Mifune Kyūzō
三船 久蔵
Born
1883-04-21, Iwate Prefecture
Died
1965-01-27, Tokyo
Description
Japanese judoka known as the 'God of Judo', one of only 15 judoka to be promoted to 10th dan. Student of Jigoro Kano and Yokoyama Sakujiro at the Kodokan. Famous for developing techniques like 'air throw' (kuki nage).
Teachers (2)
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Kanō Jigorōsports_martial_artsKōdōkan Jūdō ProbableProbableDirect student of Jigoro Kano at the Kodokan, stated in JA and EN Wikipedia; Wikipedia onlyThe evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.location_onKodokan badge (1903–1965)
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Yokoyama Sakujirosports_martial_artsKōdōkan Jūdō ConfirmedConfirmedIndependent sources state it.The evidence establishes the claim: it is sufficient and consistent, and any conflicting evidence is resolved.location_onKodokan badge (1903)
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
2 sources expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkIndependent sources state it.
Lineage
- Kōdōkan JūdōYokoyama SakujiroKanō Jigorō · 2 generations
Ranks (1)
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military_tech10 dan ProbableProbablePromoted to 10th dan in 1945, one of the highest-ranking judoka in historyThe evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.Dan-Kyu System (1945)granted by Kodokan
Students (11)
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Walter Toddsports_martial_artsKōdōkan Jūdō ProbableProbableInterview with Walter Todd confirms he asked Mifune to be his teacher in 1946: Mifune asked if he would like him to be his teacher while he stayed in Japan.The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.location_onKodokan badge (1946)
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
1 source expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkInterview with Walter Todd confirms he asked Mifune to be his teacher in 1946: Mifune asked if he would like him to be his teacher while he stayed in Japan.“He [Mifune] asked if I would like him to be my teacher while I stayed in Japan.”
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Jon Blumingsports_martial_artsKōdōkan Jūdō ProbableProbableBluming's biography identifies the elderly red-belt master who headed the Kenshusei class he joined in November 1959 as Kyuzo Mifune; his EJMAS article says Mifune gave seminars to Kenshusei members; own account onlyThe evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.(1959–1961)
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
2 sources expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkBluming's biography identifies the elderly red-belt master who headed the Kenshusei class he joined in November 1959 as Kyuzo Mifune; his EJMAS article says Mifune gave seminars to Kenshusei members; own account onlyvisibilityFirst-hand -
Shōriki Matsutarōsports_martial_artsKōdōkan Jūdō PossiblePossibleA 2014 forum post says its author has pictures of Shōriki training under Mifune. No source states that Mifune taught him, and the photograph shows training together, which does not establish teaching. This is why it is possible and not probable.Some evidence points to the claim, but it is thin, indirect, or in unresolved conflict with other evidence.
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
2 sources expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkA 2014 forum post says its author has pictures of Shōriki training under Mifune. No source states that Mifune taught him, and the photograph shows training together, which does not establish teaching. This is why it is possible and not probable. -
Shizuya Satōsports_martial_artsKōdōkan Jūdō Probablehistory_eduTradition onlyProbableExplicitly described as 'student of Mifune Kyūzō' on the US Embassy Judo Club's own website; no independent corroboration was foundThe evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.Tradition only: every supporting source is the lineage's own account of itselflocation_onKodokan badge (1949–1965)
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Ōsawa Yoshimisports_martial_artsKōdōkan Jūdō ProbableProbableWell-documented student of Mifune Kyuzo at Waseda University, mentioned in Japanese Wikipedia biographyThe evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.location_onWaseda University badge (1943)
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Mochizuki Minorusports_martial_artsKōdōkan Jūdō ConfirmedConfirmedMentioned in the Dragon Magazine interview as becoming his live-in student after the famous well anecdote at the Kodokan, with detailed anecdotes about their relationship; the Karaté-Bushido interview records Mifune choosing him as assistantThe evidence establishes the claim: it is sufficient and consistent, and any conflicting evidence is resolved.location_onKodokan badge (1926–1930)
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
3 sources expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkMentioned in the Dragon Magazine interview as becoming his live-in student after the famous well anecdote at the Kodokan, with detailed anecdotes about their relationship; the Karaté-Bushido interview records Mifune choosing him as assistantvisibilityFirst-hand“A partir de ce jour, j'ai habité chez Maître Mifune.”
“From that day on I stayed at Mifune Sensei's house. In essence I became one of his dependents. At that time, there were hundreds of students who lived at his expense in order to learn judo”
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Kobayashi Kiyoshisports_martial_artsKōdōkan Jūdō ConfirmedConfirmedDocumented as a direct student of Mifune Kyuzo in forum discussions and academic papers, with mentions of private footage showing him as uke for Mifune in demonstrationsThe evidence establishes the claim: it is sufficient and consistent, and any conflicting evidence is resolved.location_onKodokan badge
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
2 sources expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkDocumented as a direct student of Mifune Kyuzo in forum discussions and academic papers, with mentions of private footage showing him as uke for Mifune in demonstrations -
Kazuo Itōsports_martial_artsKōdōkan Jūdō ProbableProbableINJA's Heritage page and French Wikipedia, an independent source, both directly state Ito was a personal student of Kyuzo MifuneThe evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.location_onKodokan badge
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
2 sources expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkINJA's Heritage page and French Wikipedia, an independent source, both directly state Ito was a personal student of Kyuzo Mifune -
Fukuda Keikosports_martial_artsKōdōkan Jūdō ProbableProbableFukuda describes her training with Mifune in the 1974 Black Belt interview; own account onlyThe evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.location_onKodokan badge (1935–1966)
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
1 source expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkFukuda describes her training with Mifune in the 1974 Black Belt interview; own account onlyvisibilityFirst-hand“Miss Fukuda, describing her training with the late Professor Kyuzo Mifune (10th dan)”
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Sarah Mayersports_martial_artsKōdōkan Jūdō ProbableProbableHatta introduced Mayer to Mifune Kyuzo, and she followed him across Tokyo to the various dojo where he taught.The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.(1934)
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
1 source expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkHatta introduced Mayer to Mifune Kyuzo, and she followed him across Tokyo to the various dojo where he taught. -
Sasaki Shigetakasports_martial_artsKōdōkan Jūdō Probablehistory_eduTradition onlyProbableJudo Canada's own history only.The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.Tradition only: every supporting source is the lineage's own account of itselflocation_onKodokan badge (1932)
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
1 source expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkJudo Canada's own history only.“In that same year, Sasaki travelled to Japan to study under Kyuzo Mifune, Kodokan’s 7th Dan head instructor, and was promoted to 3rd Dan.”
Sources
visibilityFirst-hand
“« Pour la technique c'est Mifune mais le démon du Kodokan c'est Sanpo Toku »”
visibilityFirst-hand
“L'année suivante, j'ai passé mon 2° dan, et maître Kyuzo Mifune m'a choisi comme assistant.”
Identifiers
https://martial.is/entity/01KJJAWN28MWKKSN4J02MVY1SD
Cite and reuse
CC BY-SA 4.0expand_more
Plain text
Muñoz, Frederico (YEAR_PLACEHOLDER). Mifune Kyūzō. In Martialis: Martial Arts
Lineage Database. https://martial.is/entity/01KJJAWN28MWKKSN4J02MVY1SD - CC
BY-SA 4.0. Accessed ACCESSED_DATE_PLACEHOLDER.
BibTeX
@incollection{martialis_01KJJAWN28MWKKSN4J02MVY1SD, author = {Muñoz, Frederico},
title = {Mifune Kyūzō}, booktitle = {Martialis: Martial Arts Lineage Database},
year = {YEAR_PLACEHOLDER}, url =
{https://martial.is/entity/01KJJAWN28MWKKSN4J02MVY1SD}, urldate =
{ACCESSED_DATE_PLACEHOLDER}, note = {CC BY-SA 4.0} }
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