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Women in Jujitsu
by
Sensei St. Hilaire

The percentage of women in Jujitsu is relatively small. In most Jujitsu dojo, both traditional and modern, there are often only a couple of women if any. This is due to several factors. First, the martial arts are still traditionally seen as a male endeavor. Second, Jujitsu in particular requires close contact, and is significantly more "physical" in nature than most other martial arts. Thus, even though a few women may start training at a Jujitsu dojo, it is often unlikely that they will continue.

Throughout history, those who did "make it", were an enigma. They stood out. They were special in some way - succeeding in a male dominated field, and a warrior field. You may say, that is old fashioned thinking, but the modern militaries still do not let women into combat as a foot soldier.

So as a motivation to you women Jujitsuka out there, in our style or any other style - take a look at some of the women who have hung in there. There are many many more I am sure, but these reflect some of those many who have the drive and determination to not only succeed in Jujitsu, but to survive!

Japanese woodblock print. The print features women performing jujutsu.

"jiu-jitsu, if followed in all its details, will make a weak woman stronger, and will make of any reasonably strong women one who is the physical peer of any man of her own size. The day has gone by when women prize weakness as a dainty attribute of their sex, and the science of jiu-jitsu points out the path for the new physical woman to pursue. BE STRONG ! There is neither grace nor beauty in weakness." (H.Irving Hancock from the 'Introduction' to Physical Training for Women by Japanese Methods (Jiu-Jitsu), New York and London, G.P.Putnam's Sons, 1904, pages xi-xii)

Emily Watts started learning Jujitsu in 1903. Her sensei was Sadakazu Uyenishi, who had a dojo in Soho London. After three years she had her own class at Prince's Skating Rink, in Knightbridge. Watts was not the only British woman doing Jujitsu. And, in 1907, Marie Studholme studied Jujitsu with Yukio Tani

In 1918 Gunji Koizumi opened a dojo called the Budokwai in London. Member number 60 was Katherine White-Cooper. In 1919 Katherine was joined by another woman and by 1920 there were 25 women. Four of these women received their black belt. They were Eva Anderson, Beatrice Woolhouse, A.H. Barker,and Enid Russell-Smith.

Left to right: Unidentified, Kitabatake (Berlin), Ishiguro (Paris), Yukio Tani (Budokwai), Gunji Koizumi (Budokwai), Beatrice Woolhouse (Budokwai). The occasion was a contest between a German team and a British team held in London in 1938. Photo courtesy the Budokwai.

The first woman to get a dan grade in Japan was Sarah Mayer, who received it from the Kyoto Butokukai in February 1935.

In 1924, Danzan-Ryu Jujitsu founder Seishiro Okazaki taught a women's self defense class at Hilo High School and in 1929 published a book called The Science of Self-defense for Girls & Women.

The Hawaiian YWCA taugh Judo to a Miss Harrison, Floy Robinson, Kennette Griffith, Myrtle Nelson, Emma Cawdry, and Elva Class. Early Hawaiian female black belts included Shizuko Murasaki, Matsue Honda, and Yasue Kuniwake.

Although there were martial arts such as Naginata-jutsu that accepted woman, the difficult physical training in Jujitsu for women was not started in Japan until the beginning of the 20th century. Here we see a Japanese woman performing Waki Gatame as a knife disarm in Japan in the early 20th century.

In 1926 the Kodokan started the first women's section. The first woman to earn dan grade in Judo was Katsuko Osaki in January 1933. Other early female blackbelts were Masako Noritomi, Ayako Akutagawa, Yasuko Morioka, Masako Wada, and the famous Keiko Fukuda.

Ayako Akutagawa, 2-dan, circa 1936. Photo courtesy Shinji Kozu.

Ruth Gardner,Judo Blackbelt - circa 1948. Photo courtesy of Robert W. Smith.

By the mid 20th century there were perhaps a few hundred women worldwide who practiced Judo and Jujitsu. However, in the Judo tradition, few participated in Randori, only kata. In Jujitsu however, the self defense aspects were emphasized, and the percentage of women Jujitsuka was smaller than the female Judokas.

Esther Azumi Takamoto - Performing Danzan-Ryu Jujitsu
1940's

Bernice Jay (second from left) receives her second degree Jujitsu blackbelt in 1949 at the Okazaki Dojo.

Bernice Jay

Bernice Jay, wife of Wally Jay, began her Jujitsu study in 1944. She studied with her husband Wally, a student of Sieshiro Okazaki, and also other senior Okazaki students such as Tony Gonzales, Moon Watanabe, Jerry Tarutani, and Wallace Takabayashi. She received her Shodan in 1947 and her Nidan in 1949. She did receive her third dan blackbelt after Okazaki died.

Professor Louise Imi Okazaki Mullins is the youngest daughter of Seishiro Okazaki. As most children of Jujitsu sensei, she started training at home along with her sisters Betty and Myrtle. Their father taught them jujitsu and Amma with him as either the uke or the massage patient. In 1994, Professor Mullins was promoted to Godan and Professor by Shoshin Ryu, an offshoot school of Danzan-Ryu.

Julie Vierra is awarded a Mokuroku (Blackbelt) from Prof. Okazaki.

Sensei Barbara Gessner is the Chief Instructor at the Rutgers Kodenkan in Rutgers, NJ. She holds the rank of Godan, 5th degree black belt from the AJJF.

Sensei Denise Gonzales began her Jujitsu training under Prof. Wally Jay in 1965. She received her blackbelt in 1976. She currently holds a 3rd Degree (Sandan) in Jujitsu. She recently won the Gold Medal in the Senior Masters division at the 1998 Judo Nationals in Chicago. She is also active in Brazillian Jiu-Jitsu competition. She practices Okazaki Amma, and teaches at the Konjokan Dojo in Sacramento, CA.

Sensei Karen Panker is the Chief Instructor at the Virginia Kodenkan. She is currently a Nidan. She is also a 1st degree Blackbelt in IchoYama-Ryu Aiki Jujutsu.

Tammy Webb started training under professor Sig Kufferath in 1984 She was awarded blackbelt in 1998, scoring one of the highest if not the highest on a black belt test in the last 15 years at Kufferath's school. She performed all techniques from Yawara, Nage, Shime, Oku, Kiai No Maki, Shinnin No Maki. She also was required to perform punch and kick defenses and a three man attack at the end of the test. In this test she was attacked continuously by three men until told to stop.

Keiko Fukuda

Jujitsu master Fukuda Keiko (7th dan), granddaughter of the famous Jujitsu master Fukuda Hachinosuke.

Dara Masi

She is the Head Instructor of the Suigetsu Dojo. She received her Shodan (1st degree black belt) in Jujitsu in 1993, and her 3rd dan blackbelt in 1998. She has studied JuJutsu with many prominent masters both in the United States and Japan. Her main focus is Hakkoryu JuJutsu and she is a student of Sensei Dennis Palumbo.

Lucille Estes

Professor Lukie Estes, wife of Bud Estes, an early pioneer of Jujitsu in America, taught Kodenkan Jujitsu for over 40 years. She began in the 1940's and was promoted to 6th degree blackbelt (Rokudan) in 1982. She died on September 28, 1982.

A page from an early advertisement for Jujitsu, circa 1920's. The meaning is clear, Jujitsu is made for those weaker to use technique to defeat those stronger.

Jujitsu Women in History

Prof. Jane Carr is a 7th Dan in Jujutsu. She began training in 1960. She is an Okazaki massage therapist and also Headmaster of the Redding Jujitsu school. She received her Shichidan (7th degree) and professorship in 1982 and is one of the highest ranking Jujitsu women in the world.

So, in conclusion, I hope this glimpse of those who went before you motivates you, and lets you know that it can be done, it should be done, and it will be done. Jujitsu is hard but it sets you apart, and puts you into a very elite group of intelligent, strong willed, and successful women.

Photo courtesy of G. Arrington