Hironori ÅŒtsuka
| Hironori ÅŒtsuka | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born |
June 1, 1892 Shimodate, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan |
| Died |
January 29, 1982 (aged 89) Japan |
| Other names | Hironori Ohtsuka |
| Style | WadÅ-ryÅ« Karate |
| Teacher(s) | Gichin Funakoshi, Kenwa Mabuni, ChÅki Motobu |
| Rank | 10th dan karate |
| Notable students | Tatsuo Suzuki |
| Website | Official site |
Hironori ÅŒtsuka (大塚 åšç´€ ÅŒtsuka Hironori, June 1, 1892 – January 29, 1982)[a] was a Japanese master of karate who created the WadÅ-ryÅ« style of karate.[1] He was the first Grand Master of WadÅ-ryÅ« karate, and received high awards within Japan for his contributions to karate.[2]
Early life
ÅŒtsuka was born on June 1, 1892, in Shimodate City, Ibaraki, Japan.[1] He was one of four children to Tokujiro ÅŒtsuka, a medical doctor.[1] At the age of 5 years, he began training in the martial art of jujutsu under his great-uncle, Chojiro Ebashi (a samurai).[1] ÅŒtsuka's father took over his martial arts education in 1897. At the age of 13, ÅŒtsuka became the student of Shinzaburo Nakayama in ShindÅ YÅshin-ryÅ« jujutsu.[3]
In 1911, while studying business administration at Waseda University in Tokyo, ÅŒtsuka trained in various jujutsu schools in the area.[1] Before his studies were complete, his father died and he was unable to continue studying; he commenced work as a clerk at the Kawasaki Bank.[1] Although he wished to become a full-time instructor, he did not pursue this course at this point out of respect for his mother's wishes.[1]
Shotokan karate
On June 1, 1921, ÅŒtsuka received the menkyo kaiden (certificate of mastery and license to teach) in ShindÅ YÅshin-ryÅ« jujutsu, and became the fourth master of that school.[1] Jujutsu was not to become his primary art, however; in 1922, ÅŒtsuka began training in Shotokan karate under Gichin Funakoshi, who was a new arrival in Japan.[1] In 1927, he also established a medical practice and specialized in treating martial arts training injuries.[1]
By 1928, ÅŒtsuka was an assistant instructor in Funakoshi's school. He also trained under ChÅki Motobu and Kenwa Mabuni, and studied kobudo, around this time.[1] ÅŒtsuka began to have philosophical disagreements with Funakoshi,[4] and the two men parted ways in the early 1930s.[1] This may have come, in part, from his decision to train with Motobu. Funakoshi's karate emphasized kata, a series of movements and techniques linked by the fighting principles. Funakoshi did not believe that sparring was necessary for realistic training. Motobu, however, emphasized the necessity of free application, and created a series of two-person kumite called yakusoku kumite.[5]
Wado-ryu karate
On April 1, 1934, ÅŒtsuka opened his own karate school the Dai Nippon Karate Shinko Kai at 63 Banchi Suehiro-Cho, Kanda, Tokyo.[1] He blended Shotokan karate with his knowledge of ShindÅ YÅshin-ryÅ« jujutsu to form WadÅ-ryÅ« karate, although the art would only later take on this name several years later.[1] With recognition of his style as an independent karate style, ÅŒtsuka became a full-time instructor.[1] In 1940, his style was registered at the Butokukai, Kyoto, for the demonstration of various martial arts, together with Shotokan, ShitÅ-ryÅ«, and GÅjÅ«-ryÅ«.[1]
Following World War II, the practice of martial arts in Japan was banned.[6] After a few years, however, the ban was lifted; through the 1950s, ÅŒtsuka held various karate competitions.[6] In 1964, three of ÅŒtsuka's students Tatsuo Suzuki (1928-2011), Toru Arakawa, and Hajime Takashima) from Nihon University toured Europe and the United States of America, demonstrating WadÅ-ryÅ« karate.[6]
Later life
On April 29, 1966, Emperor Hirohito awarded ÅŒtsuka the Order of the Rising Sun, Fifth Class.[1] The Emperor later also awarded him the Soko Kyokujitsu-Sho medal for his contributions to karate.[1] In the next few years, ÅŒtsuka wrote two books on karate: Karate-Do, Volume 1 (1967, focused on kata) and Karate-Do, Volume 2 (1970, focused on kumite).[1] On October 9, 1972, the Kokusai Budo (International Martial Arts Federation) awarded ÅŒtsuka the title of Shodai Karate-do Meijin Judan (first-generation karate master 10th dan); this was the first time this honor had been bestowed on a karate practitioner.[1]
ÅŒtsuka continued to teach and lead WadÅ-ryÅ« karate into the 1980s, and died on January 29, 1982.[1] His son became the second Grand Master of WadÅ-ryÅ« karate and honored his father by taking the name "Hironori ÅŒtsuka II."
Notes
a. ^ ÅŒtsuka's surname is sometimes also spelled as Ohtsuka.
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 "Grand Master Hironori Otsuka". Wado.ca. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
- ↑ Wado Ryu Karate/Jujutsu. Books.google.co.uk. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
- ↑ "Takamura ha Shindo Yoshin kai". Shinyokai.com. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
- ↑ Konishi, Y. (1977): Karatedo: Ryukyu Karate no sentatsusha-tachi (Predecessors of Ryukyu Karate) (Japanese) (pp. 58–59). Japan: Sozou.
- ↑ Ōtsuka, H. (1977): Karatedo: Meisei-juku Zengo (Before and after Meisei-juku) (Japanese) (p. 55). Japan: Sozou.
- 1 2 3 "bushinkaiusa.com". Bushinkaiusa.com. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
External links
|