The Kodenkan Yudanshakai was founded in Tucson, AZ in January, 1967. The Yudanshakai was founded by Professor Joseph Holck (Joichi Matsuno), 10th Dan. Prof. Holck was also one of the co-founders of the Kajukenbo self-defense system. He co-founded the Matsuno-Ryu Goshin-Jitsu with his son, Vinson Holck.
After a long and distinguished career in Kodokan Judo, Kodenkan Jujitsu and self-defense, Prof. Holck moved to Tucson, AZ to take over the Kodenkan of Tucson dojo from his brother, Roy. Since that time, the Kodenkan Yudanshakai currently runs a Danzan-Ryu Division, headed by Prof. Joe Holck; a Shorin-Ryu Karate Division, led by Prof. Barry Holck, 8th Dan; and the Matsuno-Ryu Goshin-Jitsu Division, under Prof. Vinson Holck, 6th Dan.
Kodenkan Yudanshakai has grown through the decades, with some of the distinguised members of the association being Prof. Sig Kufferath, 10th Dan, Prof. William Montero, 10th Dan, Prof. Jack Wheat, 10th Dan, Prof. Antone Gonzales, 10th Dan, and Prof. Francisco Limbago, 10th Dan.
It is largely due to the efforts and vision of Prof. Holck, his wife Amy, their 4 sons and 1 daughter, that martial arts in general and Danzan-Ryu Jujitsu in particular have flourished in the American Southwest. It has been instilled in the minds of the members of the Yudanshakai that their beginnings lay in the teachings of Prof. Okazaki, from whose dojo their organization received its name.
This page maintained by George Arrington.
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