| Exerts taken from "Tokio Hirano (1922-1993) 8th | | | | with osoto-gari. Hirano countered with osoto-gari |
| Dan The Man Who Revolutionized Judo" By Jim | | | | and tai-otoshi. Neither scored a point when time |
| Chen, M.D . and Theodore Chen | | | | was up. Hirano managed to throw Matsumoto |
| Hirano 7th Dan At Age 42 | | | | immediately during the overtime with seoi-nage |
| Tokio Hirano (5'5", 75 kg), obtained Godan (5th | | | | (both should throw) to obtain his first major title. |
| dan) at age 19, is perhaps the greatest Judo | | | | All of the matches after the fourth round to final |
| technician of all time. He is probably the best | | | | were decided by Ippon. Techniques used included |
| known Japanese Judoka in Europe. In 1952, Hirano | | | | osoto-gari, uchi-mata (inner thigh throw), tai-otoshi, |
| went to teach Judo in Europe. Within six years, he | | | | seoi-nage, tsurikomi-goshi, hane-goshi (spring hip |
| had accumulated over 4,300 wins. In order to | | | | throw) and juji-gatame. It was an amazingly high |
| promote Judo, Hirano would fight all black belts in | | | | quality competition. The following year, Hirano |
| the city where he taught Judo. In November | | | | took the title again with five ippons. In the |
| 1954, in Mannheim, Germany, Hirano scored all | | | | semi-finals, he had a tough fight against Okubo |
| ippons (knock out) in 34 minutes against 54 black | | | | (182 cm,104 kg) 5th dan. Hirano managed to |
| belt opponents (1-3 dan).Traditional nage-waza | | | | throw him with seoi-nage and scored a wazaari |
| (throwing techniques) were taught in the following | | | | (half point). In the final match, Hirano defeated |
| sequence: kumu (gripping), tsukuru (the entry and | | | | Tsunoda with osoto-gari. In 1943 Hirano met |
| proper fitting of your body into position taken just | | | | Okubo again at the Judo Championship 5th dan |
| before the movement required for completion of | | | | division, sponsored by The Department of |
| your throwing technique), kakeru (completing), and | | | | Imperial Affairs. Like their previous match, no |
| nageru (throwing).Hirano revolutionized the order | | | | points were scored for the first seven minutes. |
| to tsukuru, kumu, kakeru and nageru. This is the | | | | During the overtime, Hirano eventually won by |
| current European style Judo. This is a proven | | | | ippon with an ouchi-gari and seoinage combination. |
| method to defeat bigger opponents, as | | | | Third National Athletic Judo Championship - 1947 |
| demonstrated by Hirano's stunning success. | | | | Hirano took part in the individual championship held |
| Wilhelm Ruska (Holland) 192 cm, 115 kg, was his | | | | on November 2, 1947. Kimura , Ishikawa |
| most accomplished student. Ruska was the world | | | | (champion in 1948, '49), Hirosei (champion in 1943) |
| heavyweight champion in 1967 and 1971 and | | | | and Matsumoto decided not to compete in this |
| runner up in 1969 (open weight). Wilhelm was the | | | | meet and allow one of the rookies to win the |
| dual gold medalist in heavy and open weight class | | | | major title. How gracious they were. Nevertheless, |
| at the 1972 Munich Olympics. Win Against | | | | Yoshimatsu (champion in 1952, '53 and '55) and |
| European Wrestling Champion | | | | Daigo (champion in '51, '56) were among the |
| Hirano throwing Artz | | | | contenders. In the third round Hirano won by |
| In the spring of 1955, Hirano went to teach in | | | | seoi-nage. In the semi-finals he won by tai-otoshi. |
| Amsterdam, Holland. He was challenged by Peter | | | | His final opponent was Hadori (170 cm, 95kg, |
| Artz (four time European free style wrestling | | | | famous for tsurikomi-goshi and kouchi-gari). Hadori |
| heavy weight champion). Hirano agreed to both a | | | | defeated Daigo by ura-nage (back arch throw) at |
| Judo and wrestling fight. Each match was for ten | | | | the semi-finals. Hadori proved to be a formidable |
| minutes. The wrestling match would be decided | | | | fighter. Hadori attacked with tsurikomi-goshi, and |
| by pinning the back for ten seconds. The Judo | | | | seoi-nage while Hirano applied his osoto-gari and |
| match would decided by a clean throw. At the | | | | tai-otoshi with no result. With time running out, |
| start of the wrestling match, Hirano was able to | | | | Hirano managed to score a wazaari with |
| throw Artz several times, but was unable to pin | | | | osoto-gari, thus winning the championship. |
| him due to perspiration (they fought without a | | | | Jigoku Kego - Hell Training with Wushijima |
| Judo gi). About six minutes into the fight, Hirano | | | | In high school, Hirano practiced Judo six hours a |
| made a Kiai (yell). He jumped and grabbed Artz's | | | | day and would randori for two hours. Between |
| head and threw him with a koshi-guruma (Head | | | | 8:30pm and 11pm at Yoshikatakai Ziku, he would |
| lock or Hip wheel throw), pinned him with | | | | randori against 3-4 th dan opponents from Bushen |
| kesa-gatame (Scarf Hold) for ten seconds; | | | | (Academy of Martial Arts). Every night he slept |
| winning the wrestling match. In the Judo match, | | | | around 1:00am.The following morning he awoke at |
| there was no contest. Within 30 seconds Hirano | | | | 5:30am and repeated the routine again. He started |
| threw Artz cleanly with ippon seoinage (Shoulder | | | | with one hundred and fifty push-ups, then jogged |
| throw). | | | | and sprinted for 2km, and finished with 40 |
| Fourteen Wins At Kodokan - 1941 | | | | minutes of randori.Hard training paid off even |
| Hirano, age 19 During Judo's one hundred year | | | | though he was small and inexperienced as a 2nd |
| history, the easiest way to get a rank promotion | | | | dan. Every so often he was able to throw 3rd |
| from Kodokan was to take part in the Ko-Haku | | | | and 4th dan opponents from Bushen. When Hirano |
| Shiai (red-white team competition) which was held | | | | moved to Tokyo and trained under Wushijima |
| twice a year (Spring and Fall). By winning with 5 | | | | Sensei (Wushijima 9th dan, two time All Japan |
| ippons one could receive a one dan promotion the | | | | champion) at Takushoku University, he finally |
| same day. Hirano was born on August 6th, 1922 | | | | realized what Jigoku Kego really was! It consisted |
| in Hyogo prefecture (near Kobe), Japan. Hirano | | | | of five minutes of warm-ups, 3-4 hours of |
| obtained his first black belt by winning 22 ippons | | | | continuous Ne Waza. This was "Hell Training!" It |
| with osoto-gari. He graduated from Hei-an high | | | | was considered disgraceful to surrender while |
| school as 3rd dan, later he was recertified by | | | | being choked. As a result, a typical scene at |
| Kodokan as 4th dan. He moved to Takushoku | | | | Takushoku Dojo was 4-5 people passed out, |
| university in April 1941 under the recommendation | | | | unconscious from chokes. While Hirano was a |
| of his Sensei Fukushima. During his seven months | | | | student in Takushoku University, he went to the |
| training at Takushoku University, he did nothing | | | | Metropolitan police dojo to practice. In 3 hours of |
| but newaza. Hardly did he have a chance to | | | | continuous randori, he had accumulated approx |
| practice tachi-waza (throwing techniques). | | | | 500 ippons on 60 black belts. Pre-WWII Judoka |
| Hirano Trains with Fukushima 9th dan | | | | felt that a winning or losing was not a matter of |
| On October 19, 1941, Hirano participated in the | | | | talent but rather that of hard training. "Attack Till |
| Ko-haku shiai. That morning he received a bag of | | | | Your Heart Stop Beating" was Wushijima Sensei's |
| several persimmons, a gift from Wushijima | | | | Motto Hirano obtained his first black belt by |
| Sensei. During the training session, Wushijima was | | | | winning 22 ippons, at the high school team |
| so fierceful that everybody was afraid of him. On | | | | competition at the National athletic championship |
| the other hand he was so kind and thoughtful, | | | | held on November 3, 1939. In the semifinals, |
| almost like a tender loving father. Hirano was very | | | | Hirano and his opponent fell from the 2 meter |
| grateful for the teaching and kindness from | | | | high stage to the ground. Despite the doctor's |
| Wushijima Sensei. He swore to do the best in the | | | | orders to stop, Hirano refused to forfeit. The |
| Ko-haku Shiai. Hirano defeated a Kodokan record | | | | match was fought to a draw. In the final match |
| 14 opponents. All of his opponents were 4th dan, | | | | Hirano faced a 4th dan opponent. Again the |
| and were defeated with ippon seoinage, juji | | | | match ended with a draw, following the match, |
| gatame (arm lock), kamishiho-gatame (upper four | | | | Hirano passed out. The doctor later determined |
| corner pin), tai-otoshi (body drop), ouchi-gari (small | | | | that Hirano had a dislocated left shoulder and two |
| inner leg reap), tsurikomi-goshi (lifting hip throw) or | | | | broken ribs. Hirano possessed this fighting spirit |
| osoto-gari (Big outer leg reap). He fought to a | | | | even before Wushijima's hell training.Judo was not |
| draw with his 15th opponent. All Japan Collegiate | | | | a sport to those pre WWII Judoka. It was more |
| Judo Championship 1941-42 | | | | of a Samurai duel. In order to win the shiai, |
| On October 31, 1941 , Hirano participated in the All | | | | vigorous training was absolutely necessary. Five |
| Japan Collegiate Judo Championship. In the fourth | | | | hundred push ups, randori 6 hours, plus |
| round he won by tsurikomi-goshi, fifth round by | | | | tachi-ki-wuchikomi (repetition against a tree) was |
| tai-otoshi; and sixth round by juji-gatame. His final | | | | a common training regiment for success. Training |
| opponent was Yasuichi Matsumoto (187 cm, 90 | | | | was so intense enough that Hirano once dreamt |
| kg, All Japan Champion in 1948, famous for Tenri | | | | of collapsing the tallest building with his osoto-gari. |
| style osoto-gari) . Matsumoto attacked Hirano | | | | |