Seiko Higa was born in Naha, Okinawa on November 8th 1898, and began his training with Kanryo Higaonna at the age of 13. After Sensei Higaonna’s death in 1915, he trained with Chojun Miyagi.

Seiko Higa was a very educated man and was employed as an elementary school teacher. He resigned after one year and then went on to have a lengthy career as a policeman. After ten years as a policeman Higa resigned and dedicated himself to Karate. In 1931, he left the force and opened his own dojo in Naha, Okinawa. From 1937 to 1939 he taught in Saipan in the South Pacific. After World War II, he opened a new dojo in Itoman-cho and taught at a high school Karatedo club, Ryukyu University and the Naha prison. In a document published in 1952, an Okinawan newspaper, Miyagi listed the senior’s members of his group and their titles and only Seiko Higa was listed as “Headmaster”.

After the death of Chojun Miyagi, Higa stepped in as Chojun Miyagi’s temporary successor. These responsibilities that would soon after pass to Miyazato Eiichi, Meitoku Yagi heading his Meibu-Kan, who would later receive the Menkyo-Kaiden. Many of Miyagi Chijun’s students went their own way to establish dojo and organizations. heading the Jundo-Kan and in May of 1956 At Shoshin Nagamine’s dojo (founder of Matsubayashi Ryu) nineteen Karatedo teachers got together and established the Okinawa Karatedo Federation, Higa became Vice-chairman and four years later he became Chairman.

In 1960 Higa opened a dojo in the Yogi district of Naha naming it the Shodokan and created the International Karatedo and Kobudo Federation. The Shodokan dojo was a very popular place among zealous Karatedo practitioner and the great Matayoshi Shinpo taught Kobudo there.

Seiko Higa

Choboku Takamine took over as president of the IKKF after Higa’s death in 1966 and his son, Seikichi Higa, became head instructor at the Shodokan.

Kanki Izumikawa and Teruo Hayashi are among his top students.

Others that find their lineage through Higa include, Seikichi Toguchi (Shoreikan), Seko Fukuchi (Senbukan), Tetsuhiro Hokama (Kenshinkai), from mainland Japan Kanki Izumikawa (Seito Gojuryu, Sengukan), Seikichi Higa (Higa’s son) and Choboku Takamine. After Seiko Higa, Choboku Takamine became president of International Karatedo Kobudo Federation, and Seikichi Higa became Chief instructor of the Shodokan dojo.

Higa believed that true purpose of Karatedo is to serve the public and promote friendship throughout the World.

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