Okinawan Goju ryu
Karate originated on the island of Okinawa off the southern coast of Japan. Karate, or empty hand, is a term used to represent all unarmed fighting arts and refers to a range of different training systems. The style of karate we practise is Goju Ryu.
Goju Ryu traces its roots back to the late 19th Century, when an Okinawan islander named Kanryo Higaonna travelled to Southern China and trained under a White Crane master named Ryu Ryu Ko. After Higaonna’s death in 1915 one of his students, Chojun Miyagi, combined his knowledge of Chinese systems with his own native Okinawan fighting arts to create Goju Ryu karate.
The name Goju is derived from two contrasting terms: ‘Go’ meaning hard, and ‘Ju’ meaning soft. Goju differs from most other Karate systems in the proximity of fighting; emphasis is placed on striking and grappling at close quarters, both standing and on the ground. This makes it a good style for reality-based self-defence.
Daigaku Karate Kai
Our club is a member of Daigaku Karate Kai (DKK). The association, established in the 1980's, is led by Dan Lews Shihan and Gavin Mulholland Shihan who teach at the Bristol and London clubs respectively. As well as the adult classes in Bristol and London we have an active juniors section based in Bristol and Portishead.
