A Brief History
Obukan Judo Dojo, Inc.
Introduction
I began this history of Obukan Judo Dojo, and of Judo in the Portland Oregon area, over 25 years ago. It is based on many years of discussions and interviews with our Nisei and Kodansha. Sadly, most of these people are now gone and, as a friend recently remarked, "The Nisei are all dying off."
At the time I began researching this I was studying the Japanese language and had the invaluable assistance of a very dear and long time friend, Mr. Sueo "Buddy" Ikata Not only had he lived through the historical period of which I wrote, his circle of friends was great. They knew him, trusted him and by extension felt comfortable talking with me. Unfortunately, Mr. Ikata passed away several years ago. I have kept up my research and am now expanding my original monograph. What follows is both old and new information.
Because the original monograph was typewritten, it will be some time before I am able to transfer all of it to this electronic medium.
This brief history is by no means complete. So, I ask that readers who were there as Obukan and Judo grew in the Northwest write me with suggestions for further research, additional information and corrections. If you can do any of this while telling the story of your own involvement with Judo, as a friend of mine has, I encourage you to do so. If you would prefer to talk about your experiences rather than write about them, please let me know and we'll make that happen. Finally, I have not limited my research to the Portland,Oregon area. The Northwest is a large place with judoka and their families living throughout it.
Should you have pictures of the "old days" please let me know and we'll find a way to make electronic copies so that they can be included. One picture still stirs memories that a thousand words will never capture.
Dick Brenneke
dick@brenneker.com
Office: (503) 233-9452
Obukan -- The Beginnings
Obukan Judo traces its beginnings to a demonstration of Kito-ryu Jiujutsu given by Bunzaemon Nii and an unknown opponent at the Lewis & Clark Exhibition of 1905. From this demonstration of ne-waza (grappling or mat techniques) and the help of Nii sensei and the Japanese communities of the Northwest, four clubs were formed in 1926: Seattle Dojo, Portland Judo Club (later Obukan Judo Dojo, Inc.) Seikikan Dojo and Pacific Judo Academy, both in Spokane, Washington. Nii sensei was chosen as Obukan's first instructor.
Following the 1932 Olympics in Los Angeles, Dr. Jigoro Kano, the founder of Judo, visited Oregon while touring the United States. Portland Judo Club hosted a Shiai for our Yudanshakai in his honor in Portland. At a meeting afterwards Kano shihan officially changed the name of Portland Judo Club to Obukan Judo Dojo. The "O" refers to Oregon; Oregon was called "O-shu" or O-state by Japanese immigrants. "Bu" means martial training; "Kan" means building or training hall.
The practice of Judo expanded quickly in Oregon. During these years before World War II the Portland - Salem areas boasted seven full time dojos. Combined with those in Seattle, our Yudanshakai had more than 10 dojos. In 1936 the Portland Judo Club practiced in the Foster Hotel on Portland's NW 3rd with Mochizuki sensei as its head instructor. By then another club had already opened in the Mayport area of Portland.
Among the early competitors over 80 years ago was Jim S. Onchi, Obukan's current Senior Advisor, Head Sensei and Chairman of Obukan's Board of Directors. To no one's surprise, Onchi sensei, now a hachidan or 8th degree of black belt, still attends every practice in his judo uniform as he helps coach and teach both seniors and juniors.
On December 8, 2002 Onchi sensei, at a ceremony hosted by the Japanese Consul General in Portland, was awarded the decoration of the Order of the Sacred Treasure, Gold and Silver Rays, by the Emperor of Japan. A fitting cap to a lifetime of contribution to the martial arts and to cross-cultural-understanding.
Today, training at Obukan can include preparation for national and international competition as both competitors and referees. We have members who have earned their international referee credentials and regularly teach here. Competitive members have gone on to represent their college at the USA World University Team in, for example, Prague, Czech Republic.
Not everyone enjoys competition and Obukan accommodates those who are drawn to Judo as a sport where great exercise is available and "kata", or the "forms" of Judo can be learned from true masters of this art.
Today we have members on the mat who are as young as 6 years old and some in their late 60's and early 70's. In other words, Obukan Judo Dojo, Inc. has become a home for everyone interested in learning Judo and applying its spirit to their daily lives.
There is much more to say regarding the pre WWII days. "The War" to folks my age and their parents. We'll come back to the early days soon. For now let's fast forward to the rebuilding of judo after the war.
Judo After WWII -- the 1950's
By 1950 World War II was history. Overseas, Japan and Germany were being rebuilt by the United States. A new enemy, backed by China, had arisen in North Korea. More important for us, Americans of Japanese heritage were returning from from the war in Europe and the code-breakers of the Far East. US built concentration camps which held their families were being dismantled as these men, women and children went home to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives. They did so with few public complaints of injustice. They were alive and it was time to move on. And they did.
"Judo" and "Jujitsu" the once "secret" arts of the East now became available to those in the United States. With the veterans assistance programs, men and women went back to school and found that they had the time and fascination to learn these arts.
Enter Richard Muller sensei, now a 6th degree black belt at Obukan, then a student at Reed College in Portland, Oregon. In 1952 Muller sensei, who began his judo studies in California, met with the kodansha, the senior members of the judo community, to form a judo club. Drawing on his considerable experience, each year Muller sensei taught classes of 20 to 30 college students at Reed.
Seeing how well judo was received by the community, Muller sensei and his supporters persuaded the former members of Obukan Judo Dojo to reactivate our club. They did this in 1953. Mike Arnold, now a 4th degree black belt and Obukan sensei, quickly joined and worked his way up as a competitor and teacher. These two senseis, Muller and Arnold, are still on the mat today sharing their experience with us.
After reestablishing his business and family, our current leader, Jim S. Onchi sensei, took over Obukan and led it to become one of the strongest and largest judo clubs in the United States. He went on to help build the Northwest Yudanshakai and the United States Judo Federation. Onchi sensei, now 89 years old, still joins us on the mat and willingly shares with us all that he has learned in his nearly 80 years of practicing judo. We are very honored to have him as our leader.
We'll talk about the growth of the club and the regional and national groups in the near future.
So what is Judo anyway?
The origins of Judo date back to the mid 19th century when Japan was going through the Meiji Restoration. During this time of cultural revolution, Japan ended its policy of National Seclusion and began to open up to the West. When this occurred the Samurai(warrior class of feudal Japan) began to lose their role in society and were forbidden to carry swords. With this declining skill in the weapon arts, Jujitsu (unarmed fighting methods), once a minor technique became the main ability for the anachronistic fighting class. Unfortunately, with intense modernization the Jujitsu schools began to lose popularity with the Japanese public.
This was the setting in which a man named Jigoro Kano took up Jujitsu in his youth. Kano, who later became to be a Professor of Education with degrees in literature, politics and political economy, realized that even though Jujitsu was declining, it had some important strengths that should not be lost.
In 1882 Professor Kano developed Judo, which he based on Jujitsu, and established the Kodokan ("place for studying the way"). Kano made Judo more efficient and less dangerous than Jujitsu by refining the techniques used and adding many of his own. He intended Judo to be for the training of the mind, body and character, not just a system of fighting.
From its very beginning, competition has been an integral part of Judo. Competition insures that Judo's techniques are continually refined while unrealistic techniques are discarded in favor of effective and efficient ones.
Judo quickly spread in popularity throughout Japan, and after the Second World War, Judo spread throughout the world. The International Judo Federation was formed in 1951 and the first World Championships (for men only) were held in Japan in 1956. Judo gained a place in the Olympic Games at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics (again for men only). Recognizing that Judo is practiced by both men and women, the Olympic Committee included Judo for women as a demonstration sport at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. Today, Judo for women and for men is now an official Olympic Sport.
Today our sport continues to grow in popularity throughout the world as people take up Judo for fitness, sport and self defense.
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