures. It consists of hundreds of the Ryukyu Islands in a chain over long, which extends southwest from Kyūshū to Taiwan. Okinawa's capital, Naha, is located in the southern part of Okinawa Island...
, Japan. Some sources indicate that Miyazato began training under Miyagi at the age of 13, while others state that Miyazato first trained under his own father and only began training under Miyagi at the age of 15. Miyazato's father had been a student of Kanryo Higaonna
Higaonna Kanryo
, also known as "Higashionna West", was a native of Nishi-shin-machi, Naha, Okinawa. He was born in Nishimura, Naha to a merchant family, whose business was selling firewood, an expensive commodity in the Ryukyu Islands...
, who had been Miyagi's teacher, so Miyagi accepted the young Miyazato as his student. Except for an interrupted period due to World War II, Miyazato learned from Miyagi continuously until the death of the latter in 1953. Apart from his karate training, he also studied judo under Shoko Itokazu.
Karate career
Miyazato joined the Ryukyu Police Department on Miyagi's recommendation in 1946. He served as physical education instructor at the police academy, and assisted Miyagi (then an instructor at the academy), teaching karate and judo there. Upon Miyagi's death in 1953, Miyazato inherited his teacher's training equipment, and the family also passed on Miyazato's giKeikogi
or dōgi is a uniform for training, used in martial arts derived from Japan, or budō. . The prototype for the modern keikogi emerged in the late 19th century. The keikogi was developed by judo founder Kano Jigoro...
(uniform) and obi
Obi in martial arts
Many Japanese martial arts feature an obi as part of their exercise outfit. These obis are often made of thick cotton and are about 5 cm wide. The martial arts obis are most often worn in the koma-musubi knot ; in practice where hakama is worn, the obi is tied in other ways.In many martial...
(belt) to him. Miyazato took up the position of teaching at the 'Garden dojo,' which had been Miyagi's dojo.
In 1957, Miyazato opened his own dojo, the Jundokan, in Asato, Naha
Naha, Okinawa
is the capital city of the Japanese prefecture of Okinawa.Naha is a coastal city located on the East China Sea coast of the southern part of Okinawa Island, the largest of the Ryukyu Islands...
. The building had three levels, with Miyazato's dwelling located on the top level. In 1972, he retired from the police force and devoted the rest of his life to teaching karate. Through the early 1970s, he served as Vice-President of the Okinawan Judo Federation and President of the Okinawa Prefecture Karate-do Federation.
On March 20, 1988, the Okinawa Goju-ryu Karate-do Kyokai awarded him the rank of 10th dan in karate. Apart from his karate rank, Miyazato held the rank of 7th dan in judo from the Kodokan, and was President of the Okinawa Judo Federation.
Later life
Miyazato received several awards for his contribution to the martial arts. In 1984, Miyazato received an official commendation from the KodokanKodokan
, or the Kodokan Institute, is the headquarters of the worldwide judo community. Literally, kō means "to lecture" or "to spread information," dō means "the way," and kan is "a public building or hall," together translating roughly as "a place for the study or promotion of the way." The Kodokan was...
. In 1994, he was awarded a Commendation for Distinguished Service from the Nihon Budo Kyogikai and received an official commendation from the Okinawa Judo Federation. In 1998, he received an official commendation from the Japanese Ministry of Education
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (Japan)
The , also known as MEXT or Monkashō, is one of the ministries of the Japanese government.The Meiji government created the first Ministry of Education in 1871....
.
Following a period of poor health, Miyazato died on December 11, 1999, in Naha Hospital. On his death, the Kodokan awarded him the rank of 8th dan in judo. Miyazato's students included Riyosei Arakai, Shinzo Chinen, Teruo Chinen
Teruo Chinen
is a prominent Okinawan master of Gōjū-ryū karate. He founded the Jundokan International karate organization and holds the title Shihan. Chinen is one of the last surviving students to have learned directly from Chōjun Miyagi, founder of Gōjū-ryū karate...
, Yoshio Hichiya, Morio Higaonna
Morio Higaonna
is a prominent Okinawan karate practitioner who is the founder and Chief Instructor of the International Okinawan Goju-ryu Karate-do Federation . He is a holder of the highest rank in Goju-ryu karate, 10th dan. Higaonna has written several books on Goju-ryu karate, including Traditional Karate-do:...
, Koshin Iha, Shinichi Iribe, Masanari Kikukawa, Seikichi Kinjo, Dennis May, Chuck Merriman
Chuck Merriman
Chuck Merriman has served as Head Coach of the AAU National Karate Team and member of the AAU national karate Coaches Committee. He is also a member of the AAU National Karate Program Technical Committee and has acted as Chief Arbitrator for AAU Region One Karate and for the AAU National Karate...
, Nanko Minei, Keikichi Nakasone, Kenei Shiabuku, Koei Teruya, Ronald Yamanaka, and Tetsunosuke Yasuda. Miyazato's dojo is now run by his son, Yoshihiro Miyazato.