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BOJUKA RYU History BOJUKA RYU was an eclectic martial art, organized on the 16th day of July, 1970 at Marina, California. It was comprised of the following disciplines. BO, refers to the boxing arts from China and the United States. JU, refers to the arts of Jujitsu, specifically Danzan Ryu Koden Kan Jujitsu, and was transmitted to each student in the manner in which its late founder Professor Seishiro Okazaki taught it. Master Okazaki was a Japanese of Samurai descent who founded Danzan Ryu (Hawaiian school) Jujitsu and was the first Japanese Master to accept non-Japanese students into this art. Dan Zan Ryu is currently known throughout the world as Kodenkan Jujitsu. Professor Okazaki also established the oldest martial arts organization in the United States, the American Jujitsu Institute which was organized in 1939, and was chartered in 1943 in Honolulu, Hawaii. KA, refers to the Karate arts which derive techniques in a systematized fashion from the following RYU of styles. Hand arts come from Japanese Chito Ryu Karate and Chinese Kempo Karate. Kicking arts come from a combination of Chito Ryu Japanese Karate and Han Moo Kwan Tae Kwan Do (Korean Karate). Blocking techniques stem from White Crane Kung Fu and Praying Mantis Kung Fu (Chinese arts). As you can see Bojuka Ryu is a (martial) military art which is a discipline and is considered both hard and soft. It is a progressive martial art in that techniques are constantly updated so that it is always in harmony with the needs of our modern world and its ever-changing environment. The art of Bojuka Ryu came into being in 1973 at which time the president of the American Jujitsu Institute, Sam Luke and the Vice-president Simon E. Eli flew from Hawaii to Marina, California to observe the techniques of this art, and to make a determination as to its credibility as a new discipline of BUDO (Warrior Ways). Before leaving the school Simon Eli promoted Sensei Eddie G. Stewart to the rank of Shihan, Master of the Art of Bojuka Ryu, above rank. Although authorized to wear the highest attainable belt from Japan, the red Masters belt, Shihan Stewart refused to do so and therefore wore his old Black Belt as a symbol of leadership without rank. In this martial art the highest possible rank was 7th Dan, and the rank could only be awarded after Shihan's death or if Shihan Stewart retired. Master Stewart was the first American to receive such a rank of honor. |