Influences To our style

Ohtsuka Tadahiko ,  9th dan Hanshi, Goju-Kensha Karate-do Renmai

Ohtsuka Tadahiko was born in Tokyo, 1940. He started studying Goju Ryu Karate in 1955 under the direction of Ichikawa Sosui Sensei. A brilliant and dedicated student, Ohtsuka Sensei incredibly attained his 5th Dan ranking as soon as 1965. In the same year, he graduated in Law from Meiji University. Two years later, a chance meeting with Yo Meiji ("Yang Ming Shih" in Chinese) had a big impact on his life. As a result, he developed a passion for Tai Chi Chuan. In 1968, he discovered Ba Gua and Hsing-i through Wang Shu Chin from Taiwan. Concurrently he studied techniques for the maximisation of striking power with Higa Yuchoku Sensei of Okinawan Shorin Ryu and he drew on all these diverse arts to complement his training and eventually create his own association in 1970: Goju Kensha Karate-do Renmai.

Ohtsuka Sensei is one of the greatest contemporary martial arts Masters. He is a 6th generation Master from the founder of Goju Ryu and continually teaches both Karate and Tai Chi and at appropriate stages integrates his broad experience of other martial arts into his teachings. He travels regularly to Okinawa and China to further his research on the inner (soft) styles and outer (hard) styles which evolved into modern karate. He sees this search into the past as progressive, reversing the preoccupation with narrow skilled tournament technique now prevalent, and taking martial arts back to the versatile vital and realistic techniques that established their original deadly reputation.

In Goju-Kensha, Ohtsuka Sensei teaches Naha-te (Goju Ryu) and Shuri-te (Shorin Ryu) and Tai Chi Chuan (Yang and Chen styles). Goju-Kensha is not a large association outside of Japan, and Ohtsuka Sensei’s dojo is not widely publicized or generally accessible to outsiders. It is a tight-knit group that reflects Ohtsuka Sensei's concern for quality before quantity. His association and its seniors reflect his leadership and character; they seek excellence in technique, they show loyalty, they support fellow members regardless of rank, and are of good character. Ohtsuka Sensei is a man of great stature in the martial arts world. His pre-eminence comes as much from his technical prowess and myriad of written texts as from his leadership and position. As a person, Ohtsuka Sensei exemplifies those old world values of honour and loyalty. His wife Kazouko is also a martial artist in her own right, and is presently All Japan Tai Chi coach and gold medallist in the Beijing 24 pattern (Yang style).

James Sumarac , 7th dan Kyoshi, Goju-Ryu Kakurin-Kan

James Sumarac took his steps on the path of martial arts in 1970, firstly studying Judo and Jyu Jitsu. In 1974 he traveled to Japan, and received his 1st Dan Black Belt under the late master Gogen Yamaguchi (now deceased). A chance meeting with Ohtsuka Sensei soon after arriving in Japan changed his life forever. Under the guidance and tutelage of Ohtsuka Sensei, he trained in the Goju Kensha system and additionally developed a passion for the Nei Chia (internal styles of Chinese Gong Fu). In 1984 his passion for the internal arts led him to study in massage, acupuncture, moxabustion, herbal and qi gong therapy, developing his belief that the Martial and Healing Arts of the East are complementary parts of a holistic approach to life. James lives at Wu Lin Retreat, a purpose built Martial and Healing Arts Centre near Lancefield in Victoria, where he also hones his skills as a practitioner of Traditional Chinese medicine. He has made many trips to Japan, China and Taiwan in search of more knowledge and understanding in the Martial and Healing Arts, illustrating the old Martial Arts adage that "one who learns to harm, should also learn how to heal." James is the consummate teacher, with a vast knowledge of many different Martial and Healing Arts, and in 1998 was awarded Karate Instructor of the Year in the Blitz Martial Arts Magazine Hall of Fame awards.

Higa Yuchoku, 10th dan Hanshi, Shorin Ryu

Higa Yuchoku was born in 1910 in Naha, Okinawa. His first teacher was Shiroma Jiro (Shuri-te, d.1933). He also trained with Shinzato Jin’an (a disciple of Miyagi Chojun Sensei of Goju Ryu), from whom he learnt Seisan kata, and Miyahira Seiei, from whom he learnt punching techniques. In 1941 Higa started teaching karate in Naha. In 1943 he met Choshin Chibana (a direct disciple of Itosu Anko), from whom he eventually received his 9th dan. Higa worked as a policeman for several years, and in 1947 he inaugurated the Kyudokan Dojo and applied himself to perfecting and developing everything that he had learnt from his teachers. In 1961 Higa was assigned the role of vice-president of the first Shorin-Ryu Karate-do Association of Okinawa. During that period he alternated his political affairs with his role as karate master. He was either president or member of the Okinawa House of Representatives on 8 successive occasions, was president of the Okinawa Federation of Karate and Kobudo, and chief adviser for the Okinawa Association of Masters of Karate-do. In 1976 he received his Hanshi 10th dan, the highest rank to which a master can aspire. He dedicated several hours of his practice every day to makiwara exercises and his punch technique was famous on Okinawa, where it was known as "Yuchoku-no-tijikun" (Yuchoku's punch). Higa Sensei died in 1994, in Naha, at the age of 84.

Synthesizing his thoughts about karate-do he stated; "Up to a certain time I thought being strong was the most important thing. In time I realized that the most important thing is to be ready to give assistance to others. Moreover it is important not to set oneself limits, therefore I now preach Kyudo Mugen (studying karate and searching for Truth is infinite). There is no end for mastering karate. The karate pathway is immensely vast, profound and boundless”.

Higa Sensei’s influence on the budo of Ohtsuka Sensei and Goju-Kensha is significant. Both Ohtsuka Sensei and Suzuki Sensei (2IC in Goju Kensha) received Hanshi diplomas directly from Higa Sensei. Ohtsuka Sensei continues to train and develop the principles, methods and applications taught to him by Higa Sensei. Goju Kensha has evolved to become a hybrid of Shuri-te, Naha-te and Nei Chia. In fact, as one student phrased it for the Founding Instructors whilst training in Japan, “Goju Kensha is really more like ‘Ohtsuka Ryu’…it is very hard to define it now as one particular style. It has very diverse and powerful influences”.

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