22 Facts About Gunji Koizumi

Gunji Koizumi was born on 8 July 1885 in the village of Komatsuka Oaza in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan.

Gunji Koizumi was the younger son of a tenant farmer, Shukichi Koizumi, and his wife, Katsu.

Gunji Koizumi had an elder brother, Chiyokichi, and a younger sister, Iku.

In 1897, aged 12, Gunji Koizumi began training in the art of kendo at school.

Gunji Koizumi began learning English from a neighbour who had been to America.

Gunji Koizumi travelled through Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore, and India, working as he went.

On 4 May 1906, Gunji Koizumi arrived in Mostyn, North Wales, aboard the SS Romsford.

Gunji Koizumi then travelled to Liverpool, where he took up the post of instructor at the Kara Ashikaga School of Jujitsu.

Gunji Koizumi then travelled south to London, where he collaborated with former Bartitsu Club instructor Sadakazu Uyenishi, who was operating his own jujitsu school in Piccadilly Circus.

Gunji Koizumi secured work in the Newark Public Service Railway Company.

Gunji Koizumi tried to start an electric lighting company in Vauxhall Road, London, but lacked sufficient funds.

In 1918, at his own expense, Gunji Koizumi established a society in London called the Budokwai.

Gunji Koizumi secured a location in Lower Grosvenor Place, along the back wall of Buckingham Palace, and the Budokwai's premises opened on 26 January 1918.

In 1919, Gunji Koizumi helped establish the Kyosai Kai, a society that aimed to provide medical, employment, and housing assistance to Japanese people in England.

Gunji Koizumi served as General Secretary of this organisation, which was based in the Budokwai's premises.

In 1947 Gunji Koizumi organized with his friend Mikinosuke Kawaishi the first ever-recorded Judo International tournament between two countries known as the Kawaishi Cup.

Gunji Koizumi helped establish the British Judo Association on 24 July 1948.

Gunji Koizumi was married and had a daughter named Hana, who later married Percy Sekine, one of Gunji Koizumi's judo students.

On 19 September 1954, the Budokwai moved to new, larger premises; shortly after this, Gunji Koizumi returned to Japan for the first time in 50 years.

Gunji Koizumi wrote some books on judo, including Judo: The basic technical principles and exercises, supplemented with contest rules and grading syllabus and My study of Judo: The principles and the technical fundamentals.

Gunji Koizumi was found wearing his best suit, reportedly with a plastic bag over his head, sitting in his favourite chair beside the gas stove in his house at Putney.

Gunji Koizumi's death shocked the worldwide judo community, and caused much controversy.