Toshiaki Inouye

Inducted 1994

Inouye Sensei was born on March 9, 1925, in Hilo, Hawaii. His lifelong pursuit of Judo began at the age of 9 in 1934. He received the rank of Shodan on November 10, 1941 at the age 16. On April 5, 1994, he was inducted into the US Judo Hall of Fame. Inouye Sensei reached the rank of 8-dan on October 10, 2004. He peacefully passed away on September 29, 2009.

In the 1970s to the 1980s, Inouye Sensei served for 14 years as the President of the Judo Black Belt Association of Hawaii. He was also featured in Black Belt Magazine. In 1972, Inouye sensei, began negotiations with the Oahu public schools athletic directors to start a pilot High School Judo league. Three years later in 1975, Judo was officially adopted as a public high school sport and exists to the present day with a State Tournament.

source: USJF