AIWAKAI

PERSONAL HISTORY OF HIRONORI OHTSUKA

FOUNDER OF WADO-RYU KARATE

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Hironori Ohtsuka the founder of Wado-Ryu Karate-do was born on June 1st 1892 in Shimodate City, Ibaragi Prefecture. Like many great martial masters of this time Hironori Ohtsuka was a sickly child and it was deemed by his family that the study of martial arts would greatly benefit his health. At the age of five, on the advice of his grandmother he started to study Ju-Jitsu. His first lessons were from his grandfather, Chokiro Ebashi a martial arts teacher of the Tsuchira clan. Under his study the young Hironori Ohtsuka learnt the art of Tsuki (punching), Keri (kicking) and Nagewaza (throwing).

 

When he was thirteen years old Hironori Ohtsuka joined the Shindo-Yoshin-Ryu school of Ju-Jitsu under its 3rd Grandmaster, Tatsusaburo Nakayama who was a Kendo instructor of the Jishin Kage Ryu. After entering Waseda University, Tokyo, aged eighteen, he continued to gain experience in Shindo-Yoshin-Ryu which emphasised precise strikes to vital points (atemi waza) using hands and feet.

 

During this time at University he decided to pursue the furtherance of his skills in Ju-Jitsu over a period of four years practicing with other styles of Ju-Jitsu. He soon realised that studying in the other styles of Ju-Jitsu was repetitive and decided to fully concentrate his studies in Shindo-Yoshin-Ryu. However he gained vast experience in the application of Ju-Jitsu in his visits to various Dojo and many challenges of Hon-Gumite (real fighting), were proposed. Hironori Ohtsuka gained immense experience from these matches which served to rapidly increase his skills in the various techniques of Ju-Jitsu.

 

On the 1st June 1921, aged thirty years, he was awarded the licence of the highest degree in Shindo Yoshin Ryu, which allowed him to become the 4th Grandmaster, succeeding Tatsusaburo Nakayama. The licence proved he was a true master and was granted the award of Menkyo Kaiden, meaning "licence of total transmission".

Ohtsuka Sensei attended a demonstration of Okinawan Tode (Karate), in July 1922 at Meiseijuku dormitory, a hostel for Okinawan students in Tokyo. The demonstration was given by Gichin Funokoshi, (Shoto), a Shuri-te exponent who later founded the Shotokan style of Karate.

 

Ohtsuka Sensei insatiable thirst for knowledge saw him training virtually every day under Funokoshi Sensei. Ohtsuka Sensei's skills and progress amazed Funakoshi Sensei and that after one year's training, he was entrusted with the title Shihan Dai, (Vice Chief Instructor).

 

It was around this time that Ohtsuka Sensei started to develop his skills in bone setting and the traditional methods of Kappo and Katsu (Kappo are injury methods usually translated resuscitation for restoration of vital signs. This includes Katsu sometimes used as a synonym for Kappo or resuscitation techniques.)

 

The skills of resuscitation were practiced at this time by Jigro Kano the founder of modern Kodokan Judo and are still practiced today within some circles of Judo practiced in Japan.

 

Ohtsuka Sensei continued in his quest for knowledge of the martial arts, he visited various Karate Dojo's where he exchanged techniques with other Sensei from Okinawa, two of the most prolific being Choki Motobu (Motobu-Ryu) and Kenwa Mabuni (Shito-Ryu).

 

Masters of karate in Tokyo (c. 1930s), from left to right, Kanken Toyama, Hironori Otsuka, Takeshi Shimoda, Gichin Funakoshi, Motobu Chōki, Kenwa Mabuni, Genwa Nakasone, and Shinken Taira

 

In 1924 Ohtsuka Sensei had developed many Yakusoko Kumite, (pre-arranged fighting techniques). He had also developed Idori-No-Kata (kneeling defences), Tachi-No-Kata and Shirahatori-No-Kata (defence against the long sword).

 

At the age of 37, 1929 was to be a very important year for him, drawing heavily upon his knowledge of Ju-Jitsu he merged the two arts of Shindo-Yoshi-Ryu and Okinawa Te and founded his own school Wado-Ryu Karate Jutsu and Wado-Ryu Ju-Jutsu Kenpo.

 

1934 was the year in which Ohtsuka Sensei registered his school with the Dai Nippon Buto Kukai, which was an association created by the Japanese government in 1895 to oversee the martial arts. He was also awarded the title "Renshi" by the same association. At this time he started learning "Yagyu Shinkage Kenjutsu" from Gihachiro Kubo, the 9th Grandmaster of the Yagyu Shinkage Ryu Kenjutsu of the Tosa Clan.

 

 

In 1938 the Butokai held a Budo festival and each Ryu (school), had to register its name and the name of the founder. Ohtsuka Sensei first thought of callling his style "Shishu Wado-Ryu" but he was advised by Gihachiro Kubo to drop the word "Shinshu" and simply call it "Wado-Ryu". (Shinshu is a rather over patriotic name for Japan and sounds strange in the modern generaration, although the "Wa" means peace and harmony, the word "Wa" is often meant to mean Japan), as he felt the name was repetitious. Ohtsuka Sensei was also awarded the title Tasshi (Kyoshi-Go).

 

In 1944 the Dai Nippon Buto Kukai asked Ohtsuka Sensei to become its Chief Instructor for Japan. Just as Judo emerged Ju-Jitsu and Kendo from Kenjutsu, Ohtsuka Sensei also felt Karate should develop from a Jutsu form into a "do" form and include the element of Sport. The first All Japan Wado-Ryu Championships were held in 1955.

 

In the early 1960's Ohtsuka Sensei dispatched a small number of his top students to spread the art of Wado-Ryu throughout the world.

 

Ohtsuka Sensei was awarded the rank of "Kun Go To" and decorated with the medal "Soukuo Kyoujujiso Show" (comparable with the O.B.E.), from Emperor Hirohito in 1966 for his dedication to the introduction and teaching of Karate. In the late 1960's Wado Ryu developed at a very rapid rate until the present day, where it is now the most practiced style of Karate Do in the world.

 

It was to be in the year 1972 that Higashikuni No Miya (a member of the royal family and President of the Kokusai Budo Renmei) award Ohtsuka Sensei the title of "Meijin", the ultimate title in martial arts, he was the first man in the history of Karate to recieve the great honour.

 

November 1981 Hironori Ohtsuka abdicated his position of Grandmaster and nominated his second oldest son, Jiro Ohtsuka as the second Grandmaster of Wado Ryu who out of respect adopted his father's name and became Hironori Ohtsuka 2nd. The second Grandmaster of Wado Ryu. Ohtsuka Sensei once wrote a short poem in which he said "I walk intently along the way of martial arts continuously until I come to the real end, until the extinction of my body".

 

On the 29th January 1982 just four months short of his 90th birthday, Hironori Ohtsuka Grandmaster of Wado Ryu Karate passed away.

Accomplished people are often refered to as having a lifetime of experience in their particular field of endevour, in Ohtsuka Sensei's case even this description seems slightly inadequate, his martial arts experience spanned over 84 years of deep involvement.

 

"The true purpose of "Budo" is to search for truth".

"In Karate three elements are important - physical strength, spirit and heart".

"The end of "Do" cannot be achieved in a few years; it is a lifelong search".

"Perhaps you could say the aim is to make us better human beings".

"I am still struggling to the top of a high mountain".