Invisible Cartography

Keiko Fukuda Shihan passed away yesterday at the age of 99. She was the last surviving student of the founder of judo, Jigoro Kano, and the highest ranking female judoka in history. She was promoted to 10th dan (degree) black belt just last year, a rank that at the time was held only by 3 other people, all men living in Japan. Fukuda Shihan left her homeland and refused marriage to achieve her dreams of training in judo, constantly battling gender discrimination which kept her from being promoted as quickly as men less skilled than her. “As far as I know, no one has lived their life completely for judo as I have.”