There are trailblazers, whose stories must be told and Sarah Mayer’s story is one of them. She made history by becoming the first western woman to earn a black belt in judo.
Check out her incredible story and how she spent half her life learning Kano’s grappling art
Sarah Mayer’s Early Life & Entry Into Judo Training
Sarah Mayer (1896–1957) was a pioneering English actress, writer, and judoka, celebrated as the first non-Japanese woman to earn a black belt in judo.
Born on October 16, 1896, near Battersea Park in London, Mayer grew up in a theatrical family, with both parents, Alfred Benedict Tapping and Alice Amelia Fishwick, being actors.
She followed in their footsteps, beginning her acting career in 1906 and performing in productions like Harley Granville-Barker’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream in 1914. She later enrolled in the Academy of Dramatic Art to hone her craft.
Mayer’s journey into judo began in the 1920s at the Budokwai in London, under the tutelage of Gunji Koizumi, known as the “father of British judo.” Her passion for the martial art led her to travel to Japan in 1934, initially planning a four-month trip that she extended to deepen her training.
In Japan, she trained at prestigious institutions like the Kodokan and the Butokuden in Kobe, where she was granted unprecedented access to male-dominated dojos, a rare privilege for a woman at the time.
Her letters to Koizumi, preserved and later published, provide vivid insights into her experiences, including training with the Kobe police force and her initial discomfort with public demonstrations.
She famously remarked, “I did not consider myself to have any sex when I was doing judo,” signaling her determination to be treated as an equal in training.
Mayer Earns Her Judo Black Belt
On February 27, 1935, Sarah Mayer achieved a historic milestone when she was awarded her first dan (black belt) by Sensei Hajime Isogai at the Dai Nippon Butoku Kai in Kyoto, following her attainment of first kyu at the Kodokan.
This achievement, celebrated in the Japanese Times with the headline “Foreign Woman Wins Shodan at the Butokukai,” marked her as the first non-Japanese woman to receive a black belt in Kodokan judo, a feat that garnered international attention.
She trained under notable figures like Jigoro Kano, the founder of judo, and Ichiro Hatta, and even competed in a match judged by Kyuzo Mifune, a legendary judoka.
Mayer’s time in Japan was not only a personal triumph but also a cultural and political statement. Her presence and success aligned with Japan’s efforts to modernize its image and promote tourism, showcasing its openness to internationalism.
She inspired Japanese women during a period when they were seeking greater independence, contributing to the growing participation of women in judo.
Mayer’s Return To Britain
Returning to Britain in 1935, Mayer brought Ichiro Hatta with her and continued training at the Budokwai before establishing her own dojo in her home in Burgh Heath.
She also resumed her theatrical career, writing a play, Hundreds and Thousands, performed in 1939, and contributing articles to the Evening Standard.
Her connection to the theater extended to inspiring George Bernard Shaw’s rewrite of The Millionairess, where the lead character, Epifania, was portrayed as a judoka, a role Mayer herself played in 1940.
Sarah Mayer’s Legacy
Sarah Mayer’s legacy endures as a trailblazer in women’s judo and a key figure in the globalization of the sport. Mayer’s determination to train alongside men, her historic black belt achievement, and her role in inspiring female participation in judo cement her as a pivotal figure in martial arts history.
Bobby is martial artist for almost 20 years with a BJJ black belt under Professor Sergio Miranda. He is also a karate black and former combat sports athlete, who loves all things grappling.