Hirofumi Mizuguchi

One of the most respected Shito-Ryu masters, Hirofumi Mizuguchi, was a longtime assistant of Kenei Mabuni, the son of Shito–Ryu founder, Kenwa Mabuni.

Hirofumi Mizuguchi was born on 25 April 1936, in Osaka, Japan. He began learning Karate in 1948 from Kenwa Mabuni, who had brought his style of Karate from Okinawa in the 1920s.

Mizuguchi main training partners at Mabuni’s dojo were Kenei and Kenzo Mabuni.

On 23 May 1952, Shito-Ryu Karate founder, Kenwa Mabuni died. He was succeeded by his oldest son, Kenei (although in some circles Kenzo is considered his successor).

Towards the end of the 1950s, Kenei Mabuni sent Mizuguchi to Okinawa to train with Okinawan Karate master, Chosin Chibana. Mizuguchi trained with Chibana for around five years.

On his return to mainland Japan, Mizuguchi resumed his training with Kenei Mabuni.

In 1966 Mizuguchi opened his first Kenshikai dojo in the Ibraki suburb of Osaka. He later relocated dojo to the Taktsuki suburb of Osaka.

For the next few years, Mizuguchi worked hard at establishing his dojo and developing his students.

The 1st World Shito–Ryu Karate-do Championships were held in March 1993 in Tokyo, Japan. Mizuguchi conducted a seminar, where he demonstrated and taught the kata Niipaipo to the attendees.

By 1995 Mizuguchi started traveling to Europe to conduct, seminars and courses. In 1995 he conducted his first seminar in Bordeaux, France. This would become an annual event.

Apart from the frequent visits to France Mizuguchi also frequently visited Spain. In 2006 he made his first visit to the Catalan region of Spain. He made his second visit to the Catalan region in 2011. This was followed by a visit to Granada in 2012, and Barcelona in 2013.

On 19 December 2012, Mizuguchi’s longtime teacher Kenei Mabuni died.

On 24 June 2016, Hirofumi Mizuguchi died, aged 81. He was succeeded by his assistant, Kentaro Yamaoka as the head of the Shito–Ryu Kenshikai.

For many years Hirofumi Mizuguchi was at the forefront of Shito–Ryu. He was the first assistant of a Kenei Mabuni. He was the founder and President of Shito–Ryu Karate-do Kenshikai Yoshikan. He was a director of the World Shito–Ryu Karate-do Federation and President of the Japan Karate-Do Federation (Kansas region).