All Wado Karate Forum

Kyohisa Hirano on Wado-ryu - At this point of his life, Hirano was diabetic, and walked with some difficulty. That's me standing by the camera reflected in the mirror:) He accompanied Otsuka on his first trip to America, but broke with Wado-ryu after bringing Otsuka two more times to the US. Although Ajari Sensei was already in America as a graduate student attending Berkeley, Hirano was the first full time Japanese Wado-ryu Karate teacher in the US, perhaps in the world.



Kiyohisa Hirano on application - After his break with Wado-ryu, the outward form of Hirano's karate drifted towards a more universal style. He never forgot his roots, and continued to teach select Wado-ryu kata to his senior students. In one of the last conversations we shared about regrets in life, was his not having mended the break in his relationship with Otsuka before O'Sensei passed.



Shiomitsu Seminar in Hawaii - Although Shiomitsu Sensei attend Japan University before Hirano, because of a severe injury, he stayed out of school for a year, and graduated after Hirano. They remained friends and affectionately referred to each other as Sempai.



The tapes are from a portion of my collection, some of which were uploaded to YouTube. I have posted these elsewhere, but for the first time here. The editing, and notations, right or wrong are strictly mine. Aloha, hdt

I know we have discussed them before on other forums but nice to have it all collected together here.

And welcome...

Thanks for the welcome, I have a tape made of Toru Arakawa teaching in Colorado. If I ever get around to digitizing it, I will also post it here. Arakawa Sensei was the best karate technician I have ever studied under. I attended his kihon kumite seminar in California. I think he was already in his late 60s, but his movement was quick, and with no telegraph. One of my friends made a "super 8" file of Otsuka in Hawaii. If he finds it, and I get a copy, I will also share that with you. I missed that demonstration. I was young, and stuck up at the time, I recall thinking "what could a old fart possibly teach me".:( One of my fellow students had the opportunity to demonstrate with O'Sensei, and later told me that when he tried to hit the old man, his small, skinny arm mysteriously, effectively deflected his best strike. Years later, when I realized what a big deal it was to see the founder of Wadoryu, I kicked myself for missing this event.

I have a tape made of Toru Arakawa teaching in Colorado. If I ever get around to digitizing it, I will also post it here. Arakawa Sensei was the best karate technician I have ever studied under.

If you think Arakawa or Shiomitsu are great you must train with Suzuki...

We are so lucky at the moment with all these supremely talented Japanese masters travelling the globe, they all have something to offer and present a wonderful choice for the serious students of Wado. And seminars are so well organised these days, in addition to the fact that information travels around the world on this new fangled Interweb thingy.

Brilliant!!!

I feel so positive today!

Tim

acer wrote:.........If you think Arakawa or Shiomitsu are great you must train with Suzuki...

Is he still around, wow. As I recall, Suzuki Sensei, Hirano's Sempai, came to Hawaii twice in the 60s. Wasn't Arakawa his senior? These old timers are something else. Kawaguchi Sensei (probably not known outside of Japan), had his stomach removed over 15 years ago, and was still moving the last I heard. He is Hirano's first Wadoryu teacher, a Judo as well as Karate master.

honoluludesktop wrote:

acer wrote:.........If you think Arakawa or Shiomitsu are great you must train with Suzuki...

Is he still around, wow. As I recall, Suzuki Sensei, Hirano's Sempai, came to Hawaii twice in the 60s. Wasn't Arakawa his senior? These old timers are something else. Kawaguchi Sensei (probably not known outside of Japan), had his stomach removed over 15 years ago, and was still moving the last I heard. He is Hirano's first Wadoryu teacher, a Judo as well as Karate master.

I think you may find Suzuki Hanshi ( born 1928) is four years older and was one year ahead of Arakawa sensei (born 1932) at Nihon University.. Hirano KIyohisa sensei was born in 1938 so perhaps a little way behind these two gentlemen chronologically.

oneya

Arakawa was Suzuki kohai and his assistant in demonstration that made around the world back then...
Suzuki start karate before the University so he was ''older'' and higher grade than everyone else (Arakawa,Shiomitsu etc)

Toru Arakawa? If Suzuki Sensei started training before Arakawa, I stand corrected as I was unable to verify. Yes, both were Hirano's Sempais. I heard lots of marvelous stories about both seniors from him, but I never met Suzuki Sensei. I understand that Suzuki was very strong, and my experience with Arakawa was that he was technically excellent.

Toru Arakawa?

Yes....