Description
Belgian judoka and scholar of the martial arts. Earned his black belt at 16 under his principal teacher Felix De Smedt, founder of the Bushido-Kwai Mechelen academy; completed his judo kata studies with Marcel Clause in the period 1978-1992 and followed advanced stages under Hirano Tokio; between 2005 and 2008 he studied kata with Fukuda Keiko in San Francisco. While residing in Japan he trained in Tenjin Shin'yo-ryu jujutsu under Tobari Kazu, under ne-waza expert Kurimura Yoji at the Kyoto Prefectural Police Academy, and under Okano Isao at the Seikijuku in Tokyo. A former -78kg member of the Belgian national team under national coach Valere Steegmans, he was Belgian champion in 1976. He holds 8th dan in judo, 6th dan in modern jujutsu and a Kyokushinkai black belt, holds the title of kyoshi, and is the first non-Japanese ever to hold menkyo in Kito-ryu. Full professor of exercise endocrinology and sports medicine at Ghent University and a noted Japanologist, he has authored numerous academic studies of Kodokan judo kata, several of which are cited here. International referee since 1996 and current head of the Royal Judo & Karate Academy Bushido-Kwai.
Teachers (7)
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Felix De Smedtsports_martial_artsKōdōkan Jūdō ConfirmedConfirmedDe Crée's own Judo Pour Tous biography names Felix De Smedt as his principal teacher at the time he obtained his black belt at 16; independently corroborated by the English Wikipedia biography of De Smedt, which lists Carl De Crée among his students.The evidence establishes the claim: it is sufficient and consistent, and any conflicting evidence is resolved.
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
2 sources expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkDe Crée's own Judo Pour Tous biography names Felix De Smedt as his principal teacher at the time he obtained his black belt at 16; independently corroborated by the English Wikipedia biography of De Smedt, which lists Carl De Crée among his students.visibilityFirst-hand -
Marcel Clausesports_martial_artsKōdōkan Jūdō ProbableProbableDe Crée's own Judo Pour Tous biography states that he completed his judo kata studies with Marcel Clause in the period 1978-1992.The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.(1978–1992)
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
1 source expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkDe Crée's own Judo Pour Tous biography states that he completed his judo kata studies with Marcel Clause in the period 1978-1992. -
Hirano Tokiosports_martial_artsKōdōkan Jūdō ProbableProbableDe Crée's own Judo Pour Tous biography states that he followed numerous advanced stages under Hirano Tokio.The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
1 source expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkDe Crée's own Judo Pour Tous biography states that he followed numerous advanced stages under Hirano Tokio. -
Fukuda Keikosports_martial_artsKōdōkan Jūdō ProbableProbableDe Crée's own Judo Pour Tous biography states that between 2005 and 2008 he studied kata in San Francisco with Fukuda Keiko, the last surviving personal student of Kano Jigoro.The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.(2005–2008)
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
1 source expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkDe Crée's own Judo Pour Tous biography states that between 2005 and 2008 he studied kata in San Francisco with Fukuda Keiko, the last surviving personal student of Kano Jigoro. -
Abe Ichirōsports_martial_artsKōdōkan Jūdō ProbableProbableDe Crée's own autobiographical author biography in his 2024 peer-reviewed article lists Abe Ichirō among the judo teachers he studied with while residing in Japan.The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
1 source expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkDe Crée's own autobiographical author biography in his 2024 peer-reviewed article lists Abe Ichirō among the judo teachers he studied with while residing in Japan.reviewsPeer-reviewedvisibilityFirst-hand“He has previously resided in Japan and has studied jūdō with, inter alia, the late Felix De Smedt, Marcel Clause, Hirano Tokio, Fukuda Keiko, Imamura Haruo, Abe Ichirō, Daigo Toshirō, and Ōsawa Yoshimi, and with Ashida Kunio, Kurimura Yōji, Ochiai Toshiyasu, Okano Isao, Tokuyama Misao, and Tsuji Yoshimi.”
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Ōsawa Yoshimisports_martial_artsKōdōkan Jūdō ProbableProbableDe Crée's own autobiographical author biography in his 2024 peer-reviewed article lists Ōsawa Yoshimi among the judo teachers he studied with while residing in Japan. This is De Crée's own self-reported claim, asserted here with that provenance made explicit.The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
1 source expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkDe Crée's own autobiographical author biography in his 2024 peer-reviewed article lists Ōsawa Yoshimi among the judo teachers he studied with while residing in Japan. This is De Crée's own self-reported claim, asserted here with that provenance made explicit.reviewsPeer-reviewedvisibilityFirst-hand“He has previously resided in Japan and has studied jūdō with, inter alia, the late Felix De Smedt, Marcel Clause, Hirano Tokio, Fukuda Keiko, Imamura Haruo, Abe Ichirō, Daigo Toshirō, and Ōsawa Yoshimi, and with Ashida Kunio, Kurimura Yōji, Ochiai Toshiyasu, Okano Isao, Tokuyama Misao, and Tsuji Yoshimi.”
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Daigo Toshirōsports_martial_artsKōdōkan Jūdō ProbableProbableDe Crée's own autobiographical author biography in his 2024 peer-reviewed article lists Daigo Toshirō among the judo teachers he studied with while residing in Japan. This is De Crée's own self-reported claim, asserted here with that provenance made explicit.The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
1 source expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkDe Crée's own autobiographical author biography in his 2024 peer-reviewed article lists Daigo Toshirō among the judo teachers he studied with while residing in Japan. This is De Crée's own self-reported claim, asserted here with that provenance made explicit.reviewsPeer-reviewedvisibilityFirst-hand“He has previously resided in Japan and has studied jūdō with, inter alia, the late Felix De Smedt, Marcel Clause, Hirano Tokio, Fukuda Keiko, Imamura Haruo, Abe Ichirō, Daigo Toshirō, and Ōsawa Yoshimi, and with Ashida Kunio, Kurimura Yōji, Ochiai Toshiyasu, Okano Isao, Tokuyama Misao, and Tsuji Yoshimi.”
Lineage
Ranks (4)
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military_tech8 dan ProbableProbable8th dan judo reported by De Crée himself in his Judo Pour Tous biography and in his 2024 author biography; the date and granting body are not recorded in the sources consulted.The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.Dan-Kyu System
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
2 sources expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_check8th dan judo reported by De Crée himself in his Judo Pour Tous biography and in his 2024 author biography; the date and granting body are not recorded in the sources consulted.visibilityFirst-hand -
military_tech6 dan ProbableProbable6th dan in modern jujutsu reported by De Crée himself in his Judo Pour Tous biography; the date and granting body are not recorded in the sources consulted.The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.Dan-Kyu System
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
1 source expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_check6th dan in modern jujutsu reported by De Crée himself in his Judo Pour Tous biography; the date and granting body are not recorded in the sources consulted. -
receipt_longMenkyo ProbableProbableDe Crée himself states in his 2024 author biography that he is the first and only non-Japanese ever to hold menkyo in Kitō-ryū; consistent with his published academic work on Kitō-ryū jūjutsu.The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.Menkyo Licence System
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
1 source expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkDe Crée himself states in his 2024 author biography that he is the first and only non-Japanese ever to hold menkyo in Kitō-ryū; consistent with his published academic work on Kitō-ryū jūjutsu. -
military_techDan grade ProbableProbableKyokushinkai karate black belt reported by De Crée himself in his Judo Pour Tous biography; no specific grade, date or granting body recorded.The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.Dan-Kyu System
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
1 source expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkKyokushinkai karate black belt reported by De Crée himself in his Judo Pour Tous biography; no specific grade, date or granting body recorded.
Honours (1)
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receipt_longkyōshiKyoshi ProbableProbableTitle of kyōshi reported by De Crée himself in his 2024 author biography; the date and granting body are not recorded in the sources consulted.The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.Title
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
1 source expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkTitle of kyōshi reported by De Crée himself in his 2024 author biography; the date and granting body are not recorded in the sources consulted.
Sources
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reviewsPeer-reviewed
reviewsPeer-reviewedvisibilityFirst-hand
reviewsPeer-reviewedvisibilityFirst-hand
Identifiers
https://martial.is/entity/01KZXXSBBNFGVZNXMZYH26V3D7
Cite and reuse
CC BY-SA 4.0expand_more
Plain text
Muñoz, Frederico (YEAR_PLACEHOLDER). Carl De Crée. In Martialis: Martial Arts
Lineage Database. https://martial.is/entity/01KZXXSBBNFGVZNXMZYH26V3D7 - CC
BY-SA 4.0. Accessed ACCESSED_DATE_PLACEHOLDER.
BibTeX
@incollection{martialis_01KZXXSBBNFGVZNXMZYH26V3D7, author = {Muñoz, Frederico},
title = {Carl De Crée}, booktitle = {Martialis: Martial Arts Lineage Database},
year = {YEAR_PLACEHOLDER}, url =
{https://martial.is/entity/01KZXXSBBNFGVZNXMZYH26V3D7}, urldate =
{ACCESSED_DATE_PLACEHOLDER}, note = {CC BY-SA 4.0} }
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