| Ohtsuka Tadahiko Sensei is an exponent of both Karate-do and Tai Chi Chuan. He is a man of great stature in the martial arts world.
His pre-eminence comes as much from his technical prowess and myriad of written texts as from his leadership and position.
As a person, Ohtsuka Sensei exemplifies those old world values of honour and loyalty, and is as comfortable in the street as in the dojo; everywhere the gentleman.
Away from the marital arts (thought his is hardly an apt phrase, as Ohtsuka Sensei is hardly away from the martial arts), he is a lawyer by training and a politician by vocation.
Above: Ohtsuka Kazouko,
Tai Chi Gold Medallist
His wife, Kazouko, a martial artist in her own right, is presently All Japan Tai Chi coach and gold medallist in Beijing 24 pattern.
They have two children: Gento, a teacher of Japanese literature, and Seiko, a teacher of music. When the phone rings at their home/dojo in downtown Shintomi, there is much confusion if the caller asks for Ohtsuka Sensei, as there are now four.
Tadahiko Ohtsuka was born in Tokyo on the 10th June 1940. He started studying Goju Ryu Karate in 1955 under the direction of Goju Master Sensei Sosui Ichikawa in Tokyo.
A brilliant and dedicated student, Tadahiko Ohtsuka incredibly attained his 5th Dan ranking as soon as 1965. In the same year, he graduated in Law from Meiji University.
Two years later, a chance meeting with Yo Meiji ("Yang Ming Shih" in Chinese) had a big impact on his life. As a result, he developed a passion for Tai Chi Chuan.
Then, in 1968, he discovered Pakua and Hsing I, through O Ju Kin (Master Wang Shu Chin) from Taiwan, who came to stay five years in Japan.
Concurrently he studied techniques for the maximisation of striking power with Shorin Ryu Master Yochuku Higa Sensei of Okinawa and drew on all these diverse arts to compliment and eventually create the Goju Kensha system.
Ohtsuka founded his own association in 1970 - Goju Kensha.
Currently a 9th Dan, Tadahiko Ohtsuka is one of the greatest contemporary Sensei.
He continually teaches both Karate and Tai Chi and at appropriate stages integrates his broad experience of other martial arts into his teachings.
As well as being Councillor for the Central Tokyo Municipality of Chuo Ku for the past 23 years, he travels regularly to Okinawa and China to further his research on the inner (soft) styles and outer (hard) styles which evolved into modern Karate.
He sees this search into the past as progressive, reversing the preoccupation with narrow skilled tournament technique now prevalent, and taking martial arts back to the versatile vital and realistic techniques that established their original deadly reputation.
Ohtsuka Sensei began his training at 15 years of age under the Goju Master Sosui Ichikawa, one of the greatest Masters in Japan - although he his little known outside of his native land.
Master Ichikawa was a student of a great Master, Kanki Izumikawa of Kawasaki, who in turn learned from Miyagi Choiun's senior student Higo Seko.
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Above: The teaching line of
Ohtsuka Sensei in Goju Ryu
Ohtsuka Sensei is a sixth generation Master from the founder of Goju Ryu. Goju Kensha means "hard/soft fist school" or "hard/soft fighting school" (ken - fist, sha - school).
Goju Kensha is not a large association outside of Japan.
It has members in Australia, Mexico, New Zealand, France India, Switzerland, Argentina, Rumania and Cyprus; but it is a tight-knit group that reflects Ohtsuka Sensei's concern for quality before quantity.
In Goju Kensha, Ohtsuka Sensei teaches both Goju Ryu karate and Tai Chi Chuan. In Tai Chi Cuan, two styles are followed: Yang and Chen.
His Involvement in Chinese Internal Styles
Tai Chi Chuan has a very long history. Master Ohtsuka has a soft spot for the "original" Chen style that he practices and teaches with great pleasure.
He has made numerous pilgrimages to China studying under the Chief Instructor of the Chen Village Master, Zhu Tian Cai (19th Century Chen stylist), Master Feng Zhiqiang from Beijing (also a 19th Century Chen stylist) and Master Chen Xiao Wang (also 19th Century Chen stylist) from the founder Chen Wanting.
In China, there are three soft or internal styles of the martial arts: Hsing I, Pa Kua and Tai Chi Chuan.
Hsing I is characterised by its linear and angular approach; Pa Kua by its circular approach. Very often the three styles are studied as a cluster.
Ohtsuka Sensei also learned both Hsing I and Pa Kua. These are not significant in Goju Kensha, but for completion of Ohtsuka Sensei's teaching line it will be given here.
It might be mentioned also that Pa Kua is a great influence on original Goju Ryu Karate-do.
"Hard" and "Soft" Styles
In recent days, there has been an increasing talk in martial arts circles of an integration of hard and soft styles of martial arts. Because of his background, and having progressed in the way that he has without disturbing the classical purity of either Karate or Tai Chi Chuan, Ohtsuka Sensei is eminently prepared for this task.
In essence, the soft or internal (Hsing I, Pa Kua and Tai Chi) seeks a balance of the yin and the yang of the Tao - note the Tai Chi symbol - the hard or external arts in the domain of the Yang. And, two points of emphasis: firstly, soft ought not to be confused with weak - indeed, far from it! And secondly, the soft style includes hard techniques, techniques of vigour.
Tai Chi Chuan is very often perceived as being confined in technique specifically to the slow form. Yet, Tai Chi comprises much more - pushing hands (technical exercises hardly for the undisciplined), meditation and weapons components.
In the form, there are vigorous sequences such as those in the Kuai Chan or fast form practiced by Yang stylists of the Tung Ying Chien stream. The Chen style thus has its four empty hands forms, two slow soft, the other hard (cannon-fist), so completing the yin-yang balance.
Ohtsuka Sensei has, rather spontaneously, developed a system that combines hard and soft styles, although (as stated above) Goju Ryu is in itself a hard-soft system.
Even in this, Ohtsuka Sensei has made innovations along these lines, or perhaps more correctly he has made a return to the origins. Here is an example to explain this: in the front stance (zen-kutsu daichi), hard stylists often straighten the back leg. Not so the exponents of Goju Kensha - the straightening of the back leg is seen as restricting mobility and locking the back.
The Tai Chi Classics (a little volume worthy of study) contends that a technique should originate in the feet, be directed by the waist, and be manifested in the hands. With the posture rigid, the waist cannot direct power in technique.
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