Isuke Shinmen

Isuke Shinmen initially practiced Jiu-Jitsu when he moved to Tokyo at age 17 to become a high school student. There, he was introduced to judo in Kodokan and achieved 2nd dan in 1910. He soon became a judo instructor and opened his own dōjō. In the following years, he coached soldiers at Sun Yat-sen’s Revolutionary Military Academy in China and worked as a judo teacher at various high schools.

In 1915 Shinmen graduated from Meiji University law school and worked as professor at vocational high schools, but continued to promote judo. In 1919, he advanced to 5th dan and in the following year was awarded the title of “Judo teacher.” In 1926, he went to the US and Europe for three years to familiarize Westerners with judo. He also studied wrestling and boxing and participated as a freestyle wrestler at the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics. He started a career as a sports administrator at the prefectural level, but after World War II he first became chairman of the China Judo Federation and then of the All-Japan Judo Federation. He was eventually promoted to higher dan grades, reaching 9th dan in 1958.

Despite his small height of only 161 cm, he excelled with a number of special throws, including uchi-mata, tai-otoshi, hiza-guruma, and in particular, tomoe-nage.