Kyuzo Mifune

Quick Facts

Date of Birth4/21/1883

Date of Death1/27/1965

Country of OriginJapan

Biography

Kyuzo Mifune (1883–1965) was a Japanese judoka, a holder of the 10th dan and one of the most important teachers of the Kodokan in the 20th century. He was born on 21 April 1883 in Kuji in Iwate Prefecture. In 1903 he went to Tokyo, enrolled at Keio University, which he did not finish, and joined the Kodokan.

According to the Kotobank encyclopedia, he received the 1st dan in 1904, the 5th dan in 1909, the 7th dan in 1923 and the 10th dan in 1945. From 1910 he taught judo at the Tokyo Imperial University, in 1923 he became an instructor of the Kodokan (shinan-yaku) and in 1949 its permanent adviser for teaching. He was famed for the air throw kuki-nage and also developed the throws o-guruma and kyusha-guruma.

In 1930 he won a special match at the first All-Japan Judo Championship and in 1934 he demonstrated judo at the Imperial match (tenran-jiai). His book The Canon of Judo (1956) was published in English. In 1961 he was named a Person of Cultural Merit. He died on 27 January 1965 in Tokyo, and in his native Kuji a memorial hall and a bronze statue stand in his honour.

Early life

He was born on 21 April 1883 in Kuji in Iwate Prefecture. In 1903 he moved to Tokyo and began studying economics (rizai) at Keio University, but he did not finish his studies. In the same year he joined the Kodokan. The English Wikipedia states that he was admitted in July 1903 after a personal interview with the founder of judo, Kano Jigoro, and that he was recommended to Kano by Sakujiro Yokoyama. We have not found these details in a source of encyclopedia or Kodokan standing. He was of small build, and sources give his height as around 159 cm.

Training and teachers

His teacher was Kano Jigoro. According to Kotobank, he received the 1st dan in 1904, the 5th dan in 1909 and the 7th dan in 1923. The English Wikipedia places the 5th dan in 1910 and also gives the 6th dan in 1917, the 8th dan in 1931 and the 9th dan in 1937. We have not resolved the difference concerning the 5th dan, and we have not found a Kodokan source listing the dates of his grades. He received the 10th dan (judan) on 25 May 1945. Robert Noha in Aikido Journal states that he was the fourth judoka in history to hold this grade.

Contribution and innovations

Kotobank associates him with the technique kuki-nage, an air throw also called sumi-otoshi, and with the development of the throws o-guruma and kyusha-guruma. From 1910 he led judo instruction at the Tokyo Imperial University. In 1923 he became an instructor of the Kodokan (shinan-yaku) and in 1949 a permanent adviser for teaching. At the first All-Japan Judo Championship in 1930 he won a special match, and in 1934 he demonstrated judo at the Imperial match (tenran-jiai). He wrote the books Judo kaikoroku and Judo ichiro, and we have not established the year of their publication. The Canon of Judo was published in English in 1956.

Legends and documented facts

It is said of Mifune that he never lost a match. However, the English Wikipedia states that in 1903 in Sendai he was defeated in a training match by Matsugoro Okuda. That was training, not competition, and we have neither refuted nor confirmed the claim of invincibility in competition. The figures for his weight also differ: sources give 55, 56 and 63 kilograms.

Legacy

He died on 27 January 1965 in Tokyo. In 1961 he was named a Person of Cultural Merit. The Iwate Prefecture Tourist Association also lists a medal with a purple ribbon from 1956 and the Order of the Rising Sun, 3rd class, from 1964, and the years of the honours differ slightly among sources. In his native Kuji stands the Mifune Judan Memorial Hall, and according to Robert Noha also a bronze statue of him since 1971. Noha counts among his pupils and fellow practitioners Minoru Mochizuki, the founder of Yoseikan budo, and Anton Geesink.

Teachers, students and family

Associated Martial Arts

Quotes