Wado Ryu Karate [Paperback]

Hironori Otsuka (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 20, 1997

Wado Ryu Karate authored by the founder of Wado Hironori Otsuka this 358 page master piece was originally in hard cover and is now in paperback. Learn the katas the way he performed them back in its origin. Plus a complete section on the philosophy, and history of this beautiful flowing art. See all the katas performed by the master himself.

Product Details

• Paperback: 360 pages
• Publisher: Rising Sun Productions (October 20, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0920129188
• ISBN-13: 978-0920129180
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #773,979 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Basic Wado-ryu, November 8, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Wado Ryu Karate (Paperback)

Wado-ryu by Hronori Otuska is a fair translation of the original book. It falters only in the precise meaning of martial terms. The material presented is that of a overview and does not cover technical details or the aspects of the art which distinguish Wado-ryu from other forms of Japanese Karate. There is no mention of Kihon Kumite kata or of teni, tengi, and tentai, the San-mi-ittai of Wado-ryu.

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well-Done, December 20, 2001

By 

"nietzsche191" (Nashville, Tennessee USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wado Ryu Karate (Paperback)

As a karate-ka of this particular school holding the rank of Nidan, I can particularly appreciate the eloquence of Otsuka Sensei's intricate art, and the way his explanation herein contained describes it so well.

A must-have for any Wado karate-ka, and an excellent choice for those interested in the depths of Japanese martial arts.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Master text of Wado Ryu, September 26, 2007

By 

Bushido Practitioner - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wado Ryu Karate (Paperback)

Wado Ryu Karate/Jujutsu This book is clearly translated by someone who is not a native English speaker. The descriptions of the moves are not very detailed and like other books on the subject, the photos omit important transitional movements in the Kata. Having said that, All-in-all, I strongly recommend this book as a good reference to for all Wado students.

This book could be A LOT better, but the simple fact is, it is one of the best references in existence at this time. Ohgami's KARATE KATAS OF WADO RYU is similar in content to this book, and while it contains several improvements, it still has many of the same shortcomings.

The best book on the topic is Mark Edward Cody's new book WADO RYU KARATE JUJUTSU. There is no comparison between Cody's text and Ohgami's book (KARATE KATAS OF WADO RYU), Otsuka's book or anything currently in print on the system.

I have read Cody's other two books as well as gleaning over the new WADO RYU KARATE/JUJUTSU book and I think Cody's work will eventually become the primary Wado reference book. Cody is an excellent writer, and unlike Otsuka and Ogami, English is his first language.

Very few writers have improved of Otsuka's master text of Wado and unfortunately, few have tried. Time is running out for most of the men who trained directly under Otsuka. Although Cody never trained under high-level Japanese instructors, I think his writing ability and attention to detail will prove to make his book WADO RYU/JUJUTSU the first text since Otsuka's to be widely used as an instructional text for the system.

Ohgami's book, like that of Otsuka, does not contain all 17 Kata normally taught in the system. Cody's book covers all 17 forms with well illustrated, HIGHLY detailed descriptions. Otsuka and Ohgami are often unclear on the direction of movement and the degree to which the body is turned. Cody is to the best of my knowledge the first martial arts writer to ever use compass points to chart the direction of movement. His system of explanation leaves no room for confusion.

Several other authors have attempted to improve on this original Wado book, penned by the founder of the system, but to date, Otsuka's WADO RYU is still the definitive text on the system.