[2] He is also a judo and jujutsu researcher,[3] Japanese martial arts historian,[3] actor, and co-author of The Toughest Man Who Ever Lived, a novel based on the life of Mitsuyo Maeda.
He is also the founder of Jūkkendo (柔拳道), a martial arts system based on the prize fighting methods of Mitsuyo Maeda.
Others also present at the training camp included future Olympic gold medalist Toyokazu Nomura and world champion Yoshio Sonoda [ja].
At the end of the tryouts, the All Japan Judo Federation selected Hiroshi Minatoya and Yoshimitsu Kono [ja] as the representatives.
[7] According to Dale Samuels, the former vice president of the USJA, the Ichiban Sports center was the "most advanced" training facility in the US at the time.