The JKF Wado-kai headquarters in Tokyo, even when Hironori Otsuka– founder of the style and of Wado-kai – was the chair used to be a crossroads where Wado-ryu karate teachers from all over the world met. Otsuka conceived Wado like an individual and social training path capable to preserve good health and to contribute to the thorough realization of the individual as being part of a broad community: the human community. Otsuka sent his students to the five continents with the aim to spread Wado-ryu in the world. Atsuo Yamashita, Iwao Yoshioka and Yutaka Toyama came to Italy. The latter left the strongest and longest-lasting imprint thanks to both his technical and organizational qualities, and commitment over nearly two decades. Toyama founded and led the Italian Wado-kai branch from 1968 to 1987 and in those years, many upgrading courses were organized in Japan. But when Toyama left our country for good, the line linking Italy to Wado headquarters in Tokyo broke. One of the reasons why WKSI was established is to restore that relationship.

Every year in February, JKF Wado-kai organizes a one-week seminar and two examination sessions exclusively directed to the Overseas Branches, that is the federation divisions operating outside Japan. During that week of February, the Technical Committee of JKF Wado-Kai, led by Hideho Takagi Sensei 8th DAN, is exclusively dedicated to students and teachers from these branches, WKSI among the others. The two examination sessions, chaired by the Committee, are dedicated to grading from 4th DAN to 8th DAN and to qualifying as a JKF Wado-kai Instructor. It is a unique occasion for training and enjoying one of the most beautiful and fascinating countries in the world. On the occasion of the Overseas Branches Seminars, WKSI organizes “study tours” to Japan, including tourist-cultural visits to other relevant cities of artistic, cultural and martial historical value in Japan.