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Hakkoryu JuJutsu
A Little Hakkoryu History
Hakkoryu JuJutsu was developed by Okuyama Yoshiharu in 1941. Mr. Okuyama had studied medicine and many martial arts including Daito Ryu. Mr. Okuyama's vision was to develop a martial art that was effective but humanitarian. He wrote extensively about the philosophy behind his art ( a few samples of his writings). He did not approve of the brutal techniques of the other ryuhas of the day. Mr. Okuyama, or Sho Dai Soke (First Great Originator), saw the need for self protection from two enemies:
- the enemy who physically assaults the person, and
- the dis-ease or sickness that assaults the person from the inside.
With this in mind, he redefined, organized and categorized the thousands of techniques he had learned until he had created a unique system that he named Hakkoryu. The forte of Hakkoryu is its wrist techniques. Koho Shiatsu Igaku or Imperial Finger Pressure Medicine, a form of acupressure massage that is emphasized as much as the "self defense" techniques, provides practitioners with knowledge of the body's meridian system. This knowledge combined with the unique applications of Hakkoryu principles create devastatingly effective wrist techniques. It also equips the Hakkoryu practitioner with the ability to put a person at ease with the soothing effect of Koho Shiatsu massage.
Sho Dai Soke Okuyama died in 1987, his son Toshio Okuyama now resides over the Hakkoryu Hombu in Omiya, Japan. The pen name "Ryuho" or "spine of the dragon" was adopted by Sho Dai Soke and inherited by his son Toshio as was the title Nidai Soke or second great originator.
Steve Lonsdale receiving his black belt in Hakkoryu Jujutsu from Nidai Soke, the son of the founder of the art.
Further Information:
Direct specific questions to me or contact:
Eighth Light Dojo
1177 South Hametown Road
Akron, Ohio 44321 USA
Telephone: (216) 666-3081.
Suggested Reading:
There are three paperback books about Hakkoryu JuJutsu, all written by Kaiden Shihan Sandai Kichu Dennis Palumbo and published by Paladin Press.
- The Essence of Hakkoryu JuJutsu
- The Secret Nidan Techniques of Hakkoryu JuJutsu
- The Secret Sandan Techniques of Hakkoryu JuJutsu
A Hakkoryu Manual is available from the Eighth Light Dojo (address is above). Also available from the Eighth Light Dojo is a series of video tapes, Shodan through Yondan, of Nidai Soke Okuyama performing the basic Kihon of Hakkoryu JuJutsu.
Please let me know if you are aware of other Hakkoryu JuJutsu sites!
Eighth Light Dojo--under construction!
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