HARUO IMAMURA

Sensei Haruo Imamura began his study of judo at the age of 10 in Tamana, Japan. From 1952 to 1957 he was the captain of the Tenri University Judo Team which won the Japanese National Collegiate Championships. In 1955 he visited the United States as a member of the All Japan Intercollegiate Judo Team and in 1958 he returned to the United States as an exchange student. In 1960 he competed in United States Senior National Championships in Tampa, Florida and became the 180 Pound Division Champion. Each division champion then competes for the Grand Championship, the over-all tournament Champion. Sensei Imamura defeated Ben “Nighthorse” Campbell (1964 Olympian and former United States Senator from Colorado) in the final match with osoto-gaeshi (osoto gari counter) to become the 1960 US National Grand Champion. Sensei Imamura competed in the United States Senior National Championships in 1962 and again won the 180 Pound Division.

Sensei Imamura has been the head instructor of Fresno Judo Club since 1962 and he has been the Fresno State Judo team coach since 1982. He has led the Fresno State Judo Team to National Championships in 1985 and 1987. He has taught judo at Fresno State since 1980, first as an extension course and later as a regular physical education class.

He has coached USA National Judo teams in countries like the former Soviet Union, Japan, Austria, Cuba, etc. and he has been a consultant to the Kodokan in Tokyo, Japan. Mr. Imamura’s autobiography was recently published in chapters in the Kindai Judo magazine in Japan. In 2006 Sensei Imamura was awarded Coach of the Year by the California Judo, Inc.

Sensei Imamura holds the rank of Kodokan 8^th Dan and USJF 9^th Dan. 2008 will mark his 50^th year of teaching judo in the United States.