Sunday, January 29, 2012 by C. Michial Jones
It is with profound respect and a heavy heart that I document the passing of Koshin Iha Sensei. To the casual observer, he was a senior Okinawan master; to those within the Goju-Ryu family, he was a living library of the Art and a direct link to the founder.
A Lifetime in the Garden
Koshin Iha Sensei was born on November 24, 1925. His journey in Karate began in 1939 under the direct supervision of the founder of Goju-Ryu, Chojun Miyagi Sensei. He remained a devoted student of Miyagi Sensei until the founder’s passing in 1953.
Following the death of the master, Iha Sensei became the primary assistant to Eiichi Miyazato Sensei at the famous “Miyagi Garden Dojo.” In 1954, he was instrumental in helping Miyazato Sensei establish the Jundokan, where he continued his duties as the senior assistant, shaping the technique of thousands of students who traveled to Okinawa to find the “true” Goju-Ryu.
The Seidokan and Leadership
In 1971, while continuing to assist at the Jundokan, Iha Sensei opened his own dojo, the Seidokan, in Tomari, Okinawa. He was a pillar of the administrative world of Karate, ensuring the integrity of the art through several high-level positions:
- 1969–1999: Vice-Chairman, Okinawa Goju-Ryu Karate-do Kyokai (OGKK)
- 1993–2012: Advisor, All Japan Karate-do Federation (Goju style)
- 2000–2012: Director, Okinawa Prefecture Karate-do Federation
- 2000–2004: Chairman, OGKK
- 2004–2012: Honorary Chairman (Myo Kaichô), OGKK
Upon the passing of Eiichi Miyazato Sensei, Iha Sensei was named his successor, assuming leadership of the Jundokan and the OGKK. He was, in many ways, the “Quiet Giant” of Goju-Ryu.
A Personal Connection
Beyond the titles and the history books, Iha Sensei was a man of immense kindness. He was a key figure in the lineage I have studied most—the Miyazato line—and he was gracious enough to accept me as his student.
When you train with a man who learned directly from Chojun Miyagi, you aren’t just learning “moves”; you are absorbing a philosophy of movement and a standard of character that was forged before the art became a global sport. His presence in the dojo was a reminder of where we come from and why we must maintain the standard.
Iha Sensei will be missed by the global martial arts community, but his influence remains every time a student in the Yushikan or the Jundokan steps into a Sanchin-dachi and breathes with the intent he taught us.
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