OSensei Hironori Ohtsuka

"I Never Fret About the Past. I Concentrate On The Present and Plan For the Future."
Hironori Ohtsuka was born on 1st June 1892 in Shimodate City, Ibaragi, Japan. He was the first son, and the second of four children, of Dr. Tokujuro Ohtsuka, a Doctor of Medicine. Ohtsuka Sensei was first introduced to martial arts by his great uncle, Chojiro Ebashi, a samurai warrior, who began teaching him Jujitsu. This marked the starting point of his life-long fascination with the martial arts. On the 1st April, 1897 (4 yrs & 10 months), Ohtsuka Sensei started school where he studied Shindo Yoshin Ryu Jujutsu, under the supervision of his father. Later, when he was 13, he studied the style under Shinzaburo Nakayama Sensei, the third Grand Master of this style of Jujutsu. Unlike the other schools of jujutsu at the time, Shindo Yoshin Ryu specialized in kicking and punching techniques in addition to throwing, twisting and locking techniques. Ohtsuka Sensei continued to study the style while at Waseda University from 1910 to 1917. He also studied different styles of Jujitsu, concentrating on their positive aspects. In doing so, Ohtsuka Sensei learned a great deal about the body's vital points for both attacking and healing purposes. Eight years after his father died, after much dedicated study, he took over the Mastership of Shindo-Yoshin-Ryu Jujitsu from Master Nakayama after being presented a certificate of "Full Proficiency" in that art. It was June 1, 1921, his 29th birthday. Master Otsuka was the fourth master of Shindo-Yoshin-Ryu Jujitsu. In 1922, Ohtsuka Sensei attended the sports festival in Tokyo, where he encountered Karate taught by Gichin Funakoshi, a Karate instructor from Okinawa, and a man widely held as the "Father of Modern Karate". Ohtsuka Sensei was so impressed with this that he visited Funakoshi Sensei on numerous occasions during his stay. Funakoshi Sensei was, in turn, impressed by Ohtsuka's enthusiasm and determination to understand Karate and agreed to teach him all he knew about it. In the following years, Ohtsuka Sensei set up a medical practice dealing with martial arts injuries. His prowess in martial arts had led him to be the Chief Instructor of Shindo Yoshin Ryu Jujitsu at the age of just 30, and an assistant instructor at Funakoshi Sensei's dojo. By 1929, Ohtsuka Sensei was a registered member of the Japan Martial Arts Federation. At this time, Okinawan Karate only concentrated on Kata, which is a set sequence of movements against an imaginary opponent (or group of opponents). Ohtsuka Sensei thought that the full spirit of Budo, which concentrates on defense and attack, was missing, and that kata techniques did not work in realistic fighting situations. He experimented with other, more combative styles such as Judo, Kendo and Aikido. He blended the practical and useful elements of Okinawan karate with traditional Japanese martial-arts techniques from jujitsu and kendo, which lead to the birth of Kumite, or fighting, in Karate. Ohtsuka Sensei thought that there was a need for this more dynamic and fluid type of Karate to be taught, so he decided to leave Funakoshi Sensei to concentrate on developing his own style of Karate - Wado. 1934 proved to be a pivotal year for both Ohtsuka Sensei and Wado Karate. On February 28th, Jiro - Ohtsuka's eldest son who would one day succeed his father - was born. During the same year, Wado-Ryu Karate was also officially recognized as an independent style of Karate. This recognition meant a departure for Ohtsuka Sensei from his medical practice and the fulfillment of a life's ambition - to become a full-time martial artist. Ohtsuka Sensei's personalized style of Karate was officially registered in 1938 after he was awarded the rank of "Renshi-go". He presented a magnificent demonstration of Wado Karate for the Japan Martial Arts Federation. They were so impressed with his style and commitment that they acknowledged him as a high-ranking instructor. The next year, 1939, the Japan Martial Arts Federation asked all the different styles to register their names. Ohtsuka Sensei registered the name Wado-Ryu (way of Peace). The next few years witnessed Wado-Ryu Karate going from strength to strength. New dojos were opening and Karate was being taught at universities. Ohtsuka Sensei himself was becoming a recognized figure within the world of martial arts. In 1944, Ohtsuka Sensei was appointed Japans Chief Karate Instructor. In 1945 Ohtsuka the second began to receive expert tuition from his father in Wado-Ryu Karate. From this point until the 1960s, Wado-Ryu Karate remained on the three small islands of Japan. It was hardly recognized outside of the east. However, in 1963, a three man team left Japan to demonstrate Wado-Ryu Karate to America and Europe. The team was composed of Arakama Sensei, Takashima Sensei and Suzuki Sensei. The impressions they left wherever they went were tremendous, and Wado-Ryu Karate soon became recognized world-wide. During this time, Ohtsuka Sensei continued to train and instruct Wado-Ryu Karate in Japan. He was awarded the title "Kun Goto Suokuo Kyoku jujitsu Shuo" in 1966 by the late Emperor Horohito. It was presented by the Emperor for his dedication to

the introduction and teaching of karate. This dedication led to the further, historic, award of "Meijin", or The First Excellent Martial Artist in Karate 10th Dan, in 1972. This was the first time that this award has been given to a practitioner of karate, and was the same status as that of Kyuzo Mifune in Judo and Hakuko Nakayama in Kendo. The man, Hironori Otsuka, was as unique and full of vitality as the style of karate he founded. Even as an above average man in his 70's or 80's would probably be content to rest and let others continue his work, not so Master Otsuka. Never believing that he or even the martial arts in general had learned all there was to know, he continued to practice. Putting on his gi, he would train everyday for twenty minutes on just one technique and continue it for a full month. He remarked one time how he enjoyed walking on the unbelievably crowded Tokyo streets so he could practice smoothly weaving and twisting in the crowds without letting anyone touch him. Ohtsuka Sensei continued to teach and lead the world of Wado-Ryu karate into the 1980s. Ohtsuka the Second became the second Grand Master of Wado-Ryu in 1982, taking his father's name, Hironori. Ohtsuka Sensei passed away peacefully on January 29th, 1982. Throughout the world where martial arts are practiced, he will continue to be remembered for his enormous contribution and individual devotion to Wado Karate. A fitting epitaph for him could surely be a statement once made by him: "The difference between the possible and the impossible is one's will" , for truly to this giant of Budo-ka, nothing could seem impossible.

Shihan Cecil T. Patterson

The world of Martial Arts and Traditional Karatedo lost one of its most beloved and central figures on October 27th, 2002, with the death of Cecil T. Patterson, 1st President and Chief Instructor of the United States Eastern Wado Ryu Karate Federation. Born on June 22, 1930, in the small mountain town of Sevierville, Tennessee. Prompted by an early, youthful appreciation of law enforcement, Patterson Sensei first became interested in the practicality of self-defense while training in Federal Law Enforcement tactics under the FBI. Limited though it was, it was this basic training that would ignite his desire for a deeper understanding of the art of self-defense; a desire that would take him a world away from the mountains of East Tennessee to the village of Iwakuni, on the banks of the Inland Sea in southern Japan. Stationed there during his tour of duty in the US Navy, Patterson Sensei enrolled in a small Wado Dojo under the instruction of Sensei Kazuo Sakura - one of the few ranking senior students directly under Master Ohtsuka. Training six-seven days every week for hours each day, the years passed with Patterson Sensei growing closer every day to realizing his dream of reaching a deeper understanding of martial arts. In 1959, Mr. Patterson was advanced to the rank of San Dan, or, 3rd degree Black Belt. Five years later, he was promoted to the rank of Yon Dan (4th degree) and in December of 1968, Master Ohtsuka himself advanced Patterson Sensei to the rank of Go Dan -5th degree- the highest rank achievable in the Wado system at that time, making Cecil Patterson the highest-ranked Occidental in the Wado system, worldwide. With that honor, however, came many responsibilities; including Master Ohtsuka's instruction that Mr. Patterson bring the art of Wado Ryu to the Eastern United States. In 1968, that responsibility was fulfilled with Patterson Sensei's formal establishment of The US Eastern Wado Kai Federation, and taking on the new responsibility of overseeing the operations and instruction of all Wado Ryu Dojos in the entire Eastern half of the United States. With the formation of the first Federation, however, also came recognition for Cecil Patterson. He served as both the State Representative and the Regional Director for the United States Karate Association, serving also on that organization's Board of Research. In addition, he became one of the most recognized and respected consultants to federal and state law enforcement agencies, lecturing and instructing on Police Defensive Tactics at the Tennessee Law Enforcement Academy, and serving for 40 years until his retirement as Director of the Arson and Fraud Division for the Department of Commerce and Insurance for the state of Tennessee. Even well past 70 years of age, this quiet, contemplative man still searched for that deeper understanding, training every day, teaching every week, hosting the yearly USEWF Tournament, and bringing his annual Summer and Fall Seminars to hundreds of Wado students from 11 states. Holding the rank of Hachi-Dan (8th Degree Black Belt) Mr. Patterson received many awards for his role in karate, including being named Father of Karate for the State of Tennessee, by the Nineteenth General Assembly, and the prestigious Master Ohtsuka Award, presented to him by Hironori Otsuka II when visiting Japan in 1971. He authored two books on Wado Ryu karate and several books on police defensive tactics. On June 16th of 2001. he was inducted into the Bluegrass Nationals Sport Karate Hall of Fame. Mr. Patterson and wife Joan were blessed with four children, two sons and two daughters. The oldest son John began training in Judo and Karate in 1961 at the age of six and continues to train in Karate to this date. The eldest daughter holds a rank of San-Kyu (3rd Degree Brown Belt) in Judo. The youngest son Michael also trains in karate. The Bushido says that "...a true samurai reflects his mastery of self in every step, every breath, and every movement..." We have lost a true samurai a great warrior, and a gentle man of honor.