AJJIF LEGENDS

AJJIF DAITO RYU AIKI JIU-JITSU LEGEND


HANSHI JOHN DENORA J.D.
( 1930 - 2008 )

Great American Martial Arts Master of Daito Ryu Aiki Jiu-Jitsu and Professor of Japanese Martial Arts. Founder of Daito Ryu USA and Vice President of AJJIF - ALL JAPAN JU-JITSU INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION, 3 times Martial Arts Masters Hall of Fame, Karate Hall of Fame ( World Karate Union ). Prof. Denora was fourth generation (Yosei) 38th Master in the line after Sokaku Takeda no Minamoto no Masayoshi the 35th Headmaster of Daito Ryu. Professor Denora has trained and taught martial arts in Japan, Okinawa, Korea, Hawaii, Taiwan and other areas learning from the great masters. While living in Japan Denora trained with many great masters learning true samurai bugei arts. In 1953 John Denora begin training with Jujutsu/Judo Sensei T.Nakamura, learning many arts from this teacher. Dr. Nakamura was also a master of Ki and the sword (Shin Ken).
John Denora studied under Katsumi Yonezawa Sensei in Hokkaido, Japan. Yonezawa Sensei had been taught and certified by Horikawa Kodo. Kodo and Kodo's father were the top disciples of Sokaku Takeda. Denora was certified as a special, personal representative (Kyoju Dairi) of the grandmaster and was presented with the Hiden Mokuroku of techniques; making him fourth generation after Sokaku Takeda no Minamoto no Masayoshi (the last great Samurai of the Minamoto Genji clan). John was one of only a handful of people to ever receive this teaching license in true Daito-Ryu Aiki Jiu Jitsu from the Soke of Bokuyokan Daito Ryu. John Denora also trained with the Great Master Yoshiteru Otani; a master in Judo, Jujutsu, Kenjutsu, and Jigen Ryu sword. Eiji Nakamura, who was one of the great Daito Masters in Kitami, Hokkaido gave special instruction to Denora at the Budokan Dojo of Sensei F.J. Lovret. John Denora has received the three Daito Ryu confidential instructor books and was awarded in 1986 the Daito Ryu Expert, Patience, Hope and Peace Award. He was also presented hand painted copies of the Sokaku Takeda's drawings of pressure points. In 2001 Prof. John Denora was awarded a Kyoju Dairi from Grandmaster GUNSHI Dr. John Williams (Saigo Ha Daito Ryu Aiki Bujutsu, Menkyo Kaiden Shinto Ryu Aiki Bujutsu, 34th Generation Headmaster / Head Family Daito Ryu). John Denora teachings and preserving the tradition of Daito Ryu will be carried on by O-Sensei Alexey Kunin through the organization of AJJIF.

Hanshi Prof. John Denora J.D. passed away on 28 August, 2008 at the age of 78.
This is the Official website of the AJJIF GLOBAL
ALL JAPAN JU-JITSU INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION
WORLD JU-JITSU GOVERNING BODY
全日本柔術国際連盟