ImpakuImpaku

Hironori Otsuka

Meijin / Saiko Shihan

Japanese grandmaster and founder of Wado-ryu (1934), one of the four main styles of karate.

Quick Facts

Date of Birth6/1/1892
Date of Death1/29/1982
Era20th century
Country of OriginJapanJapan
Rank / TitleFounder of Wado-ryu (10th Dan)
Active Years1920–1982

Biography

Hironori Otsuka mastered Shindo Yoshin-ryu Jujutsu before studying under Gichin Funakoshi. In 1934 he founded Wado-ryu, blending karate strikes with jujutsu body-evasion (taisabaki).

Associated Martial Arts

Wado-ryuFounder→

The only major karate style whose founder was first a master of jujutsu. Hironori Otsuka founded it in 1934; instead of hard blocks it works with evasion.