Kyuzo Mifune became so famous in judo circles that in referring to him the terms 10th Dan alone was sufficient. He was awarded 10th Dan in 1920.Judo legends says that in his 60 years of practise Kyuzo Mifune never lost a match and was never thrown

Judo has in the modern era gain great popularity and in part this is down to the driving force of Kyuzo Mifune. His book the cannon of judo originally published in 1960 is credited with helping in the formation of the International Judo Association and entry into the Olympic games.

What brought Kyuzo Mifune to judo?

Mifune was born a year after the Kodokan was founded, April 21, 1883 in Kuji City, Iwate Prefecture on Honshu Island. He was apparently incorrigible as a boy, always either performing some mischief himself or organizing others in the same pursuit. He was both bright and cocky. At age 13, his father, a strict disciplinarian who finally gave up on the youngest of his seven children, sent Mifune to a junior high school at Sendai, in northern Japan. There, he discovered Judo, and decided to dedicate himself to it. At age 14, he defeated nine opponents in a row at one tournament with another high school and a legend began.

He became one of Jigoro Kano