While we all know about the atomic bombs dropped on Japan that ended the War with them. Many people don’t know about the United States firebombing of Japan’s cities that changed the way we fought the Japanese. Prior to this, the battles were fought against the military of the Axis countries and not against the civilian populations of women and children. Then in 1945 we changed our strategies and started bombing the cities.

The United States attacked Tokyo with incendiary and fragmentation bombs on February 25, 1945 that destroyed approximately 643 acres of the city. March 9-10 saw the dropping of 1665 tons of cluster, napalm bombs on Tokyo. They punched through the thin tin roofing of the homes, and they landed in the streets, 3-5 seconds later the bombs would ignite, throwing out a jet of flaming napalm. Jelled gasoline and white phosphorus bombs that ignited on impact were also send. The attack was centered in the densely populated working class district. The fires overwhelmed the cities fire defenses and then joined to create a general conflagration, a firestorm that demolished much of the city. Falling embers spread the fire. Smoke and ash clogged the air. Horrifyingly the ash was not only burned buildings, but human ash from those caught by the napalm. Over 100,000 civilian people are estimated to have burned to death. Keiko Fukuda lived in Tokyo during this time. She was 31 years old, and the only judo instructor left in the city.

Ms. Fukuda during the bombing

Keiko peaks out her family’s door; she is getting ready to make her daily trip to the Kodokan Judo School on the other side of Tokyo, she ducks her head back in. The streets are burning; the United States is dropping napalm filled bombs on the city. Embers fall from the sky, making going outside dangerous. Smoke and dust fills the air, making it hard to breath. Afraid but resolved to fulfill her obligations; Keiko wraps a scarf around her head and face and starts to make her way to the train station. Wearing a kimono and wooden shoes, taking refuge in doorways and building overhangs whenever she could find them, she walks. She is the only judo instructor left in the city and she must get to the dojo. She steps over debris and weaves through the falling buildings, she avoids the bodies. Bodies that are charred, some falling to dust, and she walks. The train is not running, of course it was one of the first targets to bomb, and so she walks.

Arriving at the Kodokan, she finds the women of judo waiting for her. They, like she did, risked their lives to get here. They are all starving; some have burns that need to be treated. The men have all gone off to war. They are here for hope and strength and a bit of vegetable soup with tea. Among these women she is known as “Sensei”. It is her role to be strong for them and not let them see that she is also afraid. As she opens the doors and begins to cook for these frightened women, the lessons begin. The telling of history and the philosophies embedded in the art of judo. Sensei knows that learning to be strong in training can translate to being strong in life’s other challenges.

We can imagine the lesson she gave as being very similar to the one I heard decades later.

Ms. Fukuda’s entry into judo, over all philosophy

Keiko Fukuda began to study judo in 1935 at the age of 22 with the official opening of the Woman’s division of the Kodokan; 50 years after the men’s division began. The division opened with 24 students studying under the Founder of the art, Jigorō Kano. Keiko was invited to join the class because of her family’s standing in the community and because her grandfather, Hachinosuke Fukuda, a samurai and master of Tenjin Shinyō-ryū jujutsu, who taught Jigorō Kanō, the founder of judo and head of the Kodokan. Her family approved only because they thought that she might meet a suitable husband. An unlikely event, as the women’s division had no contact with the male judo players. Kano was tasked to find her a husband, an obligation he tried to fulfill, even passing on his responsibility to his daughter when he died. Marrying and having children was expected of women, instead she practiced judo.