MASTER SEIKO HIGA IN MY MEMORIES

by Saburo Higa

Remarks: The original Japanese title "Omoide No Higa Seiko Sensei" written
by Mr. Saburo Higa, an acupuncturist. This article appeared in the book,
"Karate Denshinroku" (= True History of Karate) by Akio Kinjo, as a
supplementary article. Pages 326-331 (Okinawa Tosho Center, 1999)

Translated by Sanzinsoo

I joined Itoman Dojo, a karate academy of Master Seiko Higa, in October
1952. At that time, the Dojo was located in front of Itoman Elementary
School and faced a bus road. At the corner of the Dojo, there was a
carpenter¡Çs workshop. I met with Mr. Akio Kinjo for the first time in
November 1955 when he was waiting for Master Seiko Higa at the Dojo. He was
a student of Ryukyu University and devoted himself to practicing karate.

Although in the chaotic times after World War Two in Okinawa, there were a
lot of excellent students in Itoman Dojo such as Juei Tamaki, Seikichi
Toguchi, Seiko Kina, Soko Yamakawa and Choshin Ishimine who was a promising
young disciple. We sometimes stayed at the Dojo. Soko Yamakawa had a sense
of humor. He and Kanki Izumikawa of Kawasaki-shi joined the Dojo at the
same time. Yamakawa¡Çs karate feats in battle were famous when Master
Seiko
Higa was teaching karate in Saipan. Those senior students really admired
and respected Master Seiko Higa. They subsequently opened their own Dojos
and laid the foundation for propagating Goju-ryu karate.

Seiyu Nakasone of Tomari-Te style who was a carpenter often visited the
Dojo and studied the fundamental Kata, "Tensho". He was concentrating on
his practice of "Tensho" until he fully understood it. Master Seiko Higa
often said to us, "Brother Kaa Kaa (His nickname was "Kaa Kaa" as he always
stuttered.) is an expert in Shorin-ryu of Tomari style. However, he was
well impressed with "Tensho" of Goju-ryu and its step. He is convinced
"Tensho" is so real and genuine that it alone is enough to study."

At that time, we had neither a gas cooking stove nor a kerosene cooking
stove, so Master Seiko Higa cut pieces of board and burnt them to boil
water for making tea. He did not drink alcohol at all. He liked drinking
tea and smoking "Lucky Strike" brand cigarettes. When he had free time, he
walked about and visited his friends or students to have a chat.
Subsequently, he got a job as a karate instructor at Okinawa Prison, and he
could somehow make a decent living.

I made five friends of mine enroll in the Dojo. I also brought enough tea
to the Dojo from my home. Those things delighted Master Higa. The training
times at the Dojo became fixed. Miss Kanako Ishikawa, the first female
student, and many others enrolled in the Dojo.

Near the end of December 1952, we had a party at the Dojo. We bought a
goat. We butchered the goat by ourselves and cooked it for the party. Mr.
Miyahira, a calligrapher as well as a local government worker for Itoman
City, wrote the name of our Dojo on the signboard. We hung the signboard
that says "Itoman Goju-ryu Karate Dojo, Nippon Butokukai Renshi, Higa
Seiko" (= Goju-ryu Karate Academy in Itoman City, Chief Instructor: Seiko
Higa who was awarded the title "Renshi" by Dai Nippon Butokukai) at the
entrance of the Dojo.


- to be continued -


Sanzinsoo
http://uk.geocities.com/sanzinsoo