“Tokyo Hirano (1922-1993) 8th Dan
The man who revolutionized judo”
By Jim Chen, M.D. and Theodore Chen
Hirano 7th Dan at age 42
Tokio Hirano (5’5″, 75 kg), obtained Godan (5th dan) at the age of 19, is perhaps the best Judo technician of all time. He is probably the best known Japanese judoka in Europe. In 1952, Hirano became went to teach Judo in Europe. Within six years, he had amassed over 4,300 victories. To promote judo, Hirano would fight every black belt in the city where he taught judo. In November 1954, in Mannheim, Germany, Hirano scored all the ippons (knock out) in 34 minutes against 54 opponents black belts (1-3 dan) The traditional nage-waza (throwing techniques) were taught in the following sequence: kumu (grab), tsukuru (the entry and proper adjustment of his body in the position taken just before the movement required to complete his throwing technique), kakeru (complete) and nageru (throw). Hirano revolutionized the order of tsukuru, kumu, kakeru and nageru. This is the current European style of throwing. Judo This is a proven method of defeating opponents larger, as evidenced by the impressive success of Hirano. Wilhelm Ruska (Netherlands) 192 cm, 115 kg, was his most outstanding student. Ruska was world heavyweight champion in 1967 and 1971 and runner-up in 1969 (open weight). Wilhelm was the double gold medalist in the heavyweight and open category at the 1972 Munich Olympics. He wins against the European champion in wrestling
Hirano throwing Artz
In the spring of 1955, Hirano went to teach in Amsterdam, Holland. He was challenged by Peter Artz (a four-time European heavyweight wrestling champion). Hirano agreed to a judo and wrestling match. Each game was ten minutes. The wrestling match would be decided by holding the back for ten seconds. The Judo match would be decided by a clean shot. At the start of the wrestling match, Hirano was able to throw Artz several times, but was unable to pin him due to perspiration (they wrestled without a judo gi). About six minutes into the fight, Hirano did a Kiai (shout). He jumped up and grabbed Artz’s head and threw him with a koshi-guruma (Head lock or Hip wheel throw), pinned him with a kesa-gatame (Scarf Hold) for ten seconds; win the wrestling match. In the judo match there was no competition. Within 30 seconds, Hirano threw Artz cleanly with ippon seoinage (shoulder throw).
Fourteen Kodokan Victories – 1941
hirano, 19 years old
During judo’s hundred-year history, the easiest way to gain a Kodokan rank advancement was to participate in the Ko-Haku Shiai (red-white team competition) held twice a year (spring and fall). By winning with 5 ippons, one could receive a promotion of one dan on the same day. Hirano was born on August 6, 1922 in Hyogo Prefecture (near Kobe), Japan. Hirano earned his first black belt by winning 22 ippons with osoto-gari. He graduated from Hei-an High School as 3rd dan, then was recertified by Kodokan as 4th dan. He moved to Takushoku University in April 1941 on the recommendation of his Sensei Fukushima. During his seven months of training at Takushoku University, he did nothing but newaza. He barely had a chance to practice tachi-waza (throwing techniques).
Hirano trains with Fukushima 9th dan
On October 19, 1941, Hirano participated in the Ko-haku shiai. That morning he received a bag with various persimmons, a gift from Wushijima Sensei. During the training session, Wushijima was so proud that everyone was afraid of him. On the other hand, he was so kind and caring, almost like a tender and loving father. Hirano was very grateful for Wushijima Sensei’s teaching and kindness. He swore to do his best in Ko-haku Shiai. Hirano defeated a Kodokan record of 14 opponents. All of his opponents were 4th dan and were defeated with ippon seoinage, juji gatame (arm lock), kamishiho-gatame (upper four corner bolt), tai-otoshi (body drop), ouchi-gari (small slash of inside leg), tsurikomi-goshi (elevating hip throw), or osoto-gari (outer leg big harvest). He battled to a draw with his 15th opponent. All Japan University Judo Championships 1941-42
On October 31, 1941, Hirano participated in the All Japan University Judo Championships. In the fourth round he won by tsurikomi-goshi, fifth round by tai-otoshi; and sixth round by juji-gatame. His final opponent was Yasuichi Matsumoto (187 cm, 90 kg, Champion of Japan in 1948, famous for the Tenri osoto-gari style). Matsumoto attacked Hirano with osoto-gari. Hirano responded with osoto-gari and tai-otoshi. Neither scored a point when time ran out. Hirano managed to immediately throw Matsumoto into overtime with seoi-nage (both should throw) to get his first major title. All matches after the fourth round until the final were decided by Ippon. Techniques used included osoto-gari, uchi-mata (inner thigh throw), tai-otoshi, seoi-nage, tsurikomi-goshi, hane-goshi (spring hip throw), and juji-gatame. It was a competition of amazing quality. The following year, Hirano took the title again with five ippons. In the semifinals, he fought hard against Okubo (182 cm, 104 kg) 5th dan. Hirano managed to throw it away with seoi-nage and scored a wazaari (half a point). In the final match, Hirano defeated Tsunoda with osoto-gari. In 1943, Hirano placed Okubo back in the 5th dan division of the Judo Championship, sponsored by the Department of Imperial Affairs. As in their previous match, no points were scored during the first seven minutes. During extra time, Hirano finally won by ippon with a combination of ouchi-gari and seoinage.
Third National Athletic Judo Championship – 1947
Hirano participated in the individual championship held on November 2, 1947. Kimura, Ishikawa (champion in 1948, ’49), Hirosei (champion in 1943) and Matsumoto decided not to compete in this match and allow one of the rookies to win the title. major. How funny they were. However, Yoshimatsu (champion in 1952, ’53 and ’55) and Daigo (champion in ’51, ’56) were among the contenders. In the third round Hirano won by seoi-nage. In the semifinals he won by tai-otoshi. His final opponent was Hadori (170cm, 95kg, famous for tsurikomi-goshi and kouchi-gari). Hadori defeated Daigo by ura-nage (backward bow throw) in the semi-finals. Hadori proved to be a formidable fighter. Hadori attacked with tsurikomi-goshi and seoi-nage while Hirano applied his osoto-gari and tai-otoshi to no avail. With time running out, Hirano managed to score a wazaari with osoto-gari, thus winning the championship.
Jigoku Kego – Infernal Training with Wushijima
In high school, Hirano practiced judo six hours a day and did randori for two hours. Between 8:30 pm and 11 pm at Yoshikatakai Ziku, he would do randori against 3-4 th dan opponents from Bushen (Martial Arts Academy). Every night he slept around 1:00 am. He started with 150 push-ups, then jogged and ran for 2 km and finished with 40 minutes of randori. The hard training paid off even though he was small and inexperienced as a second dan. He could occasionally throw Bushen 3rd and 4th dan opponents. When Hirano moved to Tokyo and trained with Wushijima Sensei (9th dan of Wushijima, two-time champion of Japan) at Takushoku University, he finally realized what Jigoku Kego really was! It consisted of five minutes of warm-up, 3-4 hours of continuous Ne Waza. This was “Hell Training!” It was considered shameful to give in while he was strangling. As a result, a typical scene at Takushoku Dojo was 4-5 people passed out, unconscious from strangulation. While Hirano was a student at Takushoku University, he went to the Metropolitan Police dojo to practice. In 3 hours of continuous randori, he had racked up approximately 500 ippons across 60 black belts. Before World War II, judoka felt that winning or losing was not a matter of talent but of hard training. “Attack until your heart stops beating” was Wushijima Sensei’s motto
Hirano earned his first black belt by winning 22 ippons, in the high school team competition at the National Athletics Championships held on November 3, 1939. In the semi-finals, Hirano and his opponent fell to the ground from the 2-meter stage. height. Despite the doctor’s orders to stop, Hirano refused to give up. The match was fought for a draw. In the final match, Hirano faced a 4th dan opponent. Again, the match ended in a tie, after the match, Hirano passed out. The doctor later determined that Hirano had a dislocated left shoulder and two broken ribs. Hirano possessed this fighting spirit even before Wushijima’s hellish training. Judo was not a sport for judoka before World War II. It was more of a samurai duel. To win the shiai, vigorous training was absolutely necessary. Five hundred push-ups, 6-hour randori, plus tachi-ki-wuchikomi (repetition against a tree) was a common training regiment for success. The training was so intense that Hirano once dreamed of bringing down the tallest building with his osoto-gari.
Hirano trains Ruska
Ruska once asked Hirano for the key to strong judo. Hirano replied that there was no such medicine. Hirano advised Ruska to train to be able to grab the hand whenever possible, climb stairs, and strengthen the hip. Ten days before the 1967 world judo championships, Hirano practiced with Ruska. Hirano felt that Ruska’s tachi-waza was only second rate (pre-WWII Japanese standard). Ruska’s newaza was fifth class. At that time Hirano was able to apply choke or osaekomi (pinning) very easily. When Ruska won the heavyweight champion title, Hirano was very happy that his student was so successful. On the other hand, he was very sad that Japanese judo had declined to a level that he could not imagine.
Judo World loses two giants Kimura and Hirano in 1993
Wushijima sensei raised and trained two judo greats, Masahiko Kimura and Tokio Hirano. Unfortunately, Kimura died on April 18, 1993. Tokio Hirano returned to Japan in 1966 after a judo tour of Europe for 15 years. He later returned to Europe to conduct annual judo clinics. Even at the age of 60, he practiced ne-waza with college students in their 20s. The great legendary coach died of liver cancer on July 26, 1993. Through his two books, thousands of students and the memory of those incredible fights, this great legend will live forever.
Hirano’s signature throw was a leaping tai-otoshi.
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