In December I went with my wife, Aida, to Japan. In the meantime it has become a “tradition” to spend Christmas and new Year in the Home of Judo.
After a short stop in Hamamatsu, we took the fastest train in the world, the Shinkansen, from the JR Lines, to the station of Hakata City, which is in the Southern part of Japan, on the island of Kuyshu.
24th December 2011 - Bruno Carmeni at Hakata City Station Japan
When we got our tickets with the Rail Pass we asked to go to Fukuoka, but our Japanese friends told us that the train station of Fukuoka we are looking was not the one we were going to go to with the tickets we were getting: if we would not have listened to them we would have ended up in a total different part of Japan North of Kanazawa!
If we wanted to go to to Fukuoka, Kyushu we had to get tickets for Hakata City Station. This is how we found out, that Hakata used to be an independent city between 794 and 1185 (Heian Period) and between 1568 and 1600 (Hazuchi Momoyama Period).
Between 1600 and 1867 a Shogun called Kuroda Nagamasa used to live on the opposite side of the Naka river in the city of Hakata (Fukusaki). He was the one who changed the name of the area to Fukuoka in memory of his hometown Okayama.
In 1889 the Meiji Emperor unified Hakata and Fukuoka, where Hakata became secondary to Fukuoka even though it had more inhabitants, 25677 vs. 20410.
Nevertheless the new train station in Fukuoka was called “Hakata Station” and in 1972 Fukuoka became a city. One side of the Mikasagawa river belongs to the part of the city called Hakata while the other side belongs to Fukuoka.
But why did we go all the way to Fukuoka?
First of all we wanted to visit our dear friend, Mimi, who recently came to Italy. But it was also an opportunity to go back in time.
29th October 1964 - Bruno Carmeni Gold Medal at the Fukuoka Judo Tournament Japan
Back in 1964, after having participated at the Tokyo Olympics, I was selected to be part of the “Rest of the Wolrd” Team. The selection and organization of a series of Tournaments throughout Japan was initiated by the Japanese National Judo Federation, the Kodokan
I was representing Italy and travelled to several Japanese cities with the team to face not only the Japanese National Team, but also several of the strongest universities in the country.
On 29th October 1964 we reached the sports hall of Fukuoka. After the Opening Ceremony, I stepped on the tatami to see whether Italian judo then was competitive or not.
After three fights, which I all won, I got the gold. I was awarded by the Organizing Committee President. Behind him, while he was awarding me I could see in the first row many famous high level judo masters.
The Tournament was at world level and I still have the presentation poster of it, that states the official components of the Italian representatives: the Coach, Sensei Otani and the Athlete Bruno Carmeni (kg. 68).
In those days the wight classes were only three kg. 68, kg. 80, over kg. 80. Then there was the so called “open” weight class, ie. without weight distinction.
The refereeing rules were simple, but it was harder to win because:
-the tatami border was delimited by creating a height difference between the tatami and ground of about 5cm;
-all actions going out of the competition area were void;
-Ippon (full point) was only scored if the opponent was thrown on his back with impetus, speed and control. If the action was lacking one of these 3 elements the score was wazaari (half point). No yuko (1/4 point) nor koka (1/8 point) existed then..
This system was adopted at the Tokyo Olympics, but there was no electronic scoreboard to assign the points. The golden score did exist and the competition was by direct elimination without repechage.
25th December 2011 - Bruno Carmeni back in Fukuoka Japan
At the end of the competition I gave to one of the Board members of the Organizing Committee the banner of the Italian Heavy Athletic Federation (FIAP), which then was also in charge of judo.
My friend Park Il Soon from South Korea was in the team with me. At the Tokyo Olympics he was in my same weight class placing 5th.
In time the Fukuoka Judo Tournament has become famous thanks to the women in the world practicing this outstanding sport.
Now you can understand why we went to Fukuoka and how I felt when I reached this beautiful city after 48 years again!
Hoping that you will enjoy my sharing of this outstanding experience I had in 1964.
Bruno Carmeni Throwing his Opponent with Seoi Nage.
Bruno Carmeni Throwing his Opponent with Seoi Nage.
