Sig Kufferath and Danzan Ryu
Tom Valesky
[Tom Valesky]
Dear Martial Artists,
I am sorry to have to defend the reputation of my system from those who
claim to champion it. I recently posted an announcement regarding an
upcoming seminar I am hosting which will be taught by Professor Sig
Kufferath, headmaster of the Kodenkan Danzan-Ryu Jujitsu system. A reprint
of this post is repeated below.
I found that Mr. David Scheid, a Danzan-Ryu practitioner from the west
coast, felt it necessary to FLAME my announcement with a stream of mis-
representations and negative comments about Prof. Kufferath. Sig indeed
was one of the proteges of Okazaki. He was chief instructor for Okazaki.
He was one of the original members of the Danzan-Ryu standards committee
after Okazaki's death. And unlike some of the other old-timers in
Danzan-Ryu, he stayed on the Hawaiian islands continuing to work with
Okazaki until after his death in 1951. The main point is that
Prof. Kufferath was with Okazaki until the end. He knew what Okazaki did
during the 1940's and understood the direction Okazaki was taking his
system. This is something that neither Mr. Scheid nor myself have ANY
insight into.
Mr. Scheid, if you have a gripe with me, please write to me personally
rather than start this sort of thing. My purpose (and I _shouldn't_
have to explain it) was to give my students a piece of Danzan-Ryu history
and heritage by bringing in Prof. Kufferath. I also felt the martial arts
community would greatly benefit from meeting this legend. I needn't explain
to you that Prof. Okazaki said that the spirit of Danzan-Ryu was embodied
in the Hawaiian word, "Kokua", which means to help one another. For nearly
25 years I have been trying to embue that concept into my jujitsu students.
I don't believe that your comments were made in that spirit. I also feel
that it is unfair for you to brandish YOUR opinions about in such a way as
to besmirch the reputation of a man who does NOT deserve such treatment!
To those in the martial arts community that do not know Prof. Kufferath,
I would strongly recommend you seek him out, whether at my seminar or
elsewhere. He is an amazing individual. A master of theraputic massage
as well as jujitsu, he has spent most of his life helping others. He is
one of those people that I am glad I had a chance to work with. If you
have any questions regarding either Professor Kufferath or Professor
Janovich, please feel free to contact me directly. You can do so either
by email to:
garri...@softh.softech.com
or by phone:
(703) 285-9043 (day)
(703) 435-9588 (evening)
With Kokua,
George Arrington
P.S. This message was posted by my student, Mr. Tom Valesky.
------------ Included Message (Edited) --------------------
In article <2h439c$6...@male.ebay.sun.com> you write:
>In article k...@portal.gmu.edu, tval...@mason1.gmu.edu (Tom Valesky) writes:
>
>>Hi Folks!
>
>>Professor Sig Kufferath and his chief instructor Prof. Tony Janovich
>>are coming to Northern Virginia on Saturday, Mar. 12, 1994. Prof.
>>Kufferath is the current headmaster of the Kodenkan Danzan-Ryu Jujitsu
> ******************
>>System and will be doing a seminar on street self-defense. The seminar
>>is open to all ranks and styles. For more info, send email to Sensei
>>George Arrington of the Fairfax Jujitsu Kai at:
>
>B---S---! There is NO HEADMASTER! It goes against everything Prof. Okazaki
>taught. Nor is there a SOKE (heir). Sig was not even a protege of Okazaki's.
>Okazaki quit teaching after he was incarcerated twice during WWII. He did
>teach one last ShinJin class in 1948, but Sig doesn't even have the right
>spelling or meaning.
>
>Nuff said.
>
>
>Dave Scheid (tired of Danzan Ryu being misrepresented!)
>
>
Dakin Burdick
Sig Kufferath and they were very worthwhile. From the information
I heard, he was student of Okazaki (I'm not sure what Dave Scheid
means by "protege") and at any rate he has numerous notes of Okazakis
that he has provided for us. Sig himself is an excellent martial
artist who retains his good health into his old age. As such, he
will be inspiring for anyone who goes to his seminars. On the other
hand, I really didn't like the Japanese Restoration Therapy techniques
(squeeze the skull until it pops to eliminate headache!) but I have
no doubt they are authentic and for that reason they were worth
seeing.
Dakin
burd...@silver.ucs.indiana.edu
PS: Dave, it sounds like you have a bunch of historical information
on Okazaki. Could you post it or give the citations for the articles
or books? My dissertation has a chapter on Okazaki and I'd like to
get it right!
Nick Doan
|> [posting for someone else -- please do not reply to me directly
|> [Tom Valesky]
|>
***** Dave Scheid's forceful response to Seminar announcement****
You know, after reading the letter I feel a little guilty myself, and
i didn't even agree with Dave's response. I never like these
squabbles about who is the true master of what...
I always thought that martial arts training taught people respect.
Or at least, hot to be polite. (If even for just for the fear that
you may be shooting your mouth off in front of somebody who would find
your words offensive and kick your asss.)
I did study Danzan-Ryu for a few short months (on a hiatus from some
high school sports I was involved in), and I did learn some
interesting things. I think it would be great to attend a seminar by
a student of Okazaki (namely Sig Kufferath). Whether he is headmaster
of the system or not... I do think it a little rude to disagree with
a man in such a way as I witnessed here.
Of course, I wouldn't publicly dispute a man calling himself "god". I
may not believe him, but I wouldn't dispute him.
Nick Doan.
(These were just some feelings I felt I needed to express)
--
- Have you ever seen a bear combing his hair?
Have you ever seen a whale with a polka-dot tail?
Ray Terry
> My dissertation has a chapter on Okazaki and I'd like to get it right!
When does it look like you'll publish???
Jerold Loren Swan
(George Arrington's excellent response to Dave Scheid deleted)
This is just to second George's letter. While both George and Dave are
my seniors in Danzan ryu, I've been practicing the system for ten years
now, with two of those years spent training under Professor Kufferath,
so I feel qualified to comment.
Prof. Kufferath does indeed deserve to be a legend among jujutsuka. His
knowledge of and ability to apply both comabative and healing technique
are superb.
It is clear that there are significant technical differences between the
Danzan ryu taught by Bud Estes and that taught by Sig Kufferath (and that
taught by other lesser-known Okazaki students). These differences, as
well as differences of opinion over rank, the place of kata in the art,
and other issues have resulted in considerable political friction among
Danzan Ryu practitioners. Dave Scheid has expressed many strong opinions
on Danzan Ryu that are not necessarily shared by all of its exponents.
It seems to me that all of these differences should be ground for mutual
discussion and learning, and not condemnation of one instructor or another.
I've been fortunate enough to train under students of Estes & under Prof.
Kufferath and his students. Both "sides" have something to offer.
Kokua,
Jay Swan
Hrz11 acct
> garri...@softh.softech.com
>or by phone:
> (703) 285-9043 (day)
> (703) 435-9588 (evening)
>With Kokua,
>George Arrington
>P.S. This message was posted by my student, Mr. Tom Valesky.
Nope, George. Don't have a gripe with you. I have a problem with
Sig claiming to be Headmaster of DZR. That is what I call misrepresentation.
It's just that simple.
Dave
Hrz11 acct
>Sig himself is an excellent martial artist who retains his good health into
>his old age. As such, he will be inspiring for anyone who goes to his seminars.
I totally agree with any post that Sig is an excellent instructor and is
very, very knowledgeable WRT jujutsu. If anyone has the opportunity to
take a class from him, I recommend they do so.
My objection is to his claim. Totally a political dispute.
>On the other
>hand, I really didn't like the Japanese Restoration Therapy techniques
>(squeeze the skull until it pops to eliminate headache!) but I have
>no doubt they are authentic and for that reason they were worth
>seeing.
They are authentic Kappo and Kuatsu.
>PS: Dave, it sounds like you have a bunch of historical information
>on Okazaki.
A bit. Fairly accurate although there still remain a few holes. Okazaki was
in charge of licensing Massage and Physical Therapy in the Territory of Hawaii.
The whens I don't know (circa 1935), nor who his chief interpreters were.
Send me your mailing address for the history.
Dave
Hrz11 acct
>You know, after reading the letter I feel a little guilty myself, and
>i didn't even agree with Dave's response. I never like these
>squabbles about who is the true master of what...
Neither do I.
>I always thought that martial arts training taught people respect.
They are supposed to.
>Or at least, hot to be polite. (If even for just for the fear that
>you may be shooting your mouth off in front of somebody who would find
>your words offensive and kick your asss.)
Such as calling oneself "headmaster".
>{snip} I think it would be great to attend a seminar by a student of
>Okazaki (namely Sig Kufferath).
Don't forget Wally Jay. Willie Cahill was in Okazaki's junior class.
Then there is an old fellow down in Tucson, Arizona. And Bernie Baptiste
in Monterey, Ca. Problem is, those that were of adult age are passing
away and those that are still present were in their late teens.
>Whether he is headmaster of the system or not... I do think it a little
>rude to disagree with a man in such a way as I witnessed here.
It is rude to call oneself "headmaster". Look up Usurp.
>Of course, I wouldn't publicly dispute a man calling himself "god". I
>may not believe him, but I wouldn't dispute him.
> Nick Doan.
>(These were just some feelings I felt I needed to express)
And, you expressed yourself well. I hope I am doing as well.
Dave Scheid
Stephen R. Balzac
I don't really want to get into a long argument about the history and
politics of DanZan Ryu. I would like to correct a point about Sig
Kufferath's standing regarding who is Soke of the DanZan Ryu system of
Jujitsu. According to Hachiro Okazaki, Okazaki's eldest son, the
position of Soke of DanZan Ryu is to be held in perpetuity in the
collective body of the Board of Professors of the American Judo and
Jujitsu Federation. Sig Kufferath is not a member of that body.
-Steve
Tom Valesky
Dear Martial Artists,
In my recent announcement about the Sig Kufferath seminar, I mentioned that he
is Headmaster of the Kodenkan Danzan-Ryu Jujitsu system. This means that he is the leading patriarch who is actively teaching and promoting the art. I did
NOT refer to him as Soke (which in Japanese means inheritor) of the system.
As a matter of record, Prof. Kufferath does not call himself Soke, because as
he points out, Okazaki's son, Hachiro is still alive in Hawaii. The Soke
reference was added by Mr. Schied and not by myself.
I would again like to invite everyone to come to the seminar on March 12. I
know that the jujitsu training you receive will be invaluable. You will also
get to meet, converse with and ask questions of a living martial arts
legend.
Please contact me directly if you have any questions:
Kokua,
George Arrington
Tom Valesky
Danzan-Ryu history, Prof Okazaki and Sig Kufferath. I thought this
might be interesting. Please excuse the length.
George Arrington
---------------------------------------------------------------------
DANZAN-RYU JUJITSU
The Brutal Yet Gentle System of Henry S. Okazaki
by Anthony P. Janovich
(reprinted from Black Belt, April 1990, Vol. 28, No. 4)
There are very few people alive today who could tell you firsthand
about danzan-ryu jujitsu and Professor Henry Seishiro Okazaki
who, in the 1920s, founded danzan-ryu and the Kodenkan dojo
(training hall) in Hawaii. One person who can is Sig Kufferath.
Kufferath, of Japanese-German descent, is the first successor of
Okazaki, taking over after Okazaki died from a stroke in 1951.
Kufferath can tell you how danzan-ryu started in 1906 when
Okazaki immigrated to the Hawaiian Islands from Japan, settling in
Hilo. When Okazaki was 19 years old, he became ill and was
diagnosed by a doctor to be suffering from incurable tuberculosis.
Okazaki told Kufferath that "With the courage born out of
desperation, I went to Sensei Yoshimatsu Tanaka, who was then
teaching jujitsu at his Shinyukai dojo in Hilo, and started to practice
jujitsu in earnest and in defiance of death."
Whether or not it was due to his frantic devotion to jujitsu,
Okazaki's tuberculosis miraculously healed and he developed a
strong, iron-like body. Okazaki believed he owed his life completely
to jujitsu, and he decided to devote the rest of his life to the
teaching and promotion of the art.
While Okazaki was in Hilo, he mastered various jujitsu techniques
being taught at the yoshin-ryu, iwaga-ryu and kosogabu-ryu
schools. He then combined these systems with the karate techniques
of the Ryukyu Islands (Okinawa) and the knife techniques of the
Philippines, creating the danzan-ryu school of jujitsu. Danzan is the
kanji (Chinese characters) that denote the Hawaiian Islands,
meaning danzan-ryu is the Hawaiian school of jujitsu. According to
Kufferath. one of Okazaki's most influential teachers. Wo Chung.
called Hawaii danzan," so Okazaki dedicated part of the system to
Chung's memory. Chung taught Okazaki mushi-jitsu, the art of
boxing with intent to kill, as Okazaki translated it.
Okazaki took from mushi-jitsu what he felt were the best
techniques and incorporated them into danzan-ryu. He did the same
with the deadly Hawaiian art of lua, which he learned from a native
Hawaiian. Okazaki also added aspects of boxing and wrestling to
danzan-ryu. as well as dirk-throwing techniques he learned from a
Spaniard, During these approximately 13 years of training and
creating. Okazaki also studied all of the restoration arts, including
kappo and seifukujutsu, the art of Japanese physical medicine. He
was a firm believer that one of the virtues of jujitsu are its
techniques of restoration from disabling blows.
In September of 1922, Kayo Morris, then a heavyweight champion
of American boxing, challenged judo and other martial arts,
claiming his boxing skill was superior to any Japanese fighting art.
When several martial artists responded to Morris' challenge, he
defeated them in matches held at the Hilo Arena, causing the
Japanese stylists to lose face. According to Kufferath, Okazaki then
challenged Morris to a match. Okazaki reportedly suffered a broken
nose in the first round, then retaliated with a reverse arm block,
breaking Morris' arm and causing him to faint from the pain.
Okazaki said "I enhanced the reputation of Japanese jujitsu by
defeating him with much splendor." Okazaki received a gold watch
from the Japanese community for restoring its honor.
In 1924, Okazaki returned temporarily to Japan. He traveled
extensively, visiting more than 50 dojo scattered between Morioka
City in the north and Kagoshima in the south. He mastered 675
jujitsu techniques, all the while improving his own danzan-ryu.
Upon his return from Japan, Okazaki started to teach jujitsu on the
island of Maui for a short period of time.
In 1929, Okazaki moved to Honolulu, where he opened the
Okazaki Therapeutic Reduction Clinic which would eventually be
called the Nikko Restoration Sanitorium. At the same time, he
founded the Kodenkan dojo, where he taught danzan-ryu while still
testing and improving his system. People came in droves to the
sanitorium with so-called incurable nerve disorders, including then-
President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who incidentally offered
Okazaki a job as his private therapist at the White House. Okazaki
refused, not wanting to leave Hawaii.
Okazaki was one of the first teachers to break tradition and teach
Japanese martial arts to non-Japanese. Kufferath claims Okazaki
was ostracized by other Japanese for doing so, but that Okazaki
believed everyone should have the opportunity to learn jujitsu, no
matter what his or her heritage.
Okazaki felt his was the most comprehensive form of jujitsu ever.
being as it took what he felt were the optimum approaches to self-
defense jujitsu and combined them into one school. He also was an
avid promoter of sport judo in Hawaii, and held a third-degree
black belt from judo founder Jigoro Kano.
One of Okazaki's dreams was to have a danzan-ryu school in every
state of the union, which today is becoming a reality. Okazaki used
the kyu/dan ranking system for danzan-ryu (kyu are undergraduate
ranks, while dan are black belt degrees), but he also used traditional
certification, awarding a moku-roku (instructor's scroll) to black
belts who achieved instructor level. These scrolls were
approximately ten feet long, handwritten in Japanese, and contained
much of Okazaki's philosophy, a history of jujitsu, and a catalog of
danzan-ryu techniques. Those who received the scroll were
considered official danzan-ryu teachers, and black belts were not
allowed to teach or organize their own classes until they received a
moku-roku, Scrolls were generally awarded when the student
received his second-degree black belt in danzan-ryu. "We practiced
six days a week, and Okazaki had a special Sunday class at his
home which was by invitation only," Kufferath recalls.
The other traditional certification was the menkyo kaiden
(certificate of mastery), which was more or less a diploma,
handwritten in Japanese, which certified the person named on it was
a master of danzan-ryu jujitsu. Menkyo kaiden were given to
students after they received personal instruction from Okazaki on
all of the secrets and inner mysteries of danzan-ryu. Kufferath was
awarded his menkyo kaiden from Okazaki in 194B and was
formally elected to succeed Okazaki as the head of danzan-ryu in
1952 by the board of directors of the American jujitsu Institute,
which was founded by Okazaki. Many black belts received their
instructor's scroll and moved to the U.S. mainland to open danzan-
ryu schools. Among them were Bud Estes (1939), Richard Rickerts
(1940), Ray Law (1942) and Johnny Cahill (1946), who started the
American Judo and Jujitsu Federation. Wally Jay, he of small-circle
jujitsu fame, came to the mainland in 1950 to teach jujitsu after
studying danzan-ryu in his native Hawaii, and William Montero
came to San Jose, California, in 1947 from Hawaii and began
teaching danzan-ryu.
Today, danzan-ryu is one of the most widely taught and imitated
jujitsu systems in the United States, and Okazaki's kappo and
seifukujutsu methods are considered to be among the most effective
and complete systems of their kind. Given this, some people ask
why Okazaki is overlooked today for his vast contributions to judo
and jujitsu in the United States. The answer lies in the fact that
most, if not all, old jujitsu schools were drawn into the sphere of
Jigoro Kano's Kodokan Institute of Japan for purposes of
accreditation and black belt degree registration. Okazaki chose for
his school to remain autonomous from the beginning, even after
Kano visited him in Honolulu. However, many Kodokan-trained
black belts and instructors studied danzan-ryu at Okazaki's
Kodenkan dojo in Honolulu. It was often the first place they went
upon arrival in Honolulu from Japan.
Today (1990), Kufferath, 79, has replaced Okazaki as the patriarch of
danzan-ryu jujitsu. He strives to keep danzan-ryu alive, traditional,
and up to date, as Okazaki taught him to do so many years ago.
About the Author: Anthony P. Janovich is a black belt under Sig
Kufferath and teaches danzan-ryu jujitsu in Santa Clara, California.
------------------------- End of Article ------------------------------
Stephen...@transarc.com
> The other traditional certification was the menkyo kaiden
> (certificate of mastery), which was more or less a diploma,
> handwritten in Japanese, which certified the person named on it was
> a master of danzan-ryu jujitsu. Menkyo kaiden were given to
> students after they received personal instruction from Okazaki on
> all of the secrets and inner mysteries of danzan-ryu. Kufferath was
> awarded his menkyo kaiden from Okazaki in 194B and was
> formally elected to succeed Okazaki as the head of danzan-ryu in
Thanks for posting the article, it's fascinating.
But I have a few questions: (don't I always?)
1) Who else received the Menkyo Kaiden certification from
Okazaki?
2) Okazaki began his own ryu, but did he receive a menkyo or a
menkyo kaiden from previous ryu before starting his own?
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Stephen Chan ch...@transarc.com |Transarc Corporation
(412)338-6996 |707 Grant St
|Pittsburgh, PA 15219
Tom Valesky
<Stephen...@transarc.com> wrote:
>tval...@mason1.gmu.edu (Tom Valesky) writes:
>> The other traditional certification was the menkyo kaiden
>> (certificate of mastery), which was more or less a diploma,
>> handwritten in Japanese, which certified the person named on it was
>> a master of danzan-ryu jujitsu. Menkyo kaiden were given to
>> students after they received personal instruction from Okazaki on
>> all of the secrets and inner mysteries of danzan-ryu. Kufferath was
>> awarded his menkyo kaiden from Okazaki in 194B and was
>> formally elected to succeed Okazaki as the head of danzan-ryu in
>
> Thanks for posting the article, it's fascinating.
>
> But I have a few questions: (don't I always?)
> 1) Who else received the Menkyo Kaiden certification from
>Okazaki?
> 2) Okazaki began his own ryu, but did he receive a menkyo or a
>menkyo kaiden from previous ryu before starting his own?
Twarn't me. That was an article I posted for my sensei. I'll ask him, and
post the answer.
Tom Valesky
--
The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the University of
North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the Campus Office for Information
Technology, or the Experimental Bulletin Board Service.
internet: laUNChpad.unc.edu or 152.2.22.80
Tom Valesky
>From GARRI...@SOFTH.SOFTECH.COM Sun Jan 16 21:18:10 1994
Date: Sun, 16 Jan 94 21:44:54 EST
From: GARRI...@SOFTH.SOFTECH.COM
To: Tom.V...@lambada.oit.unc.edu
Subject: Re: Sig Kufferath and Danzan Ryu
Who else received menkyo kaiden?
On Feb. 22, 1948, Okazaki graduated a group of more than thirty individuals
in a class he called "Okugi", or inner mysteries. They received a
"Kaiden-Sho Shihan" which means certificate as master. Among the participants
were Sig Kufferath, Wally Jay and his wife Bernice. Bud Estes was not there.
I'm not sure whether Okazaki received menkyo kaiden from another school.
George
Hrz11 acct
>-Steve
Sorry, Steve, but you're a little out of touch. Please reference an
aricle by Jason Swan and a follow-up by myself.
The AJJF has just decided to let the issue die and refers to Prof. Fisher
again as Sr. Professor. They made a big public to do about the whole
Soke thing but never made a public pronoucement concerning their obvious
mistake and correction.
Dave Scheid (see, I don't favor ONE org or individual!)
Hrz11 acct
>I would again like to invite everyone to come to the seminar on March 12. I
>know that the jujitsu training you receive will be invaluable. You will also
>get to meet, converse with and ask questions of a living martial arts
>legend.
>Please contact me directly if you have any questions:
>Kokua,
>George Arrington
And, of course, I will also recommend that anyone who has the chance to
make use of it and attend. Sig is truly a fine instructor.
Dave Scheid
Dave Sheehy
: Moreover, a Menkyo Kaiden was not always awarded. The transmission was often
: verbal and this is what has provided the cloud to some degree as well as
: the events of WWII and the death of several of the seniors.
There is a picture of Estes posing with Okazaki and several other seniors. It
looks very much like a graduation picture and Estes is holding a scroll in
his hand. Did Okazaki present scrolls for anything other than a Menkyo Kaiden?
Dave Sheehy
Hrz11 acct
>tval...@mason1.gmu.edu (Tom Valesky) writes:
>> The other traditional certification was the menkyo kaiden
>> (certificate of mastery), which was more or less a diploma,
>> handwritten in Japanese, which certified the person named on it was
>> a master of danzan-ryu jujitsu. Menkyo kaiden were given to
>> students after they received personal instruction from Okazaki on
>> all of the secrets and inner mysteries of danzan-ryu. Kufferath was
>> awarded his menkyo kaiden from Okazaki in 194B and was
>> formally elected to succeed Okazaki as the head of danzan-ryu in
>
> Thanks for posting the article, it's fascinating.
>
> But I have a few questions: (don't I always?)
> 1) Who else received the Menkyo Kaiden certification from
>Okazaki?
> 2) Okazaki began his own ryu, but did he receive a menkyo or a
>menkyo kaiden from previous ryu before starting his own?
It is difficult to answer the 1st question. All of Prof. Rickerts stuff
has been lost. He got Alzheimers disease at a rather early age. Upon
Prof. Law's death, his club was rifled as was Prof. Okazaki's by
students.
Charlie Wagner died at the bombing of Hickman Field (Pearl Habor). Don't
know about John Cahill's certificates. His sons would have any documents.
Also, there was Richard Takemoto, Okazaki's son-in-law. If Ester is alive,
she would have certificates and she may herself have a certificate as
she was in the same graduating class of 1948 as Sig, Wally, her husband,
Bill Montero and a cast of others.
Moreover, a Menkyo Kaiden was not always awarded. The transmission was often
verbal and this is what has provided the cloud to some degree as well as
the events of WWII and the death of several of the seniors.
Okazaki had a menkyo kaiden in two different Ryu, thus 2 Menkyo Kaiden.
Dave Scheid
Hrz11 acct
>Dave Sheehy
Most pictures are of Okazaki awarding the Mokuroku or instructor's
diploma. There is a December 1, 1938 picture of the first 6 graduating
members in the Highest (Shinjin No Maki) Arts of DZR.
Let's see. 1948 - 1938. Hmmmm, about 10 years earlier.
Prof. Estes was taught the Shinjin arts in 1939, I believe. He was in
the 2nd graduating class which included John Cahill and several others.
Note: Shin Jin No Maki means "Scroll of the Spirit Man" and are the
Dim Mak arts of DZR. Many have a list of 25 arts. Others (a few) have a list
of 32 arts (principally Estes and Law). The list taught in 1948 was 25 arts.
Dr. Kano visited Okazaki in the late 1930s (I believe 1939). Kodokan taught
only 25 Atemi arts. Kano may have influenced Okazaki in restricting the list,
but this is speculation on my part.
Prof. Estes said the Arts were not to be written down at all. However, rather
than lose them, Okazaki demonstrated, I believe Prof. Rickerts described them
and Charlie Wagner made the notes. The notes compiled were only for those
arts which had Japanese names. Those which were known by Chinese names were
not listed. They were taught as a point in relation to a known point and in
some cases by themselves, but held in secret, ie. not written down.
When Prof. Estes taught the Shin Jin arts to the AJJF Board of Professors,
he taught the list of 32 arts. Again, these were not all the Shin Jin arts.
So, several Atemi may not be known to some Profs and other Atemi may not be
associated with the Shin Jin scroll.
As an aside. I have been told that there is some indication Prof. Okazaki
received a 7th Dan from the Kodokan prior to his death. (Perhaps I will get
the chance one day to examine the basis for this speculation.)
Dave Scheid
Jerold Loren Swan
In article 94Jan1...@elaine53.Stanford.EDU, js...@elaine53.Stanford.EDU (Jerold Loren Swan) writes:
>
>(George Arrington's excellent response to Dave Scheid deleted)
>
>It seems to me that all of these differences should be ground for mutual
>discussion and learning, and not condemnation of one instructor or another.
>Jay Swan
Excuse me, Jay. Whom have I condemned?
Perhaps "condemned" is too strong a word, but the use of the term
"bullshit" with reference to another's credentials comes pretty close.
Jay
Ray Terry
> From "History of Danzan Ryu to 1991" by David A. Scheid, ...
David...
Is this a book? Still in print? An article?
Looking to add it to my library.
Hrz11 acct
>Danzan-Ryu history, Prof Okazaki and Sig Kufferath. I thought this
>might be interesting. Please excuse the length.
>
>George Arrington
>
>---------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>DANZAN-RYU JUJITSU
>
>The Brutal Yet Gentle System of Henry S. Okazaki
>
>by Anthony P. Janovich
>(reprinted from Black Belt, April 1990, Vol. 28, No. 4)
Tony is Prof. Kufferath's devoted student and is himself a Prof of DZR.
I will not include the entire article again. There were at least 2
translations made of Prof. Okazaki's Mokuroku from which most the
information in the article is printed.
The 1st translation was by Akira Miyazaki, Secretary of the Imperial Japanese
Embassy, Washington, DC. This translation was of Marion W. (Andy) Anderson's
diploma which was prensented to him by Judo Master Seishiro Okazaki on May 5, 1939.
Andy Anderson was the 1st Executive Secretary of the American Jujitsu Institute
and was charged with creating the 1st Kata or Instructor's Manual for the newly
founded corporation. He was also the Publisher and Editor of "The Jujitsu
Review", a monthly bulletin for maintaining ties among the already many
satellite clubs.
One should note that the scroll was translated prior to 1941 and the status
of the translator. The purpose was to gather documents; ie a translated
scroll and create a Kata (Instructor's) Manual so that school heads could
share in the same history.
One can ask how such an important person came to translate this scroll.
Who made the contact? For what favor was the translation made? Since
Okazaki was ostracized by many Japanese in Hawaii, who assisted him in
this regard? Since it was Anderson's diploma, perhaps he took the initiative
and wrote a letter making the request. Clearly, much work was being done
to ensure the propagation of DZR before 1941!
Of additional note are the signatures on the Anderson's diploma. They read,
Henry S. Okazaki, Judo Master and Owner of Koden Kan, Honolulu, Hawaii,
May 5, 1939.
Richard P. Rickerts, Assistant Master
Densel E. Muggy, Assistant Master
What of the American Jujitsu Guild (which in short order changed its name
to the American Jujitsu Institue)? From "The Jujitsu Review", 3rd issue, we
find the following: Chas. F. Wagner, President; Juan D. Gomez, Treasurer
(note: Prof. Wally Jay's instructor); Marion W. Anderson, Executive
Secretary; Prof. Henry S. Okazaki, Executive Advisor (*NOTE*); and
Richard P. Rickerts, Vice-President.
The Board of Govenors included: John K. Cahill (Note: father of U.S. Olympic
Judo Coach, Willy Cahill); James K. Chang, Young Hee Kim, Frank N. Souza
and Samuel D. Wallace.
A statement in the Review is "For years there has been lacking an official
organ to coordinate all activities and interest of Jujitsu followers.
Through the hard work of a few far-sighted men such as Anderson, Prof.
Okazaki, Charles F. Wagner, Rickerts and the remaining Board of Govenors,
the American Jujitsu Guild was formed.
The AJG graduated its 1st class in May 1941. Promoted were Sig Kufferath
and Willian Ah Moo to Shodan (1st Black) and Steve Byzek to Nidan (2nd Black).
At that time, Sig and Bing Lau were assisting Wagner and Sonny Chang in
their Jujitsu classes. (Note: Wagner and other senior desciples would
die at the bombing of Hickman Field and Pearl Harbor.)
>There are very few people alive today who could tell you firsthand
>about danzan-ryu jujitsu and Professor Henry Seishiro Okazaki
>who, in the 1920s, founded danzan-ryu and the Kodenkan dojo
>(training hall) in Hawaii. One person who can is Sig Kufferath.
>Kufferath, of Japanese-German descent, is the first successor of
>Okazaki, taking over after Okazaki died from a stroke in 1951.
Okazaki was Executive Advisor. He had already relinguished authority in
1941!
>In September of 1922, Kayo Morris, then a heavyweight champion
K.O. Morris
>of American boxing, challenged judo and other martial arts,
>One of Okazaki's dreams was to have a danzan-ryu school in every
>state of the union, which today is becoming a reality.
From "History of Danzan Ryu to 1991" by David A. Scheid, "Professor
Okazaki told several of his students that if they promised to teach
his system to all without regard to race, he would teach them what
he knew and train them as diligently as he could. This was in keeping
with his promise to Pete Baron to promote the teaching of Jujutsu in
the United States."
"Okazaki took several and began their training anew. This was not inside
on the mat, but outside on the concrete...The harsh training proved too
much for some in that class and they quit. But some stayed."
This was during the middle 1930s. Two groups were graduated; 6 in
December 1938 and a second group sporatically throughout 1939. Rickerts
and Wagner were in the 1st group. They became instructors of all who
followed. Bud Estes, John Cahill, Denzel Muggy, Tony Murran and Ray
Law were in the 2nd group. They were taught the highest arts of DZR
which after 1941 would not be taught again until February 1948.
>Kufferath was awarded his menkyo kaiden from Okazaki in 194B and was
>formally elected to succeed Okazaki as the head of danzan-ryu in
>1952 by the board of directors of the American jujitsu Institute,
>which was founded by Okazaki.
Okazaki did not head his own organization! He was the Executive Advisor!
Sig as noted above was elected to an office by the existing board, all
elected officiers.
>Many black belts received their instructor's scroll and moved to
>the U.S. mainland to open danzan-ryu schools. Among them were
>Bud Estes (1939), Richard Rickerts (1940), Ray Law (1942) and
>Johnny Cahill (1946), who started the American Judo and Jujitsu Federation.
The above dates are not quite correct. Law arrived on May 1, 1939. Estes
left Hawaii Dec. 1939. Rickerts left Dec. 6, 1941 (Note the date!).
Neither is the assumption of rank correct!
>Today (1990), Kufferath, 79, has replaced Okazaki as the patriarch of
>danzan-ryu jujitsu.
A sentence clearly by a very dedicated student and protege.
>About the Author: Anthony P. Janovich is a black belt under Sig
>Kufferath and teaches danzan-ryu jujitsu in Santa Clara, California.
>
>------------------------- End of Article ------------------------------
Dave Scheid
Stephen R. Balzac
>In article 8...@helix.com, s...@helix.com (Stephen R. Balzac) writes:
>
>>I don't really want to get into a long argument about the history and
>>politics of DanZan Ryu. I would like to correct a point about Sig
>>Kufferath's standing regarding who is Soke of the DanZan Ryu system of
>>Jujitsu. According to Hachiro Okazaki, Okazaki's eldest son, the
>>position of Soke of DanZan Ryu is to be held in perpetuity in the
>>collective body of the Board of Professors of the American Judo and
>>Jujitsu Federation. Sig Kufferath is not a member of that body.
>
>>-Steve
>
>Sorry, Steve, but you're a little out of touch. Please reference an
>aricle by Jason Swan and a follow-up by myself.
>
That's possible... it's been a whole week since I verified my
information.
-Steve
Hrz11 acct
>
>Perhaps "condemned" is too strong a word, but the use of the term
>"bullshit" with reference to another's credentials comes pretty close.
Excuse me, Jay. But I don't call misappropriating a title a credential.
Sorry if that is troubling. Moreover, I consider the arrogance of such
action more troubling than my saying bullshit.
Dave
Hrz11 acct
>
>
>discussion and learning, and not condemnation of one instructor or another.
>Jay Swan
Excuse me, Jay. Whom have I condemned?
>Prof. Kufferath does indeed deserve to be a legend among jujutsuka. His
>knowledge of and ability to apply both comabative and healing technique
>are superb.
Demonstrate that I dispute this statement. Please!
>Dave Scheid has expressed many strong opinions on Danzan Ryu
>that are not necessarily shared by all of its exponents.
Absolutely true. Another way of writing the above is, "Dave Scheid
has written much on DZR which is not shared by many of its exponents."
Then again, I'm not concerned with "many" or "most". Just accuracy.
The differences in teaching must be understood in the context of
Martial Science and Martial Art. Only now are several of the Professors
of the AJJF beginning to understand both these aspects. Those not
exposed to the issues cannot be informed.
Dave Scheid