‘Judo missionary’ spreads gospel in Bali

After four decades traveling in some 20 countries to spread the gospel of judo, Tsuneo Sengoku is not about to let a minor inconvenience like a global pandemic slow him down.

The 75-year-old “judo missionary” has coached some 100,000 people in the martial art since embarking on a tour through Asia, Africa, Europe and North America in the late 1970s.

“I’m just an ordinary old man without judo,” said a smiling Sengoku, who was decorated by Japan in 2016 for his commitment to promoting the sport overseas, which he says is his reason for living.

The former policeman moved to Bali in 2007 to train local people, mainly school students, free of charge on “the final leg” of his global mission to teach judo.

Sporting the white-and-red belt that marks him out as a high-ranking expert, Sengoku was coaching four days a week at his dojo, where Japanese body-armor adorned with the national flags of Japan and Indonesia is on display.

Like the rest of the sporting world, Sengoku has been sidelined by the coronavirus pandemic and was forced to close his dojo where more than 50 locals used to train.

But the thought of giving up his mission has never crossed his mind—indeed it has hardened his resolve.

Motivation

“I won’t quit teaching. On the contrary, because of the coronavirus, my motivation to train children has grown,” he said.

“I will never let the coronavirus break my dream that I spent my life on. I want to share the wonderful world of judo with more and more people.”

The coronavirus-wracked world could learn a lot from judo, Sengoku believes.

“Now I want to tell my students about the importance of patience, which is actually part of the philosophy of judo,” he added.

Sengoku also said judo requires compassion for other people, known as “jita-kyoei,” or mutual prosperity for oneself and others, which is one of the main teachings of judo founder Jigoro Kano.

“It’s time to exercise grand master Kano’s spirit of jita-kyoei,” he said. “I want to call on people to hang on and work together.”