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Origins
and development of Wado
Ryu Karatedo
In
considering the origins and
development of Wado Ryu Karatedo.
It is necessary to examine
the martial art influences
of the styles founder, Hironori
Ohtsuka Sensei. Through identifying
and considering the main martial
arts that influenced Ohtsuka.
The author will be able to
consider how the style of
Wado originated and developed.
Ohtsuka’s earliest martial
arts influences where at the
age of 6 years, when he began
to study Jiu Jutsu with his
Grand Uncle Chojiro Obeahs.
At the age of 13, Ohtsuka
progressed to studying Shindo
Yoshin Ryu Ju Jutsu. Ohtsuka
continued his studies in Shindo
Yoshin ryu whilst at Waseda
University.
Shindo
Yoshin Ryu training stresses
atemi striking and kicking
combined with other bujutsu
arts. This may have provided
a common ground between the
classical Japanese bujutsu
and Okinawan karate which
Ohtsuka later studied. Shindo
Yoshin Ryu includes many principles,
such as Nagasu and Tai Sabaki.
Nagasu is the ability to deflect
an attack without using harsh
blocks. The application of
Nagasu allows for the similar
movements, to be applied to
defences from kicks, punches
or weapons.
The
influence of Nagasu can be
seen in Wado, through its
different Nagashi techniques.
Wado uses Nagashi as a block,
liked in sanbon kumite number
1 and as a strike as in Kihon
7.
When Nagasu is applied in
Wado, it is often combined
with penetrating into an opponents
side (irimi). Irimi is another
principle adopted from Ohtsukas
training in Jiu Jitsu. Likewise,
Shindo Yoshin Ryu uses high
narrow stances, allowing a
practitioner to employ Tai
sabaki or body shifting. The
early training in Tai Sabaki,
Nagasu and Irimi techniques
is likely to have been the
basis for the development
of Kihon Kumite in Wado.
In
1922, Hironori Ohtsuka discovered
Okinawan karate and trained
diligently under Funakoshi.
It is here where Ohtsuka started
adapting his atemi techniques
to his Karate. This is illustrated
when he appeared in Funakoshi’s
book ‘Karatedo Kyohan’. Furthermore,
as Ohtsuka was brought up
with the close contact of
Jiu Jitsu pair work and sparring
from Jiu Jitsu. Whilst still
with Funakoshi, he introduced
yakusoku kumite or ‘prearranged
sparring’ to their karate.
Whilst training with Funakoshi,
Ohtsuka Sensei continued to
develop his skills in bone
setting (Seikotsu) and orthopedic
medicine. The knowledge of
how to repair a broken body,
complimented Ohtsukas knowledge
of how to damage the body.
Thus, medical training may
have further influenced the
development of atemi points
within Wado, such as the atemi
strike to the armpit in Kihon
4.
As
Karate in Japan slowly grew
bigger, Jiu Jitsu began to
lose its popularity. As a
result, Ohtsuka began to focus
his martial training on Karate.
Ohtsuka studied with other
Okinawan Karate masters, as
in Kenwa Mabuni (the founder
of Shito-Ryu Karate). The
development of Wado, is demonstrated
through its Katas, which where
introduced to Ohtsuka by the
Okinawans named above. Ohtsuka
also trained with Choki Motobu
(Okinawan Kempo Master), renowned
for street fighting in order
to test his technique. Through
this master, Ohtsuka began
the study of jiu-kumite (free
fighting) for competitive
purposes, laying the foundation
for today's karate kumite
tournaments.
Ohtsukas
Japanese instructors included
Morihei Ueshiba, the founder
of Aikido. Like Shindo Yoshin
Ryu, Aikido is a direct descendant
of classical Aikijutsu. The
spiritual principles of Aikido,
blending and redirecting an
opponent’s ki, not meeting
it with force, are likely
to have further influenced
Ohtsuka’s technical development.
Similar principles can be
seen in techniques from Aikido
and Wado, such as Kihon 5.
This partner work uses irimi
and nagashi, to lock an opponent
with Kote Gaeshi (turning
hand) and Wan Kansetsu (Back
of the arm lock). The author
considers that aikido may
have been a missing link for
Ohtsuka, which further inspired
his quest for knowledge and
led to the awakening of Wado.
In
May 1934 when he was 43, Ohtsuka
started his own school called
the Dai Nippon Karate Shinko
Club. Here was the centre
of Ohtsuka's teaching for
his new system of Wado-Ryu
Karate-Jutsu and Wado-Ryu-Jujutsu
Kempo, merging Okinawan Karate
with traditional Japanese
Jiu Jutsu. When the Budo-kai
requested a name for each
style and school, in 1940,
Ohtsuka's martial art was
officially named the Wado-Kai
and later Wado-Ryu.
Ohtsuka
trained hard and sought to
develop an efficient practical
martial art by the study of
many different arts throughout
his life. In the end, an important
dimension for him was spiritual.
Ohtsuka stressed the concept
of ten-chi-jin, ri-do (heaven
- earth - man, principal way).
Thus, the origins and development
of Wado Ryu are perhaps best
summarized by the thoughts
of the great man himself:
‘The
true purpose of budo
is the search for truth.
In karate, three elements
are important - physical
strength, spirit and
heart. The end of do
(the way), cannot be
achieved in a few years,
rather it is a lifelong
search. Perhaps you
could say the aim is
to make us good Human
Beings.’
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