Yukio Tani

Who was Yukio Tani?

Yukio Tani was a Japanese jujutsu instructor and professional challenge wrestler.

The precise details of Tani's early jujutsu training in Japan are unclear, but he is known to have studied at two Fusen-ryu dojo as well as at the "Handa School of Jiujitsu" in Osaka. Tani is also often said to have been a student of Tenjin Shinyo-ryu jujutsu. It is also likely that he had considerable experience in competitive ne-waza at the high-school level.

Beginning in late 1900, through the influence of Edward William Barton-Wright, the founder of Bartitsu, the nineteen-year-old Yukio Tani travelled to London with his older brother, who is known only by his initial, "K", and a man named S. Yamamoto. K. Tani and Yamamoto soon returned to Japan, but Yukio stayed in London and began appearing at music halls, giving demonstrations of jujutsu and placing challenges to all comers. On stage Tani was known as the "pocket Hercules" and was famous throughout all levels of London society. Along with fellow jujutsu practitioner Sadakazu Uyenishi, Tani was also employed as a jujutsu instructor at Barton Wright's "Bartitsu School of Arms and Physical Culture" at 67b Shaftesbury Avenue in London's Soho district.