18 Facts About Keiko Fukuda

Keiko Fukuda was a Japanese-American martial artist.

Keiko Fukuda was the highest-ranked female judoka in history, holding the rank of 9th dan from the Kodokan, and 10th dan from USA Judo and from the United States Judo Federation, and was the last surviving student of Kano Jigoro, founder of judo.

Keiko Fukuda is the first and, so far, only woman to have been promoted to 10th dan in judo, which occurred in 2011.

Keiko Fukuda continued to teach her art in the San Francisco Bay Area until her death in 2013.

Kano had studied under three jujutsu masters before founding judo, and Keiko Fukuda's grandfather had been the first of these men.

Keiko Fukuda began training in judo in 1935, as one of only 24 women training at the Kodokan.

Apart from instruction by judo's founder, Keiko Fukuda learned from Kyuzo Mifune.

Keiko Fukuda earned a degree in Japanese literature from Showa Women's University.

Keiko Fukuda traveled to the United States of America later that year, at the invitation of a judo club in Oakland, California, and stayed for almost two years before returning to Japan.

Keiko Fukuda next traveled to the US in 1966, giving seminars in California.

Keiko Fukuda named her school the Soko Joshi Judo Club.

In 1990, Keiko Fukuda was awarded Japan's Order of the Sacred Treasure, 4th Class, and the United States Judo Incorporated Henry Stone Lifetime Contribution to American Judo Award.

Keiko Fukuda served as a technical adviser for US Women's Judo and the USJI Kata Judges' Certification Sub-committee.

Keiko Fukuda served as a National Kata Judge, and was a faculty member of the USJI National Teachers' Institute, a member of the USJF Promotion Committee, and a member of the USJF and USJI Women's Sub-committee.

Keiko Fukuda held the rank of 9th dan, the second-highest in judo, from two organizations, and in July 2011, received the rank of 10th dan from a third organization.

Keiko Fukuda continued to teach judo three times each week, host the annual Keiko Fukuda Invitational Kata Championships, and teach at the annual Joshi Judo Camp until her death, at the age of 99, in San Francisco, California.

Keiko Fukuda established the Keiko Fukuda Judo Scholarship to encourage and enable women to continue their formal training in the art.

Keiko Fukuda died peacefully at her home in San Francisco on February 9,2013.