The study of Danzan Ryu Jujitsu is a very physical path filled with discovery of the art and ones self. It begins with the student in the dojo training his body but Danzan Ryu soon begins to shape that person’s inner strength and character. The soul of the art… its spirit, is inherited by the person. However, it must be sought after for comprehension will not reveal itself without dedication and perseverance to the art. Professor Okazaki once wrote, “Since the fundamental principle acquired through the practice of Jujitsu has been elevated to a finer moral concept called Judo, "The Way of Gentleness," it may well be said that the primary objective of practicing Judo is perfection of character. And to perfect one's character one must be grateful for the abundant blessings of Heaven, Earth, and Nature, as well as for the great love of parents; one must realize his enormous debt to teachers and be ever mindful of his obligations to the general public.” Therefore, beyond the learning of Judo or Jujitsu techniques let us not forget the founders, our instructors and the many people who brought this art into our lives and continue to give life to Danzan Ryu.

In the beginning, Jujitsu originated as a martial art form used by the Samurai in Ancient Japan. Many of these techniques were developed for the battlefield against armored opponents with weapons. Consequently the intent of many of the techniques is often misunderstood. Understanding the history behind some of the techniques and the art itself enhances the skill of the Jutisuka (practitioner of Jujitsu). Jujitsu incorporates strikes, throws, joint locks, chokes and other submissive or deadly techniques. Jujitsu is considered a “parent” art form because several art forms have been derived from Jujitsu. Judo and Aikido are both heavily influenced by Jujitsu.

The roots of Danzan Ryu Jujitsu begin in Hawaii by its founder, Professor Henry Seishiro Okazaki. Professor Okazaki was born in Fukushuna prefecture on the Island of Honshu, Japan on January 28th, 1890. Professor Okazaki came to Hawaii in 1906, when he was 16 years old. During this time he was suffering from a lung disease and in hopes of improving his condition Professor Okazaki took up Jujitsu under Master Kichimatsu Tanaka at the Shinyu-Kai Dojo. He devoted himself to the martial arts, practicing relentlessly six nights a week, and in the course of time completely recovered from his lung condition and developed what he called an “Body of Iron.” Professor Okazaki credited his health to the practice of Jujitsu and thereafter dedicated his life to its practice and propagation. His passion for martial art was not only limited to Jujitsu. Professor Okazaki pursued many forms of martial arts, visiting many dojos and training in several styles. In the article “History of Danzan Ryu Jujitsu” Arrington writes, “Chung taught Professor Okazaki Mushi-Jutsu, which is the art of boxing with intent to kill, as Professor Okazaki translated it. In 1917, he also studied the Hawaiian secret killing art of Lua under the tutelage of David Kainhee, a native Hawaiian. This training took place in the district of Puna on the island of Hawaii. He studied western boxing and wrestling, and he learned dirk throwing from a Spaniard.” He also studied stick and knife-fighting techniques of the Philippines and Okinawan style Karate.

In 1921, Professor Okazaki accepted a challenge from a heavyweight professional boxer, K.O. Morris, who claimed to have toured Japan and defeated Judo and Jujitsu men with boxing. Professor Okazaki threw the challenger and broke his arm, decisively defeating his opponent, although sustaining himself a broken nose in the process. This victory did much to enhance the reputation of Jiu Jitsu in                                                                                                       the Islands and abroad (Arrington).

In 1924 Professor Okazaki toured Japan and studied Shibukawa-ryu, Yoshin-ryu, and Namba-Shoshin-ryu systems of Jiu Jitsu. At Kodokan he was awarded a rank of 3rd Degree (Sandan). While in Japan, he visited more than fifty dojos, mastered 675 different kinds of techniques or forms, and made a special study of kappo and seifukujitsu (restorative massage). Gradually he evolved a system of self-defense Jiu Jitsu comprising courses for men, women, and children, and including methods of defense against the knife, sword, club, gun and bayonet (Morris).

According to Rawlin Blake, “During the time he was completing the organization of his system he also visited Professor Jigoro Kano and his comparatively newly begun system of Judo. Professor Okazaki was quite impressed with Professor Kano's system and Professor Kano was quite impressed with Professor Okazaki's system, so they agreed to collaborate to a degree. Professor Kano promoted Professor Okazaki to third degree black belt (an extremely high rank at that time, only Professor Kano and a few others held higher ranks). Professor Okazaki agreed to incorporate Professor Kano's principles of Judo, the ‘way of adaptability and gentleness’ as a higher moral principle, into his own system. Professor Okazaki also agreed to promote Judo in his system of Jujitsu as a way for students to have a sport form of the art. This very nicely tied into the overall philosophy of the arts, and gave students an opportunity to practice techniques in an almost realistic situation, challenge each other, get good exercise, and learn all the valuable lessons of sportsmanship and character building.”

For a time following his return from Japan, Professor Okazaki taught Jujitsu on Mau. 1930 he moved to Honolulu and opened the Nikko Sanatorium of Restoration Massage.

Professor Okazaki then began to teach people of any race or religion the system that he developed. Many people in the martial arts community frowned upon this. Nevertheless, he proceeded and ‘till this day is considered one of the pioneers of bringing martial arts to the United States. He started his first school in Honolulu, which he called the Hawaiian Jiu Jitsu Guild. Eventually, the school became The American Jiu Jitsu Institute of Hawaii (Morris).

Professor Okazaki called the system he evolved Kodenkan, which he declared embodied the spirit of the Hawaiian word kokua - to cooperate, or help one another. In other words, the senior students teach the junior students. It is also said that Kodenkan means, “school of ancient tradition.”

Professor Okazaki’s style is also called Danzan Ryu Jujitsu, meaning “Cedar Mountain style.” This name was given to honor his Kung Fu teacher, Wo Chung, who referred to the Hawaiin Islands as “Danzan.” The most correct reference for original students of Okazaki school would be “Danzan Ryu of the Kodenkan.”

The Danzan Ryu system is broken up into different boards of techniques and in order to progress through them a student must have some proficiency in prior boards. Therefore, the beginner first practices how to fall and roll. The beginner is then taught twenty self-defense hand arts called Yawara. After learning to fall safely the beginner is taught Nage no Kata, throwing techniques. Then the student is taught Shime no Kata, submission arts. Advanced students begin to learn Oku no Kata, a combination of the previous boards. These kata are prerequisites for brown belt students. In addition, the student begins to learn the basics of massage and restoration. As he progresses to senior brown belt rank, the student begins studying the first of the black belt Jujitsu arts, Shinin no Maki. Instruction of the higher black belt arts continues gradually up to fifth rank and includes two series of secret Jiu Jitsu arts: Shinyo no Maki and Shingin no Maki, as well as Kappo Sappo (cure or kill) (Morris).

In the late 1930's and early 1940's several of Professor Okazaki's students moved to California and started teaching the Danzan Ryu system at several schools. Professor Bud Estes established the KoDenKan in Chico, Professor Ray Law set up in Oakland and Professor Willy Cahill (later an Olympic Judo Champions Instructor) in San Francisco. In 1939 Professor Okazaki founded the American Jujitsu Institute (AJI).

Professor Okazaki suffered a stroke and passed away on July 12, 1951. His legacy lives on in the hearts of every student of Danzan Ryu. After Professor Okazaki’s death, Professor Sigfried Kufferath was elected by the board members of AJI as the new head of the Danzan Ryu System.

Professor Siegfried Kufferath was born on Feburary 16, 1911 in Honolulu. His mother was Japanese; his father was German and a former consulate to Japan. It just so happened that one of the Professor Kufferath’s neighbors was Professor Henry Okazaki. So in 1937 he visited one of Okazaki’s classes and then began his training. Professor Kufferath studied with Professor Okazaki and became his top student; he earned his black belt in 1941 and became an instructor in 1942. He graduated from Professor Okazaki's Nikko Restoration - Sanatorium Seifuku Jitsu (Japanese Physical Therapy) course in 1943 (Arrington).

In April of 1944, Professor Kufferath was inducted into the U.S. Army. After completing basic training he was assigned to Special Services. According to legend, Proffessor Kufferath fighting skills were superior to that of the Army’s hand-to-hand instructor. Disgruntled by this situation the Army’s instructor challenged Professor Kufferath and lost. There after, Professor Kufferath became the new hand-to-hand instructor. To this day, many of the Army’s self defense techniques are from Danzan Ryu. Professor Kufferath was honorably discharged in 1946 and resumed his Jujitsu Classes at Kaheka Lane School.

In February of 1948 Professor Okazaki had given the title of Shihan (Master) to Professor Kufferath, via a certificate called "Kaidensho", or Full Transmission and Mastery. Shortly after, Professor Okazaki appointed Professor Kufferath to chief instructor of his main dojo, the Kodenkan, in 1949 (kenpojujitsu.net).

In 1957 Professor Kufferath left Hawaii and the American Jujitsu Institute for California. He settled in the Willow Glen area of San Jose. He continued his teaching of Jujitsu at Pacific Judo Academy in San Jose.

In 1973 Professor Kufferath opened yet another school called the Kodenkan Jujitsu School located in Santa Clara. In 1988 Professor Kufferath began teaching at the Pacific Coast Association of Kenpo Jujitsu in Campbell, CA. where he also continued his Courses in Restoration Therapy and special black belt instructor classes. In 1996 Professor Kufferath helped organized and became founder of the Pacific Coast Kilohana, a Martial Arts organization.

Prof. Kufferath passed away at his home in Santa Clara, CA on May 7, 1999 with his family and friends at his side.

“Proffessor Sig (Pippet) Kufferath lived his first 46 years in Hawaii and his last 42 years in California. Pippet would go home at least once a year to his native land. He was truly a remarkable man always seeing the good, patient and always training to better himself both physically and spiritually. Pippet once said ‘The best thing about my Jujitsu career is all of the friends I have made over the years’ and these friends will truly miss him” (usadojo.com).

Since the Death of Professor Kufferath there has not been a new head of the Danzan Ryu system. Frank Ricardo noted, “Professor Kufferath touched everyone he trained! Professor Kufferath was the head of Dan Zan Ryu but he would not change the smallest thing because he felt it was not his to change. Nor could any one succeed him though there are many elders still around” (kenpojujitsu.net).

The Danzan Ryu Jujitsu system continues to evolve and spread all over the world. Evolved from Japanese Jujitsu to incorporate the influences of Professor Henry Okazaki, Professor Sig Kufferath and the spirit of Hawaii…Kokua. It has flowed like the Ryu it truly is… a river set forth into the martial arts world. Spreading from the Islands to the main lands of America and Europe. The roots of Danzan Ryu have been well planted by our teachers and continue to grow and evolve. Our Danzan Ryu varies from school to school, from teacher to teacher, from student to student. However it is Danzan Ryu nonetheless. For by knowing the origin of Danzan Ryu, its intent, and its spirit means we all practice the same art and honor the same memory of those who came before us.

Works Cited

Arrington, George “Danzan-Ryu Jujutsu History”
http://martialarts.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.danzan.com%2FHTML%2Fhistory.html (1995)

“Prof. Sig Kufferath”
http://www.danzan.com/HTML/PEOPLE/kufferath.html (1999)

Blake, Rawlin “The History of H. Seishiro Okazaki, Founder of Danzan Ryu of the Kodenkan”
http://ldsguy.tripod.com/LVSJJ/Okazaki_history.html (March 22, 1996)

Morris, William S. “Henry S. Okazaki Founder of American Jiu Jitsu”
http://www.blackbeltmag.com/archives/blackbelt/1963/summer63/okazakifounderjiujitsu/okazakifounderjiujitsu.html

No Author given. “Biographies of Notable Martial Artists, Professor Siegfried (Pippet)Kufferath Dai Shihan”
http://www.usadojo.com/biokufferath.htm

No Author given. “KJI Hall of Fame Elder; Professor Sig Kufferath”
http://www.kenpojujitsu.net/kufferath.html