
HISTORY OF WADO-RYU KARATE
A
martial art born from the essence of Jujitsu, Karate and Kenjutsu
Wado-ryu Karate, also known as “Wado-ryu Jujitsu
Kempoh”, differs from the three major schools of Karate, Goju, Shitoh, and
Shotokan to differing degrees. These Karate schools used Ryukyu Karate as their
foundation in their adaptation and adoption in mainland Japan. Wado-ryu chose a
different and distinct path by selecting and absorbing many elements of Jujitsu
instead.
Hironori Ohtsuka (1892-1982), founder of Wado-ryu,
was originally a master of Shindo Yoshin-ryu Jujitsu. An avid fan of martial arts, Ohtsuka acquired an interest in
Tohde (Toh = meaning China (Tang dynasty) + de = te = meaning hand) (or
Karate) which was being talked about around Tokyo during the Taisho period (1912
- 1925), and took lessons from Gichin Funakoshi.
Funakoshi taught only 15 katas (forms) for individual
practice, which were used as repetitive training drills. Funakoshi used no
other training methods such as pre-arranged kumite (sparring) or combination drill, let alone
free kumite. For Jujitsu the reverse it true, with the focus being on
kumite-kata which is practiced by two persons. Jujitsu did not use kata for
individual training.
Ohtsuka probably felt something was missing in Karate’s
training method of using repeated individual katas. He regarded these katas
that were handed down by predecessors as sacred and special, leaving some parts unchanged
despite the fact that the meaning of some of the elements were lost. Combining his
experience and knowledge of Jujitsu with his analysis of karate techniques,
Ohtsuka created a form of kumite-kata that could be used by Karate practioners.
Ohtsuka also created techniques such as dagger and sword catch, which are
the products of incorporating Karate’s elements into Jujitsu.
Ohtsuka went on to train with Okinawan Karate-practitioners,
such as Chohki Motobu and Kenwa Mabuni, and further polished and improved is
Karate techniques. It is said around
1929 that the entity of Wado-ryu Karate-do was completed with its fusion of the
essence of Jujitsu, different schools of the old martial arts, and Karate.
Among the Japanese martial arts, the one that is considered the most
highly developed is Kenjutsu. Yagyu
Shinkage-ryu especially had built an entire structure that developed from
Kodachi to catch without sword, by studying compound techniques such as pose,
close-in, “senno sen” and “gono sen”.
It would transcend Kenjutsu.
Some say that Yagyu Shinkage-ryu is the highest ground that Kenjutsu attained. With the body movement of Kenjutsu, plus the
techniques and forms of Jujitsu that are the physical combat sport that the
Japanese developed through actual use of their bodies, and absorbing the system
of thrust and kick that was lacking in the Japanese martial arts from Karate,
Wado-ryu Karate-do was born.
