was a Japanese
martial artist
Martial arts are codified systems and traditions of combat practiced for a number of reasons such as self-defense; military and law enforcement applications; competition; physical, mental, and spiritual development; entertainment; and the preserv ...
. He was a member of the 1932 Japanese Olympic wrestling team.
He was one of the highest-ranked ''
judoka
is an unarmed modern Japanese martial art, Olympic sport (since 1964), and the most prominent form of jacket wrestling competed internationally.『日本大百科全書』電子版【柔道】(CD-ROM version of Encyclopedia Nipponica, "Judo"). ...
'', and was awarded a 10th dan in April 1984 by the
Kodokan
The , or ''Kōdōkan'' (講道館), is the headquarters of the worldwide judo community. The ''kōdōkan'' was founded in 1882 by Kanō Jigorō, the founder of judo, and is now an eight-story building in Tokyo. Etymology
Literally, ''kō'' ( ...
. He was for a long time the oldest 10th dan until
Ichiro Abe
was a Japanese judoka. He was head of the Promotions Panel at the Kodokan and former international chairperson of the All Nippon Judo Federation. He was one of only fifteen judoka to have attained Kodokan 10th dan rank, having been promoted at ...
was awarded the rank age of 83 years. Kotani studied at the Tokyo College of Education and studied judo directly under
Jigoro Kano. As a young man, he was known to take on any challenges. Kotani was very active in promoting judo throughout the world and was the director of the international division at the Kodokan for many years. He was also a professor at
Tokai University
is a private non-sectarian higher education institution located in Tokyo, Japan. It was founded by Dr. Shigeyoshi Matsumae.
It was accredited under Japan's old educational system in 1946 and under the new system in 1950. In 2008, Tokai Un ...
. He was the Kodokan's top representative and vice president of the All Japan Judo Federation. He died on October 19, 1991.
References
External links
*
judoinfo.comProfiles of Kodokan 10th Dan Holders
Japanese male sport wrestlers
1903 births
1991 deaths
Olympic wrestlers of Japan
Wrestlers at the 1932 Summer Olympics
Tokai University faculty
Kodokan 10th dans
20th-century Japanese people
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