The style you are learning has its roots in China where the Kung Fu style from the famous Shaolin Temple was combined with another fighting system. This martial arts system found its way to Japan and today is known as Goju-Ryu or Goju-Kai. In Japan it evolved into two separate disciplines in Okinawa and on the mainland. Go-ju has several meanings depending on how the characters are interpreted.

One of the most favored interpretations is Hard/Soft and relates to the style's use of hard direct force combined with economy of movement and the redirection of the opponent’s force (soft). Our style follows the way of Goju-Kai as it was taught on the mainland. Sensei Miyagi is credited with being the founder and he taught his techniques in prewar Japan. Several variations and sub-styles came into being immediately because he taught his students differently to take advantage of their body types. Today the differences amongst sub styles, and indeed styles, are not as noticeable due to the interaction among groups and are most prevalent in each group's interpretation of kata.

After Miyagi's death Gogun Yamaguchi (the cat) became the head of the organization. In the early 1950's political infighting caused him to be expelled from the organization and he continued on with his own group that today is known as International Goju-Kai. Infighting would prove through the years to be as much a part of the Goju Kai as karate. After various name changes the remnant of the original group is today known as the Japanese Karate Federation Goju-Kai.

akeshi Uchiage moved to Richmond, B.C. as part of a sister city agreement with Wakayama Japan in 1973. Eden Hampson who had started karate training in the RCMP in 1971 heard of the school and started training Goju Kai in early 1974. In 1975 he was transferred to Edmonton and instruction decreased to only occasional visits from his instructor and his instructor's father. In 1978 Takeshi Uchiage moved to Edmonton, where he remained until 1984. A club was started at the City Police and Art Adamson was one of the first to join.

Like Eden, he had been involved in the martial arts since the early 70's and had practiced Judo and Kung Fu. Glenn Iriye joined in 1979. Training in the early days was brutal. No protective gear was worn (not even tooth guards or cans) and a lot of the time it was closer to full contact than controlled contact. A broken toe for each kyu level was the norm. Other broken parts were optional.

In July 1980 Eden obtained his black belt during international competition in Nagoya, Japan. Shortly thereafter Art received his Shodan as well. Glenn was promoted to black belt in 1984. All three continued to train hard, forming a natural alliance in the club.

The instructors known to you as the Canadian Goju-Kai were all black belts in the latter organization until May of 1990 when they decided to part company with the J.K.F.GOJU-KAI’S head instructor for Canada, Takeshi Uchiage.
The clubs as they exist today started in 1984 when Eden Hampson, Art Adamson, and Glenn Iriye decided that they were prepared to open clubs and continue teaching.