Yosh Uchida

Born in 1920, Yosh Uchida is a well-known San Jose Japanese American for his activities in the Japanese sport, Judo, and in the Japanese American community. While running his own business, Uchida was also the part time head coach of Judo at San Jose State University. During his 35 years of coaching, he tutored 32 collegiant champions. Dedicated to introducing people around the United States to Judo he organized the first National Judo Championships in 1953 and he also was the coach of the first Olympic Judo team in 1964. For his achievements in the sport of Judo, he was included in the San Jose Sports Hall of Fame in 1996.

After selling his chain of medical testing laboratories which made him a millionare, Uchida has become a philanthropist, developer and civic leader. In striving to expose the people of the San Jose area to Japanese culture, he arranged the 1993 San Jose Sumo Basho, which highlighted some of the most significant Sumo wrestlers in Japan. He has also initiated the Japanese American Chamber of Commerce for the South Bay as a information and contact resource for the Japanese American community in the area.

Yosh Uchida

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