14/11/2025
Morio Higaonna is a world-renowned Okinawan karate master, recognized as an "Intangible Cultural Treasure" by the Okinawan government in 2013. He holds the highest rank in the Gōjū-ryū style of karate, a 10th Dan.
Key Information
Style: Morio Higaonna practices and teaches the Gōjū-ryū ("hard-soft style") school of karate, which is a traditional Okinawan style.
Lineage: He was a prominent student of Anichi Miyagi, who in turn was a student of Chojun Miyagi, the founder of Gōjū-ryū.
Federations: He is the founder of both the International Okinawan Goju-Ryu Karate-do Federation (IOGKF) and the Traditional Okinawan Goju-Ryu Karate-do Federation (TOGKF).
Reputation: A martial arts scholar once described him as "the most dangerous man in Japan in a real fight".
Legacy: Higaonna has written several books and produced video series on Gōjū-ryū karate, focusing on preserving the traditional forms and methods. He remains actively involved in spreading Okinawan Gōjū-ryū from his dojo in Naha, Okinawa.