Meitatsu Yagi

Meitatsu Yagi (八木明達Yagi Meitatsu , nacido el 7 de julio de 1944 ^{[ 1 ]} ) es el hijo mayor de Meitoku Yagi y siguió sus pasos como maestro y practicante de Karate .

Meitatsu fue instruido desde los 5 años directamente por su padre, el gran maestro Meitoku Yagi ^{[ 2 ]} , y obtuvo su rango de Shodan en 1960, a la edad de 16 años ^{[ 1 ]} .

Al entrenar con su padre durante más de cincuenta años, fue preparado y entrenado para continuar el legado del karate Meibukan Goju-Ryu (estilo duro-suave). Uno de los objetivos de Yagi ha sido difundir el karate Meibukan Goju-Ryu por todo el mundo. Yagi ha vivido, trabajado, fundado nuevos dojos y enseñado Meibukan en varios lugares fuera de Okinawa y alrededor del mundo. Yagi vivió en los EE. UU. de 1964 a 1970; en Guam de 1971 a 1975; En Saipán de 1995 a 1997 y en Filipinas de 1997 a 1998. Tras regresar de Guam en 1975, Yagi recibió el título de Renshi 6º Dan y se convirtió en Director de la Asociación de Karate-Do de Okinawa en 1976. También en 1976, se le encomendaron las responsabilidades de enseñanza en el Hombu Dojo de Okinawa como Presidente de Goju-Ryu Meibu-kai, con Meitetsu Yagi (su hermano menor) como Vicepresidente y Meitoku Yagi como Presidente/Consultor.

En 1980 escribió su primer libro Karate vuela alrededor del mundo ^{[ 1 ]} .

Meitoku Yagi chose his eldest son Meitatsu to be the first to learn all facets of Meibukan Goju-Ryu. He helped develop and teach all the kata, Renzoku Kumite, Kakomi Kumite, Meibukan Bo, Meibukan Sai, Nihon Kumite, Renzoku form and Kakomi forms. Although many profess to be Meibukan practitioners, many have not learned or practiced the forms developed by him for his style. These forms are an integral part of Meibukan Goju-Ryu.

Meitatsu was a director of the All Okinawa Karate-Do Gojyu-Kai for 20 years. He also served a two-year term as President of the Okinawan Karate-Do Goju-Kai in 1987 as well as President of the Hombu Dojo in Kume.

In 1995 Meitatsu worked in Saipan and the Philippines, returning in 1998 to help care for his father who was ailing at the time. Meitoku Yagi gave Meitatsu Yagi the title of Hanshi Judan, Okinawa Karate-Do Goju-Kai in 1997. Meitatsu Yagi travels the world meeting and teaching hundreds of people each year in seminars in India, Canada, Israel, Italy, the USA, England and France as well as South America.

Meitatsu has also been very active in promoting the Okinawa Traditional Karatedo Kobudo International Studying Center in Yomitan Village, Okinawa^[1]. He is working with Kenyu CHINEN of Shorin-Ryu and Yasuo SHIMOJI of Uechi Ryu. All three masters are traditional Okinawan teachers and are working together to promote Okinawa Traditional Karate-Do and Kobudo in Okinawa and around the world.

In 2007, he published his second book on the history and philosophy of Meibukan gojyu-ryu, entitled, "Importance of Spiritual Karate^[1]".

Meitatsu was the president of the International Meibukan Goju-ryu Karate Association (IMGKA).^[3] until December 2015, when his son Akihito Yagi became the new president.^[4]

Meitatsu Yagi is married and has two children - Akihito Yagi and Akihiro Yagi, both were trained by Meitatsu Yagi and currently lead the IMGKA association^[4]

He lives in Naha, Okinawa