Otsuka Hironori was born on June 1st 1892 in the Ibaraki prefecture. His mother’s uncle, Chojiro Ebashi was a Samurai warrior who enthralled the young Otsuka with his exciting tales, and then began teaching him Ju-Jitsu at the age of six.  Hironori later began to train in Yoshin Shindo Ryu Ju-Jitsu under Master Nakayama Shizaburo, when aged thirteen.
This school differed from the others of the time as it emphasised striking & kicking as well as the usual throwing & control techniques. During his university years he studied other styles of Ju-Jitsu and also befriended Ueshiba Morihei the founder of Aikido. On Otsuka’s 30th birthday he received the Menkyo Kaiden, the certificate of proficiency from Master Nakayama, effectively making him the youngest ever to receive this award.

In July 1922 Otsuka heard of a new Martial art, Tode, to be demonstrated in Tokyo before the Emperor. The demonstration was performed by an Okinawan school teacher and poet Gichin Funakoshi. Otsuka was impressed and approached him, asking to be his student. This was to be the beginning of a long and fruitful relationship. Otsuka trained virtually every day with Funakoshi, quickly learning the techniques and Kata taught to him. Gradually Karate began to spread in Japan, with Otsuka mainly responsible for organising its growth. It was at this time that he began to seek more answers, especially with the Kata so he began to learn from the Okinawan masters Mabuni Kenwa, the founder of Shito Ryu, and Motobu Choki, a renowned exponent of Kumite, who was also responsible for  Otsuka’s development of the Nai Hanchi kata.
In 1925 he resigned from his position as a banker and studied bone setting. Two years later he set up a clinic specialising in martial arts injuries, mainly caused due to the popularity of Judo.
By 1929 he had established a Dojo of his own and found himself drifting away from the teachings of his master, having developed a series of Yakosoku gumite based upon his knowledge of Ju-Jitsu.

A parting of the ways was inevitable, although there have been many tales giving various reasons why.  However their friendship continued, with Funakoshi’s son developing his father’s teachings into what was to become Shotokan karate.

Otsuka went on to develop his study of Jiyu kumite, and formulated the first set of rules for competition, a pivotal happening for Karate.
1934 was a very important year for Otsuka, apart from the birth of his son Jiro he opened his own school called the Dai Nippon Karate Shinko Bu Kai, teaching his new systems of Wado Ryu Karate Jutsu and Wado Ryu Ju-Jutsu Kempo merging Okinawan Karate and traditional Japanese Ju-Jitsu, making this the first style of Karate to be created in the form of Japanese Budo.
In 1939 Otsuka registered the name of his style as Wado Ryu with the Dai Nippon Butokukai in Kyoto, alongside the other styles of; Shotokan, Goju-Ryu and Shito-Ryu. Later that year Otsuka was also honoured by the Butokukai with the title Renshi, and in 1942 with the title Kyoshi.
The advent of the second World War affected Karate greatly, and during the American occupation of Japan (1945-1952) the practice of Karate and other Martial arts was banned. However this was circumvented by calling Karate “Japanese Boxing”, therefore deeming it the teaching of a sport!

The 1960’s saw the spread of Karate to the western world. In 1964 Suzuki Tatsuo arrived in Britain, followed by many other Sensei, including Shiomitsu Masafumi and Sakagami Kuniaki.  Wado established itself as a major style in Britain and Europe. Two of the first people graded to black belt were Walter Seaton and Peter Spanton.
In 1966 Otsuka was the recipient of the Soko Asahi award for dedication to Karate, and in 1972 awarded the title Meijin by the Kokusai Budo In, making him the first excellent Martial Artist of 10th Dan in Karate Do.
Suzuki’s United Kingdom Karate-Do Federation became one of the country’s major Karate organisations, producing many fine Dan grades and champions. Suzuki Sensei arranged visits to Europe and Britain by Otsuka Meijin who conducted many seminars across the country, the last of which was in 1976.   One of those who attended was Gary Swift, who also had the honour of being graded to 5th Kyu by Otsuka Meijin.

Unfortunately with his health failing Master Otsuka abdicated his position of Grand Master of Wado Ryu and appointed his son Jiro as his successor in November 1981.
Sadly on January 29th 1982 Master Hironori Otsuka passed away. He practiced up until his death, making him the oldest practising Karate Ka of that time.
After his death Jiro changed his name to Hironori Otsuka the second, and inherited the rank of 10th Dan.

Within a few short years politics created a split within the Wado world. Tatsuo Suzuki formed his own group, the WIKF. The Grandmaster left the Japan Karate-Do Federation (which his father organised in 1939) and set up the Wado Ryu Karate Do Renmei. The JKF Wado Kai continues under the direction of K.Sugiura, T.Arakawa and K.Hakoishi. In Britain there has also been a split, apart from T.Suzuki’s WIKF there is also the Wado Academy headed by M.Shiomitsu, and allied to the Wado Ryu Renmei, and Wado-Kai England headed by K Sakagami and allied to the JKF Wado-Kai. Whatever the name there is something to be learned from all Wadoka, irrespective of affiliation or politics.

                       Master Otsuka’s theory of Wado is based on the teaching of:
“TEN-CHI-JIN RI-DO”. (Heaven-Earth-Man principal way). A harmonious union between all things.  Otsuka’s belief was that all Martial Arts are intended to bring together people of all races and creed to live in peaceful co-existence with themselves and the world, and that only rigorous persistent training, to discipline the spirit, will take the person along the path to achieving that belief.

                                                         
copyright G. Chuck 2003
   A SHORT HISTORY OF OTSUKA HIRONORI AND WADORYU