A Lifetime of Judo Recognised as Mikami Reaches 10th Dan

Kazuhiro Mikami Sensei received his 10th dan during the Ecole Mont-Olivet Lausanne Grand Slam 2026, marking the highest rank in judo. Marius Vizer and Sergei Ashwanden presented the distinction in Lausanne, the city that became the centre of Mikami Sensei’s long Swiss judo journey.

The award recognises far more than competitive success. It honours a lifetime devoted to teaching, technical development and passing on Japanese judo, alongside an influence that has helped shape the sport in Switzerland for decades.

Born in Hakodate, Japan, on 12th September 1939, Mikami Sensei started judo at a young age and earned his first dan in 1955. Between 1955 and 1964, he reached the podium at 26 major tournaments and established himself among Japan’s leading university judoka.

His early responsibilities were already significant. Mikami Sensei captained the Tokyo University team and the Japanese university team, while also working as an instructor with the Kodokan International Division and the Tokyo police department.

Trained by major Kodokan figures including the late Toshiro Daigo sensei, 10th dan, Mikami Sensei arrived in Switzerland in January 1966. The Kodokan had sent him to promote judo, and he settled in the Lausanne region, where he has remained a committed ambassador for Japanese judo.

Lausanne became the place where Mikami Sensei’s judo legacy in Switzerland took root.

His impact extended from the dojo to the national stage. Teams he coached collected numerous Swiss titles, while many of his students became national champions and represented Switzerland internationally. One of them was Sergei Aschwanden, who won Olympic bronze at Beijing 2008, world silver and two European titles.

Mikami Sensei coached Switzerland’s dan grades from 1970 to 1979. In 1975, he founded the Mikami Judo School, later known as Mikami Judo Club Lausanne, and continued to teach, lead technical seminars, support instructor development and contribute to kata education.

Since 1984, he has also served as a judge at the Swiss Kata Championships and led the International Kata Camp in Fiesch. His work has been recognised in both Switzerland and Japan: the Kodokan awarded him 9th dan in 2022, while the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs honoured his role in promoting Japan abroad.

In 2025, Emperor Naruhito awarded Mikami Sensei the Order of the Rising Sun, 5th Class. His 10th dan in Lausanne now brings another major recognition to a career inseparable from judo and its transmission across generations.

Source: IJF.org

Image source: IJF / International Judo Federation