1. Yukio Tani was a pioneering Japanese jujutsu and judo instructor and professional challenge wrestler, notable for being one of the first jujutsu stylists to teach and compete outside of Japan.
11 Facts About Yukio Tani
1. 2.
Under Bankier's management, Yukio Tani became a professional wrestler on the music hall circuit, where he would challenge anyone willing to test his skill.
3.
On stage Yukio Tani was known as the "pocket Hercules" and was famous throughout all levels of London society.
4.
In one six-month tour Yukio Tani defeated an average of 20 men a week, a total of over 500 challengers over the period of the tour.
5.
Appollo, Yukio Tani's manager, claimed this was the first time in Yukio Tani's career that he had to pay the forfeit.
6.
Yukio Tani was similarly unsuccessful against J Brewer in 1927.
7.
Yukio Tani partnered with Miyake in co-authoring a book, The Game of Ju-jitsu, which was first published in 1906.
8.
Yukio Tani became famous with his very public enmity with professional wrestling champion George Hackenschmidt.
9.
Yukio Tani challenged the famous Great Gama during the latter's visit to London in 1910, but he was ignored again.
10.
In 1918, Yukio Tani became the first professional teacher at the London Budokwai, created by his countryman Gunji Koizumi initially teaching jiujitsu.
11.
Yukio Tani suffered a stroke in 1937, but continued to teach from the sidelines of the Budokwai mats until his death in London on 24 January 1950, aged 69.