Also known as
Yukio Tani
Description
Pioneering Japanese jujutsu and judo instructor and professional challenge wrestler, one of the first jujutsu stylists to teach and compete outside Japan. Early training in Japan was tied to his father, a Tenjin Shinyo-ryu master; he is rumored to have studied with Mataemon Tanabe and had some training in Yataro Handa's Seibukan school in Osaka. In 1900 the nineteen-year-old travelled to London at Barton-Wright's invitation and, with Sadakazu Uyenishi, staffed the Bartitsu School of Arms; he then pioneered the music-hall challenge circuit under William Bankier. From 1918 he was the first professional jujutsu teacher at Gunji Koizumi's Budokwai, where Jigoro Kano awarded him 2nd dan judo in 1920 (eventually 4th dan). His leading student Masutaro Otani founded the MOSJ, which evolved into the British Judo Council. Died in London, 24 January 1950.
Teachers (2)
-
Handa Yatarōsports_martial_artsDaitō-ryū Jūjutsu PossiblePossibleTani's training with Handa rests on the 1904 Jewell interview and the JA Wikipedia listing of Tani among Handa's Daito-ryu students, and is repeated by the peer-reviewed BJS paper. However, judo historian Oimatsu, as reported by Wolf 2016, places Tani with Tanabe Mataemon at the Senbukan in Kobe - so the Handa training is close to disputed, though no source denies it outright; hence possible.Some evidence points to the claim, but it is thin, indirect, or in unresolved conflict with other evidence.location_onSeibukan badge
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
5 sources expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkTani's training with Handa rests on the 1904 Jewell interview and the JA Wikipedia listing of Tani among Handa's Daito-ryu students, and is repeated by the peer-reviewed BJS paper. However, judo historian Oimatsu, as reported by Wolf 2016, places Tani with Tanabe Mataemon at the Senbukan in Kobe - so the Handa training is close to disputed, though no source denies it outright; hence possible.“Tani, another famous jiujitsu man, at present appearing on the music hall stage with Apollo, the Scottish Hercules, was also a pupil of Yataro Handa’s, and I believe I am correct in stating that he received the finishing touches of his jujitsu education at Mr. Handa’s hands. Although Tani’s training with Handa has not been positively confirmed, judo historian Shinichi Oimatsu noted that “Tani was a student of Tanabe Mataemon in Kobe”.”
visibilityFirst-hand“Tani, another famous jiujitsu man [...] was also a pupil of Yataro Handa's, and I believe I am correct in stating that he received the finishing touches of his jujitsu education at Mr. Handa's hands (as quoted in Wolf 2016, who cautions the training has not been positively confirmed).”
-
Tanabe Mataemonsports_martial_artsFusen-ryū PossiblePossibleRumoured 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.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_checkRumoured 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.
Ranks (3)
-
military_tech2 dan ProbableProbableJA Wikipedia records Tani as 2nd dan (二段) of Handa Yataro's Daito-ryu jujutsu.The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.Dan-Kyu System
-
military_tech4 dan ProbableProbableAchieved 4th dan judo per Wikipedia; date not given.The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.Dan-Kyu Systemmilitary_tech2 dan ProbableProbableJigoro Kano awarded Tani 2nd dan judo during his 1920 visit to the Budokwai, detailed in both Wikipedia and the Koizumi entry.The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.Dan-Kyu System (1920)granted by Kanō Jigorō
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
1 source expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkJigoro Kano awarded Tani 2nd dan judo during his 1920 visit to the Budokwai, detailed in both Wikipedia and the Koizumi entry.
Students (6)
-
Sarah Mayersports_martial_artsKōdōkan Jūdō ProbableProbableCallan/Heffernan/Spenn state the Budokwai ladies' classes at the time Mayer joined (1926) were taught by Koizumi and Tani Yukio.The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.location_onBudokwai badge (1926–1933)
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
1 source expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkCallan/Heffernan/Spenn state the Budokwai ladies' classes at the time Mayer joined (1926) were taught by Koizumi and Tani Yukio. -
Phoebe Robertssports_martial_artsJūjutsu ProbableProbableCallan/Heffernan/Spenn state Roberts performed alongside her teachers, naming Tani and Uyenishi, and that Tani taught at the Golden Square School from 1904. Her later 'ladies instructor' role at Tani's Japanese School of Ju-Jitsu corroborates the relationship.The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.location_onSchool of Japanese Self Defence badge (1904–1908)
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
2 sources expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkCallan/Heffernan/Spenn state Roberts performed alongside her teachers, naming Tani and Uyenishi, and that Tani taught at the Golden Square School from 1904. Her later 'ladies instructor' role at Tani's Japanese School of Ju-Jitsu corroborates the relationship.alt_routeIndirect“Sandow's Magazine recounted another demonstration, this time at the Marlborough Hall, Regent Street, featuring Roberts alongside Messrs Kanaya, Tani, Maiyake, Huji, and Eida [...] Roberts appeared in Sporting Life in 1906, along with Miyake, Hirano, Yamashita, and Omura, demonstrating at the headquarters of the Japanese School of Ju-jitsu on Oxford Street.”
-
Trevor Leggettsports_martial_artsKōdōkan Jūdō ProbableProbableSingle source; Wikidata repeats it.The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.location_onBudokwai badge
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
2 sources expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkSingle source; Wikidata repeats it. -
William Garrudsports_martial_artsJūjutsu ConfirmedConfirmedEnglish Wikipedia states explicitly that the Garruds studied under Japanese jujutsu masters Yukio Tani and Sadakazu Uyenishi; corroborated by Brough (2020).The evidence establishes the claim: it is sufficient and consistent, and any conflicting evidence is resolved.location_onSchool of Japanese Self Defence badge (1903–1908)
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
2 sources expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkEnglish Wikipedia states explicitly that the Garruds studied under Japanese jujutsu masters Yukio Tani and Sadakazu Uyenishi; corroborated by Brough (2020). -
Edith Garrudsports_martial_artsJūjutsu ConfirmedConfirmedWikipedia states explicitly that the Garruds trained under the jujutsu instructors Yukio Tani and Sadakazu Uyenishi at the Bartitsu School of Arms and continued under Uyenishi at Golden Square; corroborated by Brough (2020).The evidence establishes the claim: it is sufficient and consistent, and any conflicting evidence is resolved.location_onSchool of Japanese Self Defence badge (1903–1908)
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
3 sources expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkWikipedia states explicitly that the Garruds trained under the jujutsu instructors Yukio Tani and Sadakazu Uyenishi at the Bartitsu School of Arms and continued under Uyenishi at Golden Square; corroborated by Brough (2020). -
Armand Cherpillodsports_martial_artsJūjutsu ProbableProbableOne source states it; the other implies it.The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.location_onBartitsu Club badge (1901)
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
2 sources expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkOne source states it; the other implies it.alt_routeIndirect“Cherpillod (1880–?) was Swiss (the German title translates as “Self-Help: Jiu Jitsu for Women”), but he had learned his jujitsu methods at Barton-Wright’s academy.”
Sources
“ha de citarse a Yukio Tani, también llamado el “Hércules de bolsillo” (1’53 metros de alto y 57 kilogramos de peso) [...] Tani actuó en Lisboa al menos durante los meses de noviembre y diciembre de 1911, realizando sus combates estelares contra el gran luchador suizo Maurice de Riaz (1’70 metros, 90 kilogramos)”
“Another Japanese jujutsu expert brought to the UK by Barton-Wright was the young Tani Yukio, who arrived in September 1899 with his elder brother. Tani performed extensively alongside Uyenishi in theatres such as the Tivoli. In 1902, he split with Barton Wright and was promoted in the music halls by William Bankier, otherwise known as Apollo. By 1904, Tani was also teaching at the Golden Square School.”
visibilityFirst-hand
Jewell, J. St. A.. (1904). Interview with Sadakazu Uyenishi ("Uyenishi
Learned the Art from Mr. Yataro Handa of Osaka, Japan")info
Identifiers
https://martial.is/entity/01M06K0RMZNWJ90EEQ7CXBFHGS
Cite and reuse
CC BY-SA 4.0expand_more
Plain text
Muñoz, Frederico (YEAR_PLACEHOLDER). Tani Yukio. In Martialis: Martial Arts
Lineage Database. https://martial.is/entity/01M06K0RMZNWJ90EEQ7CXBFHGS - CC
BY-SA 4.0. Accessed ACCESSED_DATE_PLACEHOLDER.
BibTeX
@incollection{martialis_01M06K0RMZNWJ90EEQ7CXBFHGS, author = {Muñoz, Frederico},
title = {Tani Yukio}, booktitle = {Martialis: Martial Arts Lineage Database},
year = {YEAR_PLACEHOLDER}, url =
{https://martial.is/entity/01M06K0RMZNWJ90EEQ7CXBFHGS}, urldate =
{ACCESSED_DATE_PLACEHOLDER}, note = {CC BY-SA 4.0} }
Database content on this page is CC BY-SA 4.0; the database right is separately reserved. Licensing