Tatsukuma Ushijima, (March 10, 1904 – May 26, 1985) Ushijima is known as one of the toughest koryu jiujitsu fighters and judo competitors of his time. Several of his famous quotes are:
“Judo is nothing less than a martial art. When a soldier breaks his sword and runs out of arrows, in the end, life and death is determined with newaza.”
“Loss is equivalent to death.”
Oni no Ushijima
(Ushijima the devil)
Ushijima was feared by his opponents as the “fierce tiger,” and remembered in legend as, “Ushijima theUndefeated,” and “Ushijima the devil,” from his rough and his steadfast personality. He had an eagle like glint in his eye that could pin someone down with a stare.
In the morning he would go on a run while pulling a sled weighing 60kg. At night he would get into shorts and train his body using boulders. After wards, sticking some tea leaves in his mouth to wake himself up, he would repeatedly practice tackles against a large tree. To wrap things up he would wrap his belt around the tree and drill 1000 se-oi-nages.
On the night before a bout, he would drink the blood of a snapping turtle, and on the day of competition he would step into a bout with a mouthful of powder from a viper snake. With the starting signal, he would charge his opponent and remain relentless in his attacks. This relentless attacking style became the creed for Ushijima Judo, and inherited by his beloved pupil, Kimura Masahiko.
At the Koutaishi Seitan Kinen Tenran Shiai (Memorial Birth of the Crown Prince Tournament) A parasite took hold of his liver, where he lost over 9kg and even walking became an impossible feat. In order to mentally prepare himself, he secluded himself in a cave for a month, practicing Za Zen meditation, and chanting the “Book of Five Rings” by Miyamoto Musashi in preparation for his bout. It was his determination to compensate for his body with his mind and spirit but he lost. Some say, had it not been for his illness, victory was a certainty.
