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Kevin Meisner
29th September 2002, 05:03
I read in the recent edition of Dragon Times that Chojun Miyagi refused to receive, wear or award black belts or dan grades to his students. The article presumed that after Miyagi died his students promoted themselves to high dan grades. If this is true, can anyone explain the photographs of Miyagi wearing a black belt and photos of him overseeing a class with students who appear to be seniors wearing black belts? Thanks.

Kevin Meisner

Steven Malanosk
29th September 2002, 08:40
Hello,

Firstly, Miyagi Sensei, was the first KaraTeKa to receive the KyoShi title from the Dai Nippon BuTokuKai, "now known as the Zen Nippon BuTokuKai."

He recomended Seiko Higa Sensei for Renshi, and later Higa was elevated again.

Yes, it is so, that Miyagi Sensei, did not beleive it to be proper, for anyone but royalty, to award the Yudansha grading.

The students that you see in pictures, got their belts from the clubs, or school systems that they trained in.

The Kuro Obi is a sign of the addept, and was used by many as the gi was accepted into the status quo, in Okinawa.

Yudansha grading, was later addapted by various groups, who acknowledged each other, and or their followers, as such.

Yamaguchi Gogen Sensei, was given the reigns of leadership, of GoJu in mainland Japan, but his JuDan, was awarded by his peers, not by Miyagi Sensei.

The only person, who could actually claim to have received a black belt from Miyagi Sensei, is Dai Sensei Meitoku Yagi, who inherited Miyagi Sensei's Gi and Kuro Obi "black belt."

Other than that, everyone, knew/knows, who is/was who, in the GoJu family. We still have those, who live in the fantacy world, and claim quixotic placement in the leneage, but it is easy enough to spot them.