Taro Miyake (''Miyake Taruji'') (c. 1881–1935)Green, Thomas A. and Joseph R. Svinth, eds. ''Martial Arts of the World: An Encyclopedia of History and Innovation. Vol. 2. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO, 2010. (pg. 446) was a professional Japanese jujitsu fighter, instructor, catch wrestler and author. Protege of the legendary ground-fighter Mateomon “Newaza” Tanabe, he is credited with helping establish jujitsu and MMA in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

and the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

at the start of the 20th century.Green, Thomas A. and Joseph R. Svinth, eds. ''Martial Arts in the Modern World''. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2003. (pg. 64)

Biography

Miyake started his training under the famous Fusen-ryu jujutsu master

Mataemon Tanabe was a Japanese jujutsu practitioner and master of the Fusen-ryū school. He became famous for defeating multiple members of the Kodokan in challenge matches, and came to be considered one of the greatest modern jujutsuka. Biography Early yea ...

, as well as Osaka master Yataro Handa, head of the 2000+ member Seibukan which had a very close connection to Tanabe’s ground fighting newaza. In 1899 Miyake started working as a teacher in Nara, and two years later he was appointed police instructor in Kobe. However, in 1904 he was fired for taking part in a brawl, so Miyake departed Japan for

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

. upon recruitment by fellow Seibukan student Sadakazu Uyenishi. Miyake toured through spectacles and

music hall Music hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment that was popular from the early Victorian era, beginning around 1850. It faded away after 1918 as the halls rebranded their entertainment as variety. Perceptions of a distinction in Bri ...

s, defeating many of the best wrestlers of the time and engaging in open all-comers challenge matches. He also famously defeated the reigning champion in the jujutsu style,

Yukio Tani was a pioneering Japanese jujutsu and judo instructor and professional challenge wrestler, notable for being one of the first jujutsu stylists to teach and compete outside of Japan. Biography The precise details of Tani's early jujutsu trainin ...

. Miyake and Tani had joined forces, opening a jujutsu school on Oxford street and co-authoring a book with Tani titled "The Game of Ju-Jitsu". He was widely considered the best exponent of Jiu-Jitsu in Europe at the time and participated in MMA style matches against boxers in France where laws allowed such bouts to take place. He also toured the UK with

Mitsuyo Maeda ,Virgílio, pp. 22–25 a Brazilian naturalized as Otávio Maeda (),Virgílio, p. 9 was a Japanese ''judōka'' (judo practitioner) and prizefighter in no holds barred competitions, also being one of the first documented mixed martial artists of t ...

- who had just begun taking an interest in newaza upon his arrival in London in order to compete with catch wrestlers (Maeda would later bring this art to Brazil). In London, he sat for the well-known English artist and lithographer Albert de Belleroche. In 1914, he reached United States and stayed there for 20 years, settling down in Seattle, where he set his school. On October 20, 1917, Miyake had a famous challenge match against

professional wrestler Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring or ...

and

catch wrestling Catch wrestling (originally catch-as-catch-can) is a classical hybrid grappling style and combat sport. It was developed by J. G. Chambers in Britain . It was popularised by wrestlers of travelling funfairs who developed their own submission h ...

practitioner

Ad Santel Adolph Ernst (April 7, 1887 – November 10, 1966), better known for his ring name Ad Santel, was a German-American professional wrestler, considered one of the greatest practitioners of catch wrestling ever. He is also considered to be one of th ...

who himself studied some judo. Miyake was used to winning. This time, while Miyake fought bravely, he lost the match after receiving a half Nelson slam that was so powerful that Miyake remained dizzy for half an hour after the bout.John Stevens, ''The Way of Judo: A Portrait of Jigoro Kano and his Students'' Now even more interested in professional wrestling than he was while in Europe, Miyake started working at Ed "The Strangler" Lewis's wrestling promotion, learning the art and having matches against names like

Toots Mondt Joseph Raymond "Toots" Mondt (January 18, 1894 – June 11, 1976) was an American professional wrestler and promoter who revolutionized the wrestling industry in the early to mid-1920s and co-promoted the World Wide Wrestling Federation. Some of ...

, Clarence Eklund and some others. During the early 20s, Miyake lived in Spokane Washington. In 1928 Miyake returned to Japan and toured there with three other wrestlers, but

professional wrestling Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring o ...

was not popular in Japan back then and the shows did not sell tickets. He returned to United States along with Danzan-ryu trainee Oki Shikina, who became his apprentice. In 1925 Miyake moved to Chicago and while not on tour, would teach alongside Kodokan Judoka Shozo Kuwashima at 22 E Huron street. In 1931 Miyake moved to New York. As of 1932, in his 50s, he was still competing in bouts at

Madison Square Garden Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as The Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh and Eighth avenues from 31st to 33rd Street, above Pennsylva ...

. He died in 1935.

Career highlights

*Lost to

in Seattle, WA on October 20, 1917 (KO from

Half nelson A nelson hold is a grappling hold which is executed by one person from behind the opponent, generally when both are on the mat face down with the opponent under the aggressor. One or both arms are used to encircle the opponent's arm under the armpi ...

slam) *Won over John Berg in Spokane, WA on March 15, 1918 *Lost to Canadian Jack Taylor in Vancouver, BC on January 23, 1919 *Lost to

Jim Londos Christos Theofilou ( el, Χρήστος Θεοφίλου; January 2, 1894 – August 19, 1975), better known as "The Golden Greek" Jim Londos (Greek: Τζίμ Λόντος), was a Greek American professional wrestler. Londos was one of the most p ...

on April 8, 1920 *Lost to Canadian Jack Taylor in Casper, WY in April 1921 *Lost to Ed "Strangler" Lewis" in Chicago, IL on December 31, 1923 *Won over Fred Bilger in St. Louis MO on February 19, 1924 *Lost to Oresti Vadalfi in St. Louis MO December 4, 1924 *Won over

Bull Montana Lewis Montagna (born Luigi Montagna; May 16, 1887 – January 24, 1950), better known as Bull Montana, was an Italian-American professional wrestler, boxer and actor. Biography Born in Voghera, Italy, into a poor country family — and at a ti ...

in Columbus, OH on March 2, 1927 *Won over Ray Carpenter in Columbus, OH on March 9, 1927 *Won over Jack Kogut in Columbus, OH on March 16, 1927 *Lost to Ray Carpenter in Columbus, OH on March 23, 1927 *Lost to Jim Londos in Brooklyn, NY on March 11, 1931 *Lost to Jim Londos in Louisville, KY on May 16, 1931 *Lost to ”Tiger” Nelson in Washington DC May 28, 1931

Footnotes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Miyake, Taro 1881 births 1935 deaths Japanese jujutsuka Japanese male judoka Japanese male professional wrestlers People associated with physical culture