Ray Imada

Judo Biography

Judo Credentials

Ray T. Imada was born and raised in Hawaii, with frequent time spent in
Kumamoto, Japan during his youth. He had a challenging beginning in kindergarten, speaking only Japanese. His English developed into winning statewide writing contests in elementary school. He was an excellent student to the level of being asked to enter a special school for the gifted in the fourth grade. He refused because he did not want to part with friends he grew up within his Kalihi neighborhood.

When he was nine, his parents decided his “round” girth needed to be addressed. His athletic father decided to send him to a Judo class. Yasuyuki Sakabe, a Shichidan from Japan, became his sensei. Sakabe Sensei, at that time taught at six dojos across the island. He had settled in Hawaii after his visits to Hawaii with his good friend, Masahiko Kimura, who traveled to Brazil and became a legend competing against all comers, including jujitsuist Helio Gracie.

Young Imada tried everything he could to quit the martial art for the first five years. His weight placed him in divisions determined by weight only, so he always matched up with boys more than four to five years his age. He eventually gave in and tried to be a bit more serious in practice. Soon after his fifteenth birthday, he placed third place in a local tourney for the first time.

Surprise Trip to Japan!

Four months later, he left, on three days’ notice, on a surprise trip to Tokyo… alone. His parents and Sakabe Sensei organized a three month stay at a dorm that was walking-distance to both the Kodokan and the Tokyo Police Headquarters. He was scheduled for 82 practice days, two hours daily at the Police headquarters in the morning and four hours per night at the Kodokan. The dorm owner had housed his father during college and helped to organize his son’s stay. After losing twenty pounds, with a heavily bruised and injured body, he came home.

Three weeks later, at his first Shodan Shiai, he won six matches. Five ippon under a minute each and a waza-ari. Most of the opponents, were those he had never beaten since he began Judo. He was awarded a Batsugun promotion and became the youngest shodan at that time, in 1968 at age 15!

He consistently won local competitions. His senior year was his first national event at the High School Nationals. He fought through a broken hand in mid-competition to finish second. A year later, he competed in the 1972 Olympic Trials, finishing in sixth place with a 6-1 record.

Two years later, as he was earning his teaching degree at the University, he was approached by the Yudanshakai to help start a high school competition league in the public schools. As only a nidan, he was honored to work with six long-time sensei who also volunteered. Three years later, in 1977, Judo was officially added as a spring sport in the Oahu Interscholastic Association’s public schools. During this time, he started the Wadokan Judo Club, as a home for his area’s Judo participants.

In the early 1980s, he organized high school students from various schools to train together on weekends to compete in the yearly National High School Judo Championships. Most of the students had never competed on the mainland but did well. In 1980, led by future Olympian, Kevin Asano, the ten students won the Most Outstanding Team recognition.

In 1984, Imada Sensei turned over the original Castle High School coaching duties to one of hisgraduate coaches after ten seasons. He turned his attention to training and assisting his students that were building their own programs at other high schools. Since that time and still today, he has regularly coached and traveled to each of their seven schools to mentor the coaches during the seasons on Oahu, Hawaii and Molokai islands.

In 1996, girl teams were allowed in the league. In the 2003 season, the Interscholastic League of Honolulu (ILH), the Maui Interscholastic League (MIL), and the Big Island Interscholastic Federation (BIIF) started programs in their leagues. That started the first official State Championships. Currently, there are more than seventy high schools, with over a thousand students each season. As the lone survivor of the original high school program, Imada Sensei has taken on the additional steps of sharing with any team, dojo, or even leagues. Evaluation input, talks, demos and seminars that could help the high schoolers and their coaches keep him busy. He also attended the meets to evaluate the coaches, officials and parents every season, to emphasize proper conduct and etiquette. For the last six years, he also flew out to Maui and Molokai to help their programs and has flown in pre-season demonstration assistants to help raise the level of competition.

Ray Imada

When violence against women became news during the late 1990s, he organized
a serious self- defense course to help. His free ”Women Awareness and Response
Seminars (WARS)”, was a six week ( 2 times per week) training program.
Students of adult ages were given information, physical and psychological
training. Police, lawyers, Aikido, Kung-fu instruction,, along with “street
smarts” and basic falling/ protective drills provided simple, easy-to-learn
techniques and advice.

Over the course of three years, there were more than 400 graduates and
several dozen “survivors”. Sensei was honored with a proclamation from
the Mayor of Honolulu at the time.

Imada Sensei has always been the organizer of major tournaments for the
50th State Judo Association. From 2008 through 2013, he had run the USJF
National High School Championships. He also was the tournament director
of three USJF Junior, Senior, and Masters National competition, the last
being the 2014 event.

Ten years ago, he decided to distribute a simple collection of Judo history
and etiquette to coaches, parents and older judoka. “Traditions Not to
Be Forgotten” was his reminder for judoka to share the basic history of
Judo and reminders of proper conduct and attitude for students and their
families. Judo is NOT a “sport”, but a way of life. Students don’t have
only to be proud of their medals and trophies, but the WAY they live their
life. His collection has been revised and is still being shared.

Currently, Imada Sensei has been serving as Promotion Committee chair for
the 50th State Judo Association for the last seven years. While still wearing
a judogi for sixty-one years, he anxiously awaits the 50th anniversary
of the Hawaii High School Judo program in 2027, or more fondly 2024, the
starting date of Judo in Hawaii high schools.

Ray Imada

Notable Accomplishments

Youngest Shodan at that time, in 1968 at 15 years old
Help start a high school competition league in the Hawai’i public schools.
1977 started Wadokan Judo Club.
In the early 1980s, he organized high school students from various schools
to train together on weekends to compete in the yearly National High School Judo Championships.
In 1984, Imada Sensei turned over the original Castle High School coaching
duties to one of his graduate coaches after ten seasons. He turned his
attention to training and assisting his students that were building their
own programs at other high schools. Since that time and till today, he
has regularly coached and traveled to each of their seven schools to mentor
the coaches during the seasons on Oahu, Hawaii and Molokai islands.
Organized a serious self-defense course to help violence against women, FREE Program called Women Awareness and Response Seminars (WARS)
Honored with a proclamation from the Mayor of the City and County of Honolulu
Major tournament organizer for the 50th State Judo Association.
Published “Traditions Not to Be Forgotten” includes basic history of judo and proper conduct and attitude for students and their families.
Serving as Promotions Committee Chair, past 7 years
Over 61 years of dedicated judo service as a competitor, High School Judo Coach, Head Instructor, 50 th State Judo Association Promotions Committee Chair, and among the many other countless activities noted above.

“I pick up things from other instructors, I ask questions, I read books, I do everything to try to increase my knowledge.”

“…life is not fun and games. They can realize they have goals, they have to work, and not let anyone just give it to them. I try to make them realize they have to be inquisitive and motivated to bring themselves to what they want to be.”

Judo Biography

Judo Credentials

Surprise Trip to Japan!

Notable Accomplishments

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