Meibukan Goju-ryu
明武舘剛柔流Okinawan branch of Goju-ryu founded in 1952 by Yagi Meitoku. It has its own series of five katas Meibuken named after Chinese constellations.
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About Meibukan Goju-ryu
Meibukan Goju-ryu is an Okinawan branch of Goju-ryu founded by Yagi Meitoku. According to the international association IMGKA he was born on 6 March 1912 in Kume in Naha and died on 7 February 2003. He began training under Miyagi Chojun, founder of Goju-ryu, in April 1927, while another source gives 1926. He opened the first Meibukan dojo in 1952, according to Wikipedia in the Daido district of Naha. The name Meibukan contains the first character of Yagi's name, and Wikipedia translates it as house of the warrior of pure mind. In 1956 Yagi founded the Okinawa Karate-do Gojyu-kai and chaired it until his death. A special feature of the branch is its own series of five katas Meibuken: Tenchi, Seiryu, Byakko, Shujaku and Genbu, named after Chinese constellations. The kata Tenchi was created in 1974. According to IMGKA every Meibukan kata begins with a block and none is primarily offensive. In April 1986, according to IMGKA, Yagi received a state decoration, the Order of the Sacred Treasure, fourth class. We have not been able to document the title of living national treasure that Wikipedia attributes to him. Okinawan karate and kobudo have been an Okinawa Prefecture intangible cultural property since 8 August 1997, and according to the Ryukyu Bugei website Yagi was among its first holders. Today IMGKA names Yagi Akihito as its leader.
History
Per IMGKA, Yagi Meitoku was born on 6 March 1912 in Kume in Naha. Per IMGKA he began training under Miyagi Chojun in April 1927, while the Fighting Arts website gives 1926. In December 1936 he went to work in a mine in Taiwan and learned Chinese kempo there. He opened the first Meibukan dojo in 1952. In 1956 he founded the Okinawa Karate-do Gojyu-kai and chaired it until his death. Per the Fighting Arts website, Miyagi's family chose him as successor in 1963 and handed him the menkyo kaiden with Miyagi's kimono and belt, while another source dates the kimono and belt handover to 1953. He died on 7 February 2003.
How it differs
Unlike classical Goju-ryu, which rests on the katas of the lines of Higashionna and Miyagi, Meibukan added its own series of five katas Meibuken. According to IMGKA it is typical that every kata begins with a block.
Technique
Besides the classical Goju-ryu katas, Meibukan has its own series of five katas Meibuken: Tenchi, Seiryu, Byakko, Shujaku and Genbu, named after Chinese constellations. Per the main dojo's website, Tenchi was created in 1974 by combining two older katas. Per IMGKA, each Meibukan kata starts with a block and none is primarily offensive.
Training
Per the main dojo's website, the syllabus has the traditional katas of the Higashionna and Miyagi lines, for example Sanchin, Seisan, Seipai, Gekisai Ichi and Gekisai Ni. Yagi Meitetsu, the founder's son, created the weapon katas Ji Zai Ken and Ji Zai Bo.
Ranks and progression
Per the main dojo's website, in 1977 Yagi Meitoku received the title hanshi, tenth dan, as one of the first living masters of Okinawan styles. Okinawan karate and kobudo have been an Okinawa Prefecture intangible cultural property since 8 August 1997, and per the Ryukyu Bugei website Yagi held it from the same day.
Today
The International Meibukan Goju-ryu Karate-do Association is led by Yagi Akihito, whom IMGKA lists at seminars in 2026. Wikipedia writes that he has led the main dojo since 2016. The main dojo's website states that Yagi Meitetsu, the founder's son, died on 26 June 2024.
Did you know
Per IMGKA, Yagi performed a kata at the Shuri Castle opening in November 1992. In April 1986 he received a state decoration, the Order of the Sacred Treasure, fourth class, and Wikipedia attributes to him the title of living national treasure, which we have not been able to document.
Frequently asked questions
Who founded Meibukan Goju-ryu?
Yagi Meitoku, a student of Miyagi Chojun, who opened the first Meibukan dojo in 1952.
What are the Meibuken katas?
Meibukan's own series of five katas: Tenchi, Seiryu, Byakko, Shujaku and Genbu, named after Chinese constellations.
Was Yagi Meitoku a living national treasure?
We have not been able to document that. What is documented is a state decoration from 1986 and, according to the Ryukyu Bugei website, the status of holder of the Okinawa Prefecture intangible cultural property from 1997.
Similar styles
Selected by overlap in the style profile, not by historical lineage.