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

jujutsu Jujutsu ( , or ), also known as jiu-jitsu and ju-jitsu (both ), is a Japanese martial art and a system of close combat that can be used in a defensive or offensive manner to kill or subdue one or more weaponless or armed and armored opponent ...

fighter, instructor, catch wrestler and author. Protege of the legendary ground-fighter Mataemon “Newaza” Tanabe, he is credited with helping establish jujutsu 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 Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

and the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

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 years ...

, 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 city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

. 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 most popular from the early Victorian era, beginning around 1850, through the World War I, Great War. It faded away after 1918 as the halls rebranded their entertainment as Varie ...

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 Tani's early jujutsu training in Japan were heavily ...

. 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 naturalized as Otávio Maeda (),Virgílio, p. 9 was a Japanese people, Japanese-born judo, ''judōka'' and prizefighter in no holds barred competitions. He was known as Count Combat or ''Conde Koma'' in Spanish and Portuguese, a nickname he pi ...

- 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, often shortened to either pro wrestling or wrestling,The term "wrestling" is most often widely used to specifically refer to modern scripted professional wrestling, though it is also used to refer to real-life wrest ...

and

catch wrestling Catch wrestling (also known as catch-as-catch-can) is an English wrestling style where wrestlers aim to win by Pin (sport wrestling), pinning or Submission (combat sports), submitting their opponent using any legal holds or techniques. It emph ...

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. He was a World Light Heavyweight Champio ...

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 ...

, 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, often shortened to either pro wrestling or wrestling,The term "wrestling" is most often widely used to specifically refer to modern scripted professional wrestling, though it is also used to refer to Real life, real- ...

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 Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh and Eighth Avenue (Manhattan), Eig ...

. He died in 1935.

Career highlights

*Lost to

in Seattle, WA on October 20, 1917 (KO from Half nelson 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 (; January 2, 1894 – August 19, 1975), better known as "The Golden Greek" Jim Londos ( Greek: Τζιμ Λόντος), was a Greek American professional wrestler. Londos was one of the most popular stars on the professional ...

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 tim ...

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