Gogen Yamaguchi was born Yoshimi Yamaguchi on January 20th 1909, in the city of Kagoshima on the southern end of Kyushu Japan. His father, 'Tokutaro Yamaguchi', was a merchant and later a school-teacher and Superintendent. His mother, 'Yoshimatsu', was his fathers' assistant.

Yamaguchi later studied directly with Mr. Miyagi in 1929 after he and his then current teacher and friend wrote to Miyagi and invited him to come to Japan.

In 1929 Gogen Yamaguchi invited Mr. Miyagi to visit Japan. This meeting proved to have a profound affect upon Yamaguchi's outlook on Karate. Previously he had only considered the hard aspect of Goju, but after his meeting with Master Miyagi he was determined to train himself spiritually as well as physically. Master Miyagi thought highly of Yamaguchi who seemed to have mastered the hard aspect of Goju so well that he gave him the nickname Gogen, meaning `Rough'. Chojun Miyagi appointed Yamaguchi as the successor of Goju-Ryu in Japan.

Upon Chojun Miyagi's visit to the Japan, he toured the schools of Kansai, Osaka, Ritsumei, Kyoto, and Doshisha Universities while Gogen attended Ritsumei Kan University. Yamaguchi studied law and in 1930, together with Sensei Jitsuei Yogi, co-founded the Ritsumei-Kan Dai-Gaku Karate Kenkyu Kai, the first Karate club at Ritsumei-Kan University. The dojo soon became the most famous in Kyoto, known for it's hard training and fierce breathing exercise.
In those days Karate men practiced only Kata (formal movements) and yakusoku kumite (prearranged sparring) and were unable to have matches between each other since they did not hold back their techniques. It was during this period that Yamaguchi created the first stages towards what is known as jyu kumite (free fighting) and established rules to decide the winner of a match. Some of the rules are still in use today in what is known as sport or competition Karate.

Both Yogi and Yamaguchi attended Ritsumei-Kan University during which time Chojun Miyagi visited and Chojun Miyagi stayed in Sensei Yogi's apartment. Chojun Miyagi later named Mr. Yamaguchi the leader of the Goju Ryu on mainland Japan. In the early 1930's Mr. Yamaguchi sketched out what would become the legendary signature Goju Ryu Fist. It is modelled after the right hand fist of Chojun Miyagi.

After graduating for Ritsumei Kan University in Kyoto (1934) That same year Yamaguchi Sensei invented Jiyu-Kumite which has become known today as sport and tournament Kumite; In 1935 he officially formed the All Japan Goju Kai Karate-Do Association (now today's I.K.G.A.).

Also in 1935: Mr. Yamaguchi began his travels with the Japanese Government as an intelligence officer and the first son of Mr. Yamaguchi (Norimi Gosei Yamaguchi) is born (June 25th, 1935).
During the years to follow Gogen Yamaguchi often spent long stays at Mount Kurama where he subjected himself to ascetic exercises and hard training with sanchin, meditation and fasting. Between 1938-1945 he was sent to Manchuria on government and military assignments. On several occasions during his stay there, he could thank his skills in karate and his mental training that he stayed alive.

During his military tour in Manchuria Yamaguchi was seized by the Russian military (1942) and so begins the fabled tales of Gogen Yamaguchi's infamous time in the Russian Concentration camp. In 1945, Yamaguchi was taken prisoner of war and sent to a prison camp in Mongolia. He was kept there under harsh conditions for two years. Once again his strength and skill were severely put to the test.

Gogen Yamaguchi had been slated for hard labour in the Russian POW camp. But the man impressed even his Russian captors. When they found out who he was, they had him give Karate lessons to the Russian troops. And so the captive became the master of the captors, who became his students. In 1945 after coming out of the Manchurian war camp and finishing his tour from World War II, he returned to Japan where he reopened his Karate Dojo and posted a sign outside reading "Goju Ryu Kai".

Many people thought his school was forever closed and that he had been killed in the war. After his release and return to Japan, Yamaguchi became one of the most exciting figures in Karate history. He decided to hold big weeklong exhibitions in Tokyo featuring all the various Chinese arts he had discovered during his years there as well as the traditional Japanese arts. His school opened and began a rapid expansion through a network of independent Goju Ryu schools that had went on to teach without formal leadership.

Through this expansion and with his unmistakable flair he built his style into a powerful, sprawling Karate empire and established Goju-Kai Headquarters in Tokyo, Japan--next to the legendary Giho-Kai Judo Institute. Yamaguchi then effectively had Goju-Ryu formally registered into the Butoku-Kai, the official governing body and 'Government' Headquarters for the Japanese Martial Arts, similar to the United States Pentagon.

Aided by his calm, sensitive wife, 'Midori Yamaguchi', displayed during that period the quiet strength and strong will characteristic of her. Many have said that if Gogen Yamaguchi hadn't had Midori at his side during all these years he wouldn't have been able to organize his system. Some students have felt greater affection for Midori Yamaguchi than for the Gogen Yamaguchi. During the years of vigorous training at the height of Goju Ryu Kai's influence, Midori Yamaguchi played the part of a virtual Dojo Mom. Gogen was also the father of five children: three sons, Norimi Gosei Yamaguchi, Kishio Gosen Yamaguchi, Hirofumi Goshi Yamaguchi; and two daughters, Wakako Gogyoku Yamaguchi and Makiko Yamaguchi.
Yamaguchi was awarded his Title of Renshi by the Butoku-Kai in 1940 although not returning to Japan for residency until 1945. In 1950 Goju-Kai Headquarters was officially relocated to Tokyo, Japan which contributed to an almost triple in membership to 450,000. Five years later he officially chartered the I.K.G.A. Later in 1964 Mr. Yamaguchi unified all the Karate Dojo in Japan to form the All Japan Karate Federation which is still in existence today as the Japan Karate Federation (JKF).

The Five Secrets of Japanese Goju-Ryu by Gogen Yamaguchi:

Move quickly.
Sound, calm mind.
Be light in body.
Have a clever mind.
Master the basics.

Prior to his death (in 1968), he was decorated by the Emperor of Japan with the Ranju-Hosho (Blue Ribbon Medal) and the fifth order of merit for his contribution to the Martial Arts. In his most pictorial fame, Yamaguchi produced and distributed a short film on training in Taikgyo or Waterfall training. In the winter of 1965, the outdoor excursion was held on the slopes of Mt. Nagano Ontake. Each day started off with Yamaguchi and his followers pouring ice water over themselves. During one of his mountainside excursions in the dead of winter heading a group of followers, without shoes and clad only in a thin Gi. This 'waterfall' involves practicing the Kihon Gata Sanchin and or Tensho as well as SanchinTensho, utilizing the Yo and In practice of Ibuki breathing.

The film was mass distributed and marketed the image of Goju Ryu Kai practitioners as being close to invincible, and likewise, this became their reputation. In 1966 his Organization counted more than 1,200 Dojo and clubs and 600,000 members claimed for the Goju Ryu system.

Yamaguchi was a small man, just over five feet and a mere 160 pounds, however he projected the impression of great bulk and solemnity and was first dubbed "the Cat" by American GI's for his gliding his grace, his walk, his speed of movement, his long hair and for his favourite stance, the Necko Ashi Dachi (or Cat stance). walk and flowing hair. This reputation ensued and spread further throughout the world. He alone is primarily person responsible for the spread of Goju Ryu in the world today.

Master Yamaguchi's contributions to Goju-karate and to Karate in general have been enormous. Under his leadership the International Karate-do Goju-Kai Association I.K.G.A increased its popularity in Japan and other Asian and western countries around the world. Today there are about 35 countries teaching Goju-Kai Karate. Master Yamaguchi succeeded in uniting all the karate schools in Japan into a single union, which resulted in the formation of The Federation of All Japan Karate-do Organization F.A.J.K.O. in 1964. He added to the Goju system the Taikyoku Kata forms - training methods for the beginner students to prepare them for the more advanced Kata's.

In combining his religious practices with Karate training inspired by Chojun Miyagi, he incorporated both Yoga and Shinto into Goju-kai karate and founded in his last years Goju-Shinto. He stated that both body and mind are interrelated and through proper breathing and concentration we will be able to understand the essence of the Martial Arts. This is the reason why the Goju school uses the unique breathing exercise called ibuki. Concentrating all the muscular strength at one point, bringing mind and body into a coherent whole.

The International Martial Arts Federation in Japan, whose chairman was Prince Higashikuni of the Japanese Imperial Family had appointed Master Yamaguchi as Shihan (master) of the organizations Karate division. Never before has a single man had such profound effect on the development and propagation of Karate-do. Master Gogen Yamaguchi, 10th Dan, a man of intense dedication and determination was truly a Karate legend. A master of Yoga and a Shinto priest, a man united both aspects of 'go-hard' and 'ju-soft' into a concerted union.

The honorary title of 'Kemsei' (the Saint of Karate) has been posthumously conferred on the late Yamaguchi Hanshi by the JKGA.