Wadokai
Encyclopedia
is the name of the organization within the Japan Karate Federation (JKF) which practices the Wadoryu style of karate. According to Ishizuka Akira, a veteran figure in the Japanese karate world, the term "Wado Kai" was in general use as early as the 1940s, but it was only in 1967 that the name was adopted formally. Prior to this the group was known as the "Zen Nihon Karate-do Renmei". With the formation of the Federation of All Japan Karatedo Organization
(FAJKO, later changed to JKF) in the mid 60's, it was no longer correct to use this name so Wadokai came into formal use.
Wadokai remained relatively intact as an organisation until around 1980, when a split occurred. The split occurred because the Wadokai board of directors and Hironori Ohtsuka (the founder of the style) had a difference in opinion about monetary expenditures and accessibility to the funds of the organization. Ohtsuka felt it was within his rights to have full use of the Federation funds and one day made a withdrawal that drew the ire of the board of directors. This matter was settled out of court and the terms of the settlement allowed him to keep the money but he had to resign from Wadokai and he also lost all rights to the name and logo of the organization. After he resigned Ohtsuka started a new organization called the Wado Ryu Renmei.
The Wadokai has some superb technicians. In Japan these include Arakawa Toru (9th Dan JKF), Hakoishi Katsumi, Takagi Hideho, Maeda Toshiaki, Murase Hisao, Yanagita Shunsuke and Nishimura Seiji to name a few. Both Europe and Pan America have several Japanese instructors who have promoted this vision of karate.
The term Wadokai can be broken into three parts: Wa, do and kai. Wa can be read to mean 'harmony'. It can also be read to mean "original Japan", as in Wafu (Japanese style), Washoku (Japanese food). it is therefore also a clever pun that could be taken to mean both "harmony" and "intrinsically Japanese". Do is a Japanese term for 'way' (as in karate-do). So Wado means 'the way of (Japanese) harmony'. Kai simply means 'association'.
registered his mixed style of karate-jujutsu with the Dai Nippon Butoku Kai
, originally under the name of "Shinshu Wadoryu Karate-Jujutsu." Not much later this was shortened to Wado-ryu (和道流).
In 1952 a Wadoryu Honbu (headquarters) was established in the Meiji University
dojo
in Tokyo
, Japan.
In 1964 the Japan Karatedo Federation (JKF) was established as a general organization for all karate styles. Wado joins this organization as a major group.
On 5 June 1967, the Wado organization changed the name to Wadokai.
In 1980, as a result of a conflict between Hironori Ohtsuka and the Wadokai organization, Ohtsuka stepped down as head of Wadokai. Eiichi Eriguchi succeeded him within Wadokai at that time and agin becamse CHairman during the 1990s..
On 1 April 1981 Hironori Ohtsuka founded Wadoryu Karatedo Renmei. After only a few months Hironori Otsuka retired as head of this organization. His son Jiro Otsuka took his place. Renmei means 'group' or 'federation.'
On 29 January 1982 Hironori Ohtsuka died at the age of 89 years .
In 1983 Jiro Ohtsuka became Grandmaster of Wado Ryu and changed his name to Hironori Ohtsuka, in honor of his father. He is now often referred to as Hironori Ohtsuka II.
In 1989 Tatsuo Suzuki
founded his own organization, the third major Wado organization: Wado Kokusai. Kokusai means 'international.'
Nowadays the full name of Wadoryu is Wadoryu Karatedo Renmei.
The full name of Wado Kokusai is Wado Kokusai Karatedo Renmei, also known as Wado International Karatedo Federation abbreviated as WIKF.
Strictly speaking Hironori Ohtsuka founded and developed Wado Ryu. The people who trained with him became the Wado group or Wadokai. So today, the style that is trained within Wadokai is Wado Ryu. The Wadoryu Renmei people (Jiro Ohtsuka's group) sometimes referred their style as "Wadoryu Jujutsu Kenpo" http://wado-ryu.jp/jujutsu-e/jujutsu.htm to assert their emphasis in the Jujutsu roots of Wado.
Federation of All Japan Karatedo Organization
The Japan Karate Federation is the national body for Karate in Japan. It was originally called the Federation of All Japan Karatedo Organizations and is affiliated with the World Karate Federation ....
(FAJKO, later changed to JKF) in the mid 60's, it was no longer correct to use this name so Wadokai came into formal use.
Wadokai remained relatively intact as an organisation until around 1980, when a split occurred. The split occurred because the Wadokai board of directors and Hironori Ohtsuka (the founder of the style) had a difference in opinion about monetary expenditures and accessibility to the funds of the organization. Ohtsuka felt it was within his rights to have full use of the Federation funds and one day made a withdrawal that drew the ire of the board of directors. This matter was settled out of court and the terms of the settlement allowed him to keep the money but he had to resign from Wadokai and he also lost all rights to the name and logo of the organization. After he resigned Ohtsuka started a new organization called the Wado Ryu Renmei.
The Wadokai has some superb technicians. In Japan these include Arakawa Toru (9th Dan JKF), Hakoishi Katsumi, Takagi Hideho, Maeda Toshiaki, Murase Hisao, Yanagita Shunsuke and Nishimura Seiji to name a few. Both Europe and Pan America have several Japanese instructors who have promoted this vision of karate.
The term Wadokai can be broken into three parts: Wa, do and kai. Wa can be read to mean 'harmony'. It can also be read to mean "original Japan", as in Wafu (Japanese style), Washoku (Japanese food). it is therefore also a clever pun that could be taken to mean both "harmony" and "intrinsically Japanese". Do is a Japanese term for 'way' (as in karate-do). So Wado means 'the way of (Japanese) harmony'. Kai simply means 'association'.
History
In 1938 Hironori OhtsukaHironori Ohtsuka
was a Japanese master of karate who created the Wadō-ryū style of karate. He was the first Grand Master of Wadō-ryū karate, and received high awards within Japan for his contributions to karate.-Early life:...
registered his mixed style of karate-jujutsu with the Dai Nippon Butoku Kai
Dai Nippon Butoku Kai
is a Japanese martial arts organization established in 1895 in Kyoto, Japan, under the authority of the Ministry of Education and sanction of the Emperor Meiji. Its purpose, at that time, was to standardize martial disciplines and systems throughout Japan. This was the first official martial arts...
, originally under the name of "Shinshu Wadoryu Karate-Jujutsu." Not much later this was shortened to Wado-ryu (和道流).
In 1952 a Wadoryu Honbu (headquarters) was established in the Meiji University
Meiji University
is a private university in Tokyo and Kawasaki, founded in 1881 by three lawyers of the Meiji era, Kishimoto Tatsuo, Miyagi Kōzō, and Yashiro Misao. It is one of the largest and most prestigious Japanese universities in Tokyo, Japan....
dojo
Dojo
A is a Japanese term which literally means "place of the way". Initially, dōjōs were adjunct to temples. The term can refer to a formal training place for any of the Japanese do arts but typically it is considered the formal gathering place for students of any Japanese martial arts style to...
in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Japan.
In 1964 the Japan Karatedo Federation (JKF) was established as a general organization for all karate styles. Wado joins this organization as a major group.
On 5 June 1967, the Wado organization changed the name to Wadokai.
In 1980, as a result of a conflict between Hironori Ohtsuka and the Wadokai organization, Ohtsuka stepped down as head of Wadokai. Eiichi Eriguchi succeeded him within Wadokai at that time and agin becamse CHairman during the 1990s..
On 1 April 1981 Hironori Ohtsuka founded Wadoryu Karatedo Renmei. After only a few months Hironori Otsuka retired as head of this organization. His son Jiro Otsuka took his place. Renmei means 'group' or 'federation.'
On 29 January 1982 Hironori Ohtsuka died at the age of 89 years .
In 1983 Jiro Ohtsuka became Grandmaster of Wado Ryu and changed his name to Hironori Ohtsuka, in honor of his father. He is now often referred to as Hironori Ohtsuka II.
In 1989 Tatsuo Suzuki
Tatsuo Suzuki
was the founder and head of the WIKF and held the 8th dan in Wadō-ryū karate. He died at his home on 12th July 2011.- External links:* Professor Tatsuo Suzuki 8th dan hanshi...
founded his own organization, the third major Wado organization: Wado Kokusai. Kokusai means 'international.'
Different Wado names
The full name of Wadokai in English is Japan Karatedo Federation Wadokai. In Japanese it is Zen Nihon Karatedo Renmei Wadokai.Nowadays the full name of Wadoryu is Wadoryu Karatedo Renmei.
The full name of Wado Kokusai is Wado Kokusai Karatedo Renmei, also known as Wado International Karatedo Federation abbreviated as WIKF.
Strictly speaking Hironori Ohtsuka founded and developed Wado Ryu. The people who trained with him became the Wado group or Wadokai. So today, the style that is trained within Wadokai is Wado Ryu. The Wadoryu Renmei people (Jiro Ohtsuka's group) sometimes referred their style as "Wadoryu Jujutsu Kenpo" http://wado-ryu.jp/jujutsu-e/jujutsu.htm to assert their emphasis in the Jujutsu roots of Wado.
External links
- http://www.tobiishikai.co.uk/
- http://www.wadobanten.multiply.com
- http://web.archive.org/web/20091026185653/http://www.geocities.com/wadokai_indonesia - traditional Wado organization in IndonesiaIndonesiaIndonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
. Also teaches GoshinbudoGoshinbudoGoshinbudō, literally "self-defense" "martial" "arts" , is a generic name for several systems of modern self-defense which are based on martial arts techniques from Japan...
Jujutsu. Member of JKF-Wadokai. - http://web.archive.org/web/20021010122339/http://www.geocities.com/keikoden/Wado.htm
- http://www.wadoworld.com/index.html
- Danish Wado-Kai Karate-Do - The official Wado-Kai organization in Denmark
- http://www.wadokangorinchem.nl/ Karateschool Wadokan Gorinchem, Netherlands
- http://www.wado-kai-karate.co.uk - High quality kata videos on Downloads page
- http://www.karatekayl.lu - Largest Wado Karate club in Luxembourg
- Wadokan Karate Århus
- http://www.englandwadokai.org - A traditional Wado Kai Karate association based in the UK, includes member forum and gallery
- http://www.skfscotland.co.uk - Largest karate association in Scotland teaching Wado Kai Karate
- http://www.wado.lu - Headquarters of Wado Kai Luxembourg
- http://www.wadokai.es - The official web site of Spanish Wado-Kai Society. Kata videos, Courses' photos, Wado History.
- http://www.millwoods-karate.org - The official web site of the Millwoods Karate Club in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- http://riverbend-karate.com/ - The official website of the Riverbend Karate Association, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- http://www.wadokenkyukai.com Wadoryu Karatedo Kenkyukai - Teaching traditional Wadoryu karate in the Southwest of England
- http://www.shintani.ca Shintani Wado Kai Karate Federation (Canada)