Lyon-Karate Traditional Okinawan Goju Ryu Karate

togkf.com

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Announcement from Higaonna Morio Sensei to new and old friends, as well as all Okinawan Goju Ryu Karate-do practitioners Worldwide...

Tetsuji Nakamura　中村哲二

-Loyalty-
What would you do if you found out that your father’s close friend is stealing money that belongs not only to your father, but also to your family. You tell your father, but he doesn’t believe you. Would you try to stop him in any way possible, even though the legal action against your father’s will and even though your father gets really upset at you? I would, to protect my father and to protect my family. He may get really upset at me and won’t speak to me. But I would hope that one day my father will see the truth and understand that what I did was right. Or do you just sit and watch your father’s friend steal money from your family because you think that is the loyalty to your father.
There is a small group of people who tried to steal the IOGKF from our family. When I found out, I had to stand strong to stop them. In the process Higaonna Sensei really got upset at me and he must think that I am the traitor. However, if my approach was soft and gentle, we would have already lost the IOGKF. I hope one day Higaonna Sensei will realize that what I did was the right thing and will come back to us.
I know where my loyalty lies. It always has been and will be on Higaonna Sensei and the IOGKF Family.

David Lambert
8 hrs ·
I don’t consider myself to be anyone special in the IOGKF or Karate circles. However, I have been nurtured by some very special people. This includes Higaonna Sensei and Nakamura Sensei.
The world has now learned of Higaonna Sensei’s resignation from IOGKF International via a private video to IOGKF country chief's, which was disappointingly leaked online. A chain of events, brought on by a group of individuals with only their own interests in mind, has ultimately ended in what has now happened. They needed a venue, an organiser and instructors with some prestige. They didn’t need IOGKF.
What has happened, has happened and doesn't seem like the Higaonna Sensei I know and love. I pray that in time, Higaonna Sensei will return to IOGKF - all IOGKF members want this.
Since the news broke, I have been very disappointed to see Karate-ka and martial artists not connected with IOGKF pass judgment on a situation that they clearly know nothing about. Playing judge, jury and executioner without all the facts and knowing the full story. They speculate in facebook comments and fuel gossip. Some are evening running to the defence of a Sensei they turned their own backs on many decades before and are now insisting they know about loyalty.
I grew up in IOGKF. My uncle was a founding country head. My father was an IOGKF International Executive Committee member and was awarded Shihan status from Higaonna Sensei. To this day they are the only siblings to have been heads of two different IOGKF countries, simultaneously. There hasn’t been a day since the formation of the IOGKF that a member of my family hasn’t been training. My family helped build IOGKF and I want to see it continue to the generation after mine and beyond.
Higaonna Sensei is a part of my family. He stayed with us regularly as I was growing up – I may even be the only person in the world who can say they played the Playstation with Higaonna Sensei! As I began to grow older, Higaonna Sensei did too. I knew that this was a once in a lifetime shot. I gave up my university studies, threw away all career prospects and worked many physical jobs to make the money to follow Sensei around the world for the last 20 years - I even spent an extended period in Okinawa.
When it comes to IOGKF, I have been around. What I can say for certain is that no one person has shown more dedication, loyalty and respect to Higaonna Sensei than Sensei Tetsuji Nakamura.
These two Sensei’s together were a real double act that the world may never ever see the likes of again. I can also say that I have never met a more genuine, humble and nurturing person in all of my life than Nakamura Sensei. Then there is his Karate – wow! The physical training he exerts upon himself and his deep attention to the smallest of details is inspiring. He truly is a master of the martial arts and life.
From 2012, when Higaonna Sensei stood down to fulfil his wish to become only an advisor in IOGKF, he made it clear to me on several occasions that I should follow and trust Nakamura Sensei. This is what I have done. I have continued to travel to Canada and Okinawa, sometimes making up to four trips per year to follow Nakamura Sensei. In 2015, I asked him to be my Sensei and I have never looked back. I did exactly what Higaonna Sensei wanted of me. In 2016, when I took a grading in Okinawa, Higaonna Sensei told me that even though it was his Dojo, he wanted Nakamura Sensei to grade me.
I feel a strong sense of ‘giri’ (obligation) to my Sensei. However I do not follow blindly. Nakamura Sensei has earned my trust, appreciation and love, just as much as I hope I have earned his. His character is impeccable, with the bonus being that he is one of the best Karate masters to have ever walk the face of the Earth.
From reading some peoples judgements on social media in regards to Nakamura Sensei’s character, and IOGKF as a whole, it is quite clear that you have no idea of the quality of the man. His respect for Higaonna Sensei and his efforts to keep Higaonna Sensei’s legacy alive is unmatched.
As a young Karate-ka, I honestly do not believe IOGKF and Okinawan Goju-ryu Karate will survive to my generation and on to others if Nakamura Sensei does not lead us in this point in history. The overwhelming majority of IOGKF country heads also felt the same. It was nothing personal towards Higaonna Sensei and those insinuating that it is will learn soon enough when the full story is revealed. I love both Higaonna Sensei and Nakamura Sensei, but I must also follow through on the instructions given to me and the commitment I made to my teacher if I am to honour both of these great people.
Higaonna Sensei and Nakamura Sensei have both taught me that respecting others is the most important part of being a martial artist and a good human being. It is disappointing to see that lesson still needs be learned by so many.
I thank all of my IOGKF family for their continued love and concern towards Higaonna Sensei and their support and trust in Nakamura Sensei.

Tetsuji Nakamura　中村哲二

Today, Higaonna Sensei announced that he resigned from IOGKF. I feel great sadness that the relationship between Higaonna Sensei and all IOGKF family has been destroyed by a small group of people.
All IOGKF members and I have the utmost respect for Higaonna Sensei, and this will never change. He is the person who made who I am now, so as many of IOGKF senior instructors.
I hope that in time Higaonna Sensei will return as the supreme master “Saiko Shihan” of our organization. I will always be eternally grateful to his incredible and unmatchable contribution to our organization and his teaching to all of us.

IOGKF International
IOGKF REMAINS UNCHANGED
The IOGKF is an international organization consisting of 64 member countries worldwide, over 60,000 members and is the world's largest traditional Okinawan karate organization.
At meetings on September 3rd and 4th, the IOGKF's Executive Committee has, together with the majority of chief instructors and senior members of the IOGKF, chosen not to approve the transfer of the chief instructor post and to move the administration office to Okinawa.
Sensei Tetsuji Nakamura remains our Chief Instructor and the administration office, with Adrienne Langgartner as administrative director/secretary, remains in Canada. Sensei Morio Higaonna is the “Supreme Master / Saiko Shihan”.
In other words, nothing has changed.
Please do not hesitate to get in touch with either Sensei Tetsuji Nakamura, Sensei Ernie Molyneux, Sensei Henrik Larsen, Sensei Jorge Monteiro or your own country chief instructor, if you have any queries or concerns.

Mokuso... seiza!

Mokuso is a type of martial arts meditation practiced in Japanese martial arts including Okinawan Goju Ryu Karate. Mokuso meditation (Silent Focus) is performed before and after our Karate training sessions in order to prepare and clear the mind.

Seiza, is a kneeling meditation position, you want to keep your spine and neck straight, so avoid crossing your feet.

Sense Ravey Gasshuku Cottesloe Dojo 2004 beach training and grading. (Mark Bromhead you will see your old Yoyogi Dojo training buddy Glen Lehman in these photos)