Karate Wado Ryu
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Wado-Ryu Karate is a Japanese martial art founded by Hironori Ohtsuka Sensei in in 1934. Ohtsuka Sensei developed Wado-Ryu after studying the Samurai martial art of Ju-jitsu, and Shotokan (another style of Karate). This combination, according to Ohstuka Sensei, is a softer, more natural means of self-protection. The full name of the style is Wado-Ryu Karate-Do.
The term Wado-Ryu means “way of peace” or “way of harmony”, indicating Ohtsuka Sensei’s original intention to use training in Wado-Ryu as a means of solving problems in a non-violent way. Karate-Do means “way of the empty hand”, as Karate is, for the most part, studied without the use of weapons.
Wado-Ryu Karate was developed by Otsuka Hironori and is one of the four main styles of Japanese karate. Hironori used his knowledge of Shotokan karate, Jujutsu, grappling and Tai Sabaki (Body Movement) to form his own style. Wado-ryu karate does not practice many of the body toughening exercises common to other styles of karate, preferring rather to use Tai Sabaki to evade attacks.
Wado-ryu (和道流, Wadō-ryū) is a school of karate founded by Hironori Ōtsuka. Wado-ryu is one of four traditional karate styles (the others being Shōtōkan-ryū, Shitō-ryū, and Gōjū-ryū).
Originally a unified school, three organizations now teach the Wadō-ryū style: the Japan Karatedo Federation Wadōkai (abbreviated to Wadōkai; “Zen Nihon Karatedo Renmei Wadokai” in Japan), the Wadōryū Karatedō Renmei, and the Wadō Kokusai Karatedō Renmei (abbreviated to Wadō Kokusai; also known as the Wadō International Karatedō Federation [WIKF]).
Philosophy: The name Wadō-ryū has three parts: Wa, dō, and ryū. Wa means “harmony,” dō means “way,” and ryū means “style.”
Harmony should not be interpreted as pacifism; it is simply the acknowledgment that yielding is sometimes more effective than brute strength.
From one point of view, Wadō-ryū might be considered a style of jujutsu rather than Okinawan karate. When Hironori Ōtsuka first registered his school with the Dai Nippon Butoku Kai in 1938, the style was called “Shinshu Wadoryu Karate-Jujutsu,” a name that reflects its hybrid character.
Ōtsuka was a licensed Shindō Yōshin-ryū practitioner and a student of Yoshin Koryu Jujutsu when he first met the Okinawan karate master Funakoshi. After having learned from Funakoshi, and later also Okinawan masters Mabuni and Motobu, Ōtsuka merged Shindō Yōshin-ryū with Okinawan karate. The result of Ōtsuka’s efforts is Wadō-ryū.
To the untrained observer, Wadō-ryū might look similar to other styles of karate, such as Shōtōkan-ryū. Most of the underlying principles, however, were derived from Shindō Yōshin-ryū. A block in Wado may look much like a block in Shotokan, but they are executed from different perspectives.
While a Shotokan practitioner is likely to force an incoming fist out of the line of attack, a Wado practitioner is likely to move out of the line of attack while taking up a position that will gain an advantage over the attacker. A key principle in Wadō-ryū is that of tai sabaki (often incorrectly referred to as ‘evasion’). The Japanese term can be translated as “body-management,” and refers to body manipulation so as to move the defender as well as the attacker out of harm’s way.
The way to achieve this is to ‘move along’ rather than to ‘move against’—or harmony rather than physical strength. Modern karate competition tends to transform Wadō-ryū away from its roots towards a new generic karate that appeals more to the demands of both spectators and competitors.
Ranks: Wadō-ryū uses a typical karate belt order to denote rank. The beginner commences and 10th kyū and progresses to 1st kyū, then from 1st–5th dan for technical grades. The ranks of 6th–10th dan are honorary ranks. Although some other karate styles add stripes for the dan ranks, Wado practitioners tend not to follow that practice.
- 10th kyū: White belt
- 9th kyū: Red belt
- 8th kyū: Yellow belt
- 7th kyū: Orange belt
- 6th kyū: Blue belt
- 5th kyū: Green belt
- 4th kyū: Purple belt
- 3rd–1st kyū: Brown belt
- 1st–7th dan: Black belt
The rank at which Wado practitioners are first able to teach is usually 3rd dan, but this depends on the organization. Some Wado organizations require completion of a special course in addition to attaining a certain dan rank.
History: The founder of Wadō-ryū, Hironori Ōtsuka, was born on 1 June 1892 in Shimodate, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. In 1898, Ōtsuka began practicing jujutsu. From 1905–1921, he studied Shindō Yōshin-ryū jujutsu under Tatsusaburo Nakayama. In 1922, he met Gichin Funakoshi and began to train under him. In 1924, Ōtsuka became one of the first students promoted to black belt in karate by Funakoshi. In 1929, Ōtsuka organized the first school karate club at Tokyo University. Eiichi Eriguchi coined the term ‘Wadō-ryū’ in 1934.
In 1938, Ōtsuka registered his style of karate with the Dai Nippon Butoku Kai under the name of “Shinshu Wadoryu Karate-Jujutsu.” Soon after, however, this was shortened to “Wadō-ryū” (和道流). In 1938, the Dai Nippon Butoku Kai awarded Ōtsuka the rank of Renshi-Go, followed in 1942 by the rank of Kyoshi-Go.
It was around this time that Tatsuo Suzuki, founder of the WIKF, began training in Wadō-ryū. In 1944, Ōtsuka was appointed Japan’s Chief Karate Instructor. In 1946, Ōtsuka awarded Tatsuo Suzuki the rank of 2nd dan.
Around 1950, Jiro Ōtsuka (the founder’s second son) began training in Wadō-ryū while in his adolescent years. In 1951, Ōtsuka awarded Suzuki the rank of 5th dan, the highest rank awarded in Wadō-ryū at that time. In 1952, the Wadō-ryū headquarters (honbu) was established at the Meiji University dojo in Tokyo.
In 1954, its name was changed to Zen Nippon Karate Renmei (All Japan Karate Federation). In 1955, Ōtsuka published “Karatejutsu no Kenkyu,” a book expounding his style of karate. In 1963, he dispatched Suzuki, along with Toru Arakawa and Hajimu Takashima, to spread Wadō-ryū around the world.
In 1964, the Japan Karatedo Federation (JKF) was established as a general organization for all karate styles. Wadō-ryū joined this organization as a major group. In 1965, Ōtsuka and Yoshiaki Ajari recorded onto film (which is now still available on two video tapes) much of the legacy of Wadō-ryū karate.
The first video, “Wadō-ryū Karate Volume 1,” consists of: in-depth history and recollections; demonstrations of the eight Kihon No Tsuki body shifts; the first five Kihon-Kumite; and the kata Pinan 1-5, Kūsankū, Jion, Naihanchi, and Seishan. The second video, “Wadō-ryū Karate Volume 2,” consists of: more history; the kata Chinto, Niseshi, Rōhai, Wanshu, and Jitte; as well as Kihon-Kumite 6-10, along with applicationd. In 1966, Ōtsuka was awarded Kun Goto Soukuo Kyokujujutsu (comparable to a knighthood) by Emperor Hirohito for his dedication to the introduction and teaching of karate.[citation needed] On 5 June 1967 , the Wadō-ryū organization changed its name to “Wadōkai.”
In 1972, the President of Kokusai Budo Renmei, a member of the Japanese royal family, awarded Ōtsuka the title of Meijin. In 1975, Suzuki received his 8th dan, the highest grade ever given (at the time) by the Federation of All Japan Karatedo Organizations, and was named Hanshi-Go by the uncle of Emperor Higashikuni.[citation needed]
In 1980, as the result of a conflict between Ōtsuka and the Wadōkai organization, he stepped down as head of the Wadōkai. Eiichi Eriguchi took over his place within that organization. On 1 April 1981, Ōtsuka founded the “Wadōryū Karatedō Renmei.” (Renmei means “group” or “federation.”) After only a few months, he retired as head of this organization. His son, Jiro Ōtsuka, took his place.
On 29 January 1982, Hironori Ōtsuka passed away, and in 1983, Jiro Ōtsuka succeeded him as grandmaster of Wadō-ryū. The younger Ōtsuka changed his name to “Hironori Otsuka II” in honor of his late father. In 1989, Tatsuo Suzuki founded the third major Wadō-ryū organization, “Wadō Kokusai” (Wadō International Karatedō Federation; WIKF). (Kokusai means “international.”)
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