Justtwoyearsbeforeher100thbirthday,SenseiKeikoFukudahasbecomethefirstwomantoachieveatenth-degreeblackbelt---thehighestrankinthemartialartandcombatsportjudo(柔道).Fukudaisnowoneofonlyfourlivingpeoplewho’veearnedthetenth-degree(ordan)blackbelt.Throughouthistory,onlysixteenpeoplehaveeverachievedthishonor.
Fukudabeganpracticingjudoin1935andistheonlysurvivingstudentofitsfounder,KanoJiguro.Urgedbyherteacher,shelearnedEnglishtohelpspreadjudointernationally.
Duringatimewhengettingmarried,buildingafamily,andbecomingahousewifewasthestandard,Fukudawentagainsttradition,optingoutofmarriagetopursuethemartialart.
“AllIdidwasjudo...thiswasmymarriage,”FukudareflectedtearfullytotheSanFranciscoChronicle.“Thisiswhenmylifedestinywasset.Ijustneverimaginedhowlongthisroadwouldbe.”
ShedescribedtheJiguro’sschool,knownastheKodokan,as“old-fashionedandsexist(性别歧视的)aboutbeltsandranks”.Infact,anorderthatpreventedwomenfromachievinganyhigherthanafifth-degreeblackbeltkeptFukudaatthatlevelforthirtyyears.Shewasfinallypromotedtosixthdanin1972whenawoman’sdivisionwascreated.
Fukudasaidsheapproachedjudoandherlifewiththeintentionto“begentle,kindandbeautiful,yetfirmandstrong,bothmentallyandphysically”.Fukudasaidthiskindofbeautyisdecidedlynotexternal(外部的).“Akindsoulisinnerbeauty,”sheexplainedtothepaper.“Ibelievethisistruebeauty…Allmylifethishasbeenmydream.”
Dreamrealized,the98-year-oldSenseiKeikoFukudacontinuestoteachjudothreetimesaweekatawoman’sjudo.
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