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history / Australia
The founder of Wado-Ryu Karate, Hironori OHTSUKA was born
in 1892. His father Dr. Tokujiro OHTSUKA operated a clinic at
their home in Shimodate, Ibaraki prefecture. His mother's uncle,
Chojiro EBASHI was a samurai warrior who kept the young OHTSUKA
spellbound with tales of exciting samurai adventure.
In 1898, when only six years old, Hironori OHTSUKA began
practising Ju Jitsu. By the age of 13 he was a young shave tail in
the Shinto Yoshin school of Ju Jitsu studying under Yukiyoshi
Tatsuoburo NAKAYAMA. Whereas most Ju Jitsu schools specialised in
naga waza (throwing and ground or striking techniques), the Shinto
Yoshin Ryu stressed atemi, striking and kicking.
At 19 he entered the Waseda University and while majoring in
business administration he started training in atemi style kempo
in addition to his regular training in Shinto Yoshin Ryu.
On June 1, 1921 OHSTUKA celebrated his 29th birthday by taking
over the mastership of the Shinto Yoshin Ryu from NAKAYAMA sensei
upon receipt of a certificate of full proficiency in the Ju Jitsu
School.
The following year OHTSUKA Sensei went to Tokyo after hearing
about an Okinawan named Gitchin FUNAKOSHI who on invitation from
the Crown Prince had travelled to Tokyo to perform his local
martial art before the Emperor of Japan. This new art was called
karate.
OHTSUKA Sensei wasted no time in introducing himself to the karate
master who welcomed him warmly. This was to be the start of a long
and close friendship between the two. OHTSUKA Sensei trained
virtually every night at the Meishojuko Dojo and from that moment
on ideas on how to adapt his atemi techniques to karate were
constantly on his mind.
In 1927 OHTSUKA Sensei began working as a medical specialist
treating persons injured in the martial arts. He continued his
karate training and two years later he organised the first school
karate club at the Tokyo University. He launched a study into a
method of arranging kumite (free style fighting) into competitive
matches, laying the basis for the present kumite style matches.
After 1930 OHTSUKA Sensei set up a string of karate clubs at
various universities in Tokyo. In 1934 he officially inaugurated
his own unique style of karate which he called karate promotion
club. It was not until 1940 that OHTSUKA Sensei finally devised
the name of our style, WADO-RYU, meaning ' The way of harmony'.
The atemi and nage waza techniques of Ju Jitsu have had a strong
influence in the formation of the Wado Ryu Karate. As it exists
today the Wado system is a culmination of a life times work by its
founder. For his outstanding contribution to karate, the Japanese
Government awarded OHTSUKA Sensei the fifth order of merit.
In 1972 OHTSUKA sensei received the highest award the Emperor of
Japan can award, the Hanashi award. With this came the honour of
being ranked at the head of all martial arts systems within the
Japan Karate-Do Federation.
Sadly OHTSUKA Sensei passed away in 1982, however his techniques
and his legacy live on in his successor and Current Chief
Instructor of the Wado-Ryu System, Grandmaster Hironori OHTSUKA
II, son of the founder.
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