Master Otsuka was born on 1^st June 1892 in Shimodate City, Ibaragi Prefecture, Japan, the second of four children. His father Dr. Tokuiuro Otsuka, a Doctor of Medicine operated a clinic at their home town. As a boy he listened to his mother's uncle, Chojiro Ebashi tell thrilling stories of Samurai endeavours. He himself was a respected Samurai warrior. Master Otsuka began martial arts training at the age of 6, practising Jujitsu under his uncle's instruction.

On the 1^st April 1897, on starting school, he began his formal training in Shindo Yoshin Ryu Jujitsu, a traditional Japanese martial art from which modern judo was derived. This was under the direction of Shinzaburo Nakayama Sensei (1870-1933), the third Grand Master of this style of Jujitsu. This style stressed kicking and striking techniques, in contrast to the throwing techniques of most jujitsu styles.

In 1911, Otsuka entered Waseda University to study business administration. It was during this period that Otsuka began studying atemi style Kempo, while he continued his studies in Shindo Yoshin Ryu Jujitsu. When his father died in 1913 he was forced to quit school and return to Shimodate to work at the Kawasaki Bank.

On June 1 1920, Otsuka celebrated his 29th birthday by being awarded the coveted Menkyo Kaiden, a charter, which allowed him to succeed his master's position as fourth Grand Master of the Shindo Yoshin Ryu Jujitsu School. A year later he began karate training with Gichin Funakoshi, one of the men who introduced Okinawan Tode to Japan from Okinawa.

A council of Okinawan karate masters had sent Gichin Funakoshi and Shinkin Gima to Japan in order to introduce Okinawa-Te (Tode) to the Japanese. This was at the request of the Crown Prince Hirohito. Otsuka heard of this visit and journeyed to Tokyo to witness the demonstration.

Funakoshi eventually stayed in Japan to promote karate. Otsuka visited him at the Meisei Juku (dormitory for Okinawan students) and spent many hours discussing their ideas about the martial arts. At this time Otsuka began training with Funakoshi. Otsuka immediately saw the advantages of combining the Okinawan Shuri type karate with the techniques and principles of Japanese Shindo Yoshin Ryu Jujitsu.

Because of his experience and knowledge of Jujitsu martial art skills, he was able to grasp and understand the principles of karate very quickly. Funakoshi recognised these abilities and in April 1924, Otsuka aged 31, along with six others, was graded to Shodan level (black belt) in karate making him one of the first Japanese to be promoted in this art.

In 1927, against his mother's wishes, he left the bank at Shimodate, and became a medical specialist (bone setter) treating injuries. This allowed him to devote more time to the martial arts.

Otsuka studied with Funakoshi for over ten years and became Funakoshi's senior student. After Otsuka began to teach karate at Tokyo University in 1929, he began to have differences of opinion with Funakoshi over the introduction of Jujitsu techniques and the practice of ji yu kumite (free fighting), as Funakoshi did not approve.

Funakoshi thought that the introduction of Japanese Jujitsu and free fighting into the Okinawan Shuri type karate was wrong. Otsuka disagreed and was now beginning to realise the limitations of Funakoshi’s experience and knowledge, in brief, he was being held back by what he believed was Funakoshi’s outmoded viewpoint and beliefs.

Otsuka began to train with Kenwa Mabuni and Choki Motobu. He wanted to learn as much as possible from the masters who had instructed Funakoshi. It was his belief that Funakoshi had over simplified and modified (changed) several karate techniques and katas in the interests of teaching large groups of beginners.

Otsuka combined his new knowledge of karate with several of his own adaptations from his original Jujitsu and Japanese Bushido (Way of the Warrior) to form Wado karate. He also discarded techniques which were ineffective. He introduced different kinds of body shifting techniques, a more upright stance for mobility, and reliance on evasion and counter techniques. Its emphasis was on skill and technique, as opposed to brute force or strength, and the traditional Okinawan Tode techniques gave an all round effectiveness and efficiency to Wado Ryu unique in Japanese karate. 

Otsuka viewed the hardness of other styles of karate as an uneconomical use of one’s energy, therefore he developed a relaxed-arm thrust punch coupled with a snap withdrawal of the punching fist to create a highly focused technique with all the energy being concentrated solely in the strike. Jujitsu joint locks and attacks, as well as throwing routines were also introduced into this system.

Otsuka is also credited with the introduction of the first rules and regulations for competition free fighting to be incorporated into his system, the first karate style to do so, the other's followed.

Otsuka's Wado Ryu is a lightning fast and agile, manoeuvrable style. As well as founding the Wado Ryu Karatedo Renmei Federation, he was a founding member of the Kokusai Budoin (International Martial Arts Federation) and Director of the Japan Classical Martial Arts Promotion Society.

In 1967 the Emperor of Japan awarded Otsuka the Fifth Order of Merit (the Shiju Hoosho Medal) for his outstanding contributions to karate. He was the first karate master to receive this distinguished award.

In 1972, he was the recipient of the Hanshi Award, an even greater honour. Otsuka was again the first karateka ever honoured by the Japanese Royal family with the title of Meijin. Along with this award came the honour of being ranked at the head of all martial arts systems within the All Japan Karate-do Federation (Judan or 10th degree Black Belt).

Shortly before his death Otsuka was recognised as the oldest practising karateka in the world. Otsuka said "The difference between the possible and the impossible is one's will," and he always emphasised that the karateka should always hold true, three vital elements - the heart, mind and spirit.

Even an above average man in his eighties would probably have been content to rest and let others continue his work, but Otsuka was not. Never believing that he or the martial arts in general had learned all that there was to know, he continued to practice. Putting on his gi (training uniform), he would train every day for twenty minutes on just one technique, and continue this for a full month. Those who have studied with him remarked how he enjoyed walking on the crowded streets of Tokyo, so that he could practice smoothly weaving and twisting (Taisabaki waza) without letting anyone touch him.

Hironori Otsuka practised karate daily until his death on January 29th. 1982. His son, Jiro, took his father's name along with the title of grandmaster of Wado upon his father's death.  

Since the founders death there have been various divisions in Wado. There are currently three major organisations practicing the style.

These are:

• The Wado Ryu karate do Academy- the Chief instructor in Europe is Masafumi Shiomitsu 8th Dan Hanshi, and it is headed by Hironori Otsuka the 2nd who is the current grand master of Wado Ryu karate-do, and 10th Dan.

• The Japan karate federation Wado-kai (JKF), the chief instructor in Europe is Shingo Ohgami 7th Dan. The acting president is Eiichi Eriguchi in Japan.

• The Wado Ryu International Karate-Do Federation (WIKF) whose founder and Chief instructor worldwide is Tatsuo Suzuki 8th Dan Hanshi.