Also known as
Mataemon Tanabe
Newaza Tanabe
Newaza no Tatsujin
Description
Japanese jujutsu practitioner, fourth head of the Fusen-ryu school founded by
Motsugai Takeda. He became famous for defeating multiple members of the Kodokan
in challenge matches - most famously Takisaburo Tobari in 1891 - and came to be
considered one of the greatest modern jujutsuka. Nicknamed "Newaza
Tanabe" and "Newaza no Tatsujin" for his mastery of ground
techniques, he was also equally skilled in standing techniques. He was one of
the twenty representing masters chosen in 1895 to open the jujutsu division of
the Dai Nippon Butoku Kai, where he taught until his retirement in 1922. He
declined to join the Kodokan; Kano incorporated his ground techniques into judo
after seeing Kodokan experts struggle against him. He was the inspiration for
the character Gennosuke Higaki in Tsuneo Tomita's Sanshiro Sugata novel
series. Died in Osaka, 1942.
Teachers (1)
-
Ta
Tanabe Torajiro
expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified
2 sources
fact_check
Tanabe's father Torajiro was head of the Fusen-ryu; Tanabe began training at
age 9 and travelled with his father to challenges from age 14.
"Tanabe was born in Okayama to Torajiro Tanabe, head of the Fusen-ryū
founded by Motsugai Takeda. He started training in jujutsu at 9 years old, and
at 14 he started accompanying his father to competitions..."
— Wikipedia contributors. (2026). Mataemon Tanabe -
Wikipedia (English). Wikipedia (English)linkinfo
"At the age of 9 he began studying jujitsu under his grandfather Takeda
Sadaharu... Then with his father - Tanabe Torajiro he taught jujitsu in various
parts of the prefecture."
— Hoare, Syd. Tanabe Mataemon Talks About His
Fusen-Ryu Jujitsu (Syd Hoare translation)linkinfo
Ranks (1)
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receipt_longMenkyo Kaiden
3
Menkyo Licence System (1886)
expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified
2 sources
fact_check
Hoare's translation states menkyo kaiden was received at 17 by a Tanabe born
1869, giving c. 1886; EN Wikipedia states the same and adds that he and his
father then became teachers of their art. Hoare primary, WP apud.
"By the age of 17 he had received his full certification (menkyo
kaiden)."
— Hoare, Syd. Tanabe Mataemon Talks About His
Fusen-Ryu Jujitsu (Syd Hoare translation)linkinfo
"At 17 he received his menkyo kaiden, and he and his father became teachers
of their art around the country."
— Wikipedia contributors. (2026). Mataemon Tanabe -
Wikipedia (English). Wikipedia (English)linkinfo
Students (4)
-
Uyenishi Sadakazu
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4 sources
fact_check
Uyenishi trained at Handa's dojo in Osaka, where Fusen-ryu master Mataemon
Tanabe taught; the peer-reviewed Brough (2020) article states this directly,
with EN Wikipedia as apud. The EN Wikipedia Tanabe article independently lists
Uyenishi among his notable students.
"Uyenishi trained at the dojo of Yataro Handa in Osaka. In 1898 renowned
jujutsu teacher, Mataemon Tanabe, taught at Handa's dojo [Keegan 2019].
Thus, we can be confident that the instructors of Uyenishi were Handa and
Tanabe."
— Brough, David. (2020). The Golden Square Dojo and
its place in British Jujutsu historylinkinfo
"Yukio Tani, Sadakazu Uyenishi, Seizo Yamamoto and Taro Miyake were all
associated with the ne-waza innovations of Mataemon Tanabe and the Handa dojo...
Yataro Handa was also the sempai (senior) of Mataemon Tanabe."
— Wolf, Tony; Bartitsu Society. (2016). New
Discoveries and Speculations re. the Submission Grappling of British Jiu-Jitsu.
The Bartitsu Societylinkinfo
"in an interview, Uyenishi noted that it had been the school of Yataro
Handa in Osaka, where Mataemon Tanabe taught."
— Sadakazu Uyenishi - Wikipedia (English). Wikipedia
(English)linkinfo
"Notable students: Taro Miyake, possibly-though unlikely Yukio Tani,
Sadakazu Uyenishi"
— Wikipedia contributors. (2026). Mataemon Tanabe -
Wikipedia (English). Wikipedia (English)linkinfo
-
Tani Yukio
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2 sources
fact_check
Rumoured study with Mataemon Tanabe; the sources describe this as uncertain. The
Fusen-ryu association is plausible at most - EN Wikipedia calls Tani a
"possibly-though unlikely" student.
"he is also rumored to have studied with Mataemon Tanabe, as Yukio's
father and grandfather were friends with the Fusen-ryu master."
— (2026). Yukio Tani - Wikipedia. Wikipedia (English)
linkinfo
"Notable students: Taro Miyake, possibly-though unlikely Yukio Tani,
Sadakazu Uyenishi"
— Wikipedia contributors. (2026). Mataemon Tanabe -
Wikipedia (English). Wikipedia (English)linkinfo
-
Miyake Tarō
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3 sources
fact_check
Fusen-ryu jujutsu master Mataemon Tanabe named in the 1905 interview, EN
Wikipedia and the BJS paper; his dojo's newaza expertise is well documented.
"Until I was twenty-one, and apart from my duties as instructor, I studied
ju-jitsu under one of our most famous teachers, Tanabe, and, although I was
still very young, he entrusted me with all the secrets of his school."
— Miyake, Taro; Bartitsu Society. (1905). How I
Became a Ju-Jitsu Champion by Taro Miyake (1905). The Bartitsu Society
linkinfo
"Miyake started his training under the famous Fusen-ryu jujutsu master
Mataemon Tanabe, as well as Osaka master Yataro Handa, head of the 2000+ member
Seibukan which had a very close connection to Tanabe's ground fighting
newaza."
— Wikipedia contributors. (2026). Taro Miyake -
Wikipedia (English). Wikipedia (English)linkinfo
"Miyake had started to learn jujutsu with Tanabe before moving to Kyoto to
train with a teacher called Uyemura, before moving to Osaka and training with
Handa [Miyake 1905]."
— Brough, David; Bradić, Slaviša; Callan, Mike;
Gatling, Lance; Jones, Llyr. (2023). The British Ju-jitsu Society and the
influence of Kodokan Judo on early jujutsu in the U.K.linkinfo
-
Fu
Fushimi Tatsusaburō
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1 source
fact_check
JA Wikipedia records Fushimi as a Fusen-ryu man who succeeded Handa at the
Seibukan; the teacher-student relationship with Tanabe is implied by his
Fusen-ryu affiliation and by the style's known line from Tanabe, but is not
stated verbatim in any consulted source.
"講道館に移籍した肝付宗次・半田を継いだ不遷流の伏見辰三郎がいる。"
— 大東流柔術 - Wikipedia (Japanese). Wikipedia (Japanese)
linkinfo
Honors (2)
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receipt_longKyoshi
Kyoshi
3
Title (1906)
expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified
2 sources
fact_check
Hoare's translation records Tanabe as a judo Kyoshi of the Butokukai from
1906, retirement from teaching in 1922, and promotion to Hanshi in 1927; EN
Wikipedia repeats the same sequence. Hoare primary, WP apud.
"Born Okayama 1869, died Osaka 1942, menkyo kaiden at 17, Keishicho
appointment 1890, judo Kyoshi 1906, retirement 1922, Judo Hanshi by the
Butokukai 1927."
— Hoare, Syd. Tanabe Mataemon Talks About His
Fusen-Ryu Jujitsu (Syd Hoare translation)linkinfo
"He was appointed judo kyoshi in 1906, teaching at the Butoku Kai until his
retirement in 1922, and was promoted to hanshi in 1927."
— Wikipedia contributors. (2026). Mataemon Tanabe -
Wikipedia (English). Wikipedia (English)linkinfo
-
receipt_longHanshi
Hanshi
3
Title (1927)
expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified
2 sources
fact_check
Hoare's translation records promotion to Judo Hanshi by the Butokukai in
1927; EN Wikipedia repeats the same. Hoare primary, WP apud.
"Judo Hanshi by the Butokukai 1927."
— Hoare, Syd. Tanabe Mataemon Talks About His
Fusen-Ryu Jujitsu (Syd Hoare translation)linkinfo
"He was appointed judo kyoshi in 1906, teaching at the Butoku Kai until his
retirement in 1922, and was promoted to hanshi in 1927."
— Wikipedia contributors. (2026). Mataemon Tanabe -
Wikipedia (English). Wikipedia (English)linkinfo
Sources
"Handa had a collaboration with Fusen ryu (Fusen school) jujutsu-expert
Mataemon Tanabe, and their dojo became known for their expertise in competitive
grappling or ne-waza [Wolf 2016]."
— Brough, David; Bradić, Slaviša; Callan, Mike;
Gatling, Lance; Jones, Llyr. (2023). The British Ju-jitsu Society and the
influence of Kodokan Judo on early jujutsu in the U.K.linkinfo
Linked data
https://martial.is/entity/01M0AAFQFXZ7G2JDEFZY8M5AKF