People - O
Important people within Karate
Simon O'Brien 5th Dan
Chief Instructor of Imperial Karate
Website: www.imperialkarate.com
Ohtsuka Hironori Meijin 10th Dan (AD1892-1982)
The Founder of Wado Ryu Karate
Hironori-Ohtsuka was born in Shimodate City, Ibiragi, Japan on the 1st June 1892. He was the first son of Tokujiro-Ohtsuka, who was a doctor of medicine. 1892 was also the year that the Dai-Nippon-Butoku-Kai was established.
He started training under Chojiro-Ebashi, an uncle of his mother, in April 1897 at the age of four, a style of training he would continue with, even at Waseda University in Tokyo.
In 1905 Ohtsuka-Hironori entered the Shimozuma middle school, where he started Shindo-Yoshin-ryu Ju-jutsu under Tatsusaburo-Nakayama.
In 1910 Ohtsuka-Hironori entered Waseda University to learn commerce.
In 1917 he started work at the Kawasaki bank, at this stage he was learning numerous styles of Ju-jutsu. Ohtsuka-Hironori met, and became good friends, with the founder of Aikido, Morihei-Ueshiba.
In May 1919 he became master of 'bone-setting technique'.
On the 1st of July 1921 he received his Shindo-Yoshin-ryu Ju-jutsu licence from Tatsusaburo-Nakayama, and so became the Highest Authority.
He
started his Karate training with the famous Gichin-Funikoshi in July 1922, a style known as Karate-jutsu.
Ohtsuka-Hironori met Funikoshi Sensei during a martial-arts demonstration at the Sports Festival organised by
the Japanese Educational Department. Funikoshi Sensei agreed to teach Ohtsuka-Hironori all he knew about
Okinawan Karate-jutsu, the lessons started that same day. Within one year Ohtsuka-Hironori had studied all the
Kata within the system. Even after this time Ohtsuka-Hironori could see the 'shortfall' in the Kata-only system.
It was explained to him that all of the concepts of 'Budo' was within Kata, and that was the only aspect to train.
In 1924 Ohtsuka-Hironori introduced Yakusoku-gumite to the system, this concept of 'partner-work' revolutionised Karate-jutsu. He also developed Idori-no-kata, Tachiai-no-kata, and Shirahatori-no-kata.
In 1928 he was 'Shindo-Yoshin-ryu Shihan', the Chief Instructor of his Shindo-Yoshin-ryu, he also set up a 'bone-setting' practice at this time.
In 1929 he registered with the 'Nippon-Kobudo-Shinko-Kai', the Japanese Martial-arts Federation.
In 1934 Ohtsuka-Hironori was recognised as an independent style, and started teaching full-time. Due to his dedication to Karate he had to close his 'bone-setting' business.
In 1938 Ohtsuka-Hironori registered his new style as Shin-Shu-Wado-ryu.
In 1939 all Karate styles were asked to register their systems with the 'Dai-
Nippon-Butoku-Kai', Ohtsuka-Hironori named his style Wado-ryu. Other styles that registered were Goju-ryu,
Shito-ryu, and Shoto-ryu (Shotokan-ryu).
In 1940 on May the 5th the 'All Styles Karate Demonstrations' took
place at Butoku-Den in Kyoto. All the major styles took part, these included Goju-ryu, Keishi-Kempo, Nippon-
Kempo-ryu, Shito-ryu, Shoto-ryu, and Wado-ryu.
In 1944 Ohtsuka-Hironori was promoted to Chief Instructor of all Karate under the Dai-Nippon-Butoku-kai.
In 1945 the Americans, at the end of the Second World War, disbanded all martial-arts.
In 1951 all martial-arts were reinstated, after the signing of the American peace treaty with Japan.
In 1955 the first Karate tournament took place, organised by Ohtsuka-Hironori, it was called the 'First All Japan Wado-ryu Karate Championships'.
In 1964 'The All Japan Karate-do Federation' (JKF) was established. This same year Suzuki-Tatsuo, Arakawa-Toru, and Takashima-Hajime introduced Wado-ryu to Great Britain, Europe, and the United States of America.
In 1966 Ohtsuka-Hironori was awarded 'Kun-Goto-Soukuo-Kyo-Kuju-jutsu-Sho' (similar to the OBE in Great Britain) from Emperor Hirohito for his dedication to Karate.
In 1972 he
was awarded the title of Meijin from Higashino-Kunino-Miya (a member of the Japanese royal family) President of the International Martial-arts Federation the 'Kokusai-
Budo-Renmei'. Ohtsuka-Hironori was the first man in history to receive this the highest honour in martial-arts. For his services to Japanese martial-arts, and to honour
his new position as the highest Karate Authority in Japan, he was awarded the Shiju-Hoosho medal from the Japanese Government, the only man in the history of Karate
to be so honoured.
Below is an adaptation from an open letter written by Ohtsuka Hironori (10th Dan) Meijin
to all Wado-Ryu students, sent out two-years prior to his death, explaining the origins of
Wado-ryu.
"At the age of five
years old, I was in very
poor health. It was
then that I began my
training in Ju-jutsu at
the school of my uncle,
Sensei Chojiro-Ehashi,
the official martial arts
instructor of the Tsuchiura
Clan. Since this
time I have trained
continuously until my
present age of eightyeight
years. For this, I
can heartily thank the
traditional Samurai
education, which was
both gentle and strict. I
also thank and pray for
my dear mother without
whom I could never have succeeded in my deepest aims; I thank her sincerely for always being
near.
On my thirtieth birthday, Master Nakayama, the third Grandmaster of Shinto Yoshin-ryu Ju-jutsu, allowed
me to learn the deepest and most secret doctrines of our school. It was then that I succeeded
him as the fourth Grandmaster.
Karate was becoming increasingly popular around this time, and I began to study its techniques from
several eminent Okinawan masters who had begun to teach in Tokyo. It occurred to me that there
were many fine attributes in the Okinawan systems, and so decided to blend these with the finest elements
of Shinto Yoshin-ryu Ju-jutsu to create a genuine and original Japanese martial-art. Through this
process I developed Kumite, Gyaku-nage, I-dori, Tachi-iai, Tanken-dori, and Shinken-Shirai-dori.
Every year, for purposes of promoting the Japanese martial-arts, the Butokuden in Kyoto held a national
festival. In 1938, the festival focused on the originators of each martial-art, however, no originator
of Japanese Karate had been identified. I named the originator of the first true Japanese style of
Karate-Do as Shiro-Yoshitoki-Akiyama (the founder of Shinto Yoshin-ryu Jujitsu) and named this new
style of Karate-Do, 'Wado-Ryu' meaning: 'Japanese-way school' or also 'Peaceful-way school' since the
Kanji lettering for 'Wa' can mean both.
The fundamental meaning and original aims of martial-arts is the promotion of Peace. To bring peace
to society and to guard against its loss so that human beings can enjoy a happy life. We must strive for
peace in a world where it is increasingly difficult to achieve. We must not simply rely on God's mercy to
achieve it but must strive as individuals, with all our will, to attain it. Immense spiritual and physical
power is required so we will not surrender to the difficulties and barriers which lie before us on this
journey The hard training in martial-arts aims to foster this dauntless, indefatigable strength which is
why the beauty of martial-arts training is beyond the vicissitudes of mundane affairs."
On the 29th of January 1982 Ohtsuka-Hironori Meijin died at the age 89, he had practised martial-arts
for 85 years.
"Buno-michi-wa Tada-aragoto-na-to-omohiso Wa-no-michi-kiwa-me Wa-o-motomu-michi: The way to
practise martial-arts is not for fighting. Always look for your own inner peace and harmony, search for
it."
Ohtsuka-Hironori.
Wayne Otto OBE 4th Dan
England National Coach with 9 World Championship Titles.
Wayne Otto is, without doubt, the most successful Karate competitor Britain has ever produced. Since his retirement from International competition he has been awarded the OBE for his services to Karate, appointed first the Assistant England National Coach and then the England National Coach. Ticky Donovan OBE labels him 'the backbone of the British and England Karate Team'
In 2006 Wayne brought out two DVD's -
- Wayne Otto - Born to be King - volume 1 (containing 14 detailed explanations of Wayne's Winning Techniques, training using fight scenarios, focus mitts and the heavy bag plus the importance of preparation for competition in the 'Winning Minds' section)
- Wayne Otto - Born to be King - volume 2 (contains 21 detailed explanations of Wayne's Winning Techniques, fitness training, correct use of weights, escaping and ring craft, plus more tips on mental preparation for competition in the 'Winning Minds' section
Wayne is also a kumite karate consultant and offers seminars that consist of:
- the demonstration and teaching of effective techniques
- training using fight scenarios
- strategies and tactics
- kumite training drills
- reaction and timing techniques
- the importance of mental preparation for competition
- advice on performance testing and analysis
- and the planning and time line preparation for major tournaments
For more details on Seminar Bookings and various course packages please contact Wayne who will be happy to discuss your requirements.
Telephone: 0121 356 8645
Mobile: 07725 802525
Email: otsquared@fsmail.net
