Kumiko Hirano

Reflections of Keiko Fukuda Kumiko Hirano

In 1935, twenty-two-year-old Keiko Fukuda Shihan began her passage to become a judo master. As the only woman in the world to achieve the level of tenth dan, she blazed the way for women in judo to be taken seriously across all martial arts arenas, including the Olympics.

Over seventy years later, Kumiko Hirano interviewed Grand Master Fukuda, who was now nearly one hundred. Over the course of a week of conversations in her San Francisco home, Grand Master Fukuda shared her opinions and feelings that included deciding on marriage, understanding the events of World War II, coming to America, starting her own dojo, and the humbleness she maintained throughout her lifetime as she paved a path for women in judo. While living by her motto, "be strong, be gentle, be beautiful" until her death in 2013, Grand Master Fukuda lined a path for all women willing to work hard to achieve their dreams.

Reflections of Keiko Fukuda shares an intimate look at the thoughts and perspectives of a judo grand master whose great spirit and dedication to martial arts inspired the world.