I must say I’m kind of jel that Keiko Fukuda was awarded a tenth-degree black belt. I took karate when I was younger…got all the way up to the rank right below black belt (brown belt with 2 black stripes) and then I quit. LOL. Such a go-getter. Anyway, unlike myself, Keiko obviously was not a quitter! That’s a huge accomplishment. She is the first woman and one of only four people to achieve that rank. More details after the jump.
HP – When she lived in Japan as a young girl, Fukuda studied calligraphy, flower arrangement and tea ceremony, according to Nerve.com.
A clip from the documentary Be Strong, Be Gentle, Be Beautiful explained that Fukuda endured gender discrimination and chose Judo over marriage in order to pursue her dream. (Scroll down for video.)
“This was my marriage,” Fukuda said through tears. “This is when my life destiny was set.”
