West Midlands Shuhari Wadoryu have opened a new sister club in West Bromwich
A New Club - a New Beginning
OUR CLUB BADGE (SHU-HA-RI) MEANS THE 3 STAGES OF ENLIGHTENMENT
This is what appears on all of our Certificates, Diplomas, Gi’s and official Stationary etc;
Firstly, the mountain symbolizes what we have to climb in order to reach our goals, not just in the Martial Arts, but in life itself. It shows we are sure and steadfast in our aims to attain our goals in life.
The green area on the first two thirds of the mountain signifies peace and harmony on our journey. We should ultimately strive for peace within ourselves, within our fellow human beings and we should, if we are to survive, live in peace and harmony with Mother Earth and All its creatures, if we all have inner peace, there would be no need for Wars and fighting. We All need to live in peace with Nature not against it.
The Brown baron waste land one third from the top of the mountain, signifies “The Way” is not always straightforward and that sometimes you will need to “fight” or “strive” harder to get where or what you need out of life! Whether this be physically or mentally.
The long winding road is our “path” up the mountain of life, wide at the bottom which signifies our absorption of the physical, mental and spiritual knowledge on a large scale. Then, as the “path” ascends higher it narrows, which signifies a refining and better understanding of all we have absorbed on our journey.
The white snow capped peak of the mountain shows purity of heart, mind and spirit that we strive so hard to attain and that which we can, if we are prepared to persevere.
The rising sun coming up behind the mountain symbolises the final enlightenment which we seek along with everlasting peace and serenity.
The Japanese writing on the left of our badge says; “SHUHARI” these are the 3 stages of our enlightenment.
The writing on the right hand side of our badge says “Wado-ryu Karate”.
We have used the Japanese Kanji writing in our badge / Logo to show our links and respect for the Karate Masters both past and present.
OUR AIMS
The West Midlands Shuhari Wadoryu Karate Club has adopted the same aims as Shizen-do Kai GB Applied Martial Arts and that is to offer like-minded Martial Artists the chance to develop in a Non- Political environment using a very highly effective Martial Art for Defence.
We believe that belonging to our Association / Club and practicing Martial Arts should feel Natural. People perform better when things feel natural to them.
Our training is based predominantly on Natural Body Movements and what comes naturally to us as human beings, regardless of lots of technical intricate Martial Arts Training; most people when under pressure in a violent situation will resort to what comes naturally to them! By harnessing your body’s natural reactions to given situations and incorporating these reactions and movements into our training we are more likely to be successful in our aims to protect one’s self or family in such a situation.
We shall develop our Karate along Traditional lines, preserving the old ways offering a friendly companionship to all like-minded Karateka whatever their Race, Religion, Gender, Style or disability.
We shall promote an interest and keep an open mind to Martial Artists of all styles and back grounds within these aims.
We shall promote Karate as a means of Self Defence and Personal fitness, recording and updating the history of it’s development through Kata and it’s teachings.
We shall also provide a safe training environment to anyone wishing to learn the Art of Wadoryu and its History.
WHAT IS WADORYU KARATE?
Wado-ryu Karate is a Japanese Martial Art found by Hironori Ohtsuka Meijin in 1934.
Ohtsuka Sensei developed Wado-ryu after studying the Samurai Martial Art of Jiu-jitsu and Shotokan (another style of Karate founded by Gichin Funikoshi) this combination according to Ohtsuka Sensei, is a softer, more natural means of self Defence.
The full name of our 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 the 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.
In our club / Style and in a nut shell, Wado-ryu is a short, sharp defensive Art, minimum effort maximum effect, no frills, do the business Art!
HISTORY OF HIRONORI OHTSUKA 1ST THE FOUNDER OF WADO-RYU.
Hironori Ohtsuka the Founder of Wado-ryu Karate-Do was born on the 1st of June 1892 in Shimodate City, Ibaragi Prefecture, Japan.
At the age of 5 years and on the advice of his Grandmother, he started to train in the Art of Ju-Jitsu, which was to help him overcome infirmity and illness. His first lessons were from his Grandfather, Chojiro Ehashi of the Clan Tsuchiura. Under his study the young H.Ohtsuka learnt the art of Tsuki,(Punching), Keri (Kicking) and Nagewasa (Throwing).
At the age of 13 years he joined the Dojo of Tatsusaburo Nakayama, the 3rd Grand Master of Shinto Yoshin Ryu Ju-Jitsu. He trained and visited various Ju-Jitsu Dojos for a few months at a time while remaining as Nakayamas student in order to gain more experience.
After entering Waseda University in Tokyo he continued to gain experience in Shinto- Yoshin –ryu whilst also practicing other styles of Ju- Jitsu. Such was Hironori’s talents in Shinto- Yoshin –Ryu that when he visited various other Dojos of the other Ju-Jitsu Schools, many challenges of Hon-Gumite (Real Fighting) were issued the him. Hironori Ohtsuka gained vast experience from these fights ‘which served to rapidly increase his skills in the various techniques of Ju-Jitsu.
In June 1920 aged 29 years, Ohtsuka Sensei completed his training and he was awarded the Licence of the highest Degree in Shinto-Yoshin- Ryu, which allowed him to become the 4th Grand master of Shinto-Yoshin-Ryu succeeding Tatsusaburo Nakayama. This Licence proved he was a true Master and he received the award of Menkyu Kaiden.
In May 1921 an event of fate happened to Master Ohtsuka, Okinawan Karate (then called To’de) was brought to the mainland and first displayed to the public by the Famous Gichin Funakoshi (Founder and Modern day Father of Shotokan), Gichin Funakoshi was a Shuri-Te exponent.
Ohtsuka Sensei’s thirst for knowledge was insatiable and his Martial Arts took him to various Dojos where he exchanged techniques with other Sensei’s from Okinawa, two of the most prolific being, Choki Motobu, (Motobu-Ryu) and Kenei Mabuni (Shito-Ryu).
Under Gichin Funakoshi, Ohtsuka Sensei became G.Funakoshi’s Shihan Dai (Senior Assistant) after only one year and having made rapid progress because he was already a Grand Master of Ju-Jitsu.
Master Ohtsuka visited both Mabuni Sensei and Motobu Sensei to increase his depth and understanding of karate; this meant he was learning two streams of Okinawan Karate, one being Shuri-te and the other being Naha-te.
The strong combination of and the solid fighting skills of Ju-Jitsu such as Tsuki (Punching), Keri (Kicking), Nage (Throwing) Shime (Strangles) and Kanesetsu (Joint Locking) created Wado-Ryu Karate Jitsu.
By 1924 Hironori Ohtsuka had developed many Yakusoko Kumite (pre-arranged Fighting Drills).He also developed Idori-No-Kata (Kneeling Defense),Tachi-Ai-No-Kata and SHIRAHATORI-No-Kata (Defense against the long sword)after studying deeper into the Okinawan Kata he found the explanations of some of the techniques hard to comprehend.
At the age of 37, 1929 was to be a very important year for him, drawing heavily upon his knowledge of Ju-Jitsu he merged the two Arts of Shinto-Yoshin-Ryu and Okinawan Te and founded his own school Wado-Ryu Karate Jutsu and Wado-Ryu Ju-Jutsu Kenpo.
In 1934, another very important year for H.Ohtsuka “Wado-Ryu Karate Jitsu” became official and in the same year the present day Grand Master Hironori Ohtsuka 2nd was born. Hironori Ohtsuka registered his school with the Dai Nippon Buto Kukai, which was an Association created by the Japanese Government in 1895 to oversee Martial Arts. He was awarded the title Renshi by the same Association.
Despite Master Ohtsukas achievements, he was not satisfied with himself, so he decided to start learning “Yagyu Shinkage Ryu Kenjutsu” from Gihachiro Kubo, 9th Grand Master of the Tosa Clan which consisted of Swordsmanship with Tachi (Long Sword), Kodachi (Short Sword), and Tanto (Knife).These skills with the theories of Nagasu (Parrying or to let flow), Inasu (To dodge), and Noru (to ride), these helped to give Master Ohtsuka the basis for his Martial Art Wado-Ryu Karate Jitsu. Master Ohtsuka also created Kihon (Basic theories or Techniques) extracting various techniques from Kata and thus completing the unique Martial Art that is Wado-Ryu.
In 1940 the Butokai held a Festival and each Ryu (school) had to register its name and the name of its founder. Hironori Ohtsuka first thought of calling his style “Shinshu Wado-Ryu” but he was advised by G.Kubo of Yagyu Shinshu Ryu to drop “Shinshu” and simply call it “Wado-Ryu”(Shinshu is a rather overly patriotic name for Japan and sounds strange in the modern times and generation of the day, although the “Wa” means Peace and Harmony, the word ”Wa“ is often used to mean Japan, and he felt the name was repetitious. Hironori Ohtsuka was also awarded the title of Tasshi (Kyoshi-Go).
In 1944 the Dai Nippon Buto Kai asked Hironori Ohtsuka to become its Chief Karate Instructor for Japan, Just as Judo emerged from Ju-Jitsu and Kendo from Kenjutsu, H.Ohtsuka also felt Karate should develop from a Jutsu form to a “Do” form and include the element of sport. The first All Japan Wado-Ryu Championships were held in1955.
In the early 1960’s H.Ohtsuka dispatched a small number of his top students to spread the Art of Wado-Ryu throughout the World.
He was awarded “Kun Goto Soukuo Kyoujujiso Show” comparable to the O.B.E, from the then Emperor Hirohito in 1966 for his dedication to the introduction and teaching of Karate. In the late 1960’s Wado-Ryu developed at a very rapid rate until the present day, where it is now the most practiced style of Karate –Do in the World.
In the year 1972 Hironori Ohtsuka was awarded the title of “Meijin” by Hagashi-Nokuni-Nomiya (A member of the Royal Family and the President of the Kokusai Budo Renmei) the ultimate title in the Martial Arts, he was the first man in the history of Karate to receive the Great Honour.
In November 1981 Hironori Ohtsuka abdicated his position of Grand Master and nominated his son, Jiro Ohtsuka as the 2nd Grand Master, (Hironori Ohtsuka 2nd).
Hironori Ohtsuka 1st Saiko Shihan once wrote a short poem in which he said” I walk intently along the way of the Martial Arts continuously until I come to the real end, until the extinction of my body”.
On the 29th January 1982 just 4 months short of his 90th Birthday, Hironori Ohtsuka passed away. Accomplished people are often referred to as having a lifetime of experience in their particular field of endeavour- in Ohtsuka Saiko Shihan’s case even this description seems slightly inadequate, his Martial Arts experience spanned 84 years of deep involvement.
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 life long search. Perhaps you could say the aim is to make us better Human Beings!
HIRONORI OHTSUKA 1st 1892-1982.
HIRONORI OHTSUKA 1st STATUS
Senior Advisor to the Japan Karate Federation (J.K.F).
Director and Consultant of the International Martial Arts Federation (I.M.A.F).
Advisor to the Society of Judo Black Belts.
Director of the Society of Judo Orthopaedists and Nihon Kobudo Shinko Kai.
Technical Advisor at Shisei Kan Dojo (Meiji Shrine).
Lecturer at the Nihon University (Nichidai).
4th Grand Master of Shinto - Yoshin Ryu Jujitsu.
TITLES and DECORATIONS
On April 29th 1966 the Emperor gave Hironori Ohtsuka the Rank of KUN GO TO and decorated him with the SOKO KYOKUJITSU SHO Medal, for his effort in the wide spread of Karate-Do.
On October 9th 1972 the International Martial Arts Federation (I.M.A.F), headed by HIGASHIKUNI NO MIYA (the cousin of the Emperor), certified Hironori Ohtsuka as the first excellent Martial Artist of 10th Dan Meijin in Karate-Do.
This is the same status as that enjoyed by K.MIFUME in Judo and H.NAKAYAMA in Kendo.