Goju-Kai Karate-Do was founded by
Gogen Yamaguchi，山口剛玄 （1909-1989）in Japan. He is recognized as one of the
greatest Karate masters. He was the founder of what might be called modern Karate, an
advanced stage which illustrates both a technical and social elevation of the art of
Karate. Master Yamaguchi originated "jiyu-kumite", the sparring aspect of Karate
exercise.
In the United States, Gogen Yamaguchi is called "Cat", though no one knows of the origin of this nickname. In 1969, Master Yamaguchi was honored by Emperor Hirohito of Japan with Blue Ribbon Medal，“ranju-hosho”，藍綬褒章．