As one of the true karate pioneers, Peter Urban introduced Goju Ryu karate to the U.S. in 1959, and was one of the first to teach karate in the eastern U.S. Urban began his martial arts training at age 18 in Japan with Richard Kim, Gogen Yamaguchi and Mas Oyama. Urban resigned in 1966 as East Coast Goju Ryu representative to found his own American Goju Association. Urban was one of the few Americans to compete in the All Japan Collegiate Championships in 1957, and authored "The Karate dojo" in 1967.