Mitsuyo Maeda Life (Birth – Death)

Mitsuyo Maeda (1878–1941), also known as Count Combat or Conde Koma, is considered the father of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ). In 1914, he arrived in Brazil and taught Jiu-Jitsu to the Gracie family, who later helped spread the art worldwide. Today, millions of people know and practice Jiu-Jitsu.

This article will explore Mitsuyo Maeda’s life from birth to death, with all information sourced accurately from reliable platforms like Wikipedia and other trustworthy websites. By the end of this article, you will have a complete knowledge of Maeda’s life and contributions.

1. Birth and Early Life (1878 – 1886)

Mitsuyo Maeda was born on November 18, 1878, in Funazawa Village, Hirosaki City, Aomori Prefecture, Japan. His family belonged to the samurai class, and his father was a sumo wrestler. Due to the cold climate, many people moved to Tokyo, but Maeda lived in Funazawa until he was eight years old. 

In 1886, he moved to Tokyo with his family. As a teenager, he was nicknamed the ‘Sumo Kid’ because he trained in sumo wrestling with his father.

2. School and University Life (1894 – 1901)

Maeda attended Hirokou School, later called Kenritsu Itiu High School. In 1894, at the age of seventeen, he enrolled at Waseda University in Tokyo, where he first learned about traditional Jiu-Jitsu techniques.

In 1895 (some sources say 1897), he joined the Kodokan Judo Institute, founded by Jigoro Kano. Due to his short stature, Kano assigned him to train with judo teacher Tsunejiro Tomita. Maeda quickly became known as a top judo fighter.

His school held judo competitions. He trained hard, participated in the competition, and easily won against five opponents. At this time, he earned a purple belt from Jigoro Kano. Check out the BJJ Ranking System which is similar to Judo.

In 1896, he earned his black belt due to his dedication and skill. By 1901, Maeda was a top judo champion at Waseda University and Gakushuin University. He was part of the second generation of Kodokan judoka and held the rank of 3rd dan. His friend, Soishiro Satake, was also part of this group.

3. Spreading Judo Worldwide (1904 – 1914)

In 1904, Maeda and other top students of Jigoro Kano were tasked with spreading judo worldwide. They travelled with their master, Tsunejiro Tomita. Maeda visited countries like the US, England, Spain, and Brazil. In the US, he continued the work of Yamashita, who had taught judo to prominent Americans, including President Theodore Roosevelt.

Maeda, Tomita, and Satake arrived in New York on December 8, 1904, to promote judo. In April 1905, Tomita and Maeda started a judo club in New York. In 1908, Maeda visited Spain with Sadakazu Uyenishi, a Japanese judo expert, where he earned the name “Conde Koma” because of his 2000+ matches that he fought and later went to Paris to meet his friend Akitaro Ono. On December 14, 1908, he traveled to Havana, Cuba, for a wrestling show, which became very popular.

In July 1909, he visited Mexico and issued a challenge: anyone who could throw him down would receive 500 pesos. On November 16, 1909, he lost a fight to Nobu Taka but later won a rematch, becoming the champion. In 1911, Maeda and his friends, including Satake, Ono, and Tokugoro Ito, were called the “Four Kings of Cuba” for their popularity.

3. Maeda’s Influence on the Gracie Family (1914)

In 1914, Maeda arrived in Brazil and met Gastao Gracie, a Scottish businessman, and politician, in Belém do Pará. Maeda taught traditional Japanese Jiu-Jitsu to Gastao’s son, Carlos Gracie, and another student, Luis Franca. This teaching marked the transformation of Japanese Jiu-Jitsu into Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ). For more details, check out Types of Jiu-Jitsu.

The Gracie family later promoted it in other countries like the USA, making it popular worldwide. In 1993, Royce Gracie, the son of Helio Gracie and nephew of Carlos Gracie, won the first UFC, further popularizing BJJ and this is all because of Maeda.

4. Maeda’s Judo and Jiu-Jitsu School in Brazil (1921)

In 1921, Maeda established his first official academy in Belém, Brazil, called the ‘Academia de Jiu-Jitsu.’ This school marked the beginning of BJJ’s growth in Brazil. In 1925, he moved to São Paulo, continuing to teach and promote judo and jiu-jitsu.

5. Becoming a Brazilian Citizen (1930s)

6. Death of Mitsuyo Maeda (1941)

Unfortunately, on November 28, 1941, Mitsuyo Maeda died in Belém, Brazil. At that time, he held a 7th dan black belt in Judo from the Kodokan Institute in Japan. He taught many people Jiu-Jitsu and Judo, and today millions of people practice these martial arts. This is thanks to Maeda, who popularized them around the world.

7. Books of Mitsuyo Maeda 

These are the Two books that have been written about Maeda and his contributions to martial arts, along with a brief overview of the books. While Maeda himself did not author any books:

1. “The Toughest Man Who Ever Lived” by John Stevens

This book details the life and adventures of Mitsuyo Maeda, highlighting his martial arts journey and his influence on the development of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Key Points:

• Maeda’s early life in Japan and his training in Judo.
• Explores his travels around the world, participating in various martial arts challenges.
• Describes his settlement in Brazil and his role in teaching Carlos Gracie, which eventually led to the creation of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

2. “Choque: The Untold Story of Jiu-Jitsu in Brazil 1856-1949” by Roberto Pedreira

This comprehensive history of Jiu-Jitsu in Brazil provides a thorough account of Mitsuyo Maeda’s life and his contributions to the martial art.

Key Points:

• Details the early history of Jiu-Jitsu in Brazil.
• Explores Maeda’s life, including his travels and challenges.
• Highlights Maeda’s role in establishing the foundations of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

8. Mitsuyo Maeda Quotes

• If my opponent attacks me with all his strength, I will certainly be taken down, even though I’m also employing all my vigor.
• Slow is smooth smooth is fast.
• True strength is not about hurting others, but about protecting and helping people.
• Success comes from hard work and never giving up, no matter how hard things get.
• Martial arts is not just about fighting. It’s about learning discipline and respect for others.
• To become great, you must practice every day, even when it’s difficult.
• Learning martial arts is not about defeating others, but about overcoming your own limitations.

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Short Overview of the article:

• In 1878, Mitsuyo Maeda was born. 
• 1894: Moved to Tokyo and began judo training at the Kodokan under Jigoro Kano.
• 1896: Earned his black belt in judo.
• 1904: Moved to the USA to spread judo.
• 1904-1905: Traveled to many countries to spread judo and jiu-jitsu.
• 1908: Visited Spain, earning the nickname “Conde Koma” (Count Combat).
• 1909: Issued a fighting challenge in Mexico.
• 1914: Settled in Belém do Pará, Brazil, and taught judo and jiu-jitsu to the Gracie family other Brazilians
• 1921: Opened his first judo academy in Brazil.
• 1925: Moved to São Paulo to continue spreading judo and jiu-jitsu.
• 1930s: Became a Brazilian citizen and adopted the name Otávio Maeda and his students, were winning martial arts competitions 
• 1940: Stopped teaching martial arts due to health issues.
• 1941: Passed away in Belém, Brazil.
• After that, we discussed two books about Maeda and included Maeda’s quotes in the article.

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