Jundokan Goju-ryu
順道館剛柔流Okinawan goju-ryu karate dojo in Asato, Naha, founded according to the daily Ryukyu Shimpo by Eiichi Miyazato, a direct student of Chojun Miyagi.
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About Jundokan Goju-ryu
Jundokan Goju-ryu (順道館) is an Okinawan goju-ryu karate dojo in Asato, Naha, founded according to the daily Ryukyu Shimpo by Eiichi Miyazato (1922–1999), a direct student of goju-ryu founder Chojun Miyagi. Ryukyu Shimpo says around 1966 the dojo bore the name 沖縄剛柔流空手道順道館 and that today it serves as the headquarters under the name 沖縄剛柔流空手道総本部順道館. The founding year differs between sources. The websites of the Okinawa Goju-ryu Karate-do Kyokai (OGKK) association, USAdojo and the New Zealand branch give 1957, while English Wikipedia gives 1956. We have not found an independent source for the year of founding.
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According to OGKK, Miyazato studied under Miyagi from the age of 17, was a police officer, and after Miyagi's death in 1953 taught students in the garden of his house. The association also states that in April 1954 he was officially recognised as Miyagi's successor, which is its own claim. English Wikipedia adds that Miyazato presided over the Okinawa judo federation and the prefectural karate federation, and that OGKK awarded him 10th dan in karate in 1988. According to the website of the New Zealand branch, goju-ryu has 12 basic kata, Jundokan arranges them into three groups from Sanchin to Tensho, and members in the main dojo begin training on their own with junbi undo, hojo undo, kata and bunkai. According to English Wikipedia, the dojo is today led by Miyazato's son Yoshihiro Miyazato. According to a prefectural document, karate and kobujutsu of Okinawa have been an intangible cultural property of Okinawa Prefecture since 8 August 1997, and neither Miyazato nor Jundokan is mentioned in the document.
History
According to the Okinawa Goju-ryu Karate-do Kyokai (OGKK), Eiichi Miyazato (1922–1999) began studying under Chojun Miyagi at the age of 17 in Matsuo in Naha. The association states that he was a police officer, assisted Miyagi with teaching at the police academy, and after Miyagi's death in 1953 taught students in the garden of his house. According to the OGKK, in April 1954 he was officially recognized as Miyagi's successor, which is the association's claim. English Wikipedia states that in 1946, on Miyagi's recommendation, Miyazato joined the Ryukyu police and left in 1972. The opening year of the dojo in Asato varies among sources. The OGKK, USAdojo and the website of the New Zealand branch give 1957, English Wikipedia 1956. We have not found an independent source for the founding year. According to the New Zealand branch, the building was rebuilt in 1970. The newspaper Ryukyu Shimpo states that around 1966 the dojo bore the name 沖縄剛柔流空手道順道館. According to its website, the OGKK was founded in October 1969 and Miyazato was its first chairman.
Today
English Wikipedia states that the Jundokan dojo is now led by Miyazato's son Yoshihiro Miyazato. The website of the New Zealand branch gives the address 2-6-13 Asato in Naha, names Yoshihiro Miyazato as kancho and lists official branches (shibu) in more than 20 countries. Ryukyu Shimpo states that the dojo is now the headquarters under the name 沖縄剛柔流空手道総本部順道館, and in 2016 it wrote about Michael Mancuso, who serves in the Jundokan as regional director for North America. According to its website, the OGKK is based in the Hichiya Dojo in Shuri, has 10 dojo on Okinawa, six in the rest of Japan and more abroad, and holds a tournament in April and three dan examinations a year. According to the website, its third chairman was Yoshio Hichiya. According to a prefectural document, karate and kobujutsu of Okinawa have been an intangible cultural property of Okinawa Prefecture since 8 August 1997. Neither Miyazato nor the Jundokan is mentioned in the document.
Did you know
In an article of 31 August 2016, the newspaper Ryukyu Shimpo describes how around 1966 Miyazato admitted to the dojo Michael Mancuso, a twenty-one-year-old US Air Force mechanic, and gave him two pieces of advice. According to USAdojo, the Jundokan building had three floors and Miyazato lived on the top one. English Wikipedia, citing Hokama's book from 2005, names Teruo Chinen, Mori Higaonna, Masaji Taira and Ronald Yamanaka among Miyazato's students. The same Wikipedia states that the OGKK awarded him 10th dan in karate on 20 March 1988 and that the Kodokan posthumously awarded him 8th dan in judo. The Karate News editors state that in 1960 Miyazato helped organize the first Okinawan karate tournament, which is only their claim.
Frequently asked questions
Who founded the Jundokan dojo?
According to the daily Ryukyu Shimpo, Jundokan in Asato, Naha, was founded by Eiichi Miyazato (1922–1999), a direct student of goju-ryu founder Chojun Miyagi.
In which year was Jundokan founded?
The websites of OGKK, USAdojo and the New Zealand branch give 1957, English Wikipedia gives 1956. We have not found an independent source for the year of founding.
Who leads Jundokan today?
According to English Wikipedia, the dojo is led by Miyazato's son Yoshihiro Miyazato. The New Zealand branch states that Jundokan has official branches in more than 20 countries.
Similar styles
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