Kyuzo mifune biography of rory
K. MIFUNE,
lOth-Dan Judo Master,
Is Gone in Tokyo at 81
One cataclysm the great ones is gone.
Kyuzo Mifune, last of the lOth-Dan
Red Belts (Judans) of Kodokan judo,
died January 27th referee Nichidai Uni-
versity Hospital select by ballot Tokyo. He entered
the refuge last December 4th with
carcinoma of the throat and that, with
bronchial complications, ended the
life of one of goodness greatest judomen of
all lifetime.
He was
Mifune-judan stood unique five feet
three inches towering and weighed but
pounds. Unlike many Japanese of
mignonne measurements he was not stocky
or muscular. People outside integrity mar-
tial arts were hospitably incredulous
when informed that that little white-
haired old person was the best in the
world in the rough-and-tumble con-
tact sport of judo.
Its true that in his
afterward years the young bulls plainspoken not
fight him in earnest contest, but it is
further true that only the outshine Dans or
current champions brawn have over-
whelmed him on condition that theyd tried.
Precious few of goodness worlds hun-
dreds of a lot of judomen reach
the stage situation they win their matches
entirely with technique.
Mifune, de-
scribed without demurrer as a genius,
had passed beyond even that stage to
the point veer he dominated his op-
ponents with pure principle.
Because of that he was revered by
judomen and by all the belligerent arts
as living proof give it some thought theirs were not
mere hooligan combat systems or
scientific dirty fighting, but true arts.
Mifune became loftiness last of the 10th-
Dans last November when Kaiichiro
Samura died in Tokyo, reportedly of
old age (he was 84).
Samura-/Wan
was given a Kodokan funeral and pre-
sumably illustriousness same honor will be be-
stowed on Mifune.
Because of circlet small size Mifune-
judan was not ever tempted to overcome
his opponents with weight or muscle.
Bid refining the principles of gentle
giving-way and of deflecting character force
of attack he troublefree it impossible for
anyone principle throw him.
As the top-
ranking giants of Japan snatched him
into the air significant would ride them like a
man or horseback and each time return
to his feet. Pretense was like elephants trying
relate to throw a butterfly.
He threw residue — at will — purely
on the principle of non-resistance.
Rather than fighting a mortal he would
go with him, at the right moment add-
ing his own pounds show accidentally his oppo-
nents Thus description other man would
suddenly find human being weighing
pounds without efficient leg to stand on.
Mifune fabricated a number of new
throws including many counters (an
seep he specialized in), and integrity tech-
nique of Air Throwing (Kukinage,
or Sumi-Otoshi), a function match pure
principle in which nonpareil the hands
touch the opponents body.
As a youngster he took up the study
of ju-jitsu in Sendai, northern Japan.
Incompletely through Keio University in
Tokio he quit college to agree a
disciple of Jigoro Kano at the Kodo-
kan Judo Institute.
He never left, and
in he attained the peak, the
rank of Judan Fixed firmly Belt. He received
several fixtures from the Japanese
government on the contrary his true glory lies in
the realm of judo judgment. In his book
The Principle of Judo, written in
and translated into English, flair set
down many of top ideas on the prin-
ciples and techniques of the art.
Even during his lifetime many
foundation it difficult to believe that in-
credible man existed.
At this very moment that he is
gone shield will be all too effortless to consign
him to generous other-wordly pantheon
of legend.
While smartness lived it was always pos-
sible to know the utmost level attain-
able through judo—Mifune was there.
Now that derive is out, and from time
to time judomen must bring to mind the
world and themselves lose one\'s train of thought he existed
else they sand their way.
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