98 Year-Old Keiko Fukuda Earns 10th Degree Black Belt in Judo
by Scott Haber on Aug 10, 2011 5:02 PM EDT
in Judo
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Keiko Fukuda of San Francisco, California, was promoted to the rank of 10th dan (degree) black belt in Judo this week by USA Judo, the sport's national governing body. This is the highest ranking one can achieve in judo, but Fukuda is not featured in Bloody Elbow's world scouting report, nor is Fukuda being courted by the UFC, Bellator, Dream, or any other MMA organization, because Keiko Fukuda is a woman, and she's also 98 years old.
Meredith May at the The San Francisco Chronicle reported on Ms. Fukuda's achievement this week, and if you're still not impressed, consider this: only three other living judokas have reached the 10-degree black belt level, and they're all men. Even more importantly, Fukuda is the last surviving student of Kano Jigoro, who invented judo in the late 1800s in Japan.
Here, Fukuda reminisces about her early years of practicing judo under Kano in Japan, and making some tremendous personal sacrifices to devote her life to the art:
Fukuda is the only living student of judo's founder, Jigoro Kano, who opened his judo school, the Kodokan, in Tokyo, in 1882. Kano added a women's section to his school about 40 years later and invited Fukuda to train because of her martial arts lineage. She was the granddaughter of a renowned jujitsu master who had taught that Japanese martial art to Kano.
"At first, all I could think of was how aggressive the maneuvers were, and how unusual it was to see women spreading their legs," Fukuda said.
She was 21. She felt destined to practice judo. She declined her family's plans to marry her to a dentist when she met with him and he told her she'd have to give up judo. She wanted to honor her grandfather's legacy, a family martial arts tradition that passed to her because her father had died young and a brother was in ill health.
The nonagenarian also shares one of her crowning achievements:
Fukuda studied the kata, or choreographed forms of fighting maneuvers, and she became the expert in a slower, gentler version called ju-no-kata.
She rose quickly to a fifth-degree black belt - the highest rank for women at the time - and demonstrated ju-no-kata at the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo.
Evan at her current age, Fukuda is still teaching judo in the Bay area:
At 98, she is still teaching the Japanese martial art three times a week at a women's dojo in Noe Valley, giving pointers from a fold-out chair, wearing her ki - and the red belt that signals her superior rank.
She waves two students over who are practicing fending off a knife-wielding purse snatcher, using finesse and balance to harness power. Fukuda, her hands shaking slightly, holds their fingers and moves their thumbs into their palms. Better. She nods, and the students bow in gratitude before trying the move again.
Fukuda emphasizes accuracy and speed over muscling and winning at all costs. She's less interested in winning tournaments than she is in passing down respect for the art form.
"I think a lot of why I am 98 has to do with judo," Fukuda said. "I have my health, and judo is my connection to less stress and difficulty. As far as I know, no one has lived their life completely for judo as I have."
You can learn more about the amazing Keiko Fukuda in the film, "Be Strong, Be Gentle, Be Beautiful", a documentary about her life. A trailer can be viewed here.
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wow just amazing
aka BuckeyedBear34
Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake.
~ Napoleon Bonaparte
Teachers open the door, but you must enter by yourself
~ Chinese Proverb
A student of Jigoro Kano, that’s already epic in itself.
"Don't worry about that thang...I got this"
yes it is
being the last living student of Kano
being promoted to 10th dan
being the first women to do it
Fukuda kicks ass, end of story
aka BuckeyedBear34
Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake.
~ Napoleon Bonaparte
Teachers open the door, but you must enter by yourself
~ Chinese Proverb
by T.P. Grant on Aug 10, 2011 5:19 PM EDT up reply actions 5 recs
I'm 6'3 240 lbs,
what’s the over/ under she flips me through the air like a juggling pin?
Xtreme Couture- The best never rest! The girl in my av is Kari Sweets (you're welcome).
"I swear it upon Zeus an outstanding runner cannot be the equal of an average wrestler."
-Socrates
by ElliotMatheny on Aug 10, 2011 11:29 PM EDT up reply actions
Something tells me that she should have been promoted years ago.
I tend to be biased towards strikers . . . exciting strikers.
- - - - -
VEe is ANIMated!
by VeeisAnimated on Aug 11, 2011 9:15 AM EDT up reply actions
Cyborg is a free agent right?
"Don't worry about that thang...I got this"
by spectaa on Aug 10, 2011 5:06 PM EDT reply actions 3 recs
i lol'd
"Kickboxing is great. It combines the style and grace of boxing with... kicking." -- Norm MacDonald
by Anthony Pace on Aug 10, 2011 6:34 PM EDT up reply actions
this is the coolest thing ever
I really want to check out that documentary.
1. Anderson Silva is waiting for you to punch him.
2. That guy is Anderson Silva.
3. Don't fucking punch that guy.
Where's David Heath?
It’s time for him to get thrown like a lawn dart again.
I went whale watching the other day. I think. There were a lot of people in that lake.
DO YOU WANNA BE A FUCKIN’ GREAT GREAT GREAT GRANDMOTHER?!
Follow me on Twitter or Dana White will fire your whole camp! @BVandDietPepsi
by BVandDietPepsi on Aug 10, 2011 5:09 PM EDT reply actions 11 recs
This is great.
I can imagine her adjusting the hands of those students and them pulling it off much better. My bjj coach does that with my grips often, moving them only an inch or two in either direction, and it makes a huge difference.
I’m on a big early martial arts stage right now. Watching movies like ip man 1 and 2, reading “Mastering Jiu Jitsu” by Renzo and Danaher (which gives a great history of jujitsu, judo, and bjj, etc.
Gotta check out the documentary.
holy shit!
That book is ancient haha! Back when i got that book it was 2003 and bjj books were insanely hard to find! Brings back memories.
by MMAruinedME on Aug 10, 2011 10:20 PM EDT up reply actions
Books from 2003 are ancient?
That’s scary.
I tend to be biased towards strikers . . . exciting strikers.
- - - - -
VEe is ANIMated!
by VeeisAnimated on Aug 11, 2011 9:17 AM EDT up reply actions
That's just cool!
" Its like when I'm right I'm right, when I'm wrong I coulda been right, so I'm still right cause I coulda been wrong, you know, and I'm sorry cause I could be wrong right now, I could be wrong, but I'm right..." Bama
salute.
This lady is amazingly awesome. And awesomely amazing to boot.
by The Hamburger Pimp on Aug 10, 2011 5:14 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
This is why we need a women's division in the UFC.
The fact that Strikeforce hasn’t picked her up is a crazy ball drop on there part. How can we take any women’s MMA champ seriously with this unsigned 10th degree black belt floating around. This is the state of women’s MMA and there is no excuse.
"Stop smiling you are about to be punched in the face !"
by Warhand on Aug 10, 2011 5:16 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Fukuda would take Cris Cyborg out. First round KO.
Part of Pech's Posse since 2007.
by OleksiyPecherovsHomeboy on Aug 10, 2011 5:16 PM EDT reply actions
*eh
I could take her…
Anderson Silva, Edson Barboza, Jose Aldo, Charles Oliveira, Thiago Alves = Muay Thai wrecking machines!
by SentientAndroid on Aug 10, 2011 5:19 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Believe it or not, YES
Again, grand-daughter of one of Kano’s own teachers.
I think i could take her, uh maybe.
"Why do people forget I am as strong as superman" - J'onn J'onzz
Fukuda by armbar
aka BuckeyedBear34
Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake.
~ Napoleon Bonaparte
Teachers open the door, but you must enter by yourself
~ Chinese Proverb
by T.P. Grant on Aug 10, 2011 5:25 PM EDT up reply actions 8 recs
LOL
"This is blood for blood and by the gallon. These are the old days, the bad days, the all-or-nothing days. They’re back! There’s no choice left. And I’m ready for war."
"Do you lie awake alone at night, admiring my gash?"
-Lord Varys
by John Danaher's Hair on Aug 10, 2011 5:56 PM EDT up reply actions
Saw this on yahoo the other day
Awesome story. Nice to see it made the BE front page.
"What do you know about my vision? My vision will turn your world upside down, tear asunder your illusions and send the sanctuary of your own ignorance crashing down around you. Now ask yourself: Are you really ready to see that vision?"
-Huey Freeman
Fukuda is the last surviving student of Kano Jigoro, who invented judo in the late 1800s in Japan.
Holy shit. This is legendary. For anyone who doesn’t know about Jigoro Kano, I encourage you to look him up; he’s not only the founder of judo but he has a pretty amazing story.
"Referees, be sure to step in and stop the fight on time tomorrow, because I might get carried away in the moment and my many punches may end up destroying my opponent." - Tatsuya "CRUSHER" Kawajiri
by andrew861 on Aug 10, 2011 5:27 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
I could've sworn Steven Segal invented Judo.
I went whale watching the other day. I think. There were a lot of people in that lake.
by SSreporters on Aug 10, 2011 5:32 PM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
he is indeed
Jigoro Kano: father of Judo and Grandfather of BJJ
aka BuckeyedBear34
Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake.
~ Napoleon Bonaparte
Teachers open the door, but you must enter by yourself
~ Chinese Proverb
“I think a lot of why I am 98 has to do with judo,” Fukuda said. “I have my health, and judo is my connection to less stress and difficulty. As far as I know, no one has lived their life completely for judo as I have.”
Amen, sister.
Puts Randy Couture to shame
" Rock crushes scissors! But paper covers rock. And scissors cuts paper! Kif, we have a conundrum. "
------ Zapp Brannigan
She should be in...
Expendables 3.
"This is blood for blood and by the gallon. These are the old days, the bad days, the all-or-nothing days. They’re back! There’s no choice left. And I’m ready for war."
"Do you lie awake alone at night, admiring my gash?"
-Lord Varys
by John Danaher's Hair on Aug 10, 2011 5:58 PM EDT up reply actions 4 recs
She’s too young, won’t fit in with the current cast.
"Very broken in his right hand is Martin Kampmann"
"This is the internet: you either have soul-stopping power or you’re a pillow-fisted pansy. There is no middle ground." - woomikee
by outlander78 on Aug 10, 2011 10:18 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
only three other judokas have reached the 10-degree black belt level
One of them, George Kerr, owns a lovely gym near where I live, and I train there occasionally. He has the certification for his Tenth Dan on the wall, along – side some prestigious honour thingy that japan bestowed upon him. He’s a pretty cool guy.
"All the time he's boxing, he's thinking. All the time he was thinking, I was hitting him." - Jack Dempsey
Slow news century, huh?
"This is blood for blood and by the gallon. These are the old days, the bad days, the all-or-nothing days. They’re back! There’s no choice left. And I’m ready for war."
"Do you lie awake alone at night, admiring my gash?"
-Lord Varys
by John Danaher's Hair on Aug 10, 2011 5:54 PM EDT reply actions 8 recs
Seriously, is this a Judo website now?
by Sqwibbs on Aug 10, 2011 5:55 PM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
I know right? I mean…who uses Judo anyway?
aka DJ Enwurd, on the wheels of steel spinnin only the livest shit you've heard on the radio over and over again while shakin his dreds.
@KrimsonTVN
DIA2ill.com coming soon....
by Krimson on Aug 10, 2011 10:43 PM EDT up reply actions 4 recs
"Judos don't finish fights."
"Don't worry about that thang...I got this"
by spectaa on Aug 10, 2011 11:46 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Judos!
win!
"This is blood for blood and by the gallon. These are the old days, the bad days, the all-or-nothing days. They’re back! There’s no choice left. And I’m ready for war."
"Do you lie awake alone at night, admiring my gash?"
-Lord Varys
by John Danaher's Hair on Aug 11, 2011 12:07 AM EDT up reply actions
The first gif amazed me
Because “Melvin Guillard” would have never occurred to me as an answer to “Who uses judo anyway?”
by Scott Haber on Aug 11, 2011 12:46 AM EDT up reply actions
I am sure he calls that wrasslin.
"Many have the will to win. Few have to will to prepare to win."
" A black belt only covers 2 inches of your ass. The rest is up to you." - Royce Gracie
"Wanderlei eventually got to his feet and stalked Fujita like a Japanese octopus in an all-female prison." - Sean Baby Cracked.com
by the-gentle-way on Aug 11, 2011 2:45 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Oddly enough
He doesn’t. He’s been learning Judo at my gym from Ron Tripp for the past few years. He’s getting pretty damn good at it too. Still eats the mat against people with footsweeps, but that’s because he still isn’t used to the gi.
The last gif, who is that fighting?
I tend to be biased towards strikers . . . exciting strikers.
- - - - -
VEe is ANIMated!
by VeeisAnimated on Aug 11, 2011 8:59 AM EDT up reply actions
Rick Hawn, yes. Don’t remember who it was he laid the beating on, but that was such a sweet move. Judo throw into TKO = WIN!
by Horselover Fat on Aug 11, 2011 9:37 AM EDT up reply actions
This story pumps me up!
She will be my motivation tomorrow morning in the gym. May she live to be 120.
She’s definitely in the mix.
If you can't wow them with brilliance, then baffle them with bullshit.
by DayGeaux on Aug 10, 2011 6:06 PM EDT reply actions 13 recs
i lol'd so hard at work that coworkers were frightened
"What the hell is mma? You mean UFC?" - My father
Chael Sonnen says she got her redbelt in a McDonalds Happy Meal.
"Kickboxing is great. It combines the style and grace of boxing with... kicking." -- Norm MacDonald
by Anthony Pace on Aug 10, 2011 6:37 PM EDT reply actions 3 recs
She's a 10th degree black belt?
That’s an amazing accomplishment, but the belt did not come from the Kodokan or the IJF.
It isn’t internationally recognized until then.
Since there are only 3 10th Dan's (other than her)
would a committee of lower ranked people have to promote her? Or how exactly would that work?
Say it ain't Cho
by Sean in Vancouver on Aug 10, 2011 7:37 PM EDT up reply actions
My thoughts exactly
I guess USA Judo gave it to her. Which probably means squat to a woman who studied under Kano.
"Run and tweet THAT, homeboy."
nonagenarian
This. Is. Gibberish.
Follow Me @thebigbluegold
"WHY ARE THERE HOLES IN MY BELT!"
"Dad it's a belt. That's what you're supposed to do"
"NOT IN MY BELTS!"
by Lanceinmypants on Aug 10, 2011 6:58 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
I've never seen that word before
I guess people in their 90’s need to get off their butt’s and start doing more cool stuff.
Say it ain't Cho
by Sean in Vancouver on Aug 10, 2011 7:36 PM EDT up reply actions
I did not mean that^
That word just sounds made up
Follow Me @thebigbluegold
"WHY ARE THERE HOLES IN MY BELT!"
"Dad it's a belt. That's what you're supposed to do"
"NOT IN MY BELTS!"
by Lanceinmypants on Aug 10, 2011 7:45 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
A true OG.
The Internets: Where there are no girls and men become children.
by Unabomberman on Aug 10, 2011 8:04 PM EDT reply actions 2 recs
Even now in her old age Chael would still manage to get submitted by her.
"The one who doesn't fall, does not stand up" - Fedor Emelianenko.
Tweet that to him. I dare you.
The Internets: Where there are no girls and men become children.
by Unabomberman on Aug 10, 2011 8:42 PM EDT up reply actions
He never replies.
I would if it would get a reaction out of him.
"The one who doesn't fall, does not stand up" - Fedor Emelianenko.
She really looks like shes 60-70.
Not 98, far out Asians have some sick genetics.
"The one who doesn't fall, does not stand up" - Fedor Emelianenko.
She really doesnt look THAT old
She really only looks to be 70-80.
Dear audio diary: Today I may have accidentally registered myself as a sex offender! WHAT IS WRONG WITH MY LIFE
- T-Rex
by sitnam90 on Aug 10, 2011 9:33 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
No she doesn't.
How many 98 year olds have you seen anyway.
"The one who doesn't fall, does not stand up" - Fedor Emelianenko.
'durka durka'
is that your secret?
'if you don't have humility as a fighter, fighting will bring humility to you...'
Sick genetics? Not so much, probably a healthy and clean diet with regular exercise.
I don’t think she’s snakcing on a Big Mac during the off season or trying to super-size her meals.
I tend to be biased towards strikers . . . exciting strikers.
- - - - -
VEe is ANIMated!
by VeeisAnimated on Aug 11, 2011 9:02 AM EDT up reply actions
There are a lot of people that exercise regularly and eat a clean diet.
Asians are known to live longer.
"The one who doesn't fall, does not stand up" - Fedor Emelianenko.
I feel like a jackass
For sleeping in rather than going for my run this morning. Way to make me look bad, lady!
All the respect though.
by pud333 on Aug 10, 2011 8:24 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
I read yesterday on yahoo what makes it even more interesting is that she was a 5th degree black belt for like 30 yrs because at the time women were not allowed to reach higher than that degree, so Im sure she would have reached 10th degree awhile ago. Good to see she lived a long enough life to reach such an epic goal.
I'd hit it.
No…I’d have my wrist broken if I even joked about it to her face.
http://fightdrinker.blogspot.com
by some schmuck in texas on Aug 10, 2011 9:22 PM EDT reply actions
This is a great story – a 10th degree black belt, the first woman, at 98, and with the history she has – it is mind blowing. Thanks for posting.
"Very broken in his right hand is Martin Kampmann"
"This is the internet: you either have soul-stopping power or you’re a pillow-fisted pansy. There is no middle ground." - woomikee
i wonder
if fitch could finish her.
i tried to change my username to 'big country fit' but the system wouldnt let me.
by gspmademegay on Aug 10, 2011 11:21 PM EDT reply actions 5 recs
On the whole 'only 3 10th degrees' thing
There are FAR more than 3 of them. There are only three from the Kodokan. She got her 9th degree from the Kodokan, which is remarkable. She is the highest Kodokan-ranked woman in the world. But you have to take a Kodokan ranking with a grain of salt. They have never given anyone non-Japanese anything past 8th dan. Multiple-time world champions that revolutionized the game and spread Judo all over Europe like Anton Geesink were never in the running for a decent belt from the Kodokan. Most of the high-end people getting Judan (10th degree) either get it from the national org (like this one) or from the IJF. Kodokan ranks are sadly less important than they used to be.
by Hedonismbot on Aug 11, 2011 1:19 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
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