Master Morio Higaonna, 8th dan and Chief Instructor of the International Okinawan Goju-Ryu Karate-Do Federation, was born in 1938, in Naha the capital city of Okinawa. He began his Karate training at the age of 14, and in 1954, at the age of 16 he began training in Goju-Ryu under the guidance of Master An'ichi Miyagi, the most knowledgeable and devoted student of goju-Ryu founder, the late Master Chojun Miyagi.

Through long hours of arduous training and with a ferocious dedication which is rare in even the greatest of Masters, he quickly established himself as one of the island's top karate men.

In 1960, at the age of 22, he moved to Tokyo, mainland Japan to study commerce at Takushoku Unversity. He was invited to teach at Tokyo's mainland Japan to study commerce at Takushoku University. He was invited to teach at Tokyo's yoyogi dojo where he soon attracted a large following of dedicated Karate-ka, sometimes teaching as many as 1,000 students a day. Students travelled from all over the world to train with Master Higaonna and as a result the International Okinawan Goju-Ryu Karate-Do Federation (IOGKF) was established in 1979. This federation is now established in over 25 countries world-wide.

Training has always been the central theme of Master Higaonna's life. He has never sought the limelight in the martial arts and his reputationis simply a reslult of his superb skills and mastery of his art; a mastery which is only exceeded by his genuine modesty and humility.

The kata of Okinawan goju Ryu are thoroughly pracitcal. Each movement has meaning. This volume contains 1,000 photographs taken by a motor-driven camera, capturing each movement moment by moment, and clearly illustrating why kata is the backbone of Master Higaonna's karate.

Traditional Karate-do represents a Master's attempt to preserve the practical wisdom accumulated in 35 years of karate training. Volume 3 contains applications from the first two kata, as well as a demonstarion of Tensho kata and the advanced kata, Sepai through Suparinpei. It will be a useful guide to martial artists at all levels and of all styles.

Contents

Foreword Xing Yan-Ling
Acknowledgements-Higaonna Morio
Introduction About the bunkai-Higaonna Morio
Part One Sepai
1 Key points
2 Performance of the kata
Part Two Kururunfa
1 Key points
2 Performance of the kata
Part Three Sesan
1 Key points
2 Performance of thekata
Part Four Suparinpei
1 Kata characteristics
2 Key points-Stances; Foot movement; Sanchin Stance in suparinpei
3 Performance of the kata
Part Five Tensho
1 Performance of the kata
Part Six The applications of Gekisai Dai Ichi
Bunkai (applications) of the kata
Bunkai No. 1, No. 2
Variations of Bunkai No. 2
Variations of Bunkai No. 2
Bunkai No. 3, No. 4, No. 5, No. 6
Part Seven The applications of gekisai dai ni
Bunkai (applications) of the kata
Bunkai No. 1, No. 2