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Dale
31st March 2006, 02:44
Hello all,
I am looking for any information on Higashi Katsukuma, specifically his life and training history.

As far as I have found there is not much written on this man.

Also any information on who was actually present at the Kyoto Judo Conference of 1906 would be appreciated. There is some conflicting information out there that I am trying to sort through.


Respectfully,
Dale Elsdon

Joseph Svinth
31st March 2006, 03:36
Online, EJMAS has as much as anybody, and that isn't saying much.

See http://ejmas.com/jcs/jcsart_edgren1_0300.htm and http://ejmas.com/jcs/jcsart_leonard_0802.htm

There is also some material about the Higashi-Bothner bout on The New York Times website, http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/nytimes/advancedsearch.html .

Unfortunately, none of this tells us much about where Higashi came from, who he trained with, or stuff like that.

In his book, though, Hancock writes: "Mr. Higashi has modestly understated my reasons for wishing to have his aid in the preparation of this volume. I desired to have him collaborate with me because he is one of the leading exponents of Kano jiu-jitsu. At the age of eighteen he was instructor in jiu-jitsu at Doshisha College, Kioto, Japan. He also coached the students in baseball, football and other sports, and was besides instructor in mathematics."

Doshisha still exists. So, does anybody have connections in Japan? If so, check the alumni association and University archives.

***

BTW, in case you were wondering about that NY Times site, the following are examples of what you can find.

JIU JITSU TOO MUCH FOR M'ADOO'S ATHLETES; Ajax, the Bicycle Policeman, Was Contemptuous at First. HIGASHI CHANGED HIS IDEAS Little Japanese Wrestler Threw Policeman Kammer Easily After Telling Him How 'Twas Done.
New York Times (1857-Current file). New York, N.Y.: Dec 23, 1904. pg. 9, 1 pgs

Higashi, a Japanese who weighs just 120 pounds and is only 5 feet 3 inches in height, appeared at Police Headquarters yesterday, at the request of Commissioner McAdoo, to show the police the value of the wiles and tricks of jiu-jitsu, or Japanese wrestling. Two of the policemen Higashi met were "Ajax" Whitman, the bicycle policeman. who weighs 200 pounds, and Charles Kammer, who stands ...

JIU-JITSU DEFENDED.; Higashi Says Tricky Methods Were Used In Match with Bothner.
New York Times (1857-Current file). New York, N.Y.: Apr 8, 1905. pg. 10, 1 pgs

Higashi, the Japanese jiu-jitsu wrestler, who was thrown three times by George Bothner in the match on Thursday night in Grand Central Palace, yesterday issued a long statement. In it he contends that he was unfairly treated in respect to a non-observance of the rules that had been agreed upon a well as in the decisions made by the referee and Bothner's judge. Higashi says...

JIU-JITSU.; H. Irving Hancock's Informing Book on the Japanese Science.
New York Times (1857-Current file). New York, N.Y.: Sep 2, 1905. pg. BR571, 1 pgs

THIS book is to be studied more by its pictures than by its text. The authors, one an American who has studied and practiced jiu-jitsu in Japan and the other a native of that country and once an instructor of the art in Doshisha College, Kioto, have prepared a series of 500 illustrations, showing with great clearness nearly every detail in that branch of physical ...

BOTHNER ENDS HIS WRESTLING CAREER; Victory Over Miyake His Last Bout; - Defeated Many Champions.
New York Times (1857-Current file). New York, N.Y.: Dec 16, 1914. pg. 13, 1 pgs

George Bothner has retired. These four words mark the end of the competitive career of one of the greatest exponents of scientific wrestling. Unlike many who never know when the tide is setting in against them, until defeat has cut its scar on the records, Bothner retires when he is still at the top flushed with a final taste of victory.

See also:

MIDDIES TO LEARN JUDO.; Prof. Yamashita of Japan Engaged for the Naval Academy.
Special to The New York Times.. New York Times (1857-Current file). New York, N.Y.: Jan 2, 1905. pg. 1, 1 pgs

and

CADETS DOWN THE "JAP."; Exponent of Jiu-Jitsu Thrown by West Point Athletes.
Special to The New York Times.. New York Times (1857-Current file). New York, N.Y.: Feb 21, 1905. pg. 5, 1 pgs

Abstract (Document Summary)

WEST POINT, N.Y., Feb. 20. -- In the gymnasium here to-day the art of Judo had a practical demonstration before the cadet corps and Academic Board. The board is considering the advisability of adding the Japanese method to the academy curriculum. Prof. Tomet, Japan's most famous exponent of the art, and director in the school at Tokio, with his assistant, came to the academy through ...

***

BTW, Prof. Tomet is Tomita, and his assistant was Maeda.

***

JIU JITSU AT ANNAPOLIS.; Yamashita, Instructor of the New System, Arrives at the Academy.
Special to The New York Times.. New York Times (1857-Current file). New York, N.Y.: Dec 29, 1904. pg. 8, 1 pgs

IU-JITSU.
New York Times (1857-Current file). New York, N.Y.: Mar 12, 1905. pg. 8, 1 pgs

The pretensions of jiu-jitsu received a rude shock the other day when a West Point football champion walked off with the operator of the Japanese formula under his arm kicking and clawing like a newly captured Cebu monkey. The incident deprived the Oriental practice of a Congressional appropriation to provide for instruction in it of our budding men-at-arms.

SHOWS NEW ART OF JUDO.; Originator Demonstrates Attack and Defense Method at N.Y.A.C.
New York Times (1857-Current file). New York, N.Y.: Dec 24, 1920. pg. 16, 1 pgs

And so on. For best results, use different keywords during your search, otherwise you may miss some gems.

Dale
31st March 2006, 04:23
Thank you Joe,
As you said, although interesting, these sources do not give much information regarding the mans background.

The information on his affiliation with Doshisha University is very interesting. Perhaps, if he ever taught Jujitsu there, there maybe something written confirming what type of Jujitsu he actually practiced.

It has been said that he may have been a Tsutsumi Hozan Ryu exponent. I am looking for any information to either confirm or reject that.


Respectfully,
Dale Elsdon