About Us
What is Ju Jitsu?
Ju Jitsu is a Japanese term literally meaning "practice," "art," "technique," or "Science" (Jitsu) of "pliancy," "suppleness," "gentleness," "to obey," "to submit to," or "flexibility (all varying terms of the ideogram "Ju").
All of the terms, however, represent a general principle in utilizing a way of applying a technique, both armed and unarmed, in using any portion of the human anatomy as a weapon in combat.
Ju Jitsu assumes its name from its underlying principle, rather than from the form of its weapons. Yet, Ju Jitsu is often perceived as embracing far too narrow a variety of combative Systems, and also as being solely an unarmed system of fighting.
Often, the principle of "Ju" is erroneously interpreted to give the impression that Ju Jitsu is a purely defensive (or gentle) art whose philosophy prevents a practitioner from acting unless attacked. In fact, however, Ju Jitsu has always been both offensive and defensive, with attack at the appropriate moment being both legitimate and more than wise within the broad concept of Ju.
The intended use for the first character of Ju is to imply that Ju Jitsu relies upon skill and finesse rather than brute strength for the attainment of victory. The employment of violent physical strength is not particularly desirable; however, it sometimes is admissible within the concept of Ju in the art of Ju Jitsu.
Back to Top PageProfessor Henry Okazaki
Founder of Kodenkan Danzan Ryu Ju-Jitsu
Seishiro Okazaki, the creator and founder of The Kodenkan Danzan Ryu style of Ju Jitsu, was born in the Fukushima Prefecture on the island of Honshu, Japan, in the late 1800s.
During the course of Professor Okazaki's studies he studied 52 different styles of Ju Jitsu while visiting numerous villages in Japan. Professor Seishiro Okazaki had a unique opportunity to study a wide range of hard and soft styles, combat Systems and aesthetic ways that never before, and never thereafter were openly accessible. During the course of his training he had the great fortune to study under some of the most formidable masters of the time.
In creating the Kodenkan Danzan Ryu style of Ju Jitsu Okazaki synthesized the many styles of Ju Jitsu he studied, combining the practical styles of utilitarian combat with the esoteric principles inherent in Samurai tradition.
Back to Top PageProfessor Sig Kufferath
Professor Okazaki moved to The Hawaiian Islands in the early 1920s to teach his beloved Kodenkan Danzan Ryu Ju Jitsu. Not long after, Mr. Sig Kufferath first encountered the professor and a close, personal relationship evolved.
After Professor Okazaki's untimely death in 1951, Sensei Kufferath was elected, in a unanimous decision by the highest-ranking black belts, to take over the title of Professor from Okazaki. Professor Kufferath thereby became the second Headmaster of the Kodenkan Danzan Ryu style of Ju Jitsu.
Professor Sigmund Kufferath died at his home in Santa Clara, CA on May 7,1999 with his family and friends at his side. He lived a long and full life passing his knowledge on to many by whom he will be missed.
Back to Top PageSensei Stephen Nicholls
Sensei Nicholls has studied the Kodenkan Danzan-Ryu system of Ju-Jitsu for over 20 years. His training began in 1980 with the head of the style, Professor Sigmund Kufferath. This great good fortune of studying with Professor Okazaki's top student was not lost on Sensei Nicholls and his time spent with the late Professor Kufferath developed well beyond the student teacher relationship into a profound and enduring friendship. The teaching style of Professor Kufferath changed greatly over the years, moving naturally from an emphasis on waza (utilitarian application) towards kata (emphasizing form) as his years progressed. Yet Professor Kufferath always maintained the importance of a balance between these two facets of the art, insisting that they were mutually dependant and inseparable.
Sensei Nicholls received his Teaching Certificate of the Kodenkan from Professor Kufferath, having studied and shown sufficient ability in the Okugi, or "hidden techniques", an oral tradition passed down from teacher to student, comprising the most advanced repertoire of the system. When Professor Kufferath insisted Sensei Nicholls open the first Kodenkan dojo in Britain, he passed on this great responsibility with his blessing.
Shortly after this great honour was bestowed, Sensei Nicholls was made The British and European Director of the Kilohana Martial Arts Society, a title he holds in the highest degree.
In addition to the invaluable guidance of Professor Kufferath, Sensei Nicholls has studied with such masters as Sifu John Chow Hoon, Sensei Wally Jay and Sensei Walter Todd, to name a few. He has received extensive tuition from Sensei Jack Carter in the art of Seifuku-jitsu. While having the privilege of receiving the rank of Nidan in Kempo-Jitsu from Shihan Russ Rhodes and holding lesser ranks in Shotokan-Karate and Aikido.
Sensei Nicholls remains ostensibly a ju-jitsuka, always striving to better understanding and achieve the deepest principals imparted by the Kodenkan Danzan-Ryu.
Back to Top PageSempai Simon "Zippy" Irwin
Sempai Irwin started his training at age 8 when he started to attend the Judo club opposite his home. Over the years he trained under many different instructors, in many different styles including Judo, Jitsu Foundation (Ju-Jitsu), and to much lesser degrees Shaolin Kung Fu, Tai Chi, Dung Sai Do, Karate and Aikido. Going for years at a time without any formal training but always drifting back to the martial arts.
In 1999 Sempai Irwin moved to London and after a chance encounter with Sensei Nicholls in a martial arts shop, he began his training in Kodenkan Danzan Ryu Ju-Jitsu, this resulted in 2005 in Sensei Nicholls asking him to organise a training group which was to become Tetsu Tori Dojo (Gatwick).
Under Sensei Nicholls supervision and training Sempai Irwin has risen to the rank of Shodan, attended courses on Seifukujitsu (Under Sensei Nicholls, Sensei Carter & Professor Muro.) and has at times held the position of Secretary in both the British Kodenkan and the British and European Kilohana Organisations
He has also been given the oppertunity to train under Instructors such as Sensei Hans Ingebretsen, Shihan Russ Rhodes, Professor Mike Esmailzadeh, Professor James Muro, Sensei Jorin Bukosky, Suro Jason Inay to name but a few, to all of whom he will always be thankful for their influences on his training
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