This is the story of the most controversial martial arts demonstration in Tokyo history and why the Japanese sword federation tried to have all footage of the event destroyed. Shinjuku dojo, Tokyo, Japan. March 8th, 1971. The dojo belonged to Master Teeshi Yamamoto, a seventh dan karate instructor who had studied under Gichchin Faoshi himself and maintained one of the most respected traditional training facilities in Tokyo. The dojo operated under old school rules. No tournaments, no trophies, only serious students seeking genuine martial arts knowledge.
Master Yamamoto had invited Bruce Lee to give a demonstration of Wingchun and Jet Kuneo to his advanced students. Curious about these Chinese and hybrid systems that were gaining attention in martial arts circles. Miyamoto Ko was not part of Yamamoto’s regular student body. She was a 28-year-old kendo and Io master who held fifth Dan rankings in both arts. Coming from a samurai family that had served the Tokugawa shogunat before the Maji restoration, her great greatgrandfather had been a renowned swordsman, and the family katana she carried had seen real combat in the Bin War of 1868.
