Remembering Miyazato Sensei

Miyazato began practicing Karate with his father and then became a student of Miyagi around the age of 13. Since that time, Miyazato, except for a short period during the war, trained continuously with Miyagi until his death. He also assisted Miyagi in teaching in the Okinawa Police School and was also the only one to have learned the entire teaching system and all the Kata. Miyazato was also a judo instructor: a discipline that Miyagi himself invited him to cultivate as it was complementary to Goju Ryu Karate
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Miyazato joined the Ryukyu Police Department on Miyagi's recommendation in 1946. He served as physical education instructor at the police academy, and assisted Miyagi (then an instructor at the academy), teaching karate and judo there.  Upon Miyagi's death in 1953, Miyazato inherited his teacher's training equipment; he also took up the position of teaching at the 'Garden dojo,' which had been Miyagi's dojo.

After Miyagi's death (1953), the family communicated that the founder of the style wanted Eiichi Miyazato to succeed him. The Goju Ryu committee (formed by its major students) at a meeting in February 1955 voted almost unanimously Eiichi Myzato as the official successor to Chojun Miyagi. In 1956, Miyazato opened his own dojo, the Jundokan, in Asato, Naha.[3][4] The building had three levels, with Miyazato's dwelling located on the top level.[3] In 1972, he retired from the police force and devoted the rest of his life to teaching karate.[3] Through the early 1970s, he served as Vice-President of the Okinawan Judo Federation and President of the Okinawa Prefecture Karate-do Federation.

On March 20, 1988, the Okinawa Goju-ryu Karate-do Kyokai awarded him the rank of 10th dan in karate.[3] Apart from his karate rank, Miyazato held the rank of 7th dan in judo from the Kodokan, and was President of the Okinawa Judo Federation.

Miyazato Sensei's memory continues in North America with Shibu Dojos across the country.  Most notable being Kapel, Cunningham, and Loterbauer Sensei to name a few. 

We continue to strive in following his teaching and keeping his memory alive!