Seishiro Okazaki

Infobox_martial_artist
name = Seishiro "Henry" Okazaki
residence =
other_names =

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imagesize =
caption = Seishiro "Henry" Okazaki - Photo courtesy of George Arrington
birth_name = Seishiro "Henry" Okazaki
birth_date = birth date|1890|01|28
birth_place = Kakeda, Date County, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan
death_date = death date and age|1951|07|12|1890|01|28
death_place =
martial_art = Danzan-ryu Jujitsu, Yoshin-ryu
teacher = Wo Chung, Tanaka Yoshimatsu
rank = Judan Danzan-ryu Jujitsu, Sandan Judo
students = Professor Sig Kufferath, Professor Wally Jay, Professor John Chow-Hoon, Professor Bing Fai Lau.

Seishiro "Henry" Okazaki (January 28, 1890 – July 12, 1951) was a Japanese American healer, martial artist, and founder of Danzan Ryu jujitsu.Born in Kakeda, Date County in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, he immigrated to Hawaii in 1906 [ [http://www.danzan.com The Danzan-Ryu Jujutsu Homepage] ] . At the age of 16 he learned he had tuberculosis. Through hard training in the martial arts, Okazaki recovered completely and vowed to dedicate his life to propagating jujutsu and judo. From 1927 to 1928, Okazaki developed a complete, integrated martial arts system: Danzan Ryu Jujutsu. A synthesis of several older styles of jujutsu, Okazaki included in the system elements of his studies of Okinawan karate, Chinese kung-fu, Hawaiian Lua, Filipino knife fighting (escrima), boxing and wrestling, as well as traditional Japanese restorative massage and healing techniques (Seifukujutsu) [ [http://www.ajjf.org AJJF] ] .

Gradually, Okazaki developed a system comprising courses for men, women, and children. In his system, he stressed the ancient system of philosophical and moral training within the martial and restorative arts.He is credited with being the first to teach the full jujutsu course to non-Asians [http://www.kodenkan.org Kodenkan] ] . He also taught perhaps the first women's self-defense course in the country. For all his work in martial arts, he was also very well known for his healing arts.

Okazaki initially faced opposition within the Japanese-American community for teaching outsiders Japanese martial arts. This changed after World War II. Like tens of thousands of other Japanese-Americans, Okazaki was interned during the war. Unlike others, however, his home and property were not looted; his students guarded them during the war. Upon their release, Okazaki helped support others in the Japanese-American community. For this he ultimately gained their respect.

History as a Healer

In addition to the martial disciplines, Okazaki studied health sciences and physical therapy, and ultimately gained great notoriety as a healer of the sick and injured. In 1930, Okazaki opened the Nikko Sanatorium of Restoration Massage in Honolulu, which is still in operation today. Many famous personalities of the times came to the Sanatorium to meet, be taught by or be treated by Okazaki. Among the most famous were President Franklin D. Roosevelt, actress Shirley Temple, actor George Burns, and Olympic athlete, actor Johnny Weismuller. [http://www.shinbukan.com Shinbukan.com] ]

ee also

*Danzan-ryu
*Jujitsu
*Professor John Chow-Hoon

References