Michael Robinson Kancho Bio & History

Michael Robinson began his martial arts path at the age of eight under Ronald Carter Sensei, (student of Thomas Boddie). At the age of eleven, he was awarded his brown belt in Japanese Goju and showed great promise in both kata and kumite. He remembers four-hour classes, three times a week as a normal thing in those days.

 At age eleven, Robinson Sensei began training under Master Leon Wallace (student of Peter Urban) and continued to do so for the next decade. Training was severe, five days a week (as he continued with Carter Sensei) and Saturdays was “kumite day” at the Harlem YMCA where there was a Shotokan club that welcomed outsiders. Sundays were reserved for tournaments attended with Wallace Sensei.  At age sixteen, Robinson Sensei began studying under Thomas Boddie Sensei (student of Urban while he was still under Yamaguchi).  

 In the mid-1960’s, at the age of eighteen, Robinson Sensei’s father moved the entire family to Tokyo while on assignment with the UN. Upon arrival, Robinson Sensei took up his training at the Shoreikan Dojo in Tokyo under Master Seikichi Toguchi. He trained there full time for the year his family lived in Japan.

Upon returning to New York City, Robinson Sensei resumed his training at the Uptown Dojo of Boddie Sensei in upper Manhattan at 164th St. and Amsterdam Ave. He received the rank of Sho dan at age 22 from Boddie Sensei.  A number of prominent Japanese instructors filtered through this historic dojo. Shinoda Sensei came first for about a year, at that time he was the US representative of the Shoreikan.  Not long after, a remarkable event occurred.  The entire dojo, including Boddie Sensei, was converted to the Shoreikan system. This event would be unheard of in today’s martial arts world. Boddie Sensei saw the wisdom of converting to Okinawan Goju under the auspices of Toguchi and Shinoda Sensei’s knowledge and tutelage. His heart was larger than his personality, a great lesson for the rest of us. Soon after, Toshio Tamano Sensei arrived and began instructing in Boddie Sensei’s dojo. Tamano Sensei eventually opened his own branch of the Shoreikan in N.Y.C. and Robinson Sensei trained with both Boddie Sensei and Tamano Sensei for the next decade. Akira Kawakami Sensei also came and trained and instructed there until he moved to Oklahoma and opened his own dojo..

 While in New York, Robinson was introduced to the Zen priest (and Gojuryu master) Soken Sakiyama, also known as Osho-san. Osho-san was living a semi-monastic life, traveling and teaching Zen Buddhism (reminiscent of Bodhidharma). He was also a direct student of Grandmaster Miyagi Chojun, the founder of Gojuryu.  Osho-san trained with him for much of his life. He considered the kata, Sanchin, a dynamic, moving, meditation exercise of great value.  Robinson began his formal training in Zen with Osho-san and continued until Osho-san returned to Okinawa.

 While studying and training at the Uptown Dojo, Robinson Sensei also traveled to and trained in Okinawa and later traveled to China to further refine his knowledge and skill level.  On Robinson Sensei’s first trip to Okinawa, he stayed and trained for four years. The first year he trained exclusively with Toguchi Sensei at the Shoreikan in Naha City and received his Ni dan rank, and later (in NYC) his San dan rank, from Master Toguchi.  Robinson Sensei was able to locate Soken Sakiyama Sensei (Osho-san) in Okinawa and began his tutelage under the master once again. At this time, he trained with both Toguchi Sensei and with Osho-san.  In his small monastery, Osho-san taught him Zen, Goju-ryu-in the forms of Seiyunchin, Sanchin, Kururunfa, and Tensho kata, as well as the kata Hakutsuru (White Crane). As many of our readers know, there are several versions of the White Crane form. The version of Hakutsuru kata that Osho-san taught Robinson contained the elements of both Shuri-te and Naha-te.  This version was probably developed by Kanro Higashionna and Gokenki (Wu Xiangi or Wu Hsien Kuei).  

 As Osho-san was a Zen Priest, he did not award rank nor did he issue diplomas. Osho-san knew that Robinson would more than likely teach Gojuryu when he returned to the U.S. so he evaluated him on his knowledge and skill level and verbally stated that Robinson, at that time, was equivalent to a rank of Yon dan. On a subsequent visit to the U.S., Osho-san evaluated him and simply stated that he had reached the equivalent of Go dan.

 Upon learning the lineage of Master Eiichi Miyazato (direct student of Miyagi), Robinson Sensei sought him out in Okinawa and began training with Miyazato Sensei while also training full-time in both Zen and Gojuryu with Osho-san. On numerous occasions, he also took advantage of the opportunities to visit and train with Master Meitoku Yagi as well.

 It may surprise many of us that in Okinawa at that time, students were, on occasion, encouraged to train with other teachers to further their knowledge or refine their technique at the appropriate time. Protocol demanded that the student receive permission from their current sensei before learning from another at the same time. Robinson Sensei was fortunate to have teachers evolved enough to grant permission as well as to arrange personal introductions.

 To the advanced student of Gojuryu, it comes as no surprise that a serious practitioner of the art is inclined to search for the origins of his art. Most of us do not, however, actually physically retrace the steps of the development of our art back to China. This is, however, exactly what Robinson Sensei has done with his life. After a short three-month stay in China (during his first trip to Okinawa), he was determined to travel to and train in China. Robinson Sensei eventually received a student visa from the Chinese authorities to study Traditional Chinese Medicine at the Fuchow University of Internal Medicine. He was taught the internal arts of Tai Chi, Chi Kung and Pa Qua as well as acupuncture, traditional Chinese herbal remedies, medical massage, moxibustion and numerous types of healing Chi Kung exercises. Eventually, he traveled to the Fukien Province to seek out the gung-fu sifu he had been referred to by the chi gong teachers employed by the University Hospital. Due to the historical influence of White Crane chaun-fa on Gojuryu, Robinson Sensei long ago decided to seek out a Crane Boxing sifu. He did just that and studied Crane Boxing for the duration of his stay in China.

 During his years in China (and subsequent decades of study, research and practice), Robinson Sensei has learned, and is qualified to teach instructors, the following:

 Yang style Tai Chi

Chen style Tai Chi

Hou (small circle Chen style) style Tai Chi

Swimming Dragon chi kung

Happoren (White Crane) chi kung exercises

Eight Brocade chi kung

Tai Chi chi kung

The six healing sounds

Chi kung for arthritis

Sinew changes chi kung

Bone marrow washing chi kung

It is said that the classical man must master both the pen and the sword. To this end, Robinson Sensei has translated a number of books and martial arts texts from ancient Chinese into the English language. He embarked on this journey as a scholar over 25 years ago when he began translating an ancient Shaolin temple training manual called the Wupeichih (Bubishi). This was an epic undertaking and took more than 10 years of full-time research to complete. He completed this book long before any translations were published by more prolific authors and translators. In addition to the Bubishi, he has translated several books including the following:

 Lo Ho Ba Fa-8 ways and 6 methods boxing-the counter to Tai Chi boxing

Plum Blossom Post book

Iron Palm book

Fukienese Crane boxing

Crane boxing

Karate do Kempo by Kenwa Mabuni

 Robinson Sensei founded the Shoreiha Goju-ryu Research and Preservation Society in 1991 to preserve the teachings of Grand Master Miyagi Chojun, as well as to foster and preserve the practice of the internal arts in which Gojuryu is rooted.

 Robinson Sensei currently resides and teaches in New York City and travels throughout the country giving workshops and Master Class seminars in Okinawan Gojuryu to many established Sensei who have not had the opportunity to live and train in Okinawa.

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