1. In 1899 Miyake started working as a teacher in Nara, and two years later he was appointed police instructor in Kobe.
11 Facts About Taro Miyake
1. 2.
However, in 1904 he was fired for taking part in a brawl, so Taro Miyake departed Japan for London.
3.
Taro Miyake toured through spectacles and music halls, defeating many of the best wrestlers of the time and engaging in open all-comers challenge matches.
4.
Taro Miyake famously defeated the reigning champion in the jujutsu style, Yukio Tani.
5.
Taro Miyake was widely considered the best exponent of Jiu-Jitsu in Europe at the time and participated in MMA style matches against boxers in France where laws allowed such bouts to take place.
6.
Taro Miyake toured the UK with Mitsuyo Maeda - who had just begun taking an interest in newaza upon his arrival in London in order to compete with catch wrestlers.
7.
On October 20,1917, Taro Miyake had a famous challenge match against professional wrestler and catch wrestling practitioner Ad Santel who himself studied some judo.
8.
Now even more interested in professional wrestling than he was while in Europe, Taro Miyake started working at Ed "The Strangler" Lewis's wrestling promotion, learning the art and having matches against names like Toots Mondt, Clarence Eklund and some others.
9.
In 1928 Taro Miyake returned to Japan and toured there with three other wrestlers, but professional wrestling was not popular in Japan back then and the shows did not sell tickets.
10.
Taro Miyake returned to United States along with Danzan-ryu trainee Oki Shikina, who became his apprentice.
11.
In 1925 Taro Miyake moved to Chicago and while not on tour, would teach alongside Kodokan Judoka Shozo Kuwashima at 22 E Huron street.