Description
Japanese judoka and jujutsuka. Founder of the Budokwai (1918), known as the
'Father of British Judo.' Studied Tenjin Shinyo-ryu under Nobushige
Tago, later Shin-Shin-Ryu under Yamada Nobukatsu and Akishima-Ryu under Akishima
Tsunejiro. Converted to Kodokan Judo in 1920 under Jigoro Kano. Co-founded the
British Judo Association (1948) and European Judo Union (1948). Author of
'My Study of Judo' (1960). Held 8th dan Kodokan.
Teachers (3)
-
Tago Nobushige
expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified
2 sources
fact_check
Documented in Gunji Koizumi's own autobiographical account in 'My Study
of Judo' (1960)
"Moving to Tokyo, and under the stress of the usual schoolboy feuds, I took
up Tenshin-Shinyo-Ryu Ju Jutso under NOBUSHIGE TAGO, who was quite an impressive
figure with a long grey beard"
— Koizumi, Gunji. (1960). My Study of Judo - The
Principles And The Technical Fundamentalslinkinfo
"In 1901, he started practising jujutsu under Tago Nobushige at the Tenjin
Shinyo-ryu."
— Gunji Koizumi - Wikipedia (English). Wikipedia
(English)linkinfo
-
Ya
Yamada Nobukatsu
(1904-1904)
expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified
2 sources
fact_check
Documented in Gunji Koizumi's autobiographical account and Wikipedia
"In 1904, in Fusan, Korea, I attended the Kenjutsu and Ju JUTSU school
conducted by an ex-samurai of the Owari clan, Sensei NOBUKATSU YAMADA and
learned the techniques of SHIN-SHIN-RYU, JU JUTSU and KATSU."
— Koizumi, Gunji. (1960). My Study of Judo - The
Principles And The Technical Fundamentalslinkinfo
"In 1904, he trained under Yamada Nobukatsu, a former samurai."
— Gunji Koizumi - Wikipedia (English). Wikipedia
(English)linkinfo
-
Ak
Akishima Tsunejiro
(1905-1906)
expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified
2 sources
fact_check
Documented in Gunji Koizumi's autobiographical account and Wikipedia
"During a four months' stay in Singapore from November 1905 to February
1906, I helped Sensei T. Akishima in conduct of his Ju Jutsu school and was
taught the 144 techniques of AKISHIMA-RYU and KATSU."
— Koizumi, Gunji. (1960). My Study of Judo - The
Principles And The Technical Fundamentalslinkinfo
"While in Singapore in 1905, he trained under Tsunejiro Akishima."
— Gunji Koizumi - Wikipedia (English). Wikipedia
(English)linkinfo
Ranks (5)
-
Dan-Kyu System (1920)
expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified
2 sources
fact_check
Awarded by Jigoro Kano on his 1920 visit to the Budokwai, documented in
Wikipedia and academic sources
"In July 1920, Jigoro Kano, founder of the Kodokan, visited the Budokwai
while on his way to the Olympic Games in Antwerp. After some discussion, Koizumi
and Yukio Tani agreed to change to the judo system, and Kano awarded them 2nd
dan judo certifications."
— Gunji Koizumi - Wikipedia (English). Wikipedia
(English)linkinfo
"In 1920 Jigoro Kano visited the Budokwai, on his way to the 1920 Olympic
Games as Head of the Japanese Delegation"
— Callan, Mike. (2011). Gunji Koizumi: The Father of
European Judolinkinfo
Dan-Kyu System (1932)
expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified
1 source
fact_check
Documented in Wikipedia and Budokwai historical sources
"In 1932, he was promoted to 4th dan in judo."
— Gunji Koizumi - Wikipedia (English). Wikipedia
(English)linkinfo
Dan-Kyu System (1948)
expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified
1 source
fact_check
Documented in Wikipedia and academic sources
"In 1948, Koizumi was promoted to 6th dan in judo."
— Gunji Koizumi - Wikipedia (English). Wikipedia
(English)linkinfo
Dan-Kyu System (1951)
expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified
1 source
fact_check
Documented in Wikipedia and academic sources
"In 1951, he attained the rank of 7th dan in judo."
— Gunji Koizumi - Wikipedia (English). Wikipedia
(English)linkinfo
Dan-Kyu System (1962-11-17)
expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified
2 sources
fact_check
Awarded 17 November 1962 per Japanese sources (Kudo 1965); confirmed by Black
Belt Magazine Nov 1965
"1962年11月17日付で8段位を拝受"
— 小泉軍治 - Wikipedia (Japanese). Wikipedia (Japanese)
linkinfo
"He held the rank of 8th dan in judo."
— Gunji Koizumi - Wikipedia (English). Wikipedia
(English)linkinfo
Students (2)
-
Moshé Feldenkrais
expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified
5 sources
fact_check
Feldenkrais's own preface to Higher Judo acknowledges Koizumi as someone he
learned a great deal from (primary); de Crée (2013) confirms from the Budokwai
dan-rank register that Feldenkrais joined the Budokwai in 1948; FEFNA and Nativ
both place him studying judo under Koizumi at the London Budokwai. Probable
"He took judo classes with Gunji Koizumi at the London Budokwai."
"After leaving the service in 1945, he moved to London and joined the
Budokwai, where he studied judo under the great master G. Koizumi."
— Moti Nativ. (2017). On Better Judo: Moshe
Feldenkrais on Learning, Balance, and Masterylinkinfo
"Feldenkrais only joined the Budōkwai in 1948, thus well after he had left
France and had moved to England."
— Carl de Crée. (2013). Shōnen Jūdō-no-kata
["Forms of Jūdō for Juveniles"] - an experimental Japanese teaching
approach to Jūdō skill acquisition in children considered from a
historic-pedagogical perspective - part IIlinkinfo
"It has been my good fortune to meet Mr. G. Koizumi, from which I have
learned a great deal. The clarity of his knowledge is equal to the generosity
with which he imparts it"
— Moshe Feldenkrais; Elizabeth Beringer. (2010).
Higher Judo: Groundworkinfo
"In London he deepened his friendship and judo practice with legendary
practitioners Gunji Koizumi and Trevor Leggett."
— Moshe Feldenkrais; Elizabeth Beringer. (2010).
Higher Judo: Groundworkinfo
-
Sarah Mayer
expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified
2 sources
fact_check
Wikipedia states Mayer first trained in judo by Gunji Koizumi at the Budokwai in
the 1920s; Callan/Heffernan/Spenn confirm the ladies' classes were taught by
Koizumi at the Budokwai, which Mayer joined in 1926.
"Mayer first trained in judo by Gunji Koizumi at the Budokwai in the
1920s."
— Wikipedia contributors. (2026). Sarah Mayer -
Wikipedia (English). Wikipedia (English)linkinfo
"In 1926, Mayer... first joined the Budokwai as the thirty-first female
member. The ladies' classes, at that time, were taught by Koizumi, the
founder, and Tani Yukio."
— Callan, Mike; Heffernan, Conor; Spenn, Amanda.
(2018). Women's Jūjutsu and Judo in the Early Twentieth-Century: The Cases
of Phoebe Roberts, Edith Garrud, and Sarah Mayer
linkinfo
Linked data
https://martial.is/entity/01KY52HE48XM1KHDGKBV98YRQ2