After several months in China, Chōjun Miyagi returned to Naha where he opened a dojo. He taught for many years, gaining an enormous reputation as a karateka. According to some stories, when students started training under Miyagi Sensei, for the first 6-12 months he did not teach them any Karate techniques, and instead gave them chores in the backyard such as moving rocks or trees. This both strengthened his students and also made sure that only those who really had a strong character stayed. This also followed Higaonna's request from him "Do not teach Karate easily to people".

Chōjun Miyagi (宮城 長順, Miyagi Chōjun; April 25, 1888 – October 8, 1953) was an Okinawan martial artist who founded the Gōjū-ryū school of karate by blending Okinawan and Chinese influences.