Adriano Directo Emperado (June 15, 1926 – April 4, 2009) was one of five martial artists who developed the kajukenbo self-defense system.
His father and uncle were professional boxers and at the age of 11 he learned the 12 basic strikes of escrima.
Then at the age of 20, Emperado undertook serious study of Kenpo at the Catholic youth organization in Honolulu.
[8] In 1947, Adriano Emperado (Kosho Shorei-ryu Kenpo and Escrima), Peter Young Yil Choo (Tang Soo Do, Shotokan Karate and Boxing), Joseph Holck (Sekeino-ryu Judo), Frank F. Ordonez (Danzan-ryu Jujutsu), and George "Clarence" Chuen Yoke Chang (Chu'an Fa Kung-Fu), came together and called themselves the Black Belt Society.
[9] Adriano’s Escrima training - while living on Kauai with his older brother, he trained in Escrima (learned a basic 12 strikes) and after returning to Oahu he continued his Escrima training with Isaac, Alexandro and Alfredo Peralta - (his stepfather) Paralta taught him a Solo Baston System, a mix of Ilocano, Visayan and Tagalog Styles.
Shortly after conception of Kajukenbo, the Korean War broke out, and with it Joe Holck, Peter Choo, Frank Ordonez, and Clarence Chang left Hawaii on active military service, leaving only Adriano Emperado to continue teaching the system.
After McCandles had died, Emperado took control of the school and renamed it Palama Settlement Kajukenbo Self-Defenses Institute of Karate.