Tomita Tsunejirō

In this Japanese name, the family name is Tomita.
Tomita Tsunejirō
富田 常次郎

Tomita Tsunejirō, the Guardian of the Kōdōkan.
Born Yamada Tsunejirō
February 28, 1865
Numazu, Shizuoka, Japan
Died January 13, 1937(1937-01-13) (aged 71)
Native name 富田 常次郎
Nationality  Japan
Style Judo, Jujutsu
Teacher(s) Kanō Jigorō
Rank Judo: 7th Dan
Notable students Mitsuyo Maeda

Tomita Tsunejirō (富田 常次郎, February 28, 1865 January 13, 1937), born Yamada Tsunejirō (山田 常次郎), was the earliest disciple of judo. His name appears in the first line of the enrollment book of the Kōdōkan.[1] Tomita, together with Saigō Shirō, became first in history of judo to be awarded Shodan by the founder of judo Kanō Jigorō, who established the ranking system that is now commonly used in various martial arts around the world.[2] Tomita was known as one of the "Four Kings" of Kōdōkan judo for his victorious efforts in competing against jujitsu schools.[3] He was awarded 7th dan upon his death on January 13, 1937.[4]

Early life

As the earliest student at the Kodokan, Tomita was known as Tsunejiro Yamada. He was adopted by a family named Tomita and his name was therefore changed.[5]

Four Guardians of the Kōdōkan

For more details on Four Guardians of the Kōdōkan, see Kōdōkan Shitennō.

When Kanō Jigorō began to develop judo from jujutsu, his efforts met with opposition from jujutsu practitioners. However, Kano drew a loyal following that included exceptional fighters. Hence the term "Four Guardians of the Kōdōkan" came into existence referring to Tsunejiro Tomita along with Yamashita Yoshiaki, Yokoyama Sakujiro, and Saigō Shirō.[6]

Introducing judo to the West

Arrival to the United States

Inspired by Yamashita Yoshiaki's success in the United States (Yamashita taught judo to President Theodore Roosevelt, among others), the 39-year-old Tomita decided to move to New York City.[7] Like Yamashita, Tomita brought a young assistant with him as an exhibition partner. The young man was Maeda Mitsuyo, 26-year-old judoka who later became fundamental to the development of Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Tomita, Maeda, and Soshihiro Satake arrived in New York City on December 8, 1904, just one year after Yamashita came to the States.[7]

Chronology of exhibitions

Jiu-jitsu is an almost extinct art, and a savage one that were better extinct. The real art of self-defense is ju-do. Jiu-jitsu was developed 350 years ago, at a time when there was tribal warfare in Japan. Then a man with a long sword and a man with no sword would meet in the streets. And out of their undying hatred for one another, tribally speaking, it became necessary for the man with no sword to learn a few tricks for dislocating the joints of his enemy, choking him, and rendering him unconscious, etcetera.

Other notable events

In April 1905, Tomita and Maeda started a judo club in a commercial space at 1947 Broadway in New York. Members of this club included Japanese expatriates,[19] plus a European American woman named Wilma Berger.[20]

During his return to Japan in 1910, Tomita visited Seattle. To celebrate his visit, the local judo club known as Seattle Dojo held a judo tournament on October 27, 1910, that was attended by local reporters.[21]

Family

Tomita's son, Tomita Tsuneo (富田常雄), was a famous novelist, best known for his judo novels Sanshiro Sugata (1942) and Yawara (1964-65).

References

  1. Active Interest Media, Inc (January 1962). "KODOKAN". Black Belt. pp. 6–9. Retrieved 2010-08-29..
  2. Linhart, Sepp; Fruhstuck, Sabine (June 1998). The Culture of Japan As Seen Through Its Leisure. State University of New York Press. p. 85. ISBN 0-7914-3791-4.
  3. Inoue Shun (May 1, 1998). Stephen Vlastos, ed. Mirror of Modernity: Invented Traditions of Modern Japan. University of California Press. p. 166. ISBN 0-520-20637-1.
  4. Watson, Brian (October 2000). The Father of Judo: A Biography of Jigoro Kano. jp: Kodansha International. p. 197. ISBN 4-7700-2530-0.
  5. Judo Memoirs of Jigoro Kano. Trafford Publishing. October 3, 2008. p. 20. ISBN 1-4251-6349-1. Retrieved 6 September 2010.
  6. Takahashi, Masao (May 3, 2005). Mastering Judo. Human Kinetics. p. iv. ISBN 0-7360-5099-X.
  7. 1 2 Thomas A. Green; Joseph R. Svinth (2003). "MAEDA MITSUYO: THE COUNT OF COMBAT". Martial Arts in the Modern World. Praeger Publishers. pp. 64–65. ISBN 978-0-275-98153-2.
  8. "JIU JITSU AT HARLEM Y. M. C. A.". New-York Daily Tribune (Washington, DC.). Library of Congress. 3 February 1905. p. 10. Retrieved 5 September 2010.
  9. "JUDO FOR SELF-DEFENCE". New-York Daily Tribune (Washington, DC.). Library of Congress. 8 February 1906. p. 5. Retrieved 5 September 2010.
  10. "JAPANESE WRESTLER THROWS A PRINCETON FOOTBALL MAN". The San Francisco Call. 17 February 1905. Retrieved 10 September 2010.
  11. Baltimore Sun, February 18, 1905.
  12. Baltimore Sun, February 22, 1905.
  13. New York Times, March 9, 1905.
  14. "THE GENTLE ART OF JIU-DO". The Sun. The New York Public Library, Astor, Lenox and Tilden Foundation. 26 March 1905. p. 9. Retrieved 5 September 2010.
  15. Columbia Spectator, March 22, 1905.
  16. "THE GENTLE ART OF JU-DO" (PDF). The New York Times. 6 April 1905. Retrieved 5 September 2010.
  17. Newport Herald, July 7, 1905.
  18. Lockport Journal, October 7, 1905.
  19. New York Times, April 6, 1905.
  20. Gregory, O.H. and Tomita, Tsunejiro. Judo: The Modern School of Jiu-Jitsu. (Chicago: O.H. Gregory, no date but about 1906).
  21. Svinth, Joseph R. (2003). Getting a Grip: Judo in the Nikkei Communities of the Pacific Northwest. Guelph, Ontario: Electronic Journals of Martial Arts and Sciences (EJMAS). p. 28. ISBN 0-9689673-0-2. Retrieved 5 September 2010. External link in |publisher= (help)
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