Judo master makes 10th degree black belt

**MAGIC HATE BALL** · Posted On: 8/06/2011 3:13pm

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...DD181KHUV0.DTL

After 98 years, the phone call finally came.

Last week, Sensei Keiko Fukuda of San Francisco became the first woman to be promoted to judo's highest level: 10th degree black belt.

Only three people in the world, all men living in Japan, have ever reached that mark.

The martial arts promotion by USA Judo brought 98-year-old Fukuda to tears at the women's dojo where she still teaches in Noe Valley. (Fukuda was the subject of a Chronicle Datebook profile on July 25.)

She gave up marriage and left her homeland to dedicate her life to judo, fighting gender discrimination that kept her at lower belt levels decades longer than men less skilled than she...

**MAGIC HATE BALL** · Posted On: 8/06/2011 3:16pm

She's also the only living student of Jigoro Kano?! Jumping Jesus on a pogo stick.

**judoka_uk** · Posted On: 8/06/2011 3:20pm

This was discussed on JF a while back I think the upshot was she wasn't a student in the sense he personally instructed here up until black belt or some other 'qualifying' length of time, but she certainly took lessons from and or attended seminars run by Kano.

Her dad was one of his Jujutsu teachers and so he would have spent time with her at the family home etc...

She's probably justified in claiming to be the last living student of Kano, though.

**Ming Loyalist** · Posted On: 8/06/2011 4:17pm

so is that a usa judo promotion, a kodokan promotion or both?

**judoka_uk** · Posted On: 8/06/2011 4:23pm

USJI/ USA Judo, definitely not Kodokan. She's only been a Kodokan 9th dan for 5 years so she's not eligible for promotion to Kodokan 10th dan yet and as a woman she may never be...

The IJF's requirement is 10 years QBE/TIG as 9th dan and the Kodokan, well there are people who have been 9th dan for 18 years with no sign of promotion...

**Ming Loyalist** · Posted On: 8/06/2011 4:26pm

Originally Posted by judoka_uk

USJI/ USA Judo, definitely not Kodokan. She's only been a Kodokan 9th dan for 5 years so she's not eligible for promotion to Kodokan 10th dan yet and as a woman she may never be...

yeah, that's my point, really

**judoka_uk** · Posted On: 8/06/2011 4:32pm

Well the Kodokan is a private dojo, its not part of the AJJF or IJF so it can do what it likes, frankly.

So no matter how you feel about the treatment of women in Judo or discrimination against women or the personal and Judo qualities of Fukuda the Kodokan can promote who it likes under whatever criteria it likes.

**Matsubayashi** · Posted On: 8/06/2011 6:03pm

That's a cool story. Thanks for sharing.

**Joz** · Posted On: 8/06/2011 6:27pm

On a pedantic note the original article is in error by stating that "Only three people in the world, all men living in Japan, have ever reached that mark."

Aside from Daigo, Abe and Ishikawa Henri Courtine, Jaap Nauwelaerts de Agé and George Kerr all hold 10th dan.

All that aside this is a phenomenal achievement (first female 10th dan in Judo?) congratulations to a ftrully worthy woman.

**Ming Loyalist** · Posted On: 8/06/2011 8:21pm

Originally Posted by judoka_uk

Well the Kodokan is a private dojo, its not part of the AJJF or IJF so it can do what it likes, frankly.

So no matter how you feel about the treatment of women in Judo or discrimination against women or the personal and Judo qualities of Fukuda the Kodokan can promote who it likes under whatever criteria it likes.

i never said i disagreed with them, i just think it's worth noting that there are several organizations for judo ranking, and that there are people who feel that kodokan rank carries more weight, especially at the highest levels.

not really making an argument for or against their policies, i'm just glad they let me step on the mat with them.