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ABOUT THE PJA:

Pacific Jujitsu Alliance

Founded January 13, 2001

The Pacific Jujitsu Alliance is
dedicated to the teaching and memory of:

Professor William L. Montero, Sr.
1916 – 1992

  • A black belt student of Master Henry Seishiro Okazaki, founder of Kodenkan/Danzan Ryu Jujitsu (1935 – 1948).
  • An early Professor of the American Judo & Jujitsu Federation (1953).
  • Honored by the Kodenkan Yudanshakai with the rank of judan (10th degree black) and title of Dai Shihan (1984).
  • Sensei (school head) of the Pacific Judo Academy, San Jose, California (1948 – 1985).

Introduction

The Pacific Jujitsu Alliance is dedicated to preserving and promoting the arts of Kodenkan Jujitsu as they were passed down by Professor William L. Montero, Sr. to his students. We are inspired by the spirit, love and devotion Professor Montero had for his sensei, Master Henry Seishiro Okazaki, and the arts of Kodenkan Jujitsu.

The Pacific Jujitsu Alliance recognized the many different interpretations and ways to perform the arts of Kodenkan Jujitsu. Some of Master Okazaki's students, depending on what years they were training at the Kodenkan in Hawaii, were taught different variations of many of the arts of the ryu. What Master Okazaki taught to his students in 1939 was not always totally the same as what he taught in 1943, or even later in 1949.

All of the black belt students of Master Okazaki who actively pursued the teaching and spreading of Kodenkan Jujitsu deserve credit and our respect for their efforts and dedication to the ryu developed by their sensei. Each of these early pioneers of Kodenkan Jujitsu brought with them their own experiences and interpretation of the arts of Kodenkan Jujitsu as they were taught to them. When asked which way was the 'original' way to perform a specific art, Professor Montero responded by saying, "The original way is the way your sensei first taught you."

Today there are several organizations and groups that promote the arts of Kodenkan/Danzan Ryu Jujitsu, which have their own specific 'kata' or preferred way of performing each of the arts of the ryu. The Pacific Jujitsu Alliance recognized and respects all of these different versions of kata being promoted by these different organizations.

Kata is very important to those who are true students of Kodenkan Jujitsu, but the late Professor Bob Krull, a student of Professor Montero, used to say, "To learn an art you need to first learn it inside the kata box, but to truly learn and understand the ryu you must also learn the art outside of the box by making the box bigger." The late Professor Pat Brown also said, "A black belt knows one way to perform each art, but a master knows five or more ways to perform the same art."

The Pacific Jujitsu Alliance openly offers to those students of Kodenkan Jujitsu who want to make their 'learning box' bigger, the opportunity to learn the Professor Montero version and interpretation of Kodenkan Jujitsu.

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What is the Pacific Jujitsu Alliance

The Pacific Jujitsu Alliance is a yudanshakai (black belt organization) made up of like-minded black belt practitioners of Kodenkan/Danzan Ryu Jujitsu. We provide a non-political learning environment in which to study and promote the arts of Kodenkan Jujitsu as taught by Professor William L. Montero, Sr.

Our goals include:
  1. Preserve and promote the arts of Kodenkan Jujitsu as taught by Professor William L. Montero, Sr. This is accomplished by teaching, practicing and sharing these arts with those who have a desire to learn.
  2. To extend and embrace the tradition and values of Ohana (family) to all serious practitioners of Kodenkan Jujitsu who in turn will embrace our goals and values.
  3. To openly accept other variations and interpretations of the Kodenkan arts as taught by other black belt students of Professor Henry Seishiro Okazaki.
  4. To share our arts and to learn from others by interacting and training with those students of Kodenkan Jujitsu who come from different lineages than ours.
Our values include:
  1. To honor, protect and love ones family.
  2. To be a good citizen and to honor, protect and love ones country.
  3. To defend those who are not able to defend themselves.
  4. To avoid immoral and unlawful actions and to refrain from unnecessary violent behavior.
  5. To honor, preserve and promote the teachings of Professor Henry Seishiro Okazaki and Professor William L. Montero, Sr.
  6. To embrace and practice the values of honesty, integrity, faithfulness and obedience to the law.
  7. Not to allow anyone's ego, personal bias, or unprofessional motives to interfere with the goals and values of this alliance.
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