Danzan-ryū
is a ryū of jujutsu founded by Seishiro Okazaki (1890–1951) in Hawaii. Danzan-ryū jujutsu is of mainly Japanese origin but is most common on the West Coast of the United States. The Danzan-ryū syllabus is syncretic and includes non-Japanese elements. History Seishiro Okazaki was born in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan in 1890. In 1906, he immigrated to the island of Hawaii. Soon after, he was afflicted with a pulmonary condition which may have been tuberculosis. During this time, young Okazaki began studying under a Yōshin-ryū jujutsu sensei by the name of Yoshimatsu Tanaka in Hilo, Hawaii. Okazaki assiduously pursued his studies under Tanaka and after some time found that his respiratory condition had gone into remission. Okazaki felt that the study of martial arts had played a large role in his physical recovery and as a result, he decided to dedicate his life to the study and teaching of jujitsu and related disciplines. Okazaki later adopted the Western first name, Henry. In 1924, Okazaki returned to Japan and undertook a study of the various schools, or ryū-ha, of the then most popular Jūjutsu styles of Yōshin-ryū, Namba-Shoshin Ryū, Iwaga Ryū, Kosogabe Ryū, Kōdōkan Jūdō, and several others. Later that year when he returned to the Hawaiian Islands, he continued the study of jūjutsu under the various masters who had emigrated from Japan to Hawaii. Incorporating not only traditional jūjutsu, but also Lua, Shōrin-ryū Karate, Eskrima, Boxing, Chin Na and Folk Wrestling, he began to synthesize the most effective aspects of these various styles into an eclectic system which he called Danzan Ryū. Okazaki used this name to honor his Chinese martial arts teacher, Wo Chong. The Chinese name for Hawai'i is T'an Shan (檀山). When used in Japanese, these kanji are pronounced Dan Zan. Their literal meaning is "sandalwood mountain". First classes Okazaki's school was founded in Hawaii. The name Kodenkan (古伝館) may be translated as 'The School of the Ancient Tradition'. Okazaki's method of instruction prescribed that senior students teach their junior students in the spirit of mutual assistance. Okazaki declared that this method of instruction was the foundational philosophy of the AJJF. He called it kokua, which in Hawaiian means to help one another. Okazaki was willing to teach his arts to both people of non-Asian extraction and women. This was frowned upon by parts of the Asian community in Hawaii at that time. By all accounts the original classes were grueling, and as below, Okazaki taught different courses to different individuals. Around the time of the founding of Kodenkan it took approximately four years to earn a Shodan ranking. During this time students trained 6–7 days a week. Seifukujutsu "Upon completing about a year of study," Okazaki wrote in his Esoteric Principles (contained in the Mokuroku scroll given to his pupils who mastered his system), "I acquired a body of iron" (paraphrased), so he dedicated his life to the study of martial arts and the healing techniques associated with each style he took up. Some among his students