Life Lessons from Shihan Keiko Fukuda
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by Bill Kellick
As we celebrate National Girls & Women in Sports Day this week, USA Judo CEO Corinne Shigemoto shares her story of learning from the highest-ranked female judoka in history, Keiko Fukuda.
Keiko Fukuda was a Japanese-American martial artist who held the rank of 9th dan from the Kodokan and 10th dan from USA Judo and the United States Judo Federation. She was the last surviving student of judo founder Kanō Jigorō. This Sunday, February 9, marks the 12th anniversary of Shihan Fukuda’s passing.
Shihan Fukuda moved to the United States in 1972 and organized the first judo training camp exclusively for women. For nearly four decades, she taught classes three days a week at the Joshi Judo Club in San Francisco.
Thirteen-year-old Corinne Shigemoto and her 12-year-old sister, Connie, were among the youngest students Shihan Fukuda accepted at the dojo, where all the other students were adults.
“Ms. Fukuda is still the top female kata expert in the world, even after her death,” says Corinne Shigemoto. “Everyone wanted to train with her. We were fortunate that she took us on as students. You couldn’t just show up at her club; she had to accept you.”
Shigemoto had been practicing shiai since the age of 7, so when she first entered the revered dojo at 13, it was a complete recalibration of her expectations.
“Ms. Fukuda was very particular about attire, how you sat, and how you wore your hair. Everything had to be proper,” recalls Shigemoto. “We had a hard time adapting to that. Being 12 and 13 years old, we would come in with untied shoes, messy pants, and hair that was a disaster. She was shocked and would say, ‘No, no, no…when you enter here, you must dress properly, your hair must be done, and your voice should be low.’ It was quite a culture shock for us.”
Even the kata practice led to youthful distractions, especially when they were allowed to use wooden swords and knives.
“We would have sword fights every time she turned around. Looking back, I realize she knew we were doing that. You give a 12 and 13-year-old wooden knives, what do you think would happen?” Shigemoto laughed.
At the time, men’s and women’s judo were distinct, with women primarily practicing kata. However, Shihan Fukuda would keep the Shigemoto sisters after the kata lessons to work on randori separately.
“She was tough,” Shigemoto added. “To the outside world, she appeared to be this prim and proper kata lady, but she would get down and dirty with the randori and fighting techniques. After class, she would return to being the proper lady, serving tea for us in her living room.”
The Shigemoto sisters trained with Shihan Fukuda for nearly four years before deciding on their next path—kata or randori.
“We practiced kata because our coach believed that focusing on the forms and basics would enhance our randori, but it wasn’t our main interest. We wanted to focus on randori, so we left her and returned to our regular dojo for full-time training.”
Reflecting on those years, Shigemoto recognizes the privilege of learning from one of the most significant masters of judo.
“While we were training, we disliked it at times because we had to pay attention and behave. Now, in hindsight, I realize she was a great woman. She taught us a lot while still allowing us to be kids behind her back.”
To learn more about the life and legacy of Shihan Keiko Fukuda, visit keikofukudajudofoundation.org.
