10th Dan Karate
István Réti Szentimrei (born May 6, 1949, Tiszaszentimre, Hungary) is a Hungarian martial artist, Zen master, and spiritual teacher. He is one of the founders of Hungarian karate, former president of Wado-ryu karate in Hungary, and the Founding Grandmaster of Ré Zen-Do, an internationally recognized martial and spiritual path. Holding the rank of 10th Dan, he is regarded as one of the most influential non-Japanese karate masters in Hungary and abroad.
Réti was born on the Great Hungarian Plain and grew up under difficult circumstances following his parents’ divorce, spending part of his childhood in institutional care. After secondary school he lived a hedonistic life before committing himself to professional discipline as a chef. Working in luxury hotels and restaurants, he won several culinary competitions, earning the opportunity to work abroad.
He chose Japan, where he opened a Hungarian restaurant in Tokyo. There, a documentary on Japanese martial arts—featuring legendary masters—sparked his interest in Karate-Do and set him on a path that would define his life.
In Japan, Réti became a direct student of Shihan Sadaharu Fujimoto (1931–2019), founder of the International Karate-Do Shobukai (IKS). He trained for several years and became Fujimoto’s only Hungarian disciple, absorbing not only technique but the traditional Zen-based master–student transmission.
He earned his 1st Dan in 1978, followed by further Dan promotions personally overseen by Fujimoto, often without formal examinations—reflecting the Zen principle that true mastery reveals itself through conduct and presence.
After returning to Hungary in the late 1970s, Réti became a central figure in establishing karate nationwide. Together with János Darnay, he opened more than twenty schools, including one of the first major dojos at the Gellért Hotel in Budapest. At a time when karate was largely unknown, his demonstrations attracted hundreds of students.
In 1982, Réti and Darnay became the first Wado-ryu black belts in Hungary, receiving their rank in Rome under Master Yutaka Toyama. Réti also maintained close professional ties with Italian master Maurizio Gai. Through his efforts, Wado-ryu spread widely in Hungary, producing internationally successful fighters and prominent coaches.
Despite this success, Réti gradually rejected competition-focused karate. In 1985, he resigned from leadership roles within the Hungarian Karate Association and Wado-ryu organizations, turning away from medals and rankings in favor of a deeper Budō path.
In the early 1980s, Réti founded Ré Zen-Do, an independent martial-spiritual system integrating:
It is a lifelong path (Dō) focused on harmony between body, mind, and spirit. The system was officially recognized by Shihan Fujimoto and has been part of the International Karate-Do Shobukai (IKS) since 1984, making it an internationally accepted style. Réti later received the title of IKS First Shihan, qualifying him for the organization’s highest leadership roles.
His guiding principle is simple:
“The style(Ryuha) is the person.”
At the core of Ré Zen-Do lies Zen as lived experience, not belief. Concepts such as hara, zanshin, kiai, mai-ai, and kenshō are embodied through practice rather than taught as theory. Meditation, breathing, posture, and movement are inseparable from daily life.
Réti emphasizes direct realization over doctrine:
“Experience, experience—in this I believe: EXPERIENCE!”
Zen-Do teaches that enlightenment is not withdrawal from the world, but complete presence within it—where action arises naturally from inner clarity.
Réti has taught continuously since the late 1970s. He was the first to introduce his combat system at the Police Officers’ College, later training members of law enforcement, military units, and special forces.
Beyond martial arts, he served as a sports officer at the Ministry of the Interior and later as a protocol officer at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, participating in Japanese–Hungarian state visits. For his work, he received numerous honors from ministers and presidents.
In 1985, Réti founded the Ré Zen-Do Monastery in Köveskál, Hungary, which remains the spiritual center of the system. It houses a library of several thousand volumes and an extensive collection of traditional and modern weapons.
For over three decades, the monastery has hosted annual summer camps featuring intensive daily practice, meditation, weapons training, night watch, and traditional ceremonies. Titles and belts are considered secondary:
“Only knowledge counts.”
To embody beginner’s mind, Réti occasionally wears a white belt himself.
In 2018,Aug Réti’s life work received the highest level of Zen Budo recognition. The Founder Ryutoku Komyo accepted Reti to be a part of Zensyokan. The Zensyokan accepted him as:
His Zen name, Daiku(大空) RÉ, was formally entered into the Bodhidharma lineage (Kechimyaku), acknowledging his role in uniting Zen and Budō at an international level.
Known for his powerful presence, distinctive voice, and uncompromising authenticity, István Réti Szentimrei embodies the unity of Zen and the warrior’s path (Ken Zen Ichi Nyo). He survived a near-fatal parachuting accident, introduced the use of hachimaki in Hungarian karate in the 1980s, and remains passionate about motorcycles, flying, and traditional weapons.
His life mission is the promotion of peace, self-realization, and ethical strength through disciplined practice. As he teaches:
“Find your Master, find yourself—and you are the Master.”
Zen-Do, as he lives it, is not a destination but a way of walking—where every day is practice, and every step is the path itself.
YouTube references (Zen name Daiku RÉ):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkFxOifLT_s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dm_YSC-esNE
After successfully fulfilling all required criteria for the establishment of an independent ryūha (martial lineage), Daiku RÉ was formally honored and granted permission to found DaikuRyu in October 2020.
The approval was issued in full accordance with the Zensyokan Ryuha Rules and Regulations, recognizing DaikuRyu as an officially sanctioned lineage within the Zensyokan Monastery System. This authorization confirmed that DaikuRyu meets the spiritual, ethical, technical, and organizational standards required for an autonomous martial path rooted in authentic Zen–Budō tradition.
The establishment of DaikuRyu represents the formal acknowledgment of Daiku RÉ’s lifelong work in uniting Zen philosophy with martial discipline and transmitting that knowledge through a distinct and recognized lineage.
The title “Noble Warrior of DaikuRyu” is reserved for practitioners who embody the core principles of DaikuRyu: discipline, integrity, self-mastery, and service. This recognition reflects not rank alone, but character, responsibility, and lived understanding of the Way (Dō).
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A 10th Dan Journey: Reti’s Lifetime Devotion to Karate
In November 2022, during a official courtesy visit to Nepal, Reti achieved one of the highest honors in the world of traditional martial arts. At the age of 73, after an extraordinary 47-year journey in Karate, he was awarded the 10th Dan Black Belt of Zensyokan by Grandmaster Ryutoku Komyo. The ceremony took place in Lumbini, the sacred birthplace of Lord Buddha, adding deep spiritual significance to this milestone.
Reti’s Karate journey began nearly five decades ago, driven by discipline, humility, and a lifelong commitment to self-improvement. Over the years, his path was not merely about mastering techniques, but about embracing the true philosophy of Karate—respect, perseverance, character, and service to others. Through relentless training, teaching, and personal sacrifice, he embodied the spirit of Do (the way), transforming Karate into a lifelong practice rather than a competitive pursuit.
The awarding of a 10th Dan, the highest rank in Karate, is exceptionally rare and is reserved for individuals who have dedicated their entire lives to the art. It recognizes not only technical mastery but also moral leadership, contribution to the global Karate community, and the ability to preserve and transmit tradition to future generations. For Reti, this honor reflects decades of unwavering dedication, countless students trained, and a legacy built on integrity and discipline.
Receiving this recognition from Grandmaster Ryutoku Komyo, a highly respected authority in Zensyokan Karate, further underscores the authenticity and significance of the achievement. The choice of Lumbini as the location symbolized peace, enlightenment, and the harmony between physical discipline and spiritual growth—values that Reti has upheld throughout his life.
At 73 years of age, Reti stands as a living example that Karate is a journey without an endpoint. His 47 years of training serve as an inspiration to martial artists across generations, proving that true mastery is achieved not through speed or strength, but through patience, humility, and lifelong learning.
Reti’s 10th Dan journey is not just a personal triumph—it is a testament to a life devoted to the art of Karate and the values it represents.
