A Man Born Frail and Almost Died Once But Finally Became a Superman

This is a true story of a man, who was born frail and almost died once but finally became a superman.

Harumichi Hida (1883-1956) is a founder of Hida-siki spirited body training system (Kyoken-jutsu) in Japan.

Harumichi Hida (1883-1956)

Harumichi is not well known outside Japan, but he is known as an amazing man who acquired superhuman power.

Here, I would like to introduce the amazing life of Harumichi Hida who was born frail but finally became a superman.

Harumichi Was Born Frail and Almost Died Once

Harumichi was born the fifth boy of a doctor, Harutsune Kawai in Konuma of Katsura village (present-day Nishikatsura-cho), Minamitsuru District, Yamanashi, Japan.

Source Maximilian Dörrbecker (Chumwa) – Own work

Mount Mitsutoge Station

Source アラツク – Own work

Harumichi was so sickly child that he was told twice by a doctor that he would die young.

Actually, when he was 5 years old, Haruichi was stricken with measles and fell critically ill.

So, he could not enter junior high school until 18 years old.

Furthermore, Harumichi was often dubbed “skinny,” because he was emaciated from his childhood.

Harumichi in his childhood. He was so emaciated that he was dubbed “skinny.”

After he had a narrow escape from death, Harumichi had a serious desire to get a better body.

So, in his eighth year, Harumichi decided to become stronger.

He studied and practiced a huge number of physical health methods and body training systems of all ages and all countries.

As a result of his intensive research and practice, Harumichi developed his own body training method by incorporating Western weight training into the traditional idea of Japanese “Hara (Tanden)”.

Various styles of martial arts describe hara as being just below or directly behind the umbilicus.

In Japanese tradition, hara is considered to be the physical center of gravity of the human body and is the seat of one’s internal energy (qi, prana).

In the following figure, the point A represents navel, the point B represents the lower back and the point O represents the centre of the body. 

In the Japanese tradition, masters of Japanese calligraphy, swordsmanship, tea ceremony, martial arts, and the other arts, are considered to be “acting from the hara.”

Harumichi’s training method is characterized in straining the abdomen and lower back equally to concentrate all power in the centre of the body at an accelerated pace.

Actually, Kyoken-jutsu transformed Harumichi’s body beyond recognition in just two years.

Harumichi retained nothing of the frail and skinny boy that he once was.

He turned into a young man of strong build just like an ancient Greek statue.

Harumichi practicing Kyoken-jutsu. Harumichi retained nothing of the frail and skinny boy that he once was.

Harumichi Dramatically Improved His Brain

Kyoken-jutsu made Harumichi’s brain dramatically clearer than before.

Actually, Harumichi entered three private universities at the same time, that is, the department of Law of Chuo University, the departments of political science and commercial science of the Meiji University, and the department of literature of Waseda University.

Waseda University, a Japanese private research university where Harumichi studied. Waseda consistently ranks among the most academically selective and prestigious universities in Japanese university rankings.

Harumichi did well enough at those universities.

Amazingly, after the exam started at one of the university, Harumichi handed in papers in only 10-15 minutes, but he got the highest grade in every exam.

In 1911, Harumichi had to pass the graduation examinations of the three universities at the same time, but he easily passed all of the exams.

He did not need to prepare for the graduation exams, because he had a great memory by Kyoken-jutsu.

So, the day before the graduation exams, Harumichi went to listen to a Japanese lute recital.

However, Harumichi graduated all of the three universities in the top 3.

Certificates of graduation and awards that Harumichi received from the three different universities. Harumichi took the graduation exams of the three universities at the same time and graduated them in the top 3.

In this way, Harumichi had a great brain.

Harumichi Mastered Every Kind of Sports

Furthermore, Harumichi excelled in all kinds of sports, too.

While he was studying at the three universities, Harumichi was very active on various sports.

Especially, Harumichi founded a judo team at the Meiji University and he was chosen to be the first captain of the judo team.

Only four months after Harumichi began practicing judo, his master could not throw Harumichi.

When Harumichi concentrated all his power in the centre of the body while straightening his back, he became as firm as a rock.

So, even his master could not move Harumichi at all.

Furthermore, Harumichi analyzed various techniques of judo mechanically and geometrically.

As a result, Harumichi was able to tumble his opponent onto the floor by just adjusting both of the angle of the foot and the twisting angle of the waist, even though the opponent weighed nearly twice as much as him.

Furthermore, just at a glance at the techniques of his master, Harumichi was able to use the same techniques more brilliantly than his master.

Thus, Harumichi achieved the license of Takenouchi-ryu, the oldest jujutsu koryu in Japan in just six months after he began practicing judo.

Later, Kyuzo Mifune (1883-1965), the greatest exponents and technician of the art of judo, visited Harumichi to ask him for instruction.

Kyūzō Mifune, the greatest judo technician.

Furthermore, Harumichi excelled in Kendo, Japanese art of fencing too.

His thrust techniques never missed.

Actually, when Harumichi thrusts his bamboo sword into an opponent, the opponent was blown as far as 20 feet away, even though the opponent was a huge guy.

Harumichi perfected Japanese art of fencing, Judo, Japanese art of archery, javelin throwing, Japanese art of Naginata, bayonet exercise, shooting and so on.

His uncanny sporting ability was accomplished by the application of Kyoken-jutsu.

Later, American professional boxers, MacArthur “Mac” Foster (1942 – 2010) and Muhammad Ali (1942-2016) also learned the exercise of Kyoken-jutsu.

Muhammad Ali (1942-2016) was an American professional boxer. Ali was nicknamed “The Greatest” and is widely regarded as one of the most significant and celebrated sports figures of the 20th century and as one of the greatest boxers of all time. Ali also learned Harumichi’s exercise of Kyoken-jutsu.

In this way, Harumichi’s sporting ability was outstanding.

Harumichi Gained Fame by Publishing Books

After graduating the universities, Harumichi published his first book, “Simplified Kyoken-jutsu.”

This book became a bestseller in Japan.

His next book “Kyoken-jutsu for mind and body” also sold well and it achieved over 100 printings in a short time.

Furthermore, some of his books were read by Emperor Showa.

Thus, Kyoken-jutsu was very popular throughout Japan in the early 1900s.

Even Drill Instructors Feared Harumichi in Boot Camp

Several months later, Harumichi joined the 4th Guards Infantry Regiment of the Imperial Guards of the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA).

At that time, in the IJA, recruits received a rain of blows on a daily basis by drill instructors who intended to give the recruits good workout.

However, in the boot camp, Harumichi never received any blows by drill instructors, because they were intimidated by Harumichi’s well-toned body and spirit.

Harumichi dressed in a military uniform of the Imperial Guards. Even drill instructors were intimidated by Harumichi in boot camp.

So, without getting any blow by drill instructors, Harumichi was appointed first lieutenant and served as an accounting officer.

It was a miracle in the IJA at that time, because the IJA was well known for very hard military discipline and recruits received a rain of blows by drill instructors.

Harumichi Fought With Challengers From All Over Japan

After Harumichi became widely known throughout Japan, challengers such as martial artists, grapplers and fighters visited one after another to challenge Harumichi.

However, when an opponent challenged him to a fight, Harumichi said in a naturally standing posture,

You may attack me whenever and from anywhere you like!

At first, the opponent went around Harumichi trying to watch for a chance.

But in almost all cases, he felt completely outmatched and gave up without fighting Harumichi.

However, one day, a fearless sumo wrestler rushed at Harumichi shaking his huge body to crush Harumichi.

However, at the moment the sumo wrestler touched Harumichi’s body, he was easily slammed to the ground.

In this way, Harumichi was a really invincible man!

Harumichi Had an Ageless Body and Power

Amazingly, even in his seventies, Harumichi kept as much strength and quickness compared to when he was young.

In 1954, an American author and researcher of Zen Buddhism, Paul Reps (1895-1990) visited Harumichi.

At that time, Reps travelled around the world and spent a large amount of his time in Asia.

When Reps met Harumichi in his 70s, he was surprised to see Harumichi’s well-toned body and praised,

Harumichi looks like he is in his 30s!

He has gained a fascinating body that is unprecedented in the world.

Kyoken-jutsu is the best beautiful dance I have ever seen!

Harumichi in his later years. Even in his 70s, Harumichi looked like he was in his 30s. He had an ageless body and power.

Furthermore, when Harumichi met his friends after an interval over ten years, they all looked at him in amazement, as he looked like he was in his 30s.

So, they said the same thing,

Oh my God!

You haven’t changed at all.

Your face and body and everything is the same!

Unbelievable!!

However, to hear these words, Harumichi used to answer as follows:

No, I’m not the same as before.

I have changed a lot!

I feel much stronger and greater than I was in my 20s and 30s, when I devoted myself to building up my body.

My whole body, shape, skin color and strength, is increasingly becoming better and better!

And I’m increasingly becoming much stronger and stronger!

Old Harumichi over 70 VS. Young Man with Herculean Strength

Actually, there is an anecdote showing the strength of Harumichi in his later years.

On a New Year’s day, when he was in his 70s, Harumichi  had a contest of strength with a young man of the same village.

The young man was a fisherman who was feared by the village fishermen because of his Herculean strength.

According to Michio Hida, a grandchild of Harumichi, the situation at that time is as follows.

Harumichi threw out an arm in front of the young man.

The young man held Harumichi’s wrist firmly with his both hands.

Then he tried to move Harumichi’s wrist as hard as he could in a variety of ways.

However, no matter how hard the young man tried, the Harumichi’s arm did not budge an inch.

Suddenly, Harumichi flung away the arms of the young man.

Then in the blink of an eye, the young man was pinned to the floor.

Harumichi held him down applying pressure on his back with a hand.

In this way, the young Hercules totally surrendered to the old Harumichi over 70.

Harumichi Acquired Superhuman Strength and Power

In 1917, Harumichi was adapted by his wife Hida’s family in Yawatano, Tajima village (present-day Ito city), Tagata District, Shizuoka and since then he lived there.

Harumichi buried himself in the training and studies of Kyoken-jutsu. 

On the night of June 18, 1923, Harumichi practiced Kyoken-jutsu enthusiastically in a 2-meter-square small hut.

Suddenly, the great power that he had never experienced before spouted from the center of the abdomen and lower back.

Harumichi was surprised by the power that came from the center of his body.

Then, he tried to stomp hard on the floor by his right foot while keeping the body posture.

Amazingly, Harumichi put his right foot through the sturdy floor one inch thick without feeling any resistance.

The part of the sturdy floor one inch thick punched out by Harumichi’s right foot. The shape and the size of the part correspond to those of Harumichi’s right foot.

Furthermore, when he trampled down the floor, Harumichi snapped off even the wooden floor joist, just like he was breaking a twig.

The wooden floor joist that snapped off by Harumichi’s foot.

In this way, Harumichi actually became a superman with superhuman strength and power!

Harumichi Discovered a Divine Power Hidden Inside the Human Body

By the way, Harumichi discovered a divine power hidden in his body.

Of course, the same power is hidden inside your body, too.

In his later years, Harumichi predicted as follows,

The God Science would help us draw such a divine power hidden in our body!

You know that modern science helped us draw the hidden power of the dead matters so that they are transformed into cars, planes, computers and space rockets.

In the same way, the God Science will help us draw the hidden power of our body so that we are transformed into super humans with superhuman body and power.

Someday, you may arouse your sleeping power deep inside your body and become a superhuman, just like Harumichi did.

Published on October 23, 2018

Updated on May 24, 2020

Written by OTAKUPAPA

References

1. Kazuyuki Takagi (1986). “Hida-siki spirited body training system for building a iron man.”
2. Harumichi Hida (December 1985). “The book of the space ethics.”
3. Harumichi Hida In Wikipedia.