The Wado International Karate-Do
Federation (WIKF) or Wado Kokusai Karate-Do
Remni was founded in 1991 by Professor Tatsuo Suzuki 8th Dan Hanshi in order
to protect the essence of Wado Ryu Karate-Do as taught to him by the founder, Hironori
Ohtsuka.
Before Ohtsuka's death, discussions
took place involving him and Eiichi Eriguchi (then chairman of the Wado Kai) in
which it was made clear that Ohtsuka Sensei wished to have Tatsuo Suzuki become his
successor. Suzuki Sensei was diffident about accepting the honour, claiming
instead that it should pass to Ohtsuka's son. However, after Ohtsuka's son
took over, there were many political and technical problems in America,
Europe, and Japan. Many inconsistencies with Kata and techniques began to
evolve. Suzuki Sensei tried to reunite the Wado organizations on several
occasions only to have them resume their bickering as soon as he left Japan.
Suzuki Sensei's growing dissatisfaction with the way things were proceeding
and his realization that his time was limited, made him decide to take a
different route to preserve Ohtsuka Sensei's teachings. This was the reason
he decided to start his own international Wado-Ryu organization. He is the
only man left who has studied intensively with Ohtsuka Sensei during his
peak performance years, from fifty to seventy years old.
The WIKF is established in
51 Countries and is organised into three regions, Europe, Pan America and
Asia. The WIKF is
the largest out of the three main Wado groups. Suzuki Sensei is loyal to the
man who taught him, the founder of Wado-Ryu, the late master Ohtsuka. Suzuki
Sensei will not allow the style to be changed. His is the original Wado-Ryu
as taught to him and as it will always be taught whilst he remains a Hanshi.
We hope this site will provide some
insight into our organisation and its values. Please feel free to direct any question to
the following address.
markthomas@wikf.com
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