Dai Sensei Meitoku Yagi, Hanshi Judan (1912-2003)
Founder of MeiBuKan in 1953

Yagi was the head master of Okinawan Goju Ryu and the president of the Meibukan Goju Ryu Karate Association.

Sensei Meitoku Yagi was born on March 6th, 1912 and died Feburary 17th,2003. He started training in Goju-ryu under Chojun Miyagi when he was 13 years old. He was one of the first students of Chojun Miyagi, and trained with him from 1925 to 1953.

Sensei Meitoku Yagi began studying after an eight month probationary period where he was expected to do chores for Sensei Chojun Miyagi. Training started each night at Sensei Miyagi's house with the practice of Sanchin kata, followed by hojo undo (supplementary weight training).

Sensei Yagi would go to the public bathhouse and people would see all the bruises on his body from Sanchin testing. People would say 'Oh, you have been training with Miyagi Chojun Sensei'. At first Sensei Meitoku Yagi was taught only four kata: Sanchin, Sesan, Seiunchin and Tensho. These kata represented hard / soft and are a very important aspect of Goju-ryu.

When Sensei Meitoku Yagi was in his first year of High School, Sensei Chojun Miyagi told him that he would teach him all of the Goju kata. Sensei Meitoku Yagi was known in his younger years as the 'makiwara breaker' and could break a makiwara board at will.

Now, one of the last living karate masters in Okinawa, he is a very respected authority of Goju-ryu karate. Meitoku Yagi was chosen by Chojun Miyagi to be awarded 'Menkyo Kaidan' (certificate of mastery). After Chojun Miyagi died he left Meitoku Yagi his uniform and belt, which was a great honour. Sensei Yagi retired from active teaching in 1978, and passed on his classes to his two sons Sensei Meitatsu Yagi and Sensei Meitetsu Yagi. Sensei Meitoku Yagi formed the Mei Bu Kan school to characterise himself from the other Goju schools formed after Chojun Miyagi's death.

Mei Bu Kan means the 'The Hall of the Pure Minded Warrior'. In 1985, Sensei Yagi developed five new kata to be taught along with the original Goju-ryu kata taught by Chojun Miyagi.

1. Ten Chi No (Heaven and Earth) 2. Se-ryu (Blue Dragon) God for East 3. Byak-ko (White Tiger) (God for West 4. Shu-jaku (Red Sparrow) God for South 5. Gen Bu (Black Turtle) God for North