Karate is a discipline of Budō, the complex of Japanese combat systems. Karate originally developed in Okinawa, a small island located between Japan and southern China, centuries before falling under the rule of the Japanese empire. Thanks to the constant trade relations and cultural exchanges with China, the warriors from Okinawa learned Kung Fu, in particular the Hequan style (Crane Boxing), and merged it with the ancient Okinawan traditional combat styles, thus giving birth to Karate, which like Kung Fu was practiced by different schools with a different style.

Wado (和道, Way to Peace/Harmony) is one of the most recent styles and is the natural evolution of this martial art, after being introduced in Japan at the beginning of last century. The founder of the style Hironori Otsuka, already Grand Master of Shindo Yoshin-ryu, an ancient Jujutsu style (the Japanese martial art Judo and Aikido originate from), was impressed by Okinawa’s Karate. Otsuka observed that Karate used techniques, which were missing in Jujutsu, and viceversa. So, in 1922, he started studying it with the idea to merge their techniques and to apply the principles of Jujutsu to Karate. Wado-ryu is the result of that merging.

The influence of Jujutsu makes Wado a style characterized by speed and flexibility and based on the principle of non-contraposition (ju): while the other karate schools try to block the blows from the opponent to curb the energy, Wado-ryu aims at using the opponent’s strength at one’s own benefit, without blocking it, to blow it back (by dodging, offsetting, throwing, etc…). Furthermore, Wado seeks to reach power by being fast and precise, and by eliminating all unnecessary movements (mudana dosa). This style develops flexibility, speed and capacity of moving smoothly, and teaches how to generate power through techniques and to minimize the use of brute force at the benefit of the very dynamic intelligence.

There is no pre-determined age, it changes from person to person. Usually, it is possible to start from four years old onwards with a preparatory training. Children are coached to learning and developing the so-called basic motor schemes. From five/six years of age, children can start training Wado-ryu Karate.

Of course, you can. Wado-ryu is a flexible and fluid style that is learned by following gradual steps and that prefers natural positions and movements of the body. So, it is highly indicated for all people of all age bands and conditions.

Today, the mostly practiced karate style is sports. The aim of sports karate is to succeed in competitions. The aim of the original (traditional) karate is, on the contrary, martial, that is to increase self-defence and self-awareness abilities not only as far as the body is concerned, but also the heart, developing skills, self-confidence, respect and discipline. This does not mean that if we practice traditional karate, we cannot cultivate sports karate. Like Hironori Otsuka, the founder of Wado-ryu, used to say, the authentic spirit of sport has several points of contact with the spirit of martial arts. Competitions, especially for the younger people, may be a healthy opportunity for having fun, for finding inputs and for comparing with one another. But for us sport will always be at the service of martial art, never the opposite. The key goal of Wado-ryu is not to win medals rather to achieve the highest ability, effectiveness and harmony between body and mind, thus encouraging the true and useful human development of all students.

The naturalness and fluidity of its techniques make Wado a powerful tool for fitness in adulthood, and develop joint mobility, improve response times and all levels of general and specific ability. Moreover, like every karate style, Wado also provides for powerful training of the mind at the advantage of the level of attention. All useful elements in daily life (e.g. when you drive). Moreover, practicing bare-foot reinforces the plantar venous pump at the benefit of the entire heart and circulatory system, and the natural approach actually offers similar results to postural gymnastics. All this by learning a martial art.