Yoshiaki Yamashita Photograph Album, ca.1904
General International Standard for Archival Description
Special Collections and University Archives, W.E.B. Du Bois Library, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Encoded Archival Description
Encoded Archival Description (EAD) Version 2002
collection
Yoshiaki Yamashita Photograph Album
Creation of Yoshiaki Yamashita Photograph Album
Time of Creation of Yoshiaki Yamashita Photograph Album
Yamashita, Yoshiaki
Biographical History for: Yoshiaki Yamashita Photograph Album
Historical Note Yoshiaki and Fude Yamashita, ca.1904 Seeking to strengthen his nine-year old son's "character," Samuel Hill, sought out a suitable man to provide instruction in an exotic art he had seen during a business trip to Japan: judo. A wealthy Seattle railroad executive, Hill had the contacts -- and funds -- to hire the best and in February 1903, Kazuyoshi Shibata, a Yale student and friend of a Japanese acquaintance, recommended Professor Yoshiaki (Yoshigutsu) Yamashita as the best man for the manly job. Born in Ishikawa Prefecture on Feb. 16, 1865, the son of a minor samurai, Yamashita had a basic grounding in the traditional martial arts before joining the new Kodokan dojo of Jigoro Kano, the founder of judo, in August 1884. Yamashita rose steadily, even rapidly, through the ranks, achieving his sixth degree black belt in 1898 and gaining wide respect for his technical mastery. By the turn of the century, his reputation earned him a position teaching judo at the Japanese Naval Academy and Tokyo Imperial University. Having long believed that making judo better known abroad would be good for Japan, Yamashita was an outstanding choice to spread the discipline in America, and he quickly responded to Hill's inquiry. Accepting the offer in August 1903, Yamashita sailed for Seattle the following month, bringing with him his wife, Fude, and a 19-year old assistant, Saburo Kawaguchi (or Kamaguchi). Barely a week after their arrival, the trio gave a private judo exhibition for Hill and prominent invited guests, which historian Joseph Svinth believes may have been the first Kodokan judo exhibition for a non-Japanese audience in North America. From Seattle, Yamashita and his party traveled across country by rail to Washington, D.C., where Hill's son, John Nathan Hill, was then living. Offering demonstrations and lessons through the Japanese Legation, Yamashita found an eager audience of students in the nation's capitol, and a surprisingly strong interest among the daughters of the nation's political and corporate elite. Among the many who took notice was the President, Theodore Roosevelt, who had a well-known passion for what he considered manly pursuits. Through the Japanese Naval Attaché, Isamu Takeshita, Yamashita was introduced to Roosevelt at the White House in 1904 and by the spring, he had Roosevelt adding judo to his regular fitness regimen. In January 1905, Yamashita left Washington to accept a position instructing midshipmen at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. At the same time, representatives of the Army visited Annapolis to investigate the potential of Japanese martial arts, but while these representatives were favorably impressed, the Academy opted instead to hire a wrestling champion to train the cadets, a man who preferred the traditional western sports of boxing and wrestling. From this point forward, Yamashita's American sojourn wound down. His contract with the Naval Academy was not renewed for the fall 1905, but after Roosevelt personally intervened, Superintendent James H. Sands agreed to rehire him for another year. At the end of this second term, however, Sands recommended that the judo program be discontinued as not essential to shipboard life. Yamashita returned to Japan in the fall 1906 and continued to teach judo until his death on October 26, 1935. He was posthumously awarded the 10th degree black belt, the first ever so honored.
Gift of Caroline Watson, December 2007.
Scope and Contents of the Collection The Yamashita photograph album consists of 53 silver developing out prints of Yamashita's tour of the United States in 1903-1905. Laid onto stiff cardboard pages in a canvas-bound album, the images appear to have been used as teaching aids or as promotional material for classes taught by Yamashita in Washington, D.C., during the early months of 1904. A small number of images show Yamashita, Yamashita's wife, Saburo Kawaguchi, and their students, but the majority are intended to depict particular judo holds and throws. Laid into the album are four documents: a list of judo exercises (2p.); Yamashita's address ("kindness of Lt. [Isamu] Takashita" of the Japanese Legation); a receipt in Japanese and English for payment by George de Geofroy, (presumably for judo lessons); and instructions for various judo throws (6p.). Yamashita's calling card is included in an envelope laid into the front of the album. Many of the images are numbered in the negative and appear to have been photographed in a rather elaborate setting.
The collection is open for research.
Svinth, Joseph R., "Professor Yamashita goes to Washington," Journal of Combative Sport (Oct. 2000)
Processed by rsc, February 2008.
Judo--Photographs.
lcsh
Yamashita, Yoshiaki, 1865-1935.
usmu
Yamashita, Fude.
Kawaguchi, Saburo.
aat
item
Mr Kamaguchi -- Mr. Kitagaki -- Prof. Yamashita -- Mrs. Yamashita
Creation of Mr Kamaguchi -- Mr. Kitagaki -- Prof. Yamashita -- Mrs. Yamashita
Time of Creation of Mr Kamaguchi -- Mr. Kitagaki -- Prof. Yamashita -- Mrs. Yamashita
Children's class: Margaret Perrin -- Miss A. Lee
Creation of Children's class: Margaret Perrin -- Miss A. Lee
Time of Creation of Children's class: Margaret Perrin -- Miss A. Lee
Nage no kata: Uki Otoshi
Creation of Nage no kata: Uki Otoshi
Time of Creation of Nage no kata: Uki Otoshi
Se oi Nage
Creation of Se oi Nage
Time of Creation of Se oi Nage
Sukui Nage
Creation of Sukui Nage
Time of Creation of Sukui Nage
Uki Goshi
Creation of Uki Goshi
Time of Creation of Uki Goshi
Harai goshi
Creation of Harai goshi
Time of Creation of Harai goshi
Tsurikomi goshi
Creation of Tsurikomi goshi
Time of Creation of Tsurikomi goshi
Uchi mata (rotation [arrow])
Creation of Uchi mata (rotation [arrow])
Time of Creation of Uchi mata (rotation [arrow])
Tomoe nage (a)
Creation of Tomoe nage (a)
Time of Creation of Tomoe nage (a)
Tomoe nage (b)
Creation of Tomoe nage (b)
Time of Creation of Tomoe nage (b)
Ura hage
Creation of Ura hage
Time of Creation of Ura hage
Tsuri otoshi
Creation of Tsuri otoshi
Time of Creation of Tsuri otoshi
Yoko gake [photo loose, laid into album]
Creation of Yoko gake [photo loose, laid into album]
Time of Creation of Yoko gake [photo loose, laid into album]
Yoko gake
Creation of Yoko gake
Time of Creation of Yoko gake
Yoko guruma
Creation of Yoko guruma
Time of Creation of Yoko guruma
Uki maza (a)
Creation of Uki maza (a)
Time of Creation of Uki maza (a)
Uki maza (b)
Creation of Uki maza (b)
Time of Creation of Uki maza (b)
Dai i kyo: Tai otoshi
Creation of Dai i kyo: Tai otoshi
Time of Creation of Dai i kyo: Tai otoshi
Osoto gari
Creation of Osoto gari
Time of Creation of Osoto gari
Da ashi harai
Creation of Da ashi harai
Time of Creation of Da ashi harai
Yoko otoshi
Creation of Yoko otoshi
Time of Creation of Yoko otoshi
Dai san kyo: Harai goshi
Creation of Dai san kyo: Harai goshi
Time of Creation of Dai san kyo: Harai goshi
Dai shi kyo: Kata guruma
Creation of Dai shi kyo: Kata guruma
Time of Creation of Dai shi kyo: Kata guruma
Dai roku kyo: Giyaku maki komi (a)
Creation of Dai roku kyo: Giyaku maki komi (a)
Time of Creation of Dai roku kyo: Giyaku maki komi (a)
Giyaku maki komi (b)
Creation of Giyaku maki komi (b)
Time of Creation of Giyaku maki komi (b)
Dai hi kyo: O goshi
Creation of Dai hi kyo: O goshi
Time of Creation of Dai hi kyo: O goshi
Sumi gaeshi
Creation of Sumi gaeshi
Time of Creation of Sumi gaeshi
Dai san kyo: Obi otoshi
Creation of Dai san kyo: Obi otoshi
Time of Creation of Dai san kyo: Obi otoshi
Dai shi kyo: Utsuri goshi
Creation of Dai shi kyo: Utsuri goshi
Time of Creation of Dai shi kyo: Utsuri goshi
Tawara gaeshi
Creation of Tawara gaeshi
Time of Creation of Tawara gaeshi
Dai go kyo: Uchi maki komi
Creation of Dai go kyo: Uchi maki komi
Time of Creation of Dai go kyo: Uchi maki komi
Se oi otoshi
Creation of Se oi otoshi
Time of Creation of Se oi otoshi
Osoto guruma
Creation of Osoto guruma
Time of Creation of Osoto guruma
Dai raku kyo: kube nage (a)
Creation of Dai raku kyo: kube nage (a)
Time of Creation of Dai raku kyo: kube nage (a)
Kube nage (b)
Creation of Kube nage (b)
Time of Creation of Kube nage (b)
Hiza guruma
Creation of Hiza guruma
Time of Creation of Hiza guruma
Kueki raoshi (a)
Creation of Kueki raoshi (a)
Time of Creation of Kueki raoshi (a)
Kuyeki raoshi (b)
Creation of Kuyeki raoshi (b)
Time of Creation of Kuyeki raoshi (b)
Uchi konei (a)
Creation of Uchi konei (a)
Time of Creation of Uchi konei (a)
[Uchi konei] (b)
Creation of [Uchi konei] (b)
Time of Creation of [Uchi konei] (b)
Tsuki komi (a)
Creation of Tsuki komi (a)
Time of Creation of Tsuki komi (a)
(same)
Creation of (same)
Time of Creation of (same)
Ke komi
Creation of Ke komi
Time of Creation of Ke komi
Yoko uchi
Creation of Yoko uchi
Time of Creation of Yoko uchi
[unidentified throw]
Creation of [unidentified throw]
Time of Creation of [unidentified throw]
[unidentified kick]
Creation of [unidentified kick]
Time of Creation of [unidentified kick]
[Prof. Yamashita, Mrs. Yamashita, unidentified American]
Creation of [Prof. Yamashita, Mrs. Yamashita, unidentified American]
Time of Creation of [Prof. Yamashita, Mrs. Yamashita, unidentified American]
[Prof. Yamashita seated between unidentified Americans]
Creation of [Prof. Yamashita seated between unidentified Americans]
Time of Creation of [Prof. Yamashita seated between unidentified Americans]
Receipt for $50 to Yoshiaki Yamashita
Creation of Receipt for $50 to Yoshiaki Yamashita
Time of Creation of Receipt for $50 to Yoshiaki Yamashita
Geofroy, George de
In Japanese and English, signed "Received payment, Prof. Y. Yamashita."
Address in Washington, D.C.
Creation of Address in Washington, D.C.
Time of Creation of Address in Washington, D.C.
In English, listed as c/o Japanese Legation and "kindness of Lt. Takashita" and "Jiu dow in London, Ukio Tani, co. Jap. Embassy."
Instructions on judo throws
Creation of Instructions on judo throws
Time of Creation of Instructions on judo throws
Yamashita, Yoshiaki (?)
In English, includes detailed information on how to perform throws, parrys and counters.
List of judo holds and throws
Creation of List of judo holds and throws
Time of Creation of List of judo holds and throws
In English, organized by kata and roughly equivalent to the images in the album.