Miyagi was Kanryo Higaonna's most talented pupil. He came from a rich family of high esteem, shipowners who imported ,amongst others, medicines from China, and supplied these to the royal family, the government, and business houses. To prepare him for his future task to lead the family, the eleven year- old Chojun was brought to Ryuko Aragaki (1875-1961), who on his term sent him at the age of fourteen to Kanryo Higaonna. Here Chojun Miyagi, together with Juhatsu Kyoda (1887-1967), were taught thoroughly, Higaonna's Naha-te.After the death of Higaonna the well-off Miyagi occupied himself full-time with the study of martial arts and planned a trip to Fuzhou, the mecca of South-Chinese fighting arts (Nan Quan), to visit the birthplace of Kanryo Higaonna's Naha-te and to pay his respects to Ryu Ryu Ko's grave. For two months Chojun Miyagi together with Aisho Nakamoto (1881-1945) stayed in Fuzhou to train, they also visited the Julianshan Fujian Shaolin Temple.

Back on Okinawa he became friends with two tea-merchants from Fuzhou ,both of them were famous martial arts teachers. Wu Xianhui (1886-1940) came to stay permenantly Naha in 1912 to teach White Crane boxing, and made friends with Juhatsu Kiyoda , Chojun Miyagi and Kenwa Mabuni (1889-1952).Together with Wu Xianhui, Chojun Miyagi visited Fuzhou again at the end of the 1920's. Miyagi also had a good relationship with Tang Daiji (1887-1933) a Tiger Boxing(Hu Quan) master,who also emigrated from Fuzhou to Naha. In February 1936 in Shanghai, Miyagi was introduced to the famous Monk Fist (Luohan Quan) master Miao Xing (1881-1939), and trained for some time diligently with Miao Xing and other Chinese masters associated with the Jingwu Athletic Association. He also visited the National Martial Arts Championships.

Miyagi dedicated his whole life to the development of what was called 'toudijutsu' (China-hand art) or simply 'te' on Okinawa. In 1921 crown-prince Hirohito visited Okinawa before travelling to Europe, during this visit Shuri-te as well as Naha-te (by Chojun Miyagi) was demonstrated. In 1925 Miyagi demonstrated for prince Chichibu-Nomiya and, in 1926, he founded the Okinawa Karate Kenkyu-Kai (Okinawa Karate Research Club) together with Chomo Hanashiro (Shuri-te), Choyu Motobu (Tomari-te) and Kenwa Mabuni. In 1927 Chojun Miyagi demonstrated to Jigoro Kano,(the founder of Judo), grappling, locking, throwing techniques and the right use of breathing. Kano was very impressed by this toudijutsu and introduced Miyagi, accompanied by his friend Mabuni to Japanese Martial Artists in Japan.

At the end of the twenties and the beginning of the thirties, Miyagi, together with his top student Jinan Shinzato (1901-1945), gave seminars and demonstrations in Japanese Universities, Budo-tournaments and at the crowning festivities of crown-prince Hirohito. In 1933 Chojun Miyagi registered 'toudi' officially as Goju-Ryu at the Japanese regulating Budo-institution, the prestigious Dai Nippon Butokukai, the All Japan Martial Arts Association. Later on Miyagi was distinguished by the Ministry of Physical Education, receiving the highest honour of the Dai Nippon Butokukai and was appointed representative of the Butokukai department for Okinawa.

Thus Goju-Ryu karate-do -the name derived from the Bubishi- was the first and oldest karate-tradition recognized by the Dai Nippon Butokukai; its founder, Chojun Miyagi, acquired an outstanding position in karate-do.In May 1934, Chojun Miyagi travelled, by invitation, to Hawaii where he taught and gave demonstrations until February 1935. His teachings while there, were referred to as kempo karate.

On the 25th of October 1936 the most outstanding Okinawa-masters Chomo Hanashiro , Chotoku Kyan, Choki Motobu, Chosin Chibana, Juhatsu Kiyoda and changed the name toudijutsu into Karate-do.
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