Professor Francis Merlin "Bud" Estes

Great Grandmaster of Danzan Ryu Jujitsu and Co-Founder of the:

Americna Judo and Jujitsu Federation

Professor Francis Merlin "Bud" Estes was a student of the late Soke Seishiro Okazaki in the 1930s. He received his shodan in 1925 in Los Angeles.

Born on October 1, 1909 in Jacksonhole, Wyoming, Francis Merlin "Bud" Estes was the oldest sibling among his brothers Ivan, Burl and his sister Pat. Their parents, James and Olive were migrant workers and most of the children dropped out of school at around age 15 to help support the family.

While out hunting with his brother Ivan, the boys encountered a man who was intoxicated and complaining about the boys hunting on his land. An argument ensued and a weapon was brought to bear, to keep his brother from getting shot Professor Estes through his arm up in front of the gun to block it. The injury was severe and took out much of the muscle and bone in his wrist and forearm. Spending nearly a year in the hospital recovering from the wound and a new surgical technique called "bone grafting", the doctor said he would never be able to use his arm again. His family moved to Los Angeles, where he studied Judo and earned a Black Belt in 1925. Professor Estes entered the Salvation Army College in San Francisco, studied to be an officer and was assigned as a Captain to a group in Honolulu, in what was then Territory of Hawaii.

While walking down the streets of Honolulu one evening, Professor Estes observed three thugs attacking what seemed to be an old Japanese gentleman. Being a black belt he thought he should help the old man and he took on one of the thugs, only to turn around and find out that the other two were taken down easily by the old man. After seeing this the young Professor Estes followed the old man to his DOJO, the old man was none other than Master Okazaki. Master Okazaki introduced ther young Professor Estes as "the man wo saved my life"! Master Okazaki then had Professor Estes work out with his son who was a green belt at the time. Try as he might Professor Estes was unable to throw the green belt, finally out of frustration Professor said "I picked the kid up and tried to physically throw him , only to find myself across the mat". After the experience, the young Professor Estes took off his black belt, and entered the school where the Master Seishiro Okazaki taught Kodenkan Jujitsu.

Professor Estes moved to Chico, California, in 1939, and started the Chico Judo and Jujitsu Academy. He and his wife (Lukie) lived on the Esplanade in Chico. His wife also taught Jujutsu in Chico.

Professor Estes was raised to Judan (Tenth Degree Black Belt) in 1971. After teaching a seminar in Ithaca, NY Professor "Bud" Estes passed away on June 7, 1981. His wife succumbed to cancer a year later.

Professor Estes still lives today in the hearts, minds and souls of those individuals his great spirit touched so profoundly!

Professor Bud Estes - Professor Lukie Estes

Francis Merlin "Bud" Estes was born in' Jackson Hole, Wyoming, on October 1, 1909, the child of ranchers and homesteaders. The family moved often and from Wyoming Bud lived in Montana, Northern Canada, Los Angeles and later in the San Joaquin Valley of California. He loved sports and during his early adolescence he aspired to be a professional baseball player. He never got the chance. When he was sixteen an incident with a drunk forever changed his life. Professor and his brother were returning to their car left on the side of the road while they spent the day hunting. Just then a man pulled up behind his car and hit the bumper. The man, obviously drunk, got out and accused Professor of backing into him. An argument ensued and the man, angered, pulled out his shotgun and fired. The shot went through Professor's instinctively upraised arm, head and shoulder. He spent a year in the hospital recovering. He was spared any notion of revenge when the man, again intoxicated, was killed while attempting to cross the train tracks at the same time as the train.

In 1923, after a period of recovery, Professor studied judo at a small school in Los Angeles. He received his Shodan from this school in 1925. His family then moved to Washington and Professor became involved with the Salvation Army. He soon left home to attend the Salvation Army Officer training college in San Francisco. He graduated with the rank of Captain and was sent to Honolulu to take charge of a Boy's Home.

In Hawaii, 1930, Professor met Master Okazaki and was invited to visit his school. Impressed with this system, he discarded his black belt to start as a white belt at the Kodenkan. While he was in Honolulu, he married had two children and divorced. Disillusioned, he left the ministry and soon became a Federal Bureau of Narcotics undercover agent. He was often sent on dangerous assignments requiring the application of his jujutsu techniques. In one case he was sent out on assignment to apprehend Filipino drug smugglers. As expected, he found the truck loaded with contraband. When Professor began his arrest, one of the men jumped down brandishing a large machete with a blade of about 2.5" wide. He stabbed and Professor used a side pivot to avoid the blade. His timing was just a bit late, though, and the blade caught the skin and sliced it. Since the wound was superficial, Professor proceeded with arrest. Noting his determination, the rest of the smugglers gave up without a struggle.

Professor received his Shodan, Nidan and Sandan degrees from Professor Okazaki. In April, 1939, he returned to the mainland; this time to Chico, California, where his family had moved during his stay in Hawaii. May 1, he began a jujutsu class on the front lawn of his parent's home. Lukie, who was in high school, joined the class along with Professor's sister Pat.
During the next few years Professor was again married and divorced. When the second World War began, he started classes at the Chico Airport for the M.P.'s stationed at the base. In 1943, Professor received his Yodan from Professor Okazaki. Lukie meanwhile, had graduated high school and took a job as a traveling manager for Western Union. In 1944, she returned to Chico and resumed her classes. July 1, 1945, Bud and Lukie were married.

The Chico Judo & Jujitsu Academy continued to grow, and courses were taught to state militia, county sheriffs and city police. Lukie attained the rank of Godan and was made a Professor in December, 1956. Over the years Chico Judo & Jujitsu Academy saw some of its students start as children and continue to adulthood, receiving black belts and beginning new schools of their own.

Professor, co-founder of the American Judo & Jujitsu Federation received his Judan in 1971. Among his numerous accomplishments, Professor was one of the major forces behind the acceptance of Kodenkan Jujitsu as an Amateur Athletic Union recognized sport.
When the A.J.J.F. was incorporated in 1958, the founders' had included provisions for cooperating with the A.A.U., looking forward to the time when, Kodenkan Jujitsu would be an A.A.U. sport. Throughout the 1960's and early 1970's, Professor Estes worked to gain recognition for the American Judo & Jujitsu Federation. Finally, on November 29, 1979, the
A.A.U. -A.J.J.F. Allied Agreement was signed in Las Vegas, Nevada, by Professor Estes and Professor Regennitter, ending a nearly forty year battle for recognition.

Professor Bud Estes dedicated over fifty years to the propagation of Kodenkan Jujitsu. He died on June 7, 1981. Professor Lukie Estes contributed to the perpetuation of Jujutsu for over four decades. She was promoted to Rokudan in 1982. Professor Lukie died on September 28, 1982. Author unknown

Master Henry Seishiro Okazaki

Soke of Danzan Ryu Jujitsu and the Koden Kan

Master Henry Seishiro Okazaki (1890-1951) was born in the town of Kakeda, Japan and came to Hawaii in 1906. In 1909, he was diagnosed with tuberculosis of the lung, which in those days was a death sentence. Feeling that he was going to die and had nothing to lose, he took up the study of Judo at the Shinryu Kai School under Mr. Kichimatsu Tanaka, a professor of Judo. Okazaki threw caution to the wind, abandoning his very life, and engaged in the rigorous mental and physical aspects of Judo drill training. As his training continued, Okazaki was surprised to find that a miracle had occurred. His body had completely healed. He held Judo training responsible for saving his life. He decided to dedicate his life and make a profession of teaching Judo. He continued to study Judo and acquired a black belt in Kodokan Judo. He furthered his study of Judo by investigating its roots. To accomplish this, he studied the Jujitsu systems of Yoshin Ryu, Iwaga Ryu, Kosogabe Ryu, Shibukawa Ryu and Nabasho-shine Ryu. Besides these, he also studied Karate from a Japanese master from Okinawa, Knife fighting techniques from a Filipino, American boxing and wrestling, throwing dirk from a Spaniard, the secret Hawaiian art of Lua, and Mushi-jitsu, a form of boxing with intent to kill from an old Chinese Master named Wo Chong. Master Okazaki named this style of Judo-Jujutsu, Danzan Ryu Jujutsu, Sandalwood Mountain System Yielding Technique. He started to teach everyone Jujutsu regardless of race, color, or religion.

On January 28, 1890 the fourth son in a samurai clan was born in Fukashima-ken (perfecture), on the Island of Honshu, Japan. His name was Seishiro Okazaki, later to become one of the most famous Oriental martial art and healing masters in the world. Near the time of his birth significant changes were taking place in Japan. The Emperor Meiji brought about the great modernization of Japan, and as part of this, the old caste system was abolished. The Samurai were no longer allowed to wear or use swords. The last Tokugawa Shogun, Yoshinobu Tokugawa, was forced to hand the administration of the government back to the Emperor in 1867 (this later became the Imperial Government). Furthermore, Seishiro's father, Hanuemon Okazaki, was unable to adapt as a businessman, and due to poor luck or bad business practices, essentially lost the family fortune.

Another factor which may have led the young Okazaki to immigrate to Hawaii in 1906, was the successful resolution of the United States Civil War in favor of the North in 1865. It sent the world the message that people of all colors, races, and nationalities were to be free in the United States. At this time there was much immigration from Japan to Hawaii, a "land of opportunity". Thus sometime in late August 1906, Seishiro Okazaki, signed indenture papers (to work for his passage), traveled overland to Yokohama, and departed on September 1, 1906, on the S.S. China bound for Hawaii.

Kichimatsu Tanaka Sensei Yoshin Ryu Jujutsu

History of Judo on the big Island

In the 1970's, Dr. John Masuhara conducted interviews of selected elderly/retired/senior jujutsu and/or judo practitioners. At that time, his purpose was to gather information to write articles on Big Island jujutsu and judo history for the 1980 Pac Rim Judo Championships program booklet and also for the Hawaii Tribune-Herald. Most of the individuals interviewed back in the 1970's have since deceased.

Mr. Sadao Sakamoto (retired from the Gas Company) was 78 years old in the late 1970's when he was interviewed. Mr. Sakamoto started as a student of Yoshin-Ryu Jujutsu at the Hilo Shinyu-Kai in 1918, as a teenager. Mr. Sakamoto remembered that the instructor Kichimatsu Tanaka organized the Yoshin-Ryu dojo in 1912. The dojo was affiliated with the Hilo Shinyu-Kai, which also promoted other sports activities.

According to Mr. Sakamoto, Tanaka Kichimatsu, as an employee of the old Yoshimura Store on Ferneaux Lane in Hilo Town, apprehended a thief using jujutsu self-defense techniques he learned in Japan. A grateful storeowner and others in the community convinced Tanaka to start a jujutsu dojo in back of the store. Original members of the dojo included Okazaki Seishiro (who later moved to Maui, then Oahu and organized a famed jujutsu dojo at the Okazaki gym in Liliha on Oahu; Okazaki was instrumental in the early formation of the American Ju-Jitsu Institute; he also gained fame as a massage expert who helped an ailing Mrs. John Burns, wife of a future governor), Nakashima Kazuo, Yamasaki --?, and Inouye Teruchi. Other students who joined prior to 1919, were Dr. Chu Fook Tang (dentist),Yamato Kaichi, Inouye Kitaru (Papai-kou branch), Sakamoto Sadao, and JerryYoshiyama (Waiakea branch). Mr. Sadao Sakamoto also recalled that a Nanpa-Shoshin Ryu Ju-Jitsu group was active in Pepeekeo with a Mr. Hamai as instructor (circa 1918).

Kichimatsu Tanaka passed away in 1954 at the age of 76. In the 1970's, Dr. Masuhara also interviewed Professor Tamio Kawasaki, 6th dan (deceased in 1995 at age 88), who started the Higashi Hongwanji Judo Club in 1935.

Professor Kawasaki was 16 years old when he joined the Yoshin-Ryu dojo in 1923. He recalled that in 1923, much of the actual instruction at the Yoshin-Ryu dojo was being done by Okazaki Seishiro, under the head advisorship of Tanaka Kichimatsu. At the time, Okazaki Seishiro worked for Hoffschlaeger and later as a candy wholesaler. During his travel on business around the Big Island, Okazaki Seishiro would stop and assist at towns where there were jujutsu activities. Both Sakamoto and Kawasaki stated that it was Kodokan Judo techniques that were being practiced at the Yoshin-Ryu dojo of the Hilo Shinyu-Kai during the period they were there. At the time they started (circa 1918-23), many of the older jujutsu techniques had already been displaced by the more popular Kodokan Judo movement in Japan as well as in Hawaii.