Profile of Kimo Wall

Kimo Sensei began his training in Okinawa Goju-Ryu at the age of six years old. In 1961, as an adult, he joined the United States Marine Corps and was stationed in Okinawa where he joined the Shodokan Dojo of Master Higa Seiko.  Master Higa Seiko was one of Okinawa's most profound Masters of Goju-Ryu karate. During this same period, Kimo Sensei also began studying Kobudo under Master Matayoshi Shinpo.

During his extensive training Kimo Sensei also had the opportunity to train at Master Toguchi Seikichi's Shoreikan Dojo where he learned Master Toguchi's Gekiha and Kakuha training kata. These kata are special training tools for those training in Goju-Ryu karate and assist in the development of Bunkai for all kata.

For more than forty years Kimo Sensei lived, worked, and trained in such places as Hawaii, Taiwan, Okinawa, and Singapore. In addition to teaching traditional martial and healing arts, Sensei was instrumental in establishing dojo in Hokkaido, Japan, Puerto Rico, Guatemala, and through out North America.

Kimo Sensei traveled to Thailand to study the ancient art of Nuad Bo Rarn, a traditional therapeutic massage, which has a close relationship to the roots of martial arts. He also studied the art of kong li from Master Liu Chang I in Taiwan. Kong Li is a special part of the eating crane system used to develop ligaments and tendons. He also traveled to Singapore where he studied medical Ji-gong, which originated from Fuchou City, Fukien, China. Kimo Sensei has always believed that these healing arts are an integral part of original martial arts training and has incorporated them into his Kodokan Dojo.

Kimo Sensei also believes that the martial arts are intended to be a way to develop a person into a good citizen, no matter what country they are from. He lives by the Maxim: “Replace fear and doubt with knowledge and understanding”.

Over the years Kimo Sensei has hared many wonderful and educational trips to Okinawa with many of his students and also enjoyed having his Masters visit the USA. It has always been a great cultural exchange for both sides. Two of the most interesting and memorable occasions was the summer of 1995 when Master Matayoshi and Kimo Sensei spent three months together traveling over seven thousand miles around the USA holding seminars and visiting Dojos from coast to coast. Then in 1996, Kimo Sensei made the same trip with Master Liu Chang I. Both summers were filled with great fun and learning.

Kimo Sensei lives in beautiful Panajachel, Guatemala, where he invites anyone to come and study, and share, these sacred arts with him, at the Kodokan International Headquarters.

Profile of Russ Smith

Russ Smith began his formal training in Japanese Goju-Ryu twenty years ago in the Philippines. Upon his return to the USA, Russ's interest in the origins of Goju-Ryu were piqued by authors such as Patrick McCarthy and John Sells and led to him seeking out instruction in Okinawan Goju-Ryu under one of Higaonna Morio's senior students in the USA, Tony Madamba.

Russ now practices Goju-Ryu under the tutelage of Kimo Wall and trains in Matayoshi kobudo both under Kimo Wall and Gakiya Yoshiaki, whom many consider to be the successor to the Matayoshi method of Okinawan weapons training.

Russ also studies Wuzuquan from John Graham (student of Chee Kim Thong) and Filipino Martial Arts under Ray Dionaldo.