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The Faith and Loyalty
I have trained with Master Higaonna for the past 30 years and attended some 250 gasshuku.
I have scrutinised him during training and can’t find any faults. In every country we have taught and trained and with hand on my heart this person trains with a passion every morning by himself. I try to understand his vision and motivation and I can only say that it is total dedication to the Pursuit of Excellence of Goju-Ryu.
I feel that there is a feeling of solitude within him, but he finds his refuge within the Zen Do and the Dojo, he leads a simple life and wants to see Goju–Ryu and its tradition continue for many generations to come.
When he wants to be, he can be quite witty but only in certain company, but can also be quite determined especially when it come to kata training. He will ask you to repeat the movements over and over again until he is satisfied that you understand.
This is where I think I heard him say “you must train ‘Mind, Body and Spirit’, unless you do within these three concept’s you can never understanding the true meaning of kata, and this is when tediousness takes precedents”.
Most athletes retire when they have won medals or reach 30 years. Martial Artists never retire and the pace of training just becomes compatible with the structure and maturity of the body.
Having said that, Master Higaonna defies all perception, and to me there was and never will be another like him. I will always respect history and what has been foretold, but my eyes have only seen him for what he is and that is the deity.
He has been awarded his 10th Dan by his Teachers, because not only for his loyalty to the Art but also his technological ability and knowledge and determination to spread the true essence of Miyagi Chojun Bushi.
I would like to take this opportunity with tears in my eyes, to congratulate Master Higaonna on his achievement.
George Andrews
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Dear Higaonna Sensei,
I would like congratulate you on the award of your 10th Dan. The whole of the EGKA and myself feel truly honoured to have you as our chief instructor.
We could not wish for a better role model and I would not have space to list all your attributes. The legacy you have worked for so selflessly for will live on for many generations to come, congratulations.
Ernie Molyneux
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On behalf of myself and IOGKF Canada, I would like to send you our sincere congratulations on being awarded 10th dan and being officially recognized by Miyagi An’ichi Sensei and Aragaki Shuichi Sensei as a successor in the direct line descending from Miyagi Chojun Sensei.
I have never seen anyone who practices as hard as you do with an unlimited passion for karate, and the willingness to share your knowledge with others. Your kindness, humility and manners all transcend anyone else’s and sets a great example to all of us. You are always humble and sincere to any person regardless of age, sex, rank, religion or background. You are truly a great role model for each one of us to try to emulate.
It is our responsibility as your students to follow the way you have led us and continue working hard to improve ourselves and to help others.
Tetsuji Nakamura (IOGKF Administrative Director, IOGKF Canada Chief Instructor)
& all members of IOGKF Canada
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On behalf of IOGKF India, we are absolutely delighted to know that Shihan has been awarded the 10th Dan from both his Instructors. Please wish Shihan Higaonna for all of us here our heartiest Congratulations. It is indeed an superlative achievement and could only go to our Shihan who had dedicated his life in the furtharance for the propagation and world wide popularization of Hanshi Chogun Miyagi's Goju Ryu Karatedo.
With sincere best wishes,
Pervez B. Mistry
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Dear Sensei,
It is with very great pleasure that I learned of your nomination to the rank of 10th dan. I, of course, congratulate you for this nomination but in my spirit you had already this rank…
You do not remember, I think, of our first meeting in Naha in 1976. For my part I really discovered you in 1980, during the European Gasshuku in Spain. I was immediately enthusiastic of the idea to follow you. Since this time I have tried to be your faithful transmitter, and I try to follow your steps. I believe in you, in your way.
If our cultures are different our passion in karate gathers us, thus allowing rich exchanges.
I am very happy of your new rank and I am very proud to have a senseï such as you.
I wish you a long life.
Take care sensei.
Bernard Cousin
IOGKF France
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Dear Higaonna Sensei
Congratulations on receiving your 10th dan and certificate from Aragaki Shuichi Sensei and Miyagi Anichi Sensei. It is great news for us.
Best regards
Lam king-fung and
IOGKF China & H.K. members
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Dear Sensei Higaonna,
I would like to congratulate you with your 10th Dan.
You have been leading the IOGKF since the foundation and it is due to your efforts that the philosophy and techniques have flourished throughout the world. I respect you for this.
I admire you also for your passion for karate and your warm personality. You are an example for all your students and we hope we can enjoy training with you for many more years.
Congratulations again and domo arigato gozaimashita (Nihwee-deebiru).
Patrick and Mieke Curinckx and all the Belgian IOGKF-members.
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Dear Sensei,
We are happy to receive the new of your 10th dan and me and all the members of IOGKF Italy send you our best greetings for the wonderful and important recognition that you deserve without any doubt.
I am proud to be your student and I will do always my best to protect the treasure of your teachings and the legacy of Miyagi Chojun Sensei.
I dedicate this short haiku to you:
An entire life in the Dogi
in the blood flows
the memories of the Fathers
Taigo
Paolo Taigo Spongia and IOGKF Italy's members
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Sensei,
On behalf of IOGKF Scotland, I wish to extend our warmest congratulations on obtaining your 10th Dan and the recognition given to you by Sensei Miyagi and Sensei Aragaki. These are both without doubt much deserved awards.
John Lambert
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Dear Sensei Higaonna,
Please allow us to take this opportunity to congratulate you in obtaining your 10th Dan. You more than deserve this for your work to diffuse our art throughout the world. This is very commendable.
From Colombia we send you our sincerest best wishes and we share in your happiness.
Sincerely,
MAKOTO DOJO
IOGKF COLOMBIA
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Please pass our sincere best wishes and congratulations to Higaonna sensei on his promotion to 10th Dan.
Nobody deserves it more and we all feel that it will be very good for Goju-ryu and world karate.
Best Wishes,
Terry Wingrove and all at CYBERBUDO throughout the world
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We heard the news of Sensei Higaonna’s efforts and recognition of his 10th Dan during the Hamburg Gasshuku in Germany.
We are all happy to hear the news and when we told the dojo the great news, the participants applauded and showed their joy. We have had the same reaction in Spain as the news spreads.
From me and IOGKF-Spain, we wish the best for Higaonna Sensei.
To Miyagi An’ichi Sensei and to Aragaki Shuichi Sensei – for their fair and honest opinion –
Arigato Gozaimashita (thank you).
Luis Nunes
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Dear Higaonna Sensei
Sincere Congratulations on being awarded 10th Dan by Miyagi Sensei and Aragaki Sensei!
The decades of tirelessly striving to achieve higher and higher levels of perfection and then to transmit this knowledge to your students all around the world are being recognized by your teachers.
It is indeed an honour for me to be allowed to count myself as one of your students.
Once again on behalf of IOGKF Austria and myself: Sincere Congratulations.
May you have the strength, good health and long life to continue the good work for many decades to come.
Kind regards
Raoul Vogel
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Dear Sensei Higaonna,
many congratulations on your deserved achievement.
You are the inspiration to thousands of people both young and not so young, to carry on the message you are daily passing on in your teaching to your students worldwide. I am extremly pleased to call myself a student of Goju Ryu karate because of your dedication and the compassionate attitude you have to those who are not as gifted or hardworking as yourself.
You have been an icon for years in world karate and will continue to be so for generations down the passing years. Thank you it is an honour to be able to pass on these thoughts to you and others in the IOGKF.
Geoff Pickup
IOGKF Thailand
Chief Representative
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Dear Morio Higaonna Sensei
We congratulate you on receiving your 10th dan. We wish you strong health and happiness for many years!
In your honor we are going to have hard group training today!
Best regards and Sincerely yours,
Victor Panasiuk & Goju-Ryu students in Moldova
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Heartiest congratulations on the recent certification of 10th Dan awarded to you, the culmination of your continuous dedication to Okinawan Goju-Ryu Karate.
It is not easy sometimes to keep healthy at your age, even more difficult to be in good shape as a practitioner of martial arts.
All of us in Mexico wish you a good luck and health and continue to be our example for many years more.
Looking forward to meeting you in Puerto Vallarta soon, we are,
Sincerely,
Mamoru Horie
Moises Villegas
Norberto Lopez
Samuel Gomez
Carlos Rodriguez
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On behalf of the Okinawa Goju Ryu Gisborne Dojo, I send our most sincere congratulations to Master Sensei Morio Higaonna on receiving his more than well deserved 10th Dan.
Please give Sensei Morio Higaonna our most humble and fond regards.
Sempai Cameron McKnight
Okinawa Goju Ryu Gisborne Dojo
New Zealand
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Sensei Morio Higaonna,
I offer you my most sincere congratulations on your 10th Dan certificate, that is so well deserved after many years of hard work.
Sensei, I recognized your commitment to martial arts and the vital role you take in raising awareness about the amazing discipline of Goju-Ryu. Your dedication and your contribution are admirable and you must be very proud of your achievement which are an inspiration to all of us students around the world. It’s an honor and pleasure to be part of the IOGKF.
Once again, congratulations and best wishes for a memorable celebration.
Sensei Rafael Perez Quintero 4th Dan
Venezuela
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This is wonderful news about Sensei Higaonna. I am so pleased to hear this. Sensei Higaonna has dedicated his life to Karate and is a great master that deserves this recognition. I will try and call him on the dojo phone soon to personally congratulate him.
Kind regards,
Sensei John Whitby
IOGKF New Zealand
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On behalf of the Goju community and practitioners in Indonesia, I send my congratulations to Shihan Morio Higaonna for his 10th dan and his recognition as Miyagi Chojun Sensei’s successor. I believe it will be a great impact to the goju community worldwide. For me individually, Shihan Morio Higaonna is the best role model in his techniques as well as his character. To quote Higaonna Sensei, 'good karate makes good people'.
Daniel Mahardani
GOKASI Jakarta Chief Instructor
IOGKF - INDONESIA
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Dear Higaonna Sensei:
Congratulations on receiving your 10th dan ranking and special signed certificate from Miyagi Anichi Sensei and Aragaki Shuichi Sensei on September 5th, 2007.
You have been a great representative and international ambassador for Okinawan Goju-Ryu Karate-do throughout the world for over 50 years.
As an IOGKF-USA Dojo Instructor, I have greatly appreciated your instruction, kindness, and excellent example as a karate master. I have enjoyed training wth you and getting to know you over the years.
I am thankful to be a part of the IOGKF family, and will continue to promote and protect Okinawan Goju-Ryu Karate-do as I pass it on to my students for future generations.
Your recent appearance in the "Human Weapon" television series representing authentic "Karate" to the world was excellent.
I hope that you and your family are doing well these days, and I wish you the best in the future. I look forward to seeing you again soon.
Michael V. Gardner
IOGKF USA
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In the name of IOGKF Slovakia I would like to express our deepest congratulations and respect to Higaonna Sensei and to his achievement. I am more than sure than in the heart many of us, Higaonna Sensei achieved this rank long time ago...
Diligent work brings fruit not only in the number of loyal students, but also in recognition of a 10th Dan rank. It is great to become a member and student of this dear organization with such a respectful teacher from a living direct lineage.
May your strength, good health and long life enable you continue the good work for many years to come.
Warm congratulations from all members of the IOGKF in Slovakia
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Dear Higaonna Sensei
Congratulations with the awarding of your 10th Dan and acknowledgement of your contribution to preserve the Goju Ryu Karate of Chojun Miyagi Sensei.
We as Namibians are very proud to be your students.
Kind regards
Carl van der Merwe
CHIEF INSTRUCTOR
Goju Ryu Karate Namibia
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Dear Morio Higaonna Sensei,
We congratulate you on receiving your 10th dan. We wish you excellent health and happiness for many years!
Congratulations again
Kind regards,
Tomasz Siewkowski and the Poland IOGKF-members.
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Dear Sensei,
My family and I send our kindest regards and well wishes to you on the attainment of your 10th Dan and Offical recognition as the hier to Miyagi Chojun Sensei's legacy.
I have basically grown up with you. As far back as I can remember there has always been Sensei and your humility, determination, courage and passion is something we should all try to emulate in our training and lives. I find it amazing how we can all be on the floor, covered in sweat and exhausted, but when you call 'Mo ichi do!', you give us the energy to do it all again - it is infectious!
You have been the driving force for spreading the Karate of Miyagi Chojun Sensei throughout the world. If not this, most of us wouldn't be here and our lives would not be so enriched with the practice of Karate, for this I thank you.
Once again Sensei, congradulations on your attainment, it is definately well earned. My best wishes until we meet again!
David J Lambert
IOGKF Australia
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Congratulations to you, Sensei from the Rangiora Dojo !
We are the three New Zealanders who have trained with you in September , and who are now in Tokyo (training with Sensei Terauchi).
We wish to send our thanks for the amazing training, and our congratulations for your achievement of 10th Dan.
Your Sincerely,
Rob Stewart
Graham Russell
Paul Lennox
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Dear Sensei,
I was teaching in Germany, together with Sensei Luis Nunes, when we heard the news from Sensei Peter Lembke. I immediately felt very joyous. I hope my joy was yours. I know your unstoppable effort to practice, preserve, investigate and deepen your tradition. I also know you have been confronted with many difficulties, painful organizational calamities, physical injuries, animosity between organisations and more, but you never gave up. I hope this recognition will somehow serve you, as a wind in your back, to fulfill your aspirations, even more fully, for the benefit of many others. May you live long and die, far from now, with a limitless sense of completion.
Warm regards on behalf of all karateka and dojo-instructors from the IOGKF Netherlands,
Sydney Leijenhorst
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Dear Sensei Higaonna
We've received with great joy your promotion to 10th Dan. We feel very proud of you, and we know of your passion and unique dedication for Goju Ryu Karate do. That's why you're the most outstanding master of the style worldwide, without any doubts.
Twenty years ago I had the fortune to meet you for the first time, and through all these years and opportunities of training with you, my admiration grows seeing such a humble, warm, and spiritual human being, with so deep knowledge on the art of karate do.
Miyagi and Aragaki Sensei’s have recognized you as the true guard of the most authentic and traditional Okinawan Goju Ryu, and we celebrate this from the bottom of our hearts.
Congratulations, Sensei.
Gustavo Tata Chief Instructor, instructors and students
IOGKF Argentina
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Many congratulations and much respect to Higaonna Sensei on the receipt of his 10th dan certificate, from all IOGKF Singapore members.
Best wishes,
IOGKF Singapore
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Dear Morio Higaonna Sensei
On behalf of myself and IOGKF Poland - Wrocław please accept our congratulations on being awarded 10th dan. All good wishes of personal satisfaction.
Sincerely,
Adam Litwiński
IOGKF Poland - Wrocław
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Dear Higaonna Sensei
The 5th of September will be one more official holiday for all Russian karateka! Sensei, we congratulate you. You are a great and unique master who symbolizes by himself the essence of Goju-Ryu and all karate. .
You are both a great teacher and real warrior. We are your Russian students forever!
We are really happy!
Roman Ayvazov, Pavel Klopov, Kahchidze Vakhtang, Khachidze George, Bogdan Kurilko, Vadim Grishanov, Yuriy Korma, Otryakov Alexander, Erdyakov Andrey, Rozhkin Alexander, Litun Vladimir, Syrenkov Alexander, Grib Alexander, Zhestkov Alexander, Pimenov Georgiy, Shammatov Damir, Rojkin Alexander.
Thank you for your recent announcement of the award of the rank of 10th Dan to Higaonna Sensei.
I would be most grateful if you could pass on to Higaonna Sensei my congratulations and best wishes.
I was most honored last year to have been graded by Higaonna Sensei to yondan in Wellington, New Zealand. This was my first grading under
Sensei after 25 years of study of Goju Ryu.
Yours sincerely
Philip Seddon
(co-Instructor, Otago University Karate Club)
I hereby wish to congratulate Morio Higaonna Sensei with his 10th dan
graduation. He is a real master.
Oss
Mikael Krøier Henriksen
1st kyu
Nykobing F. Karateklub, Denmark
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To Morio Higaonna Sensei
It gives me great pleasure to share in the news that our Sensei has achieved the rank of 10th Dan.
Higaonna Sensei continues to be an inspiration to all who train under his guidence Our dojo is proud
to be part of such an organisation the IOGKF.
From us all here at Shinzato Dojo ( Wirral England )
Congratulations Sensei.
Steve Gouldson 5th Dan
Instructor - Shinzato Dojo EGKA. IOGKF
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I first met Sensei Higaonna through Leon in 1974 at the Yoyogi Dojo in Tokyo. Besides being Leon's Sensei, over the years he has become an honoured and respected friend.
It is with great pride that we heard that Sensei was awarded his 10th Dan and has been officially recognized as the successor in the direct line descending from Chojun Miyagi Sensei.
Sensei is a man of great integrity, a humanist and passionate in the teaching researching and the preservation of Okinawan Goju Ryu and is well deserving of this honour.
Congratulations to both Senseis Anichi Miyagi and Aragaki Shuichi for having the foresight to "Nurture the Seed" that is Higaonna Sensei.
Sensei, may your path go from strength to strength.
With our Best Wishes,
Norma Pantanowitz,
And all the members of I.O.G.K.F Israel
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To Morio Higaonna Sensei,
Our deepest and warmest congratulations for your Judan. Kind regards from all Chile IOGKF members and Sensei Rodrigo.
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Dear Sensei Morio Higaonna
Accept our congratulations on your recent achievement of 10th Dan. You achieved this because you spent your life for the benefit of others.
We wish success in the future.
Yours sincerely,
On behalf of the Chief instructor of IOGKF Sri Lanka,
Secretary,
J. V. P. Rukman Janka
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Dear Sensei Higaonna,
Congratulations on receiving your 10th Dan ranking and recognition as Miyagi Chojun Sensei's successor from Miyagi An'ichi Sensei, and Aragaki Shuishi Sensei.
You've been teaching me for the last 30 years not only Karate inside the dojo, but also a way of living in peace with society.
Learning from you helps me to be a better person and to teach all my students in the same way and with the manners you taught me.
You are an example of a Karate master for all of us.
Jorge Monteiro
IOGKF Portugal
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Dear Sensei Higaonna,
On behalf of IOGKF Sweden we would like to congratulate you on the award of you 10th Dan.
Björn Jonzon
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Dear Sensei,
We congratulate you on your 10th dan! We are proud that we study with such a great person. We wish you to be always healthy and strong. With each training session we hold, we remember your lessons and follow your methods and recommendations.
Your example helps us to become better Goju-Ryu students and successful in life.
Your pupils
Alexander Grib and SK "KOGR." Nyagan, HМАО-Yugrа, Russia
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Sensei Higaonna,
Congratulations on your grading to 10th Dan. Here are some thoughts from a journal that I kept from our first meeting in Japan in 1974, which I would like to share with you.
August 1974, Three New York Goju kai Karate instructors Sensei's Michael Daly, Richard Roache, and Mel Pralgo went to Japan to find the answers to questions on technique and application that had not been answered to our satisfaction in the last fifteen years.
Having met and trained with a number of excellent Karate Instructors, I kept a daily journal of my experiences that I would like to share with you from the journal that I still refer to. "August 12, 1974, Roache is going to take Mike and I to meet someone very special. We are going to Yoyogi Dojo to see Sensei Higaonna. We went to Higaonna sensei's dojo and watched the class. We saw Higaonna Sensei do kata, Outrageous! The class was fantastic. Sensei Higaonna invited the three of us to train with him this Friday eve at 8:30 pm. August 16, 1974, the three New Yorkers went to Higaonna sensei's Yoyogi dojo to train. Outrageous! Never have I seen anyone like him in fifteen years of training in Goju Karate. Goju-100%, what Miyagi must have been like. We were totally exhausted; Sensei Higaonna liked our kata and worked privately with us. He seemed to like our spirit, we gave him a little gift, took some pictures, and Sensei invited us back to train." The first meeting with Higaonna Sensei was an experience that I shall never forget.
Sensei, If anyone deserves to be graded to 10th Dan it is you. Congratulations from Amy, Shoshana, Myself and all the members of the Traditional Karate Institute in Thousand Oaks California. It is an honor to call you Sensei.
Congratulations,
Mel Pralgo
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Dear Higaonna Sensei,
La Escuela de Artes Marciales Shunji Sudo in Venezuela, want to express our most sincere congratulations on such memorable recognition as student in the direct line descended from Miyagi Chojun Sensei and your promotion as maximum exponent of the IOGKF 10th Dan that is the result of your continuous dedication and arduous work at a physical, mental and spiritual level.
We look forward to continue nurturing ourselves from your invaluable source of knowledge, inspiration and energy that irradiate from your continuous practice of Goju Ryu Karate.
Yours truly,
Sensei Shunji Sudo & black belt students
VENEZUELA
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Dear Sensei Higaonna,
We congratulate you on receiving your 10th Dan. We wish you strong health and continued success in the development of the IOGKF.
Presidium to Federations Goju-Ryu Karate-Do
Igor Lisunkov
Vladimir Sitnik
Vladimir Stepanov
Alexander Maximov
.. and our students.
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Dear Higaonna Sensei
We wish we could celebrate this day with you! Congratulations with the awarding of your 10th Dan and acknowledgement of your contribution to preserve the Goju Ryu Karate of Chojun Miyagi Sensei.
We as Namibians are very proud to be your students.
You are a great inspiration to us!
Kind regards
Carl van der Merwe
CHIEF INSTRUCTOR
Goju Ryu Karate Namibia
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Dear Sensei Higaonna
IOGKF-Germany wishes to congratulate Sensei Higaonna on his 10th Dan!
We are very happy and proud that Sensei, who has such a great influence on our lives in various ways and who is a role model for many of us here in Germany, has been honored by receiving the 10th Dan.
On behalf of the IOGKF-Germany
Peter Lembke
Chief Instructor IOGKF-Germany
Dear Sensei and Eric Higaonna,
On behalf of Sensei Sam Ahtye and his students of San Francisco Shorin-ryu Karate and Kobudo we offer our most sincere congratulations on Sensei's 10th dan award.
We remember with great pleasure what a privilege it was to meet Sensei Higaonna and Eric Higaonna and to visit with you at your dojo on our last trip to Okinawa in March of 2005.
Sensei Ahtye is planning on visiting Okinawa again very soon in the first two weeks of November 2007 with a small group of students. He would be honored and pleased if he could again visit the dojo and pay his respects to Sensei Higaonna and to thank him for what his leadership in karatedo means to students of all styles.
All the best to you,
Charles Jeremias
Godan
San Francisco Shorin-Ryu, Shorinkan
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