Sensei Teruo Chinen began his training in Goju Ryu karate in 1951 directly under the tutelage of Chojun Miyagi Sensei. In 1953, upon the death of Chojun Miyagi, Sensei Chinen continued his training under Ei’ichi Miyazato.
In 1969 Sensei Chinen moved to the United States and began teaching Okinawan Goju Ryu in Spokane, Washington. At that time Sensei Chinen was Chairman of the Okinawan Goju Ryu Karate-Do Federation.
Sensei Chinen then formed Jundokan International in honor of his teacher, Sensei Miyazato. Jundokan is the name of Sensei Miyazato’s dojo. Jundokan dojos now operate throughout the United States, Canada and Europe.
Before his death, Sensei Teruo Chinen spent much of his time travelling around North America and Europe lecturing and teaching traditional Okinawan style karate. He had become one of the most sought after speakers, lecturing to groups from all styles of karate. He taught traditional style karate, in the traditional way, as he learned from his first sensei, founder of Goju Ryu Karate-Do, Miyagi Chojun Sensei.
Sadly, Teruo Chinen passed away on September 9, 2015, in Spokane, Washington.
Read Teruo Chinen: An Ancient Man in a Modern World by Robert Hunt
