Higaonna Kanryō

Who was Higaonna Kanryō?

Higaonna Kanryo, also known as "Higashionna West", was a native of Nishi-shin-machi, Naha, Okinawa. He was born in Nishimura, Naha to a merchant family, whose business was selling goods to the north of Okinawa and shipping firewood back to Naha. Firewood was an expensive commodity in the Ryukyu Islands. His family belonged to the lower Shizoku class known as the Chikudun Peichin. He founded the fighting style later to be known as Gōjū ryū karate.