From our Warriors of Budo series. Master Hironori Ohtsuka of Wado Ryu Karate demonstrates the best practice for Seiza or sitting. This video clip was filmed at the Wadō International Karatedō Federation Hombu dojo in Tokyo in 2014. Wado Ryu Means ‘Way of Harmony’ and reflects the founder, the first Hironori Ohtsuka association with Jujutsu. Wado Ryu Karate is interesting in that it includes defence against being attacked while sitting and also defence against sword attacks and knife attackes… often using a live blade. (More video to come on this subject). While Wado Ryu has many techniques and kata from Shotokan Karate it departs from it quite radically by incorporating many Jujutsu techniques based on the founders practice of Yōshin-ryū Jujutsu.
The overall style of Wado Ryu is a more softer approach than the Karate we usually see and the stance is a little shorter. In this respect Wado Ryu Karate is a very capable fighting method and well suited to self defence on the streets where practicality and efficiency is the major requirement. Wado Ryu Karate with Master Hironori Ohtsuka appears in the final chapter of Episode Two in our Warriors of Budo series.
