Meaning of WADO-RYU

A unique point about Wado-Ryu is that Wado-Ryu Karate is a mixture of Shinto-Yoshin-Ryu Jujutsu and Karate. Contrary to other styles of karate which were introduced to Japan From Okinawa as a Karate around 1922. Wado-Ryu developed entirely on the mainland of Japan as Karate and Jujutsu Kenpo.
The name Wado-Ryu comes from the idea of TEN, CHI, JIN, No RI-DO ni Wa suru.

The Kanji TEN means the sky, heaven and the air.
CHI stands for the earth, the soil and the ground.
JIN represents men, mankind and human beings.
RI-DO means reason and truth.
WA stands for the sum of a whole, peace and harmony.

These definitions are the Kanjis' Literal meanings, but imply many other concepts and symbols which encompass the existing world such as sunlight, rain, harvesting crops, desire love extra. The phrase TEN, CHI, JIN  no RI-DO ni WA suru, connects all these symbols and concepts together with TEN,(sky)CHI(ground) and JIN(human beings) represented as three circles are encompassed by a larger circle called RI-DO(reason). RI-DO can be used in combination with any of the three basic principles and if those combinations are naturally executed then WA(harmony) is created and that is represented by a larger circle that encompasses all the other principles (see diagram).

Creating harmony (WA) is the most difficult condition to affair in Martial Arts.
In order to do this you have to sharpen your intellect not only through physical training but mental training as well. The Martial Arts is not a sport. Whereas sports are concerned with the concept of winning, Martial Arts are concerned with the idea of growing. The struggles we face in training are similar to the ones face in life. We must not train to destroy others but rather to develop our human spirit. The philosophy of Wado-Ryu can help a person grow in any area of life.

The object of studying Wado-Ryu

"MARTIAL ARTS"  What does it mean? There are many meanings.  For example;  BUDO, BUJUTSU, BUGI, KAKUGI, BUSHIDO, which are all Martial arts. But what is the meaning of Martial arts. Today practitioners of Martial arts have many meanings.
As a sport, as a health control, to improve the spirit or as a business, but what is the reality? As the founder of Wado-Ryu wrote in a poem.

"When you practice Wado-Ryu as a martial art, it not only means committing yourself to the way of Wado-Ryu, but also committing yourself to a certain way of life, which includes "HARD TRAINING" ; overcoming obstacles in life and finding the way to lead a healthy and meaningful existence in the time you have on this planet. Through this way of life you can reach the center of "WA" and lead a life of wholeness. This is the reality! Therefore, to categorize the purpose of training in Wado-Ryu, one must find center of "WA" through HARD TRAINING. Once you have entered the center of "WA", you will find many other ways to grow and improve your way of life. It will help you grow in all areas of your life.

Jujutsu

Hironori Otsuka who acceded to the 4th generation of Shinto-Yosin-Ryu Jujutsu completed Wado-Ryu Jujutsu-Kenpo. It was created to made fuse using the merit of Karate and Shinto-Yoshin-Ryu-Jujutsu. The successors of Shinto-Yoshin-Ryu
The first Katsunosuke Matsuoka
The second Motokichi Inose
The third Shinzaburo Yukiyoshi Nakayama
The fourth Hironori Otsuka

SHINTO-YOSHIN-RYU-JUJUTSU

1864, Katsunosuke Matsuoka made Yoshin-Ryu. He used Yoshin-Ryu as basis, merged together Tenjinshinyo-Ryu, Yoshin-Koryu, and introduced the theory and the technology of Jikishinkage-Ryu-Kenjutsu.

Katsunosuke Matsuoka

Katsunosuke Matsuoka was the second son of Dourin Matsuoka and the father was a feudal clan doctor in the Fukuoka Kuroda feudal clan. When Katsunosuke was 17 years old, his father became in charge of Edo(Tokyo) residence of clan, and they move to Edo. Then he started learning Yoshin-Ryu Jujutsu in the Shogunate martial arts school there. In the meantime, he also studied the other martial arts such as Tenjin-Shinyo-Ryu, Yoshin-Koryu, Jikishinkage-Ryu and Hokushin-Ittoryu. After that, he opened a Dojo to the Asakusa precincts and taught Jujutsu and Kenjutsu. He used this occasion to changed the style name to Shinto-Yoshin Ryu-Jujutsu. When his Dojo recognized by the Shogunate Martial Arts school, he became a vassal in the Shogunate and was promoted to Shogunate's territory patrol duty in Shimofusa-Hitachi-city. When the Shogunate abolished a feudal clan system and replaced it with a prefecture system, Matsuoka moved on a new location in Hitachinokuni Ibaragi Prefecture)-Uenomura-city. There he taught Jujutsu, Kenjutsu and acquired a job as the local bonesetter, later earning a good reputation.

Tatsusaburo Nakayama

In 1886, Tatsusaburo Nakayama entered the Shintokan-Dojo of Katsunosuke Matsuoka and he learned Jikishinkage-Ryu-Kenjutsu and Shinto-Yoshin-Ryu Jujutsu. He also studied Onoha-Itto-Ryu with Master Sasaburo Takano and he awarded a license of full proficiency of the style in 1906. In 1898, Master Katsunosuke Matsuoka past away, after that Nakayama decided to succeed of Shinto-Yoshin-Ryu' the third position.

Hironori Otsuka

April 1, 1897 Otsuka enterd the school of Tatsusaburo Nakayama. June 1, 1920 Otsuka completed all the lessons and took the license of the highest degree of the school, which allowed him to succeed his master's position.

The first Grand Master Hironori Otsuka elected 16 different katas in the Wado-Ryu system, which are KihonGatta, Pinan Nidan, Pinan Shodan, Pinan Sandan, Pinan Yondan, Pinan Godan, Kushanku, Naihanchi, Seishan, Chinto, Bassai, Jion, Nisheishi, Jitte, Rohai and Wanshu. Although he felt the most important katas to practice are only the first 10 katas from KihonGatta to Chinto. He properly taught only the 10 katas to the Wado-Ryu disciples, because the same movements are already included in the other 6 katas. His idea was that, how many katas one memorizes if one cannot apply the technique, is a waste of time and stamina.

In Wado-Ryu, the Kanji use for "KATA" is but the other styles of Karate are using the other Kanji. The first Grand Master Hironori Otsuka made this choice. These two characters of Kanji are read as "KATA." The second character  is also read as "IGATA", which can be translated as "Mold".  The standardized goods made from the IGATA are all the same, it's not transformable. Martial arts must never become an "IGATA".

The first character of "KATA" does not imply "IGATA" and it can be translated as a transformable shape.  "KATA" is expressive; as a mirror is, it changes with every action and situation. A mirror figure changes just as its reflection does. "IGATA" is dead? It does not have an identity; "KATA" is alive.  The dead "Igata" is utilizable for only one purpose.  Because kata is alive, it can be utilized for many situations.  Thus, when using the kata of martial arts, one must use it in accordance to the meaning and objective it has, or else it becomes useless. To use a kata that is alive is difficult, but it is important in all martial arts training, while it is utilizable in the area of arts especially for one concerned with professionalism. A kata that is alive itself is invisible, but the progress to achieve that stage of aliveness gives the kata a spirit. Each movement in a kata was made to be practiced without an opponent. 
When practicing, it is important to imagine opponents all around you in all directions and remember the objective, the application and the usage of that particular movement. The best method of practicing "KATA" is repetition.  Although, after a period of time, one begins to better understand the procedure of one movement incorporating into the next movement.  Of course, in some katas, a continuous combination may exist but one must not think about what comes before or after.  While performing kata and following the order of the movement, one has to keep in mind to be ready for a sudden attack coming from any direction. Each and every one of the movements put together makes a kata.  Therefore to perform each movement properly, one must practice kata until being able to spontaneously move.
The first Grand Master Hironori Otsuka elected 16 different katas in the Wado-Ryu system, which are KihonGatta, Pinan Nidan, Pinan Shodan, Pinan Sandan, Pinan Yondan, Pinan Godan, Kushanku, Naihanchi, Seishan, Chinto, Bassai, Jion, Nisheishi, Jitte, Rohai and Wanshu.  Although he felt the most important katas to practice are only the first 10 katas from KihonGatta to Chinto.  He properly taught only the 10 katas to the Wado-Ryu disciples, because the same movements are already included in the other 6 katas.  His idea was that, how many katas one memorizes if one cannot apply the technique, is a waste of time and stamina.