Danzan Ryu Jujitsu, or "Sandalwood Mountain Art" was started here in Hilo in the early 1900s by a man named Henry Seishiro Okazaki. He was a Japanese immigrant who worked the plantation fields, and was suffering from tuberculosis. He was supposed to die, but he dove into the martial arts, specifically Tanaka Sensei's jujitsu dojo which had a healing element.
Here in 2019 over 100 years later we celebrate the legacy each here on the Big Island by hosting Camp Hawai'i. While the art passed from Okazaki to Professor Ray law, who gave it to Prof Randle (seen in center and right photos) passed it onto Thabiti Sabahive (right photo uke). He came back to the University of Hawai'i at Hilo and started an on-campus dojo called Osoku Wakasu (dojo of the slow boil), passing the art onto my Sensei and husband Travis Prose (middle uke). We are a rambuctious 'ohana, but supportive community is not a strong enough term for the love and culture of service that we experience together.
This year we congratulate Travis on his 9th student to achieve their blackbelt, in addition he hosted his 3rd annual Camp Hawai'i and at the AJJF National Convention this year he was awarded with his 4th degree black belt. I have a great deal of pride for him, both as a wife and as his student.
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