Biography of Ikemiyagi Sensei

•Born in Nago city, Okinawa, Japan, December 23, 1953.

•Began training under Yagi Meitoku Dai Sensei of Meibukan Goju Ryu Karate-Do at the age of 15 in 1968.

•Has trained under Dai Sensei since then and holds the rank of eighth dan black belt.

•Has operated his dojo in Okinawa since 1981.

•Has produced many high quality students that have propagated Meibukan Goju Ryu in very positive ways around the world, to include dojo in Okinawa, Australia, Indonesia, and the USA.

•One of his students on Okinawa, Ikemiyagi Shuichi Sensei, has become secretary of the collegiate karate training system of Okinawa.

•Has traveled to dojo worldwide to teach seminars and share the knowledge he has acquired in 30 years of training in the arts.

•Took a sabbatical to Brazil and lived there for one year to study other types of martial arts on a comparative basis: judo, capoeira, and boxing among others.

•Is one of only a handful of Yagi Meitoku Dai Sensei’s earlier students who still actively teach today.

•Was the *director general of the Okinawa Goju Kai - main governing body of Okinawa Goju Ryu systems - 1992-95,97-98.

•Was the *director general of the Zen Okinawa Karate-Do Renmei - main governing body of Okinawa karate systems in Okinawa - 1995-1997.

· Is now one of two Vice Chairman (Vice President) of the Okinawa Goju Kai main governing body of Okinawa Goju Ryu systems in Okinawa – May 9, 1999.

*These positions (Key positions in the Ren Mei and the Goju Kai) are sometimes appointed on a revolving basis, depending on the association’s activities and needs at any given point.