Meitoku Yagi
Encyclopedia
Meitoku Yagi was born in Naha, Okinawa. Yagi learned Goju-ryu from its legendary founder Chojun Miyagi
.
Yagi's lineage can be traced back to 36 Chinese
families that immigrated to Okinawa in 1392. Also, his family can be linked to Jayana Ueekata
, who was highly respected as a budoka in the Ryukyu Islands
in the 17th century. Yagi is the 21st generation from that family.
Yagi began training under Miyagi when he was 14 years old. Miyagi was impressed by his dedication and hard work, and eventually taught him all the kata
in the Goju-ryu syllabus
. Normally, Miyagi would only teach Sanchin to his pupils for several years, and even then he might only teach them Seisan
and Seiunchin
.
After Miyagi's death in 1953, Yagi opened his own dojo in the Daido
district of Naha. He named his school of Goju-ryu Meibukan
, meaning "house of the pure minded warrior." The name and crest of his school both utilise the first kanji
in his name, Mei, which has several meanings, including purity. It is made up of the kanji for sun and the kanji for moon, reflecting the duality
of nature, which is inherent to Goju-ryu. Today, the main headquarters
for the Meibukan school are in the Kume district of Naha.
On April 29, 1986, Emperor Hirohito named Yagi a Living National Treasure
(ningen kokuho) for his contributions to the martial arts
.
To complement his karate
training, Yagi enjoyed many activities including shodo
, playing the piano
and shamisen
, and chinese chess.
Meitoku Yagi began developing a series of kata in the 1970s and 1980s, which he named Meibuken
kata. The first of which is Tenchi, meaning "heaven and earth." It was originally two kata, Fukyu kata ichi and Fukyu kata ni. The two kata can be put together so that if two karateka were to perform each half an attack in the first kata would correspond with a block in the second, for example. The Meibuken kata are different from the kata in the Goju-ryu syllabus in many ways, including having vertical closed hand chambers, and having a different yoi position, reflecting Yagi Sensei's Chinese roots, and his time spent studying martial arts there.
The other four Meibuken kata represent the four guardians of the cardinal directions in Chinese mythology
. As with Ten no kata and Chi no kata, the other four pair up as well to show the kata’s bunkai. Seiryu
(East, Blue Dragon) and Byakko
(West, White Tiger) go together, and Shujakku
(South, Red Phoenix) and Genbu
(North, Black Tortoise) combine. Though those are the English
names generally used for the kata, Yagi Sensei once said that he never specifically chose colours for the animals.
Yagi has three daughters, Chieko, Chikako and Chizuko; and two sons, Meitatsu and Meitetsu. His sons’ birthdates are unique in that the day and month of their births are the same–Yagi Meitatsu was born July 7, 1944 and Yagi Meitetsu was born January 1, 1949. Currently Yagi Meitatsu is the president of the IMGKA (International Meibukan Goju-ryu Karate Association), and Yagi Meitetsu is the president of the Meibukan hombu dojo. In 1997 Yagi promoted his eldest son, Meitatsu to Hanshi Judan. Before his death, Yagi also promoted Meitetsu to Hanshi Judan in 2001, but it was only made known publicly posthumously.
In 2000, Yagi released an autobiography
entitled The Life Drama of the Man, Meitoku.
Yagi's number one goal was for his students to promote peace, be good people and contribute to society.
In late 2002, he was 91 and still performing demonstrations of katas. February 7, 2003 at 11:40 am, Dai Sensei Meitoku Yagi died. At the time of his passing he was considered as the most senior Karateka in the world.
. He was being tutored directly by the himself. By training under his father for over fifty years, he was groomed and trained to carry on the legacy of Meibukan Gojyu-Ryu Karate. One of Yagi’s goals has been to spread Meibukan Gojyu-Ryu Karate throughout the world. Yagi has lived, worked, initiated new dojos and taught Meibukan in several places outside of Okinawa and around the world. Yagi lived in the US from 1964 to 1970; in Guam
1971 to 1975; in Saipan
1995 to 1997 and in the Philippines
1997 to 1998. After returning from Guam
in 1975, Yagi was given the title of Renshi
6th Dan and became a Director of All Okinawan Karate-Do Association in 1976. Also in 1976, he was given the teaching responsibilities at the Hombu Dojo in Okinawa as President of Gojyu-Ryu Meibu-kai with Meitetsu Yagi (his younger brother) as Vice-President and Meitoku Yagi as Chairman / Consultant.
Meitoku Yagi chose his eldest son Meitatsu to be the first to learn all facets of Meibukan Gojyu-Ryu. He helped develop and teach all the kata, Renzoku Kumite, Kakomi Kumite, Meibukan Bo, Meibukan Sai, Nihon Kumite, Renzoku form and Kakomi forms. Although many profess to be Meibukan practitioners, many have not learned or practiced the forms developed by him for his style. These forms are an integral part of Meibukan Gojyu-Ryu.
Meitatsu was also a director of the All Okinawa Karate-Do Gojyu-Kai for 20 years. He also served a two year term as President of the Okinawan Karate-Do Gojyu-Kai in 1987 as well as President of the Hombu Dojo in Kume.
In 1995 Meitatsu worked in Saipan
and the Philippines
returning in 1998 to help care for his father who was ailing at the time. Meitoku YAGI gave Meitatsu Yagi the title of Hanshi Judan, Okinawa Karate-Do Gojyu-Kai in 1997. Meitoku Yagi]] presented only one Hanshi Judan]]. Meitatsu Yagi travels the world meeting and teaching hundreds of people each year in seminars in India, Canada, Israel, Italy, the USA, England and France as well as South America]].
Meitatsu has also been very active in promoting the Okinawa Traditional Karatedo Kobudo International Studying Center in Yomitan Village, Okinawa. He is working with Kenyu CHINEN of Shorin-Ryu
and Yasuo SHIMOJI of Uechi Ryu
. All three masters are traditional Okinawan teachers and are working together to promote Okinawa Traditional Karate-Do
and Kobudo
in Okinawa and around the world.
In 2007, he published his second book on the history and philosophy of Meibukan gojyu-ryu, entitled, "Importance of Spiritual Karate".
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...
.
Yagi's lineage can be traced back to 36 Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
families that immigrated to Okinawa in 1392. Also, his family can be linked to Jayana Ueekata
Ueekata
' was the highest rank in the yukatchu aristocracy of Okinawa's Ryūkyū Kingdom though it was still below the aji nobility. Members of the , a very high-ranking governmental body, were chosen from among the ueekata....
, who was highly respected as a budoka in the Ryukyu Islands
Ryukyu Islands
The , also known as the , is a chain of islands in the western Pacific, on the eastern limit of the East China Sea and to the southwest of the island of Kyushu in Japan. From about 1829 until the mid 20th century, they were alternately called Luchu, Loochoo, or Lewchew, akin to the Mandarin...
in the 17th century. Yagi is the 21st generation from that family.
Yagi began training under Miyagi when he was 14 years old. Miyagi was impressed by his dedication and hard work, and eventually taught him all the kata
Kata
is a Japanese word describing detailed choreographed patterns of movements practised either solo or in pairs. The term form is used for the corresponding concept in non-Japanese martial arts in general....
in the Goju-ryu syllabus
Syllabus
A syllabus , is an outline and summary of topics to be covered in an education or training course. It is descriptive...
. Normally, Miyagi would only teach Sanchin to his pupils for several years, and even then he might only teach them Seisan
Seisan
The karate kata Seisan literally means '13', however some people refer to the kata as '13 Hands', '13 Fists', '13 Techniques', '13 Steps' or even '13 killing positions'. However, all these names are made up and have no historical basis.Seisan is thought to be one of the oldest kata quite spread...
and Seiunchin
Seiunchin
Seiunchin is a Kaishu Kata of the Goju-ryu style of karate-do. It was taught by Goju-ryu's founder, Master Chojun Miyagi. Seiunchin is thought to mean "Marching Far Quietly."...
.
After Miyagi's death in 1953, Yagi opened his own dojo in the Daido
Daido
was a after Enryaku and before Kōnin. This period spanned the years from May 806 through September 810. The reigning emperors were and .-Change of era:* November 16, 806 : The new era name 'was created to mark an event or series of events...
district of Naha. He named his school of Goju-ryu Meibukan
Meibukan
Meibukan is a branch of the Goju-ryu style of karate-do. It was created by Dai Sensei Meitoku Yagi, a student of Goju-ryu's founder, Master Chojun Miyagi. Meibukan means "House of the pure-minded warrior."...
, meaning "house of the pure minded warrior." The name and crest of his school both utilise the first kanji
Kanji
Kanji are the adopted logographic Chinese characters hanzi that are used in the modern Japanese writing system along with hiragana , katakana , Indo Arabic numerals, and the occasional use of the Latin alphabet...
in his name, Mei, which has several meanings, including purity. It is made up of the kanji for sun and the kanji for moon, reflecting the duality
Dualism
Dualism denotes a state of two parts. The term 'dualism' was originally coined to denote co-eternal binary opposition, a meaning that is preserved in metaphysical and philosophical duality discourse but has been diluted in general or common usages. Dualism can refer to moral dualism, Dualism (from...
of nature, which is inherent to Goju-ryu. Today, the main headquarters
Headquarters
Headquarters denotes the location where most, if not all, of the important functions of an organization are coordinated. In the United States, the corporate headquarters represents the entity at the center or the top of a corporation taking full responsibility managing all business activities...
for the Meibukan school are in the Kume district of Naha.
On April 29, 1986, Emperor Hirohito named Yagi a Living National Treasure
Living National Treasure (Japan)
is a Japanese popular term for those individuals certified as by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology as based on Japan's...
(ningen kokuho) for his contributions to the martial arts
Martial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
.
To complement his 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,...
training, Yagi enjoyed many activities including shodo
Shodo
"Shōdō" is the fortieth single by B'z, released on January 25, 2006. This song is one of B'z many number-one singles in Oricon charts. This song was the opening theme of Case Closed.- External links :*...
, playing the piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
and shamisen
Shamisen
The , also called is a three-stringed, Japanese musical instrument played with a plectrum called a bachi. The Japanese pronunciation is usually "shamisen" but sometimes "jamisen" when used as a suffix . -Construction:The shamisen is a plucked stringed instrument...
, and chinese chess.
Meitoku Yagi began developing a series of kata in the 1970s and 1980s, which he named Meibuken
Meibukan
Meibukan is a branch of the Goju-ryu style of karate-do. It was created by Dai Sensei Meitoku Yagi, a student of Goju-ryu's founder, Master Chojun Miyagi. Meibukan means "House of the pure-minded warrior."...
kata. The first of which is Tenchi, meaning "heaven and earth." It was originally two kata, Fukyu kata ichi and Fukyu kata ni. The two kata can be put together so that if two karateka were to perform each half an attack in the first kata would correspond with a block in the second, for example. The Meibuken kata are different from the kata in the Goju-ryu syllabus in many ways, including having vertical closed hand chambers, and having a different yoi position, reflecting Yagi Sensei's Chinese roots, and his time spent studying martial arts there.
The other four Meibuken kata represent the four guardians of the cardinal directions in Chinese mythology
Mythology
The term mythology can refer either to the study of myths, or to a body or collection of myths. As examples, comparative mythology is the study of connections between myths from different cultures, whereas Greek mythology is the body of myths from ancient Greece...
. As with Ten no kata and Chi no kata, the other four pair up as well to show the kata’s bunkai. Seiryu
Seiryu
Seiryu, Seiryū, or Seiryuu can refer to:* Azure Dragon, a Chinese constellation symbol* Seiryu , a fictional character in the series YuYu Hakusho...
(East, Blue Dragon) and Byakko
Byakko
Byakko may refer to:* White Tiger , one of the divisions in the sky in traditional Chinese astronomy* Byakko , an anthropomorphic white tiger demon character in YuYu Hakusho...
(West, White Tiger) go together, and Shujakku
Vermilion Bird (Chinese constellation)
The Vermilion bird is one of the Four Symbols of the Chinese constellations. According to Wu Xing, the Taoist five-elemental system, it represents the fire-element, the direction south, and the season summer correspondingly. Thus it is sometimes called the Vermilion bird of the South...
(South, Red Phoenix) and Genbu
Genbu
Genbu can refer to:* Black Tortoise, a Chinese constellation symbol* Genbu , a fictional character in the series YuYu Hakusho* Genbu , a fictional character in the series Fushigi Yūgi...
(North, Black Tortoise) combine. Though those are the English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
names generally used for the kata, Yagi Sensei once said that he never specifically chose colours for the animals.
Yagi has three daughters, Chieko, Chikako and Chizuko; and two sons, Meitatsu and Meitetsu. His sons’ birthdates are unique in that the day and month of their births are the same–Yagi Meitatsu was born July 7, 1944 and Yagi Meitetsu was born January 1, 1949. Currently Yagi Meitatsu is the president of the IMGKA (International Meibukan Goju-ryu Karate Association), and Yagi Meitetsu is the president of the Meibukan hombu dojo. In 1997 Yagi promoted his eldest son, Meitatsu to Hanshi Judan. Before his death, Yagi also promoted Meitetsu to Hanshi Judan in 2001, but it was only made known publicly posthumously.
In 2000, Yagi released an autobiography
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
entitled The Life Drama of the Man, Meitoku.
Yagi's number one goal was for his students to promote peace, be good people and contribute to society.
In late 2002, he was 91 and still performing demonstrations of katas. February 7, 2003 at 11:40 am, Dai Sensei Meitoku Yagi died. At the time of his passing he was considered as the most senior Karateka in the world.
Meitatsu Yagi
Meitatsu Yagi, born July 7, 1944, is the eldest son of the late Meitoku Yagi. Meitatsu did not read books or watch training videos to gain his expertise in KarateKarate
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 being tutored directly by the himself. By training under his father for over fifty years, he was groomed and trained to carry on the legacy of Meibukan Gojyu-Ryu Karate. One of Yagi’s goals has been to spread Meibukan Gojyu-Ryu Karate throughout the world. Yagi has lived, worked, initiated new dojos and taught Meibukan in several places outside of Okinawa and around the world. Yagi lived in the US from 1964 to 1970; in Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
1971 to 1975; in Saipan
Saipan
Saipan is the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean with a total area of . The 2000 census population was 62,392...
1995 to 1997 and in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
1997 to 1998. After returning from Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
in 1975, Yagi was given the title of Renshi
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...
6th Dan and became a Director of All Okinawan Karate-Do Association in 1976. Also in 1976, he was given the teaching responsibilities at the Hombu Dojo in Okinawa as President of Gojyu-Ryu Meibu-kai with Meitetsu Yagi (his younger brother) as Vice-President and Meitoku Yagi as Chairman / Consultant.
Meitoku Yagi chose his eldest son Meitatsu to be the first to learn all facets of Meibukan Gojyu-Ryu. He helped develop and teach all the kata, Renzoku Kumite, Kakomi Kumite, Meibukan Bo, Meibukan Sai, Nihon Kumite, Renzoku form and Kakomi forms. Although many profess to be Meibukan practitioners, many have not learned or practiced the forms developed by him for his style. These forms are an integral part of Meibukan Gojyu-Ryu.
Meitatsu was also a director of the All Okinawa Karate-Do Gojyu-Kai for 20 years. He also served a two year term as President of the Okinawan Karate-Do Gojyu-Kai in 1987 as well as President of the Hombu Dojo in Kume.
In 1995 Meitatsu worked in Saipan
Saipan
Saipan is the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean with a total area of . The 2000 census population was 62,392...
and the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
returning in 1998 to help care for his father who was ailing at the time. Meitoku YAGI gave Meitatsu Yagi the title of Hanshi Judan, Okinawa Karate-Do Gojyu-Kai in 1997. Meitoku Yagi]] presented only one Hanshi Judan]]. Meitatsu Yagi travels the world meeting and teaching hundreds of people each year in seminars in India, Canada, Israel, Italy, the USA, England and France as well as South America]].
Meitatsu has also been very active in promoting the Okinawa Traditional Karatedo Kobudo International Studying Center in Yomitan Village, Okinawa. He is working with Kenyu CHINEN of Shorin-Ryu
Shorin-Ryu
is one of the major modern Okinawan martial arts. It was founded by Choshin Chibana in 1933. Shōrin-ryū combines elements of the traditional Okinawan fighting styles of Shuri-te.-History:Chosin Chibana was a top student of the great master of shuri-te, Anko Itosu...
and Yasuo SHIMOJI of Uechi Ryu
Uechi Ryu
is a traditional style of Okinawan karate. The founder of Uechi Ryū was Kanbun Uechi , an Okinawan who went to Fuzhou in Fukien Province, China to study martial arts when he was 20 years old. Uechi-ryū means "Style of Uechi" or "School of Uechi"....
. All three masters are traditional Okinawan teachers and are working together to promote Okinawa Traditional Karate-Do
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,...
and Kobudo
Okinawan kobudo
Okinawan kobudō is a Japanese term that can be translated as "old martial way of Okinawa"...
in Okinawa and around the world.
In 2007, he published his second book on the history and philosophy of Meibukan gojyu-ryu, entitled, "Importance of Spiritual Karate".
See also
- http://www.imgka.com
- http://www.meibukanhombu.com