June 1
1892
Hironori Otsuka was born in Ibaraki Prefecture, Shimodate
City as the first son of Tokujiro and Sato.
His real name was Kou.
Hironori is the name, which was used for the martial art.
1897
Otsuka entered the Dojo of Choujiro Ebashi and embarked
on the learning of Jujutsu. Choujiro Ebashi was his big
uncle on his mother's side and was a martial arts teacher in
the Tuchiura feudal clan.
1905
Otsuka entered the Ibaragi prefecture Shimotsuma junior high
school.
He entered the Dojo of Master Tatsusaburo Nakayama, who was
a teacher in his junior high school and he began to learning
full-scale Shinto-Yoshin-Ryu-Jujutsu in his Dojo.
1910
He entered Waseda University and specialized in commerce.
1914~
He visited and trained Jujutsu in other Dojos as well as
participated
in trial games such as Tenjinshinyo-Ryu, Kito-Ryu and so on.
1912
With the death of his father Tokujiro, he dropped out of
Waseda University
to enter Kawasaki bank at the request of his mother Sato. He
began the study of bone setting and the kappo.
June 1, 1921
On Otsuka`s 30th birthday, Tatsusaburo Nakayama conferred to
him the license
of full proficiency in Shinto-Yoshin-Ryu and then accedes to
the 4th generation of the Shinto-Yoshin-Ryu.
July, 1922
He began to learn Ryukyoo- Karate- Jutsu.
1929
He participated in the establishment of the Nihon-Old
martial art promotion league, and he joined the league with
the name of his own Karate "Wado-Ryu-Karate-Jutsu".
1934
He established his Dojo "Dai-Nihon-Karate-Do-Shinko-Club",
which juxtaposed a bonesetting hospital in Suehirocho, Kanda
Tokyo.
May 1938
He conferred the rank of "Renshi-Gou" from
Dai-Nihon-Butokukai.
In the same year, he participated in " the style ancestor
festival " in Kyoto Butokuden, which Butokukai sponsors.
At that time, he registered his style name as
Shinshu-Wado-Ryu-Karate-Jutsu.
This became the first Karate style name to be officially
authorized into the martial arts of Japan. Though, on the
mainland of Japan a founder of a style of martial art was
held in esteem, a founder of a style of Karate held little
importance at the time.
1939
He changed his style name from Shinsu-Wado-Ryu to simply "Wado-Ryu".
Since then the name has remained unchanged up to present
time.
1944
He was appointed as the head master (SHUSEKI-SHIHAN) of
Karate
by the Dai Nihon Butokukai.
1949
He participated in the establishment of the International
Martial Arts Federation (IMAF).
1952
He opened the Wado-Ryu headquarters Dojo at Tsukiji in
Tokyo.
On June 1st , the first Wado-Ryu Demonstration tournament
was held for the 20th anniversary commemoration of the
foundation of Wado-Ryu Karate-Jutsu.
He participated in forming the Japan Karatedo Federation.
1966
The Japanese government honored him with the Fifth Order of
Merit
( the cordon of the Rising Sun ) for his contributions to
karate.
1969
He became First Vice-Chairman of the Japan Karatedo
Federation.
Oct 9, 1972 He was
awarded the title of "Meijin" by the Emperor's uncle.
Nov 3, 1978
He established the International Federation of Wado-Ryu
Karate-Do
Organizations’ Headquarters Dojo in Nerima Ward Tokyo.
Apr 1, 1981
The name of the Wado-Ryu Organization was changed.