Hironori Ohtsuka (1892–1982) was the founder of the Wado-ryu style and studied Shotokan under Gichin Funakoshi. Wado-ryu karate was founded by Ohtsuka during the 1920s and 1930s.
Ohtsuka was born on June 1, 1892, in Shimodate City, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. At the age of six, he began to study jujutsu with his great-uncle. At the age of 13, he started to study Shindo Yoshin-ryu jujutsu under a teacher named Tatsusabaro Nakayama. Ohtsuka continued his studies while at Waseda University. He received the award of Menkyo-Kaiden in 1921 (successor as master of this style).
Ohtsuka heard about a new style of unarmed combat from Okinawa that had been introduced by Gichin Funakoshi. That art was known as karate. In 1922, Ohtsuka went to visit Funakoshi in Tokyo to study karate. He also trained with other great karate masters such as Kenwa Mabuni and Choki Motobu.
His prowess in the martial arts led him to become the Chief Instructor of Shindo Yoshin-ryu jujutsu and an assistant instructor at Funakoshi Sensei's dojo. By the year 1929, Ohtsuka was a registered member of the Japan Martial Arts Federation.
During his time training, Ohtsuka developed the concept of pre-arranged sparring in which both participants know in advance what attacks and defenses are to be carried out. The exercise could be considered a small two-person kata for developing skills and learning certain concepts—it is halfway between basics and applications.
At this time, Ohtsuka experimented with incorporating all his martial art skills into a new form of karate. Part of this experimentation was the introduction of free-fighting practice. This conflicted with Funakoshi's view of karate and they parted company.
In 1938, Ohtsuka's new style was accepted by the Dai Nippon Butoku Kai under the name of Wado-ryu. Ohtsuka was also awarded the title of "Renshi-go." Development of Wado-ryu continued after the Second World War, and in 1966 Ohtsuka Sensei was awarded "Kun-Goto-Soukuo-Kyo-Kuju-jutsu-Sho" from Emperor Hirohito for his dedication to karate.
In 1972, he was awarded the title of Meijin from Higashino-Kunino-Miya (a member of the Japanese royal family), President of the International Martial Arts Federation (Kokusai Budo Renmei). Ohtsuka Sensei was the first man in history to receive this, the highest honor in martial arts. For his services to the martial arts, and to honor his new position as the highest karate authority in Japan, he was awarded the Shiju-Hoosho medal from the Japanese government, the only man in the history of karate to be so honored.
On January 29, 1982, Hironori Ohtsuka Meijin died shortly before his 90th birthday; he had practiced martial arts for 85 years. "Buno michi wa tada aragoto na to omohiso wa no michi kiwa me wa o motomu michi; The way to practice martial arts is not for fighting. Always look for your own inner peace and harmony, search for it." — Hironori Ohtsuka.
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